Kiss My Grits

True grits, more grits, fish, grits, and collards. Life is good where grits are swallered.
- Roy Blount, Jr.



As someone who grew up in the South, eating Southern food and learning to cook from a very Southern grandmother, I am very familiar with grits and am accustomed to having them served many different ways. When I began sharing meals on a regular basis with my husband, it alarmed me that he had rarely eaten grits - and more so, didn't enjoy them at all. I can certainly relate to that, as grits can be incredibly dull and bland. However, given the proper care and attention, they can certainly add to and enhance a meal.


Three years after that conversation, shrimp & grits is one of my husband's favorite meals. I guess it's the combination of crispy bacon, cheesy grits and spicy shrimp - a medley far too good to resist. The key is cooking the bacon until extra crisp, then sauteeing mushrooms, shrimp and garlic in the pan drippings, along with cajun seasoning and a dash of tobasco. Grits swirled with butter and shredded white cheddar serve as the creamy foundation to plump shrimp, tender mushrooms, and smoky bacon pieces. I usually finish this dish with chopped green onions but didn't have any on hand this time around. Nonetheless, this is a simple and comforting meal that shows grits as much more than an accompaniment to a traditional Southern breakfast.

Comfortably Numb

Food is the most primitive form of comfort.
- Sheilah Graham

Rainy days require a special sort of planning and essentials to make it through. For me, it takes an amount of willpower and strength (and repeated “You are going to make us late, GET UP”-type comments) before I can even put one foot on the floor. The temptation to pull the covers over my head, sleep til noon, then spend a day on the couch with my grandmother’s quilt, watching crappy tv and eating equally crappy foods (think: potato soup followed by chips and queso followed by cupcakes followed by French fries) is far too strong.

But let’s say you do get out of bed. That leads to the shower that isn’t long enough, the tea that isn’t strong enough, and the clothes that aren’t comfy enough. Figuring out what to wear on a rainy blah day is tough. The pants can’t be too long or they’ll stay damp all day. The shoes have to be safe so you don’t slip and fall (and trust me on this, I don’t own any of said shoes). When all you want to do is curl up in a ball, comfort is key.

Comfort is also key when it comes to rainy day cuisine. I have found, after years of living in Nashville, the most exceptional collection of comfort foods that are best suited to gloomy days…be it due to weather, breakups, mood swings, or any combination of the three.

First we have Amerigo's, and the smoked chicken ravioli. It’s served with a cream sauce that has the perfect balance of depth and lightness, with tomatoes and scallions, accompanied by a flash fried artichoke.

Along that same vein, I urge that Demos' Steak & Spaghetti House is next on the list. They have two stuffed potatoes, one with seafood in a Newburg Sauce and diced tomatoes, onions, peppers, and mushrooms, and one with blackened chicken and a spicy Cajun cream sauce. Both are served with soup or salad, and are just the right amount.

On the days where it’s rainy, yet warm, I prefer a Fried Green Tomato BLT from
Jackson’s. They have a covered patio, perfect for protection from the rain and people watching. A glass of fruit tea or wine, and I forget whatever foul mood I’m in. Another great rainy day sandwich is found at The Yellow Porch, an intimate setting with exceptional food. I have never been there where I ordered anything other than the White Cheddar and Tomato Panini.

My husband wants nothing more on a rainy day than to go to Noshville and have Matzah ball soup. Regardless of the time of day, I’m hard pressed to steer from the French toast when we go there. It’s perfectly cooked and exactly what I search for in comfort food…warmth, texture, and above all else, filling.

On days where I don't want to get out of the house, I rely on beef stroganoff to get me through...this is one of my all-time favorite dishes and there's nothing better than tender beef and creamy tangy sauce to soothe what ails me.


Beef Stroganoff

Beef filets, cut into cubes
Fresh sliced mushrooms (optional)
Butter or margarine
½ small onion, finely chopped
Garlic
Flour
1 cup of beef broth, or 1 beef bullion cube
Worcestershire
1 16 oz container Sour Cream
Rice or egg noodles for serving
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat 2 tbsps. Butter or margarine in medium saucepan until melted but not brown. Add onion and sauté until tender and transparent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, and cubed steak, and cook until mushrooms are tender and beef is browned throughout (about 5-7 minutes). Remove onion, garlic, and beef from the pan, reserving the liquid.

