Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

How well I remember the cornbread Gary's mom made—it was mile-high, crunchy on the bottom, and moist and light in the middle. I tried throughout the years, without success, to make cornbread as good as hers, but mine was usually dry and crumbly—and it never browned nicely. My jalapeno cornbread muffins are a completely different take on my mother-in-law's family-favorite recipe, but they turn out wonderfully well for me time and time again. The canned corn ensures that my muffins stay moist. I need all the help I can get in the cornbread department, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

1 ½ cups self-rising corn meal
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup onion, chopped
1 cup creamed corn
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2-3 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten

Mix all ingredients, and pour into greased 12-muffin tin. Bake for 20-30 minutes until nicely browned.

Over Easy Eggs with Sautéed Kale

I love the unexpected in a meal—something out of the ordinary, yet simple and flavorful—like these over easy eggs with sautéed kale. This dish is just as perfect for dinner as it is for breakfast. These flavors and textures—the hearty kale, sweet potatoes, tangy sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese, crunchy nuts—work beautifully well together. And to top it all off, a soft egg yolk makes a perfectly rich sauce if you like your eggs sunny-side-up. Dress it up, or dress it down—either way works.

Over Easy Eggs with Sautéed Kale

2 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
2 bunches kale or other dark, leafy greens
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small-medium onion, sliced thinly
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Chicken stock
3 tablespoons sherry
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Toasted nuts (sliced almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, whatever you like)
Feta cheese, crumbled

Over easy (or sunny-side-up) eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lay sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt, and add black pepper to taste. Roast for 20 minutes or until desired tenderness, stirring halfway through cooking.

Remove stalks from kale. Soak kale twice, dry, chop, and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add kale, and toss until slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Add ½ - 1 cup chicken stock. Lower heat, and cook kale, partially covered, for 30 minutes or to desired tenderness. Add stock as necessary when greens become too dry. When greens are tender, add sherry, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with nuts and cheese.

Top with egg.

Crunchy Salmon Croquettes

I wonder if other men love salmon croquettes as much as my husband. Gary often suggests them and NEVER refuses them as a dinner choice. He loves salmon croquettes with biscuits, mashed potatoes and black-eyed peas. I love them on top of a dark, leafy green salad. We both think they make a great sandwich.

These salmon croquettes are the ultimate easy dinner—open a can, add some onions, peppers, and spices, and you're in business. Some folks prefer to remove the skin and bones from the canned salmon—I leave it all in. You can also use leftover fresh salmon.

Crunchy Salmon Croquettes

1 can salmon, drained well
¼ cup onion, minced
¼ cup roasted red peppers, diced
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
Panko for coating

Add a good bit of panko—about a cup—to a shallow dish or plate, adding more as necessary for coating.

Place salmon in a medium-size bowl and gently break up with a fork. Add next 8 ingredients, and mix together. Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop salmon and form into patties. Lay on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes; this will make the salmon easier to handle. When salmon is a little firm, remove, and coat well with panko, pressing bread crumbs into patties.

Add about ¼ cup olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When oil starts to ripple and smoke, add salmon. Cook (in batches if necessary) until nicely browned—about 5 minutes on each side, adjusting heat if necessary. Remove croquettes to a wire rack to drain.

More Meatless Meals

I prepare two or three meatless meals each week. I like the way I feel--leaner, lighter, and confident that I'm doing something beneficial to my health. I've realized that I don't need meat at every meal; instead, I like to think of chicken, beef, and pork as side dishes or occasional ingredients in soup, chili, etc.

Fritattas are among my favorite meatless dishes. I can throw in fresh or leftover vegetables, spinach or other greens, mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese, whatever I like.

Serve with my Creamy Stone Ground Grits and Zesty Chipotle Beans with Peppers and Onions.



Spinach Frittata with Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup onions, finely chopped
2/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Kosher salt
Black pepper
4 cups baby spinach, chopped

9 eggs, beaten
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat eggs in a medium-size bowl, add salt, pepper, and parsley.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion and mushrooms. Saute for 4 minutes. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, and saute for additional 1 minute. Place chopped spinach in skillet over top of vegetables, and saute until spinach wilts slightly.

