’ve enjoyed our recent, inordinately warm weather, but I love Georgia’s crisp, cool winters. I’m thrilled that it finally feels like winter, and I’m grateful for the excuse to go all out hearty and savory in the kitchen – stews and soups; roasts and crockpot creations; casseroles. Even more, cold weather means warm libations, and this year, I’ve decided to try many different hot drinks. We started by ending our busy, brisk weekend with mulled hot buttered rums, curled up under blankets on our couch. Hot Buttered Rums 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla …
There are a few meals that I could eat almost every day, literally, and a good, homemade spaghetti falls into that category. I know many people consider spaghetti fairly boring, but I’ve also found that many people make spaghetti by boiling boxed noodles and pouring a can of Ragu over the top. I like to make spaghetti leisurely because like chili and most stews, I believe the sauce tastes so much better if given time to simmer. Also like chili and soup, I make spaghetti by taste, just like my mother always did. Here’s the general process. Dice one sweet onion, half of a seeded, green bell …
Every family has a different holiday tradition, and much to my delight, Mexican food is part of ours. On Christmas Eve, we sing carols by candlelight at the church and retire to my Mema’s house to eat homemade tamales from Rosedale, Mississippi. A spicy batch of chili, saltines and ketchup – that’s right, crackers and ketchup with tamales – accompany. But it’s not just around the holidays that I enjoy a good Tex-Mex meal. If you’ve read this column before, you know Mexican food is a staple in my home, and I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting recipes that fit the bill. So, today I…
During the holidays, my fiancé and I attend several annual gatherings; visit family all over Georgia, in Mississippi and host friends from out of state; we cook – a lot; and this year, we’re celebrating my brother’s wedding and the births of a few new babies. From the middle of October through the middle of January, we run on fumes, making it all work on very little sleep. It’s exhausting and truly amazing to have so many friends and family members that want us around for the holiday season – a true blessing. The holidays also provide us with a reason to attempt baking…again. We’re not …
Tomato season is drawing to a close in Georgia. During this time of year, unless you spent the summer canning, your tomato options are pretty poor. I find them to be bland, slow to ripen or – if left from the tail end of summer – almost rotten. So, what to do? I say make sauce. Fresh, homemade tomato sauce is wonderful. You can make it in big batches and freeze it for months. Add fresh herbs, and use it to enliven boxed pasta. Use in it stuffed bell peppers or as a delicious pizza sauce. You can make it as chunky, spicy or smooth as you want, but the base is always the same. Peel, seed and …
We’re all busy. It’s imperative that we have turn-to meals – quick, easy and semi-healthy recipes that we can whip up in a jiffy to feed our hungry broods. While pizza dough takes a bit of prep time, you can do it in phases. Mix the dough – sweep your floors while it rises. Knead it, spread it out and pre-bake it – fold the laundry while it cooks. And, you can make dough in batches. Save it in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze it. Once-frozen dough doesn’t respond as well as fresh, but hey, we’re saving time and getting dinner on the table. Plus, pizza making, when done at home, can …
When I first met my fiancé, fast food was a frequent feature on his menu. Multiple times per week, a cheeseburger or box of Chinese take-out would make it onto the coffee table for dinner. Over the last five and half years or so, we’ve been turning this around. My waistline appreciates our efforts. I take credit for most of our meals, but I have to admit, the boy can cook when he tries. His pizza dough, a carefully crafted and crisp crust, has been over a year in the making. It’s perfect. I’m thankful he knows his way around the kitchen these days. For one reason, I take a pottery class on …
Okay, so I’m on vacation – meaning, this will be short and sweet. How else can I spend every single spare second on the beach? Before I left, I promised Patch readers prettier posts – curry cauliflower and cooked-down zucchini didn’t do the trick. I plan to keep that promise, willing that the kitchen gods keep me in their favor. I started with this number – raspberry cheesecake truffles. They’re a combination of two recipes from one of – if not my very – favorite food blogs. Check out this recipe. Then this one. Raspberry cheesecake truffles (via an Annie’s Eats mash-up) 8 oz. cream cheese, …
We love making our own pizzas – from the dough to the toppings to the method of cooking. There are so many variations to take on this childhood favorite that make it both healthier and more grown-up. While slightly different, calzones can be made at home with some of the same motions. However, we did encounter a few problems when first trying these in our kitchen. Sogginess; the thick crust baking to firmly on top, becoming difficult to slice through; goodness and cheesiness leaking from the vent holes or the seams. I hope some of these helpful tips I've learned over the years can aid you in …
I feel it’s imperative that I begin this column with an apology. I’m sorry that you all have to see this image of curry mashed cauliflower. While I do regret that this particular puree turned out to look a lot like muddy baby food, I don’t regret the way it turned out – it was really, really tasty. The background. My younger brother, the king of fast food and an intent consumer of both meat and beer, has embarked on a serious dietary challenge. For a month, he is refraining from meat, alcohol, refined sugars, cheese, as well as breads and flour. So when he visited the other night, I prepared …