Add a tbsp of flour at a time to the liquid, until mixture becomes thick. Slowly add hot beef broth, a bit at a time, until fully absorbed. Once it has become slightly thick and creamy, add a dash or two of Worcestershire to the pan.

Return the cooked beef and onions to the pan, stirring into the sauce, until fully mixed. Add the sour cream and serve over cooked rice or egg noodles. Top with green onions if desired.

If Loving You is Wrong, I Don't Wanna be Right

Well, if you put it that way, I think you’ve got a point. Have another biscuit, sorry.
- Eddie Izzard

I hate to admit it when I'm wrong. The defiance I experience when I realize I've misspoken, or argued a point to death - only to realize I won't win the debate - presents itself in a very stubborn, pouty-mouthed apology and the admission that maybe I am mistaken.

When I was younger, my parents dealt with my ability to stand firm when I believed in something, even it were blatantly obvious to be false. They coined me "the little lawyer" and swore I'd have a career in the courtroom. One of my long-standing nicknames is "sassafras", due to my tendency to toss attitude in the general direction of anyone on the other side of the fence.

When I'm faced with the realization that I am incorrect, I have to dig deep to find the ability to step down and confess defeat. I employ distraction tactics at rapidfire speed, hoping to deter my opponent and cause forgetfulness of the issue at hand. The most surefire tactic I've found is food.

Knowing each of my husband's favorite foods, I'm prone to stockpiling the ingredients necessary on the chance that I'll be faced with the possibility of a discussion on the downward spiral. I can argue while I cook, so it's a matter of continuing to save face while I prepare one of his guilty pleasures or comfort foods. This method also allows the ability to stall, because he knows better than to interrupt me if I'm mumbling to myself about whether a dish needs salt or contemplating if it needs another three minutes in the oven.

He's like a kid who just met the Tooth Fairy when he sees me pulling out the makings for biscuits and gravy, and I can usually count on turning away from the stove to see him sitting on a barstool at our island, gazing at me adoringly and awaiting what's to come. In an instant, he's given up on trying to prove his case, and he's content that in mere minutes, he'll have a mouthful of delicate biscuits topped with a creamy peppery gravy generously studded with aromatic sausage.

So right.

Biscuits & Gravy

1 lb. sausage, 3 tbsp. butter and flour, 3 cups milk

- Brown sausage in large skillet, remove and drain, reserving drippings

- Add butter and flour to skillet and combine to form a roux, then add milk and stir constantly, scraping up the brown bits from the pan

- Once mixture has thickened, add sausage, salt & pepper to taste, and stir to combine. Serve over warm biscuits (I take the lazy way out and make White Lily frozen biscuits - they are incredibly good.)

Take Five

The ambition of every good cook must be to make something very good with the fewest possible ingredients.
- Urbain Dubois

I read today that “You’re a combination of the five people you spend the most time with.” For me, that evokes a combination of fear and relief. These emotions present themselves in the same sense that they do with my parents – being afraid that I’ve inherited only the bad qualities from both, while being glad that there are good qualities in each to which I’ve been exposed. Unfortunately, these things aren’t like items on a buffet line – “Yes, I’ll have some of the humor…but I think I’ll pass on the temper today”, but I do think it’s possible to learn from what you see in the people around you and then make the choice on whether or not to let them integrate your personality.

For instance, I know that if I had the opportunity to adopt my husband’s positive nature and ability to enter a room and change the atmosphere within seconds, thereby drawing people in and making them happier, I’d take it. On the flip side, if I am faced with taking on the characteristic of my mother and how easily she gets ruffled (that is, if I don’t already possess that quality), I’d politely decline. All in all, I know that the five people I spend the most time with – my husband, my friend Jessi, my mother and her husband, and our animals (do they count?) – I’d undoubtedly be pleased at the concoction which would result from very different and unique perspectives, tastes, and personalities.

