As an amateur chef, I enjoy thumbing through old recipe books, especially ones from garden clubs and church circles from the 50’s and 60’s. My wife Nancy often referred to a her Southern Living Quick & Easy Recipe book in the early 70s, and those tried and true dishes were staple dishes for our young family. One of those recipes was for Mock Lasagna, a dish that my son Jimmie loved. We … [Read more...]

Sometimes it’s not the recipe nor the ingredients you use. Sometimes it’s the pot you cook in that gets great results. My go-to pot is a 6-quart, red porcelain enameled, cast iron covered Dutch oven by Tramontina. I love it. My daughter Laura –a great chef in her own right – gave me the “Big Red Pot” for Christmas. When I felt the weight of the package, I thought it was a bowling ball. It was … [Read more...]

I have a kitchen cabinet full of rubs and spices, all the latest and greatest. But sometimes the old friends, the basic seasonings, are as good if not better. One of the best and most versatile seasonings in any larder is Good Seasonings Italian Dressing mix. Made by Kraft, the mix was designed to be added to a cruet of vinegar, oil and water for a simple, healthy Italian salad dressing. But it … [Read more...]

James Baker served as Chief of Staff under Ronald Reagan and was later appointed Secretary of State in the George H.W. Bush administration. I’m thinking about changing my name to James Baker Brewer because I have caught the baking bug. I love to cook, but frankly don’t know a lot about the art of baking. I’m not even sure how to put those two “turny” things in the mixer. As a mater of fact, I … [Read more...]

For 11 months a year, we are forced to buy fresh peaches that are anything but. They are likely imports from Mexico or South America that were picked months in advance and stored in cold lockers. These alien peaches are as hard as rocks and tasteless. But now, fellow peach aficionados, our time has come. The white peaches are in season and many local and regional orchards are bringing them to … [Read more...]

By Terry Tigner   (Ed. Note: Some recipees are worth repeating. This is one of them. Terry shared this recipee in one of our first editions of CvilleBuzz. It has become a staple in our kitchen, so here goes again.)   I am not a great cook. In fact, I would rate myself an only slightly better than average cook, giving myself a slight edge only because I love to cook. I am a … [Read more...]

I can’t imagine going grocery shopping only once or twice a week. How would you ever know what looked good on a particular day or what’s on special? I go at least five times a week and rarely buy more than one day ahead. Grocery shopping is something I really enjoy. Last week I stopped by the seafood counter at Kroger’s. I felt a little “fishy” that night. The salmon looked good but we had … [Read more...]

Meat loaf is a staple in our house. It cooks quickly, in about an hour and a half, so we can throw it in the oven after work and still eat by seven. The dish is economical and the leftovers make dynamite sandwiches. Only one problem with meat loaf – grease. No matter how lean the beef, you always have fat sitting in the bottom of your pan, which you must pour off at some point, but there is … [Read more...]

I confess. I am a Cooking Channel junkie. I find it fascinating to watch the chefs battle it out on Chopped and I love to see Robert Irvine hammering the amateurish chefs at failing restaurants on Restaurant Impossible. One thing I have noticed on all these cooking shows: A main complaint from the judges in their critiques is a lack of seasoning. These – many experienced chefs from top … [Read more...]

Sometimes what you use to cook with is as important as the recipe with which you use to cook the dish. Electric skillets, for example. I have owned a series of electric skillets and found them useful when a larger surface area was needed - as in pan-frying fish or a large batch of squash and onions. Until recently, my electric skillets were poor quality overall. The non-stick surfaces sometimes … [Read more...]