Pour eggs over vegetables. Do not stir. Lower heat, and cook for 12 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over eggs, and transfer to oven. Cook for 5-10 minutes until top of frittata is set.

Tender, Thick Pork Chops

Have you ever seen those insanely huge boneless pork chops at your local farmers' market--you know, the ones as thick as a filet mignon that you've tried to cook, and they always come out tough and dry? This is a never-fail method for thick, boneless, tender, juicy, pork chops. Guaranteed.

Olive oil
Boneless pork chops, damn thick (about 1 3/4")
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season pork chops liberally with salt and pepper. Temper on counter top for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. When good and hot, drizzle in a bit of olive oil. Add chops, and brown 3 minutes on each side.

Transfer skillet to oven and cook for 10 minutes.

A Favorite Food Memory

Some food memories stay with us--we never forget them. A warm, cozy home, a gracious hostess, good friends, and a delicious meal become more than an ordinary get-together. And so began such a memory for me several years ago when my good friend, Leslie, opened her beautiful new home to me and our friends with a girls' lunch. As soon as I walked into her kitchen, I was captivated by the most incredible, unique scent of warm spices, aromatic herbs and Mexican peppers. Leslie had prepared a white chicken chili that I just knew would taste heavenly before I even took my first bite. I'll never forget, she ladled the beautiful, blonde chili into big, white porcelain bowls with roosters on the sides.

I don't know how many times I've tried to recreate that special lunch since that day, tweaking the original recipe to make it my own. Here's my modified, slightly lighter version of Leslie's white chicken chili.

All I need is some cute rooster bowls and my girls to make it all perfect.

Mexican Chicken Stew

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
3 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chile peppers
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cans chicken stock
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
3 cans white or pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-low to medium heat. Add onions, and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, allspice, green chile peppers, jalapeno, and salt. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add stock, chicken, beans, and cheese. Lower heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Adjust seasoning. Serve with cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Salmon Spinach Salad with Rosemary Balsamic Vinaigrette

I sometimes allow salads to fall by the wayside in the winter for some reason. I'm finding though that if I use dark greens, like fresh spinach, it seems more of an any-season meal to me. I don't like the taste of tomatoes in the winter months, so I find that the sun-dried variety is a nice substitute in salads.

It's January, and my rosemary still looks good. I think an herby vinaigrette would be nice with this salmon salad.

Salmon Spinach Salad with Rosemary Balsamic Vinaigrette

Olive oil
Salmon fillets (about 4 oz. each), seasoned with salt and pepper
Baby spinach, chopped
Fresh or sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Sliced mushrooms
Feta cheese
Sliced almonds
Kosher salt
Black Pepper

Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add salmon, and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.

Place spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, feta cheese, and almonds on salad plates. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with vinaigrette (recipe below). Top salads with salmon fillets, and serve.


Rosemary Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle in olive oil. Add salt and black pepper.

Crunchy-Like-Crazy Chicken Tenders

I love the weekends--for the obvious reasons of course--not being in the office, no phones to answer, no problems to solve, no documents to type, no emails to respond to. But my favorite thing about the weekends is that I eat whatever I want--nothing is off-limits. I get a little light-headed toward the end of every week just thinking about all the possibilities for indulging. This weekend I wanted outrageously crispy, spicy fried chicken like my mom used to make, the guiltiest of guilty pleasures. Her secret to crunchy chicken was adding buttermilk to the flour dredge mixture, a technique I use with my tenders.

There's no evidence that these tenders ever existed, other than a few crunchy crumbs on the platter last night. You'll just have to believe me--I made them, and they were spectacular.

Crunchy-Like-Crazy Chicken Tenders

1 lb chicken tenders
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup buttermilk (plus an additional 1/4 - 1/2 for dredge mixture)
1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 buttermilk (more if needed)
Cayenne pepper or hot sauce (optional)

Vegetable oil

Place chicken tenders in a large, resealable bag. Mix hot sauce, 1/4 cup buttermilk, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper (if using), and pour over tenders. Seal bag, place in refrigerator, and marinate for 1-4 hours.

In a shallow dish, combine flour and salt. Into 1/4 cup buttermilk, add cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste, if desired. Drizzle buttermilk into flour, lightly stirring with a fork. The texture should look similar to shortening cut into flour. Add more buttermilk if needed at this time or during the dredging process to keep the lumpy texture.