On a similar note, think of the five ingredients you use most, or the five meals you eat most. Couldn’t these be taken into consideration the same way people are? They are based on your choosing (and I’m led to believe most of us have the ability to choose who we spend time with, as opposed to being forced into companionship); they are more likely than not all the same, or at the very least they’ll have some notable differences; they are undoubtedly called up for different reasons, based on different moods; and they are always reliable and available.

On any given day, you can look in my kitchen and find the following five items: chicken broth, edamame, pasta, cheese, and sweet potatoes. This does not include the snack staples such as tortilla chips, popcorn, and fruit. I’m talking about ingredients that I always have on hand. Now, obviously these are not ingredients that could necessarily be thrown together to create a meal. Close, but not quite…and a meal comprised of those five things is certainly not balanced.

In terms of the five meals we eat most in our house, based on convenience, ease, and most importantly, preference, I’d quickly rattle off chicken pot pie, baked pasta, steaks, salmon, and beef stroganoff. This certainly doesn’t mean we eat nothing but those five things – but on average, that’s what pops up the most. Reason? We can pull each of them together in less than 30 minutes, with little effort and minimal cleanup afterwards.

There's also the matter of the 5-ingredient meal - this has almost become a game in our home, a challenge of sorts - especially when it's time for a trip to the grocery store or farmer's market and I'm trying to cull together a meal with the odds and ends we have around the house. This recipe came about on such a night.

Steakhouse Stuffed Potato

Medium baking potatoes scrubbed and pierced several times with a fork
Steaks (any cut you prefer I used filets)
Crumbled blue cheese
Prepared horseradish
Butter
Salt & pepper to taste

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes until tender, approximately 35 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grill or pan sear steaks to preferred level of doneness (I did medium-rare) and slice into thin strips.
- Remove baked potatoes from oven and allow to cool briefly, then slice the top of the potato lengthwise and scoop out the pulp into a medium mixing bowl.
- Mash potatoes with butter, blue cheese, and horseradish, and then fold steak slices into mixture.
- Scoop mixture into potato shells and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until potatoes are slightly browned on top (may use broiler function for this).

Inspired by Obsession

Chutney is marvelous. I'm mad about it. To me, it's very imperial.
- Diana Vreeland

I am obsessed with lip gloss. It is the one thing I simply cannot leave the house without. There are tubes and pots of it scattered throughout our house - at least two per room. I used to take it to meetings along with my notebook & pen.



I received this lip gloss last Christmas from my sister-in-law. She got me the set of three - cranberry, pear, and mint. They are magical - smooth, not sticky - and they smell divine.

As I sat looking at one of the tubes the other day, I had a thought - pear & cranberry chutney with mint! What better thing to draw inspiration from than one of my favorite things in the world?


We had friends over Saturday night, so I decided to make the chutney - and a pork tenderloin to serve with it. Oh, and am I glad - this pork was perfect, and the combination of tart cranberries, sweet pears, and fresh mint was a great match.

I marinated the pork for four hours in a mixture of olive oil, honey, chopped green onions, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, and rosemary. I roasted it for 25 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduced the heat to 375 and continued cooking it for another 20 minutes. I let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing it. It turned out succulent, with a crust on the edges.

For the chutney, I combined fresh cranberries and pears (peeled and chopped) with diced mint, sugar, and a bit of water and boiled it slowly until the fruit was tender and the mixture was thickened.

I served it with crisply steamed sugar snap peas tossed in garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds, and sweet pearl onions simmered in garlic, salt, white pepper and cream - and we dove in.

Pretty Pleasing With Cherries on Top

That last cherry soothes a roughness of my palate.
- Robert Browning


I can say with the utmost certainty that our household is a pleasant one. We share responsibilities, we are polite to the point of being sickening at times, we spoil each other - and we always say "please" and "thank you".

Being raised in the South, I grew up accustomed to saying "please" and "thank you", as well as "ma'am", "sir", and the like. If I simply answered my mother or father with a "yes", I immediately heard "Yes WHAT?" in return.