I love chili rellenos, but unfortunately, these tasty guys are typically served swimming in cheese sauce. I've often ordered them only to meet with disappointment when they arrive at my table cooked into a puddle of grease. So, I decided to create my own version, and when I couldn't find a recipe that floated my boat, I winged it. If you've ever read this column, you'll already know that winging it is the general rule in my kitchen. But I'm happy to report that this time, all went well – we ended up having a healthy, flavorful and filling meal. Stuffed Poblano Peppers 2 large poblano peppers …
Well, the first week of boot camp has been nothing short of torture. I'm trying to modify my eating habits a bit, at least while adhering to this strenuous workout program, and that means watching my calories more closely than usual. Thus, I'm forced to cut that extra glass of wine or super sugary cocktail – it's amazing how many calories our alcoholic beverages add to our diets. However, if planned and executed thoughtfully, it's possible to create a cocktail that's both delicious and diet-friendly...of course when enjoyed in moderation. Margaritas are one of my favorite summer cocktails. …
I was running through recipes in my mind this week, trying to think of something satisfying for dinner. In the end, there were two contributing factors behind what I decided to make. 1. I bought a boot camp Groupon with some friends recently and am going to embark on a month of insanely difficult physical exertion starting next week. I wanted to get my carb and cheese fix before that started. 2. My mother makes these wonderful twice-baked potatoes that are the smoothest, cheesiest things this side of heaven, and I've always wondered if there was a way to create a healthier, equally …
Somewhere along the road, meatloaf got a bum rap. Maybe it's because the thought of a literal loaf of meat doesn't conjure particularly appetizing images. Or, possibly you were subjected to the ubiquitous, shapeless mystery meats common among school lunches. I, however, have always enjoyed meatloaf. My mother's recipe includes onion soup mix, ketchup and occasionally, cubed veggies, such as sweet onions or bell peppers. She would form and cook it in a cast iron skillet, and the ends were always nice and crispy around their edges. Leftovers were transformed into hot or cold sandwiches that my …
I grew up with a lot of consistency – we always went to church on Sunday mornings; we always had at least five dogs; we always had a garden; we always had a gallon of ice cream in the freezer. After we emptied one of the aforementioned gallons of ice cream, which we did frequently as a family, my mom would wash out the bucket and sit it in the dish drainer, its red plastic handle sticking out at some odd angle. This was the ritual that turned the once dairy treat container into a fruit and veggie carrier. She would send my brother and me into the garden to gather tomatoes from the vine, fresh…
Characterize Memorial Day weekend. Barbeques, family gatherings, playing on the lake, camping, sunshine...music festivals. I've met most of my closest friends through music, and every Memorial Day weekend we travel by car, plane or RV to north Georgia. We park and pop tents; for three days we hear great music, reconnect with friends, dance and eat good food. It's a misconception that camp food has to be bland or basic. The best chicken salad, by-the-plate barbeque and boiled peanuts in the South, I've found at Amberland. The Lowcountry boil last year was delicious, and the cocktails have …
Nearly five years ago, I met the man who I would eventually consider my completing half, my home base. He keeps me sane and secure. He makes me laugh. Although I was once really great at being on my own, I can honestly say that today, I wouldn’t have a clue what to do without him at my side. I'm very lucky. That said, it may seem weird that we don’t really celebrate anniversaries. This year, however, I decided to change that – a little. He was in desperate need of a new camera. Unfortunately, I’m hopeless and helpless when it comes to electronics. It’s sad, really. I asked my friends and …
Well, I'm officially sick. Not just sniffles and coughs, but the type of sick that required a dreaded doctor's office visit and subsequent trip to the pharmacy. I haven't been sick in years, and it makes me regretfully realize how ungrateful I am for my daily health and strong immune system. I've vowed to change that. Being sluggish, feverish and just all-around down has also made me contemplate mothers with multiple children, which I am not – how in the world do they manage the carpools, meetings and meals while feeling this way? Kudos to them! I can barely heat a cup of tea, much less think…
When you frequently gather with people who swoon over delicious food, cocktail accompaniments are almost a universal. Happy hour, for most, means cheap well drinks and discounted shots between the hours of 4 and 6 p.m. at the local bar. Yet, sometimes happy hour starts early...say, 10 in the morning. And for these especially wonderful occasions, I suggest the queen of early-in-the-day libations – the Bloody Mary. I adore a Bloody Mary, regardless of the time of day. So in honor of brunches, afternoons poolside and morning time drinking in general, I thought I would share with you my favorite …
Over dinner with friends last night – a beautiful curry chicken salad on mixed greens with mushrooms, onions, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts and hand-picked strawberries…plus red wine – we discussed adulthood and the experiences in life that make you feel like a “real grown-up.” For our friends, it's planning a wedding. I shared this: I recently experienced the first holiday in my life where I didn’t get to take part in some sort of tradition or family affair – I had to work. So, my Easter was not filled with ham, deviled eggs and homemade desserts. However, leftovers made their way …
