As long as you have a canned beer, a whole chicken, a little spice and creativity....you can create the best chicken you've ever tasted!

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It's been such a long time since I posted my last recipe and thoughts. I've been quite busy and not focused on what really matters. Please forgive me and from now on, I should have new recipes posted MUCH more often.

Thank you to those who haven't left me! I appreciate your support. Now on to some cooking!

Many of us in the South love our NASCAR racing. We gather at the track and party like there is no tomorrow. The best thing about going to the races, meeting all of the new people and seeing a little bit of everything. It's amazing how you can put over 100,000 people together and they all seem to behave. A race crowd is totally different than any other sport. Now for what to eat while attending the race.......

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it's that time of year when you probably have an abundance of vegetables and fruits in your kitchen. Before they all go bad, FREEZE them......Most of the vegetables can be cleaned, sliced (or chopped) and put in the freezer. I like to blanche most of my veggies first. I bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in the veggies. Resist the urge to season them! Boil for 2-5 minutes depending on the veggie. Drain (if necessary), cool quickly, and put in freezer bags. You'll be glad you did!

I grew up eating this wonderful little concoction called "livermush." To those who are not from the south you have absolutely no idea what it is. To be honest, I really don't either. Is it liver? NO Is it some sort of mush? Not sure. It's kinda like a hotdog, you don't ask what's in it, you just eat it. There's nothing better in the morning than some fried livermush with your eggs and grits. You can also have it on bread with mayo and mustard. Any way you like, just experience it!

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My ex mother-in-law was a great casserole cook. (She still is) She made this pineapple casserole that I truly adored. It's not really sweet, and it's not really savory. It's just AWESOME!!! It's gooey and cheesy and just plain wonderful. I'm glad we still have a good relationship because this is definately one of my favorites! Eat it as a side, main, or dessert.....JUST EAT IT!!!

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It's picnic time!!! Take this wonderful pasta salad with everything and you'll be the hit of the party. You can add any vegetable you'd like and it will still be fantastic! I know we notmally take salads with mayo in the south, but this one is just as good. Try it and let me know what you think!

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Have I said that I love summer enough yet? Here I go again...I love summer! I love the veggies, and especially the fruit. Berries are everywhere! This cobbler can be made with berries, peaches, plums, etc. The limits are only within your imagination. It's super easy and tastes amazing! My daughter begs me for cobbler during the summer. I like to put blueberries and peaches together for this one. Cherries are great too! Make it and let me know what you think! ENJOY

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I adore a great pecan pie. It's hard to find one that is truly a great balance of sweet and little savory. I can't deal with a "too sugary" pecan pie, just as I can't handle a dry "non sweet" pecan pie. This is my aunt's recipe and it is just "perfect." I don't usually bake, but this one is well worth it. A true southern delight!!!!! I remember growing up and helping my grandaddy "shake" the pecan tree to get those lucious nuts for baking.....oh the memories....

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What in the heck is chow chow???? Well, the best way to describe it is.....a sweet/hot relish type dish that you put with everything! I remember growing up my mother would get in the kitchen and make huge batches of chow chow towards the end of the summer. She would go out to the garden and pick huge green tomatoes and peppers. She used an old fashion meat grinder for hers but you can use a food processor. Keep it coarse and labor through it! It's great with beans, greens, and all meats.

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Okra can be an aquired taste or something you're just born to love! Me, I was born to love okra. I love it stewed, in casseroles, and in soups, but my favorite is FRIED!! There's nothing better than some good ole fried okra. I'm not talking about that heavily battered stuff that's deep fried, I'm talking about my momma's pan fried okra. There's nothing better with a plate of veggies than this okra. Here's how....

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I've been hanging out at the beach for the past couple of days. My parents are here and some of their northern friends have come to visit. Tonight they got the true feel of what a great summer supper is when in the south. It was a beautiful site and some great eating! The meal consisted of field peas (dixie lee peas), fresh corn off the cobb, stewed squash and onions, stewed potatoes, fried okra and corn muffins. I did make a couple of pork chops for them but mom and I ate only veggies!

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Back to the garden I would go if I had one this year. So, it's back to the local farmer to get my bounty. Today, it's cucumbers. They are so sweet and firm and I could eat them by themselves for days. I love to get cucumbers and make what I call "quick" pickles. These pickles are easy and taste amazing with anything. I try to keep some in the fridge throughout the summer for a quick snack or instant side with anything. Gather your cukes and start pickling!

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During the summer I'm constantly looking for anything I can find to put on the grill. I do love me some london broil. This particular piece of meat is very tough so it needs quite a bit of marinating and very quick cooking. You must always slice it against the grain and thin. The trick is the cooking. You must eat this piece of meat between rare and medium. Otherwise, it will become very tough and rubbery. Here's how I do it!

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I've been getting lots of requests for many of my recipes. One of the favorites at all of our parties is the olive tapenade. I make mine a little differently than most people. The reason being, I like it my way! You can play around with this recipe as much as you like. If you like more black olive, add them, if not, don't. It's your choice. My recipes makes quite a bit so be prepared to share! It makes a great gift with some crackers.

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