All of this to say that no matter what I cook, I always feel appreciated - even if it came from a box. The photo of the plate above does not by any means represent an inventive meal (yes, it's Kraft Macaroni & Cheese - a guilty pleasure in our home) or a pretty meal, but it was delicious. I ask kindly that we focus on the pork chops. Please?

Cherry Pork Chops

Pork chops, boneless or bone-in
2 tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup herb cheese, such as Boursin or Alouette
1/2 cup dried cherries


- In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil and then add pork chops, cooking throughout (time will vary based on the thickness of the chops), then set aside and keep warm
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil (you can use the same skillet, which will allow you to scrape up the brown bits from the chops) and saute the onions until tender and translucent
- Add the herb cheese and cherries to the onions, stirring until the cheese has melted
- Spoon mixture over the chops and serve

Happy Enchilada

That's the way that the world goes 'round. You're up one day and the next you're down.
- John Prine

We love John Prine. It's the first conversation we ever had, when I noticed a Prine poster in my now-husband's office, and used it as an opportunity to strike up a conversation with him. I had just started working at the ad agency where he also worked, and I'd been trying to figure out a way to approach him. Our first dance at our wedding was "In Spite of Ourselves", which is not a very traditional first dance song - but it was very fitting. One of my favorite Prine songs is "That's the Way That the World Goes Round" - the chorus is as follows:

"That's the way that the world goes 'round.You're up one day and the next you're down. It's half an inch of water and you think you're gonna drown. That's the way that the world goes 'round."

I was at a Prine show once and a woman kept screaming "Play the 'Happy Enchilada' song!!" - turns out, she thought "half an inch of water" was "happy enchilada"...

I think of that every time I make enchiladas - so I call these "Happy Enchiladas". Loaded with chicken, cheese, green chiles, and green onions, they will undoubtedly make you smile.

Happy Enchiladas

1 lb. chicken tenders
2 tsp. oil
1 tsp. flour
3/4 cup half & half
7 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup queso blanco
1 cup shredded monterey cheddar blend
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup Mexican crema

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees

- Heat oil in large skillet and saute chicken tenders until cooked throughout, remove from skillet and set aside

- Add flour to oil in skillet and stir until thickened, then add next 4 ingredients, stirring until fully combined.

- Chop or shred cooked chicken and add to cheese mixture

- Spoon mixture into tortillas and fold to form a pocket, then place seam-side down in a glass baking dish. Bake for 12-14 minutes, then spoon salsa over each, top with shredded cheese, and bake until cheese melts, about 3-4 more minutes.

- Remove from oven and drizzle Mexican crema over each, and serve on top of Mexican rice (I use Vigo)

We were satisfied after our meal, but in the mood for something sweet. We opted for a quick and easy version of sopapillas.

A sopapilla is a traditional Mexican dessert - and although it is prepared many ways depending on the region in which it's served, the basis is fried dough, usually drizzled with honey or syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. For these "sopapilla chips", I cut up tortillas into triangles, fried them in a mixture of butter and oil, and tossed them in cinnamon & sugar.

Pantry Raid

In the end, your creativity - perhaps even your outrageousness - will determine the final result.
- Bobby Flay

If you drive through our neighborhood on any given weekend, you will be inundated with neon signs posted to telephone poles advertising yard sales, garage sales, estate sales, antique sales. No matter the verbiage, they all mean one thing - someone needed to get rid of the junk in their home.

I take the same approach in our kitchen. Every so often, I do a scan and make a note of the items in our freezer and pantry, and then I brainstorm ways to use up those ingredients. It usually results in some interesting meals, some better than others.

Club crackers wrapped in bacon, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and baked in the oven for 2 hours at 250 degrees. The result is a crisp salty buttery snack, perfect with a cold beer. Next time I make these, however, I'll use less bacon and possibly a different type of cracker - maybe a Wheat Thin. I think a lighter cracker (not to mention bite-sized) would be a better fit.



For this dish, I combined rice with frozen mixed veggies, fried egg, and tilapia, tossed with teriyaki, soy sauce, and sesame oil - and served it with crab rangoons I made with leftover won ton wrappers, crab meat, cream cheese, and chopped green onions. This was simple, delicious, and used up a good portion of ingredients I had on hand.