Remove tenders from bag. Add to flour mixture, several at a time, and toss to coat completely. Remember to add more buttermilk, if needed.

Add 3/4 - 1 inch vegetable oil to an electric skillet or pan. When hot, add tenders in batches, if necessary, and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until tenders are golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to drain.

Serve with your favorite sauce, if desired, and savor the weekend.

Mama's Tea Cakes

I would guess that many Southern cooks inherited tea cake recipes from their mothers or grandmothers. I stumbled upon my family recipe and baked them recently. I haven't tasted my mama's tea cakes in about 35 years since I was a young girl.

My mama would bake tea cakes often whenever we had a sweet tooth and didn't have anything else in the house. I'm embarrassed to say I thought they were a mediocre substitute for a bag of Chips Ahoy or some Duncan Hines something-or-another from a box.

What do I think now after tasting them again? I love the vanilla goodness, the buttery richness, and the simple, uncomplicated sweetness. I love that this tea cake is part of my family's history. And I love that I think about my mom when I eat them.

Mama's Tea Cakes

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, well-beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Cream butter for about 3 minutes. Add sugar gradually, egg, milk and flavoring. Sift dry ingredients, and add to first mixture. Roll mixture out on lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut with round cutter (approximately 3 inches). Bake on a greased or parchment-lined pan at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Makes about 15 cakes.

Spicy Oven-Roasted Catfish with Sautéed Greens and Sweet Potatoes

Sardis Lake, known for its catfish, bream, crappie and bass, is located about 25 miles northwest of my home in Oxford, Mississippi. Occasionally, our local farmers market sells delicious Sardis catfish, and I was happy to find a couple of packages there yesterday. Since my healthier self has been speaking to me lately—about the importance of practicing my principles and remembering my reasons to be good—I resisted the urge to fry those wild-caught beauties last night. Instead, I decided to roast them. I admit they were pretty tasty with sautéed mustard greens and roasted sweet potatoes.

Spicy Oven-Roasted Catfish

4 catfish filets (about 4 oz. each)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place fish in zip-lock bag. Blend next nine ingredients together, and pour over fish. Toss and rub ingredients in bag until fish is covered. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.

After marinating, place fish on baking sheet, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until flakey. Serve with sautéed greens and roasted sweet potatoes.

Sautéed Mustard Greens

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
2 bunches mustard greens, washed and chopped
Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons sherry

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sautée for about 5 minutes. Add greens, and cook for a couple of minutes until greens begin to wilt. Add 1 cup of stock, and stir. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pan, and cook greens for 20 minutes, stirring often to ensure that greens cook evenly. Add sherry, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place cubed sweet potatoes on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt. Season with black pepper, and toss. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Creamy Garlic Guacamole

Guacamole. What's better in life? Just give me a big bowl and a bag of tortilla chips, and leave me be.

When it comes to my favorite dip, the fewer ingredients, the better, but I do love a lot of avocado (for extra creaminess) and a lot of garlic. I have some friends who add sour cream to theirs, and I've heard of others who add—gasp!—mayo. I don't see the need to tamper with this most perfect of foods though.

If you decide to share this guacamole, which I've been known to do, you'll have a nice bowl-full for you and your friends.

Servings: 4-6
Leftovers: 0


Creamy Garlic Guacamole

3 ripe avocados
1 lemon or lime
½ cup onion, finely chopped
½ cup tomato, seeded and finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tablespoon jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Cilantro (optional)

Cut avocados in half and remove seeds. Scoop insides with a spoon into a bowl. Add lemon or lime juice and mash with a fork to desired texture. Add onion, tomato, garlic, jalapeno pepper and salt.

Garnish with diced tomatoes and fresh cilantro if desired. Serve with your favorite chips, on a good sandwich, or in chili.

Hot Fudge Pie

It seems like 100 years ago, but it was really only 35 or so. The quaint, small town of Oxford, Mississippi, was much quainter and much smaller when I was a young girl. Every Sunday after church, and at least once a week, my mom and I would head to the Holiday Inn's El Centro Restaurant, a popular spot for locals. Once there, we were warmly greeted by Mr. Hugh Parsley, who managed the restaurant. Mr. Hugh was a charming, flamboyant host, who wore white three-piece suits, shiny shoes, and gaudy ties. He always greeted his regular customers by name and stopped by each table to catch up on lives, families, jobs.

