We had bought some fresh tomatoes from the Farmer’s Market and enjoyed them on BLT’s, sliced raw, in salads and they were so good, I decided to bake a Tomato Pie. It’s easy. Here’s how, Start with Frozen Deep-Dish Crust. Marie Callender’s is the best. In a skillet with a dab of olive oil, sauté about a pound of chopped ham (I bought a big ham steak and used about half) along with some … [Read more...]

You had to have been from the Deep South to have even once heard of Cracker Salad. It’s a true Southern delicacy often enjoyed at Church Picnics, Funerals, Weddings and Potluck gatherings. I remember it as being one of the first-to-go side dishes at Family Reunions. This is an effortless dish that combines the sweetness of fresh tomatoes with the crunchy, salty goodness of Saltines. A good way … [Read more...]

I enjoy ground pork – not ground sausage, just plain old pork that’s been chopped up. You can use it in lots of recipes, but I enjoy it in patties – like burgers. I bought a pound recently. It’s cheap, like four of five bucks and I figured I would decide later how to cook it. I decided on pork patties, but that night when I looked for the saltines which I use as a filler, we were out. Then I … [Read more...]

I saw them at Harris Teeter – Boneless Pork Ribeye Steaks from a company called Villari. I love beef ribeyes. Why not try the pork? I did and they were good. I decided to grill them as I would a beef ribeye steak. I took them out beforehand and let them get close to room temperature and pre-seasoned them with salt, pepper and a little John Boy & Billy’s Pork Rub. I put the steaks on a … [Read more...]

It’s crunch time. You need an easy entrée and something that everyone will enjoy. This calls for a Tater Tot Casserole, a sure-fire winner and one that’s easy to assemble. There are only 4 ingredients, and it can be ready in less than an hour, start to finish. Here’s how. You’ll need a pound of ground beef (to serve 4), a 16-oz. bag of frozen Tater Tots, 2 C of shredded, sharp cheddar cheese … [Read more...]

I gained 3 pounds on our short vacation to Lancaster County, but it could have been worse. I ate everything I sight. I have found, though, that if I put my mind and recipes on it, I can lose those quickly earned pounds, but it involves chicken. Lots of chicken mixed, in with fish. To help jump start my weight loss, I went for chicken patties and caramelized onions. The onions did the trick – … [Read more...]

This is Cinco de Mayo week coming up. Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is a big deal in Mexico, commemorating a great victory in the Battle of Puebla during the Franco/Mexican War in 1862.  It is a day of great pride for the Mexican people and a day when Americans eat about 100 million avocados and pretend they know how to cook Mexican food. This includes yours truly. However, slowly but surely, I am … [Read more...]

I discovered Butter Lettuce at Kroger’s several months back. It’s not sold loose, like head lettuce, romaine, bibb and other lettuces. It usually comes pre-packaged, but I saw a pack not much more than a regular head of lettuce, so I bought it. It is sweet, rich, and delicious and, yes, buttery. This spring as I was buying some young collard plants for my garden, I saw a six pack of small … [Read more...]

It’s hard to beat a platter of fried chicken wings dredged in your favorite sauce, but you can have crispy chicken wings without all the oil and frying. And it’s easy. Start with 2 or 3 pounds of wings, remove the tips and split each wing. Pat the wings dry with paper towels and set aside. Put a couple wire racks on a sheet pan lined with parchment or foil (for easy cleaning). Melt a half … [Read more...]

When you get in the mood for a hot dog, you gotta have a hot dog. The vision of a fat frank nestled in a fresh bun and surrounded by chili, mustard, onions and cole slaw will haunt you till you eat one. I got stung by the hot dog bug early this week and promptly bought a pack of Ball Parks. But I didn’t have any chili. A hot dog is just not a hot dog without a good hot dog chili. Often, I make my … [Read more...]