I always keep tuile cookies in the house - they are the perfect accompaniment to ice cream or sorbet. I combined brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and chopped pecans, brought it to a boil, then drizzled the mixture over the cookies and baked them for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. After they cooled, I broke them up into large pieces. These are gooey, with a crunchy bite from the cookies.

On the days where I'm attempting to clean out the freezer, fridge and pantry in anticipation of a trip to the grocery store, I think about those yard sales - and how someone's trash is another person's treasure. It's all in how you look at it - and what you do with it.

A Recipe for Disaster

Happy and successful cooking doesn't rely only on know-how; it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life.
- Georges Blanc

I’m ridiculously bad at following recipes. I love to read cookbooks, study recipes, but as opposed to using them exactly as they appear, I prefer instead to gain an understanding of complementary ingredients, proportions, and methodology. This failure to adhere to the formula results in my being equally bad at translating recipes. I’ve had friends and family ask me to tell them the recipe for a dish they’ve loved…and I give them this blank look and usually mutter something along the lines of “Oh, it’s pretty easy…all you do is…” as my way of attempting to avoid the inevitable questions of “Well, how MUCH salt?” or “But how long do you cook it?”

I cook by taste. I prepare meals based on an innate sense of temperature, cooking lengths, scent, sight, and personal preference. While over the years I’ve established my own routines and basics, I by no means can state that I’ve never had…mistakes. There have been experiments that resulted in turned heads, closed eyes and the inevitable stories to follow years later...when someone thinks that enough time has passed to laugh about the time I tried to make a certain dish and failed miserably. Don’t even get me started…

All of this is to say that when I run through a recipe here, I am sometimes horrible at explaining. When I describe the steps I take, I somehow do so on the assumption that you’ve taken residence in my brain, my kitchen, and my skillet. It’s not for a lack of trying…it’s not my laziness taking over my keyboard. It’s my inability to accurately describe and lay things out as seen in every cookbook I’ve ever read. Oh, and my incredible lack of patience may have just a tad bit to do with it as well…

Loaded Pork Chops

6 bacon slices
2 apples, peeled and sliced thin
½ cup diced onion
1 pkg herb cheese such as Boursin or Alouette
6 boneless pork chops
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil
Butter

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of each pork chop liberally with salt and pepper. Once butter and olive oil have melted, add pork chops and cook 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove from heat and keep warm.

- Heat butter in medium skillet over medium high heat until melted, add apples and onions and sauté until tender, approximately 4-5 minutes.

- Spread herb cheese mixture evenly over each pork chop. Top with apple and onion mixture and then wrap each pork chop in bacon slice, securing with a toothpick.

- Place pork chops in baking dish and cook in oven until bacon is crisp, approximately 12-14 minutes.

Football Fantastic

The reason women don't play football is because eleven of them would never wear the same outfit in public.
-Phyllis Diller


Football in our house is sacred. It’s fortunate for the two of us that we’ve both grown up accustomed to an entire day in front of the tv, flipping back and forth between games during the commercials. I dated a guy once who didn’t like football. Seriously. He “didn’t get why it was such a big deal”. I won’t say that’s THE reason we broke up…but it didn’t help his case.

Now I get to share my home and my life with a man that loves it as much as I do. Not only that, I’m partial to college ball…more specifically, I'm a born and raised Georgia fan. He’s partial to pro ball…and a die hard Colts fan. Soooo, this means that we are never fighting over what game to watch. I get Saturdays, he gets Sundays. We have a Colts dog collar and a Bulldogs dog collar...and when it’s your day? You get to choose which dog wears it. We have a sponge brick that has been in my family as long as I can remember, reserved for the utmost anger. Most importantly, we have respect for each other. Your team? Your world. You get waited on hand and foot so as not to miss a moment…you can say or do anything imaginable and get a free pass. There will never be a fight on a game day.