El Centro served the most wonderful Sunday lunches. The fried chicken was almost as good as my mom’s, and the dinner rolls were delectable, but the main attraction that kept folks coming back was the too-wonderful-for-words hot fudge pie al la mode. It was a chocolate marvel—soft and gooey on the inside—sugary-crusty on the outside—and when it was just right, the vanilla ice cream would melt, oh so gently.

By this time, you probably have your oven preheating. Go ahead. You know you want to.


Hot Fudge Pie
from the Holiday Inn's El Centro Restaurant
Oxford, Mississippi

1 stick unsalted butter
3 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
4 eggs
3 tablespoons white Karo syrup
1 ½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter and unsweetened baking chocolate in a double boiler; let cool. Meanwhile, beat eggs with white Karo syrup, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat in chocolate, pour into pastry-lined pie plate, bake for 30 minutes or until top is crusty and filling is just set.

Note: I used a regular pie shell, and I had a little chocolate mixture left over. Deep dish may be preferred for this recipe.

Crispy Potato Latkes with Garlic

My sweet friend, Jenna, celebrated Hanukkah last month with her favorite traditional dish, latkes. She described them to me using adjectives that would seduce any true foodie: golden, crispy, savory, crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside.

Well, Hanukkah has passed, and I’m not Jewish anyway, but that’s okay—I love latkes. If you don’t know latkes, and you just happen to be from the South, they’re like your grandmother’s potato pancakes, catapulted to an otherworldly level. But don't wait for the holidays—have these lovely potato pancakes any time of the year—like now.

Jenna uses vegetable oil to fry her latkes—I've opted for olive oil. I think it's a matter of personal preference, so use what you like. This recipe yields 4 (5 in.) latkes.


Crispy Potato Latkes with Garlic

1 large russet potato (about 1 lb), peeled and grated
½ yellow onion, peeled and grated or finely minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 large garlic clove (or to taste), minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Olive oil
Sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees, or heat warming drawer to high. Place a sheet pan, topped with a wire rack, in oven/warming drawer.

Grate potato and onion, and spread longways in a thin dishtowel or cheese cloth. Twist the towel, squeezing out as much excess liquid as humanly possible. Place potato and onion in a bowl. Add flour, egg, garlic, salt and pepper.

In a small, non-stick or cast-iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. When oil begins to ripple and smoke, drop potato mixture by 1/3 cup into skillet, one at a time, flattening with the bottom of the measuring cup, spatula, or spoon. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until browned. Place fried latke on wire rack in oven or warming drawer. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, and cook next latke, repeating process with remaining latkes. Hold in oven or warming drawer until ready to serve. Garnish with green onions.

Roasted Broccoli with Balsamic Vinegar

I sometimes take humble, underappreciated broccoli for granted, forgetting its versatility—not to mention its numerous health benefits. This roasted broccoli tastes perfect alongside my Asian-style chicken thighs. A touch of balsamic vinegar adds that little zing that makes this most modest of veggies shine.

Roasted Broccoli with Balsamic Vinegar

3 medium heads of fresh broccoli, cut into florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl, toss broccoli florets, olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Sprinkle liberally with salt.

Pour florets onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until desired crisp-tenderness.

Crispy Asian-Style Chicken Thighs

I used to be all about the white meat chicken. Yes, it's a little lower in fat, but it's also lower in flavor, not to mention more expensive. I'm not discriminating between my chicken parts these days—besides, chicken thighs are just too darned moist and delicious.

Try this chicken with roasted broccoli and baked sweet potatoes, drizzled with olive oil or my roasted winter vegetable soup and a simple spinach salad.




Crispy Asian-Style Chicken Thighs

1 cup flat leaf parsley, loosely packed (it’s okay to include stems)
1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
4 large garlic cloves, mashed and skins removed
½ of a jalapeño pepper
3-4 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Poke holes in chicken with a fork to allow the marinade to seep through. Place thighs in a freezer bag.

