We're just back from a two-week stay in Provincetown, Massachusetts at the tip of Cape Cod. We made the trek up the east coast, canine kids in tow, in two days. Following the Halloween festivities on Saturday, we made the trip back to Atlanta. Being our first long road trip with the dogs, I'm pleased to say that with a car packed to the gills, Greeley, Olive, and Milo made the trip like real … [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...]
Mushroom, Leek, and Gruyere Tart
Do you ever wonder how humans came to ingest certain foods? Who first thought about eating an egg? Who came up with the idea that spoiled milk in the form of yogurt was a good idea? Why would someone risk their life to eat a fungus that could potentially kill them? How did they figure out which ones were safe to eat and which ones were lethal? I'm not sure who figured out the mushroom thing, but … [Read more...]
Roasted Acorn Squash and Brussels Sprouts Salad
When we remodeled our house four years ago, I dedicated a large kitchen cabinet for cookbooks. At the time, my collection all but filled the space. Over the last few years, my obsession with buying cookbooks and food magazines has the cabinet bulging at the seams. Many of the books get a quick look and become lost in the collection. Others keep my attention and end up with dog-eared pages and … [Read more...]
Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Candied Ginger and Coconut Milk
Years ago, I spent a month in Nepal trekking around Mt. Everest, so for obvious reasons, I was excited to see Everest, the movie. Right off the bat, let me say that I can be a little bit of a ditz. About three weeks ago, I saw a blurb about the movie and thought I read that it opened that day. I promptly signed on to Fandango and bought tickets for Friday night. Jim and I made it to the theatre … [Read more...]
Mediterranean Garbanzo Bean Soup
Yesterday was one of those cool, gray, drizzly days that make you want to stay in and cook a big pot of soup, so I seized the opportunity and did just that. Being married to an Italian, I have to cater regularly to his taste buds, so what better type of soup to prepare than a Mediterranean one? Santa Claus brought me an electric pressure cooker a couple of years ago, and since then I've become … [Read more...]
Kale-Sweet Potato Salad with Cornbread Croutons and Crispy Shallots
I usually associate salads with summer and warm weather. After all, a salad can be very cooling on a hot, sweltering Atlanta day, and there have been plenty of those days this year. We're finally getting a break from 90+ degree days with mornings in the high 50s and highs of low 80s. Those crystal clear days with low humidity always signal the start of fall. I eat salads all year round, and as … [Read more...]
Crabmeat Ceviche + a $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway
Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know about my ties to South Louisiana. My Mom's sister and her family lived in the Lake Charles area, and road trips to that part of the country were an annual summer occurrence for our family. Years later, I attended college in South Mississippi, which is a hop, skip, and a jump from New Orleans. I made many trips to The Big Easy during those … [Read more...]
Roasted Roma Tomatoes
We had a pizza dinner party last week for our friends, Bruce and Felix, and Felix's daughter, Sierra. When I'm making pizza, I go a little crazy with toppings. It's an obsession. I admit it. My ultimate fear in life is that there won't be enough food. I suspect it's a southern thing that I inherited from my grandmother. In my mind, if you don't have at least twice as much food as you need, there's … [Read more...]
Tomato Aspic with Crème Fraîche and Chives
How many of you remember Tomato Aspic? It was the "fancy" congealed tomato salad that all the ladies in town made for their garden club years ago. I'm sure it made regular appearances at church potluck dinners as well. It was certainly popular in my hometown of Aberdeen Mississippi. My parents gave me a copy of Prime Meridian cookbook for Christmas which features the recipes of Meridian, … [Read more...]
Mac and Cheese with Collards
I grew up in the age of instant everything. Convenience ruled the day, especially when it came to food prep. With the arrival of processed food, the likes of Hamburger Helper, Instant Breakfast, and Potato Buds filled supermarket shelves. Working moms opted for the quickest possible route to a family dinner, and my Mom was no exception. A full-time 5th-grade school teacher, she worked all day and … [Read more...]
Shrimp & Corn Chowder
Punxsutawney Phil seems to have gotten it right this year. He saw his shadow on Groundhog Day, and an early spring is nowhere to be seen in my neck of the woods. In Atlanta, February can bring the occasional spring day in the 60s or 70s. Daffodils begin poking their heads through the soil and the forsythia bursts into a wash of yellow. Well, that's not happening this year. We've had nothing but … [Read more...]