This chicken recipe is simple to make, and turns out juicy and full of flavor. Serving it with white barbeque sauce adds a tangy bite and a hint of spice.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt & Pepper
6 Bacon Slices
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp. Sage
1/4 tsp. Smoked Paprika

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Sprinkle chicken liberally with salt & pepper
-Combine garlic powder, brown sugar, sage, and paprika and rub chicken generously with the mixture.
-Wrap each breast with bacon and secure with toothpicks.
-Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and chicken juices run clear.

White Barbecue Sauce

1 cup mayo
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. spicy mustard
2 tbsp. bbq seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. hot sauce

Football and food have a relationship that has long since been consummated. Much like the comfort that comes when you wake up knowing you’re next to the person you love, there is a sense of knowing that with one comes the other. The best thing about football food is that there is no staple. There is no common meal as you might find at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, or even a summer cookout. For each and every group of people at a gathering, with different and unique perspectives, relationships, backgrounds, and stories, there is a menu that combines taste, preference, and ingredients to provide a balanced mix…of spicy and cool, sweet and sour, hot and cold.

Today's Date

Whenever I want a really nice meal, I start dating again.
- Susan Healy

Dates. Early-in-the-process-of-meeting-someone-and-getting-to-know-them dates. And oh my hell, first dates. In as much as dating is supposed to be fun, and exciting, and basically what most people pinpoint as the gateway bridge to the rest of their lives…it always brought me to a level of panic and dread similar only to that associated with the dentist. There is something about attempting to put your best foot forward, trying to avoid revealing too many of your eccentricities too soon, that feels unnatural and uncomfortable.

Despite the above mentioned loathing, I will say that I did always handle a date more easily if I cooked. Whether it was a way to control the environment, the pace, and most certainly the menu, I’m not sure, but it worked. Because on dates? You judge. Which means you are most likely being judged in return. I was always far more comfortable putting my food on the table than any of the skeletons in my sizable closet.



This is a great dish to make for a date night. The combination of salty smoked salmon and creamy tangy goat cheese is basic in concept yet complex in flavor. It's decadent and rich, and simple enough to put together ahead of time, so you can get ready without worrying about your date showing up to find you sweaty-faced and frantically trying to finish dinner.

Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese Gratin (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)

5-6 peeled potatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 cups milk
8 oz. smoked salmon
1 cup goat cheese

- Preheat oven to 350, then boil potatoes in salted water for about 5 minutes, drain.
- Saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Add flour, salt & pepper and milk; stir until thick and bubbly, then remove from heat.
- In a greased dish, layer half the potatoes. Sprinkle the smoked salmon on top of potatoes and then cover with half of the sauce and half of the goat cheese. Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce. (Save remaining cheese.)
- Bake covered for 35 minutes, then uncover and add remaining cheese. Bake an additional 35 minutes and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I do not miss those days. I couldn’t be more elated that I’ve found the person that is right for me, that fits me and gets me and puts me in my place when I need it. If I needed one more reason to add to my never-ending list of why I love him, it would be that he pulled me out of the pool.

Ain't No Thing

Left wing, chicken wing, it don't make no difference to me.
-Woody Guthrie


In college, I found a verifiable gold mine - Slick Pig BBQ. They are well-known for their smoked wings, and for good reason. These meaty wings are fall-off-the-bone tender, with a rich smoky flavor I've never experienced elsewhere. In my search to avoid the hour-long drive every time I am craving them, I tried to find ways to recreate them at home.

Enter the Crock Pot BBQ Pit. This countertop slow roaster is one of the favorite appliances in our kitchen, and used as frequently as the set of wooden spoons given to me by my mother-in-law. It allows for the most amazing meals, with such minimal effort it's almost shameful.

We've used this cooker to make wings, ribs, whole chickens, pork shoulders - and all have been wholly successful. The result is inevitably succulent tender meat, juicy and filled with a salty smoky bite. The best part? It's so incredibly easy, you can do it in your sleep. The cooker comes with a cheat sheet for cooking times based on types of meat, cuts, and amounts - so there is no guesswork. The timing guides take into account the amount of slow roasting needed to allow even the toughest meats the opportunity to break down, transforming them into mouthwatering dishes. The cooker is also compatible with any type of seasoning method - dry rubs, glazes, basting sauces, or marinades.