Combine parsley and next 8 ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour marinade over chicken, seal, and marinate for 6-8 hours or overnight.

After marinating, remove chicken from bag, and blot dry. Place chicken on rack in a roasting pan, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Cook for about 30 minutes on the top rack of oven until skin is browned and crispy.

Now, my friends, some of you may be chicken skin eaters—if you are, by all means go for it, and enjoy. I've been told this skin tastes divine.

Note: I poke holes in my chicken to let marinade penetrate, especially if time is limited. I also temper my chicken for an hour on the countertop before cooking. Serve with your favorite sauce if desired.

Making Good Use of Extra Vegetables

Today I noticed that the potatoes in my pantry looked a little peaked, and my carrots had seen better days. My squash was also getting tired and listless. I thought a hearty, winter vegetable soup would bring some extra life to my short-lived leftovers.

I love thyme with roasted root veggies, and I particularly like the white potatoes and yellow squash in this combo--they complement the sweeter butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots nicely. Lemon juice is the perfect finishing touch to brighten things up.

Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup

½ lb. butternut squash, peeled (1 in. pieces)
2 large carrots (½ in. pieces)
1 medium yellow squash (1 ½ in. pieces)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled (1 in. pieces)
1 medium white/gold potato, peeled (1 ½ in. pieces)
3-4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
½ medium onion, quartered
Olive oil
1 - 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Black pepper
4-5 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400.

Chop vegetables into sizes indicated above. Place on a large baking sheet, and drizzle with about ¼ cup olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Toss together, and roast for 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Toss vegetables half way through cooking. When tender, remove from oven, and cool slightly. Peel garlic cloves.

Transfer vegetables and garlic to a food processor, and puree until smooth (add a little stock if needed to help loosen things up). Spoon mixture into a pot, and add chicken stock (to desired consistency) and thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, and adjust seasonings.

Serve with good, crusty bread or homemade garlic croutons.

5 Ingredient Flatbread

Recently I checked the ingredients in the store-bought flatbread Gary and I use to make pizzas. Not only does it have preservatives, it has an unbelievably long list of some words I can't even pronounce. I’d check Google to find out what all this stuff is, but I’m too lazy. I probably don’t want to know anyway. Instead, I’ve started making my own flatbread. It takes less than five minutes to put together and only has five ingredients, all of which I can easily say and understand.

Experiment with spices/herbs (oregano, rosemary, basil, or chili powder, etc.) to find your perfect blend. Gary loves Italian seasoning, so that's what I'm going with today.

Whole Wheat Flatbread

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
¼-½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (or to desired taste)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (or to desired taste)

½ cup warm water

Olive oil (optional)

Combine wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a food processor. With processor running, pour in water, and process until mixture comes together—about 30 seconds (if necessary, add water by the tablespoon until ball starts to form). Remove dough from processor, and form into a ball. Dough should be a little bit sticky (not dry). Cover with plastic wrap, and let dough rest for 30 minutes on countertop.

After dough has rested, pinch some off and roll into the size and shape of a golf ball, about 1½ inches, or whatever size you prefer—golf ball-size will make about a 7 in. circle. Place on a lightly floured surface, and roll out. I find that rotating the dough ball about 90 degrees with each roll helps keep it round. Add a little flour to dough/rolling pin as needed.

It’s okay if your bread isn't shaped perfectly. Rustic is good. You'll get the hang of it. Place flattened dough on a sheet pan, slightly overlapping if necessary.

Grill flatbread on indoor or outdoor grill about 1 minute on each side until they begin to char and puff up. Don’t overcook. Bread can also be cooked on the stovetop in a large, lightly oiled skillet. Brush bread with olive oil before grilling, if desired.

Make ahead and freeze for quick pizzas or pita wraps. Or serve as a side with your favorite soup or pasta. For pizza, top grilled flatbread with your favorite ingredients. Today, we used pesto sauce, sausage, onions, mushrooms, black olives and mozzarella. Place pizzas in 400 degree oven on lowest rack for 10 minutes or so.

New-School Greens: Mother and Grandmother Approved

My mother and grandmother, classic country cooks that they were, perfected the art of preparing greens. Of course, their old-school method wasn't complete without a ham hock, fatback, or streak-o-lean. I remember those greens well. They were delicious beyond Southern measure.

