Simple Food. Good Ideas. Great Fun.
I don’t remember how our version of smothered chicken came to be, but it became a common occurance in my parents’ house…most often cooked by my sister. It was simple to make and easy to adapt to whatever was in the pantry and refrigerator. There were several variations that my sister commonly made. One of […]
I am always amazed by the magic that happens when you slowly cook a cheaper cut of meat in a crock pot for several hours. I think my favorite of these crock pot friendly meats has to be a pork shoulder (Boston butt) roast. A pork shoulder roast makes great pulled pork for a variety […]
If you like the outer glazed area of ham loaf, you will love Amish-style ham meatballs. The ham meatballs have more glazed goodness plus the flexibility of being meatballs. While they can still be served as part of the main course, they also can be served as hors d’oeuvres. Inspired by several recipes in some […]
Making a classic standing rib roast for the first time can be a little intimidating because it is usually for some special occasion and can be a large financial investment. The good news is that it is actually very easy…if you have a necessary tool, a meat or instant-read thermometer. It also helps if you […]
Whenever I find myself longing for my mom’s fried chicken or some of the delicious fried chicken that can be found at a half-a-dozen local restaurants near my house here in the South, I turn to this simple recipe for an oven “fried” chicken that really is as crispy, moist, and tender as any of […]
Enjoying really good barbecue ribs is not something that must be saved only for the summer grilling season or when you go to a good barbecue restaurant. You can make really incredible barbecue ribs in your oven. Although they take a while to cook, they are easy to make and a lot cheaper than buying […]
The end of summer means back to school, cooler nights (and hopefully cooler days), and transitioning to fall foods. To celebrate the unofficial end of summer I grilled chicken and topped it with a chunky apple barbecue sauce to welcome fall. Inspired by a dish that a chain restaurant used to serve in the fall […]
Looking for something different than burgers and hot dogs to grill for that backyard get together? Grilled lobster tails are a surprisingly simple and budget-friendly choice. In fact, with sales and coupons at Earth Fare recently, grilled lobster tails have almost became common place at our house 
I must admit that I wasn’t sure […]
Foil pouches have been a favorite of mine for many years now. I expect that the first complete meal I ever cooked was the first time I made “turtles” in Girl Scouts. While I still love “turtles,” I now like to cook many other dishes in foil pouches. My favorite may be potatoes. Besides the […]
Motivated by a desire to have sauerbraten, I created this recipe after debating between making meatloaf or sweet-and-sour meatballs. The gingersnaps, brown sugar and vinegar in the meatball sauce seemed like a similar flavor profile to sauerbraten, thus the birth of my new favorite dish. I love this meatloaf. It is easier and less time […]