For wings, we use a simple basting sauce of worcestershire, hickory smoke barbeque sauce, and liquid smoke. Liquid smoke is the secret to providing the woody flavor found in outdoor smokers and professional grade pits. I rub the wings with garlic powder and seasoned pepper, brush them with the sauce, and then roast them for 5 hours on high, basting halfway through and then again right before serving. The aroma filling the air is heady and tantalizing, enticing us and preparing us for that first heavenly taste.

You Say Tomato, I Say Tomato

A number of rare or newly experienced foods have been claimed to be aphrodisiacs. At one time this quality was even ascribed to the tomato. Reflect on that when you are next preparing the family salad.
- Jane Grigson

My husband can eat a tomato like an apple. My grandmother slices ripe tomatoes, sprinkles them with salt and pepper, and enjoys them as a meal. My grandfather’s preference is sliced tomato on white bread with mayonnaise. When my dad makes his famous chili, he loads it with fresh tomato. I am seemingly the only person in my family that does not like tomatoes. When it comes to sandwiches and burgers, hold the tomato. Pasta? No marinara for me.

Alternately, fried green tomatoes fall into the category of foods I could eat on a daily basis. I slice them thinly for burgers, thick for BLT’s, core them and eat them like onion rings. They are tangy yet sweet, with a burst of juice that plays off of the crunchy texture of the breading with ease.

BLTs are a staple in our house. They are my go-to meal when I haven’t been to the store, or when I get caught up in my day and realize I haven’t even thought about dinner by the time we’re both starving. I’ve added elements to the basic recipe, and this version is a combination of multiple flavors. Salty bacon gets a sweet and spicy kick from brown sugar and pepper, and mayonnaise is spiked with zesty horseradish.





Fried Green Tomato BLT with Brown Sugar-Peppered Bacon and Horseradish Mayo

3-4 Green Tomatoes, depending on size (3 medium, 4 small)
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
4 eggs
Vegetable oil for frying
1 lb thick cut bacon
3 tsp McCormick’s Seasoned Pepper Blend
3 tsp Splenda Brown Sugar
1/3 cup prepared Horseradish
1/3 cup mayonnaise
12 slices honey wheat bread
3 cups shredded lettuce

Prep:
For Brown Sugar-Peppered Bacon:
- Combine brown sugar and seasoned pepper blend, press into both sides of each bacon slice and set aside
- Heat skillet over medium heat; add bacon in batches and cook until crisp, about 10-12 minutes per batch, turning often
- Remove from skillet and place on paper towels to drain

For Fried Green Tomatoes:
- Slice tomatoes into ¼ inch thick slices
- Place flour into a shallow dish
- Combine cornmeal, salt, pepper, garlic powder, place in shallow dish
- Beat eggs and pour into shallow dish
- Heat skillet over medium heat; add enough oil to coat skillet
- In an assembly line format, dredge tomato slices first through flour, then egg, then cornmeal mixture, coating thoroughly
- Place tomato slices into skillet in batches and cook until golden brown on both sides, approximately 10-12 minutes per batch, turning every 3 minutes or so
- Remove from skillet and place on paper towels to drain

For Horseradish Mayo:
- Combine prepared horseradish and mayonnaise in ramekin, cover and refrigerate

* Makes 4-6 sandwiches

When Life Hands You Lemons

The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude.
- Julia Child


About a month ago, I made a change that has left me alternating between pure giddiness and paralyzing fear - I quit my job. Obviously I'm not the first person to do this, so it's not necessarily that I consider myself a pioneer - but for me, the girl that has had a job since she was 15 - and lived by the rule of "don't quit a job until you have another job" - this is huge.


I spent 8 years in the advertising industry. During that time, I climbed the proverbial ladder, made fabulous friends, learned lessons on a professional and personal level, met my husband, and decided I was being sucked dry by an unfulfilling career. The day I decided to leave, I felt a huge weight lifted off of me. Over the past few weeks, that weight has returned in the form of fear and doubt, panic and uncertainty. The knowledge that I'm following my heart and my dreams of a career surrounding food intervenes at times, allowing for the momentary senses of pride and satisfaction that for the first time in my life, I made a choice for me - instead of someone else. It's a constant battle, one that leaves me exhausted and exhilarated, all at the same time.