I was unwilling to give up my greens, but I had to lose the animal fat—without sacrificing flavor. Lots of garlic and red pepper flakes more than make up for what’s missing, and braising (simmering in a small amount of liquid) intensifies the rich flavors.

I believe my mother and grandmother would approve.

Spicy Braised Greens

2-3 bunches of greens (I prefer collards), washed and chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 small white onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Chicken stock

Balsamic or apple cider vinegar (optional)

Stem and wash greens thoroughly. Place greens on a cutting board, blot dry, and chop.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Season with kosher salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add greens, and mix together for a few minutes until greens begin to wilt. Add 1 cup of chicken stock to skillet, and salt to taste. Cover partially, and reduce heat. Simmer for about 1 hour (or to desired tenderness), stirring occasionally so greens cook evenly. Add a bit of stock from time to time when skillet begins to dry out.

Adjust seasoning, and serve with vinegar, if desired.

Note: Freeze leftover cooked greens—or freeze stemmed, rinsed, chopped greens for cooking later.

A Side of Grits, Please

I could eat my weight in grits, any time, with any meal. I used to like them from the packet, but several years ago, I tasted stone ground grits, and I was hooked. There’s just no comparison—the rustic texture; the earthy, corn taste; the creamy consistency.

Of course, breakfast is a given, but I also enjoy grits as a side dish with Cajun red beans (or pinto beans or black beans), alongside fish (particularly sautéed salmon), as an accompaniment to pork (roasted tenderloin is my favorite), served with braised greens and a drizzle of olive oil, or topped with a chunky tomato gravy or cheese and fresh herbs. Of course, they’re perfect solo too—all alone—in a big bowl with a pat of butter when I must indulge.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a moment with my grits.

Creamy Stone Ground Grits

1 cup chicken stock
2 cups water
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup milk (regular or fat-free skim)
1 ½ - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup stone ground grits
1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Combine stock, water, cream, milk, salt and pepper in a heavy saucepan. Bring just to a boil, and immediately add grits. Whisk to prevent clumping. Turn heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes, stirring often. Add butter, if desired. Adjust seasonings, and devour.

Note: Try this recipe with polenta for a slightly different (finer) texture.

The Great Olive Oil Challenge

I admit it. I love butter, and I enjoy it—in moderation. But my romance is not a healthy one, and I’ve decided to put a little more space between me and my lover…I mean my butter.

My challenge? To substitute olive oil for butter whenever possible. Now I know there are some things that just belong together—butter with oatmeal, butter with sauces, butter in baking; but, for a healthier alternative, I drizzle olive oil on toast, French bread, baked sweet/white potatoes, rice, pasta, and salads. I also sauté/boil veggies with olive oil, as well as pan-frying grilled cheese sandwiches, eggs, and salmon/tuna croquettes.


So, are you up for the challenge? Before you reach for the butter, think about olive oil instead.

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

Happy New Year, y’all! Last night, Gary and I rang in 2013 with our traditional dinner--chicken and smoked sausage gumbo. We like the idea of doing something a little extra-special to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. After today, I believe we may have adopted another tradition. I put together a stew with some usual suspects for New Year's Day, plus a few other tasty ingredients--perfect for today or any day of the year.

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

1 (1 lb.) bag dried black eye peas
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup each carrots, celery, and onion, finely chopped
½ cup smoked ham, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 bay leaf
4 cans chicken stock
1 lb. cooked chicken, chopped
Collards, chopped, or other greens (optional)*
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Rice (brown or white)
Hot sauce (optional)
Green onions
Fresh parsley

Prepare peas according to package quick soak method. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add vegetables, ham, garlic, red pepper flakes, jalapeno, and bay leaf. Sauté for about 10 minutes. Add peas, stock, chicken, and greens (if desired). Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low to medium-low, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar; adjust seasonings, and remove from heat. If stew is too thick, add a little extra stock.

Serve stew in a bowl, topped with a mound of brown or white rice (or skip the rice—it’s still delicious). Top with several splashes of your favorite hot sauce, if desired, and garnish with chopped green onions and parsley.

Note: This is a good way to incorporate leftover greens, either just cooked or frozen. Fresh, chopped greens are also great.