It was a special weekend morning when my mother would wake us up to a breakfast of pancakes. Knowing that she had a voracious eater on her hands, she'd take out her griddle and whip up a double batch of batter, knowing that it would take at least a couple of stacks to satisfy my appetite. I'd slather my pancakes with melted butter and syrup from a brown bottle in the shape of a woman. Mrs. … [Read more...]
Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Stew with Turkey Sausage
My grandmother's screened back porch was an adjunct to the kitchen. A red and white plastic gingham tablecloth covered a wooden table that served as overflow refrigerator space during cold weather months. I'd frequently see an apple pie, coconut cake, or some such dessert stored there. A white wicker rocker with a thick cushion sat in the corner, and an antique butter churn used for fermenting … [Read more...]
“Fried” Chicken, Okra and Tomato Corn Cakes, and Chipotle Peaches
My family called me a bean pole when I was growing up. When I was in high school, I was 6'1" tall, and I weighed in at a whopping 130 pounds. I got all the jokes, including "when you turn sideways you disappear" and "you have to run around in the shower to get wet"! Obviously, I was blessed with an over-the-top metabolism because I had a ravenous appetite. From the time I came home from school … [Read more...]
Calzones with Smoked Chicken, Collards, and Pimento Cheese
There's nothing better than something smoked for the Fourth of July. It doesn't matter whether you're making ribs, pulled pork, salmon, or chicken; it's just not the 4th without some form of outdoor cooking. Whenever I fire up the smoker, I make enough of whatever I'm cooking to last for several meals. Last week I smoked a couple of chickens with plans to make a Summer Pizza with Smoked … [Read more...]
Summer Pizza with Smoked Chicken
I have a confession to make. I'm an occasional QVC shopper. There...I said it. I'm somewhat obsessed with kitchen gadgets; Jim says my pantry looks like a Williams-Sonoma store. My friends all tease me, but in my defense, I use every item that I've bought, with very few exceptions. I've been smoking on a Big Green Egg for years, but it's a bit of a production to prepare and cook on it. In a … [Read more...]
Chicken Noodle Soup
Spring has arrived in Atlanta! Buds are popping out everywhere and in the next week or so the trees will burst into that vivid green that I love so much. The ornamental cherry trees are like washes of snow and the redbuds contrast the white with the most spectacular purple. Dogwood and azalea blooms are not far behind. Spring is by far my favorite season. I always feel like I'm coming back to … [Read more...]
Fried Chicken Tacos with Collard Slaw & Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Now that's a long title for a taco, right? I love every element of this recipe, so I really wanted to put them all in the title to entice you to take a closer look. Fried chicken is the star of the show, but it's not complete without the collard green slaw, and of course, the chipotle ranch dressing is icing on the cake. I'm calling this recipe Fried Chicken Tacos, but you might quibble with … [Read more...]
Chicken Chole
Years ago, I spent a month in Nepal trekking in the Himalayas around Mt. Everest National Park. After all this time, I still marvel at the staggering beauty of those mountains. The massive Himalayan peaks dwarf the Rockies and make them look like ant hills in comparison. This region, where yaks are the means of transporting goods and cars are nowhere to be seen, can only be reached on … [Read more...]
White Bean and Chicken Chili
Our local farmers market stocks shelves and shelves of every variety of dried beans you can imagine. I was thinking about soup on Saturday while I was shopping, so I picked up a large container of Great Northerns. Chili with white beans and chicken has been rolling around in my head for months now, and this week I took it off my to-do list and gave it a whirl. I got an electric pressure cooker … [Read more...]
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables with Maple Dijon Sauce
I never tire of roasted chicken. Always on the hunt for a variation on this classic comfort food, I've made it a million ways I'm sure. This version might be close to the top of my list. The sauce made with maple syrup and Dijon mustard might have a little to do with how much I liked this recipe. We're not having the same cold weather that the Northeast has been experiencing, but it's been … [Read more...]
Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Chicken Sausage
Black-eyed peas were a common part of my southern diet while I was growing up in Mississippi. As I've written about food over the last couple of years, I often get curious about foods that I know so well, and I always find it interesting to investigate their history. It's easy to think foods that you've eaten your entire life have been around forever, but that's not always the case. Black-eyed … [Read more...]
Buffalo Chicken Chili
Did you ever think about how hard it must be to learn the English language? Words spelled the same way are pronounced differently and have different meanings. For example, "desert" means to abandon, or it can refer to a dry, sandy environment. Rules have tons of exceptions and words that you would think would be pronounced the same are not. For example, "trough", "rough", and "bough" each have … [Read more...]