Cooking gets me through the tougher days, and makes the easier days even more so. Standing in the aisles of the grocery store, in front of a stove with all 4 burners blazing, in front of a smoking grill....I'm me. I'm comfortable, secure, completely together, and happy. The kitchen is the glue that keeps me from falling apart - and the validation that I've made the best decision of my life.


Pan-Seared Salmon with Green Onion-Dill Mayo & Lemon Risotto


Salmon fillets
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
-Sprinkle fillets with salt & pepper
-Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat - add salmon, skin side up, and sear until golden brown and just cooked through, about 7-8 minutes.


1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp. chopped green onions
1/4 tsp. dill
-Combine all ingredients and mix well.


1 shallot, diced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups hot chicken broth
Zest of one lemon
Salt & Pepper
-Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and saute until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes.
-Add garlic and rice, stirring until rice has been coated well with oil. Cook until rice becomes translucent, about 2 minutes.
-Add chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing rice to completely absorb stock, stirring frequently. Continue until all stock has been added.
-Add lemon zest and stir until combined. Add salt & pepper to taste.


Serve salmon on top of risotto and serve with green onion-dill mayo.

(Wine suggestion: 2007 Ken Forrester Stellenbosch Petit Chenin)

Grumpiness, Defined

If hunger makes you irritable, better eat and be pleasant.
-Sefer Hasidim

Grumpiness is defined as “surly or ill-tempered; discontentedly or sullenly irritable; grouchy”. In my family, it’s normally reserved for toddlers, crotchety old men….and me. It wouldn’t be irrational logic to assume that I’d be offended by someone lumping me into the same temperamental category as those two groups. It wouldn’t be presumptuous to think that I’d bristle every time someone purses their lips at me and murmurs “My, my, someone is grumpy today”. Yet I am a proud grump. On the days that I wake up on the proverbial wrong side of the bed (which in our household usually means the dog started barking too early, the cat was wailing for food even though her dish was full, or my husband simply stated “Get up” as opposed to a gentle back rub to rouse me from sleep), I’m almost filled with a sense of satisfaction that it gets to be a “grumpy day” for me.

Crabbiness takes its toll on me in a way I haven’t seen in those around me. My five year old nephew refuses to let anyone look at him or speak to him, lest he release an ever-decibel-increasing lament of “Dooooooooooooooooooon’t” that will leave you feeling stripped of your skin and zapped of your energy. My mom and sister both dish out snappy remarks at the most innocent of comments, usually which leave me rolling my eyes and slowly stepping away. I, however, become the complete opposite of those. I become quiet to the point that my husband thinks I’m sad….and I engulf the chance to tuck into myself and avoid others. I sit and stare into space, unable to focus long enough to complete a thought. Shopping, crossword puzzles, and tv shows sometimes lift the fog, but the only true thing that gets me out of the funk is food.

In Italian, grumpy translates into “scontroso”. There are some words that when translated, leave a sense of wonder at how they are even close in definition or origin. Scontroso is a word that rolls off the tongue and actually makes me feel its meaning. How appropriate that Italian food would be on the top of my list when I’m having a bad day.

It’s a pretty small leap that pasta is one of the most infamous of comfort foods. It brings about a sense of warmth, fulfillment, richness, and flavor that even the most cranky person cannot ignore. For me, Southern foods also help to extract me from the foulest of moods...so it stands to reason that the two combined serve me well. Barbeque spaghetti is one of those combinations. Sweet and spicy barbeque tossed with perfectly cooked spaghetti lifts my spirits with one bite...not to mention how quickly it can be thrown together.

Barbeque Spaghetti

Spaghetti or Angel Hair, cooked according to package directions
Precooked barbeque in sauce (I use Lloyd's)

- Prepare pasta and toss with barbeque. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and serve with toasted Garlic bread.