We love anything Italian around here…pizza, pasta, bread…those things can get consumed in mass quantities. Of course, we probably don’t eat authentic Italian food, but the Americanized version is just fine. It’s so easy to throw together a dinner party with a pot of spaghetti sauce and your favorite pasta, or take a little more …

If you want to learn about Italian cooking, you need to start with Marcella Hazan’s collection, The Essentials of Italian Cooking. She is an Italian cook who started a cooking school in New York City in the 1960s, has written for the New York Times, is a James Beard award winning cookbook author and is beloved …

Chicken Tortilla Soup with rotisserie chicken, chopped onions and peppers, black beans and corn—lots of flavor happening in this easy and yummy soup! We usually have a few people at our house every weekend during football season. The Georgia game is on downstairs, along with whatever other game folks want to watch. Everyone brings something …

When friends gather around the table in my Southern kitchen, there is usually not a preponderance of actual Southerners—more likely, we are the minority. Living outside Atlanta, most of our friends are transplants from around the country who have lived in Georgia for so long that they consider themselves half-Southern. One of my dearest friends …

French Quarter Shrimp or New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp with a silky garlic and herb butter sauce that begs for crusty bread. One of our favorite restaurant’s is Gumbeaux Cajun Cafe in Douglasville, Georgia. You have to get there early to get a table without waiting two hours, but once you’re seated the food fest begins. …

Southern Pulled Pork is so easy to make! Just throw together a barbecue rub and roast a pork butt in the oven low and slow for several hours. Then shred the meat and it’s good to go! So simple yet so delicious! We are a barbecue loving family. Is it because we’re Southern? Because we …

The best Italian Wedding Soup with flavorful chicken meatballs, pestata, and lots of vegetables. This soup is absolutely delicious, nutritious, and feeds a crowd!  Nothing’s easier when feeding a crowd than a big pot of soup or chili or something you can do as a one-pot meal. A few weeks ago, we hosted our lifegroup …

Time to step away from the turkey leftovers and create something sublime and spicy in your kitchen. This is by far one of the best things I’ve ever made. Tender, slightly spicy pork seasoned with chipotle pepper and cilantro, simmered in dark beer and a little lime juice. A rustic Spanish dish that will transport your …

Roast Turkey is the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table, so it’s important to get it right! This method uses foil to keep the turkey breast from drying out so you have a perfect Roast Turkey every time!  Being in charge of the Roast Turkey for Thanksgiving can be a daunting prospect, especially for first-time cooks. …

Sometimes you just want to eat food that makes you feel like you’re doing something good for yourself. This tuna salad is on that list. With garbanzo beans, egg, tuna and no mayo, it’s a satisfying combination of flavors and textures that’s also chock full of nutrients. And it’s super easy and quick to pull together, perfect …

Chicken Enchiladas are a family favorite and a great make-ahead dish for a party—this recipe uses cream cheese to make the enchiladas extra creamy and delicious! Mexican food is pretty easy to throw together—usually some combination of meat, sauce, tortillas and cheese, at least as we know it from American-Mexican restaurants. These chicken enchiladas are …

Easy Chicken Soup is made with chicken broth, chicken, and a touch of cream–just a simple chicken soup that’s great when you’re under the weather. When my dear sister-in-law, Joanne, was going through chemotherapy a few years ago, she asked me to make her some easy chicken soup. She wanted it the way her mama …

This juicy Santa Fe Burger features a fried green tomato, roasted poblano peppers, and queso sauce. It’s amazing! I don’t know if y’all have ever seen Bobby Flay on television, but bless his heart, he’s kind of pitiful in the kitchen, isn’t he? Ok, of course I’m just kidding. I love, love, love Bobby Flay and so …

Oven-Roasted Brisket is braised in the oven, low and slow, with onions, garlic, and beef broth. It’s tender and full of flavor! When I ask for dinner suggestions from the men in my family, beef is almost always at the top of the list: ribeyes on the grill, hamburgers, pot roast, short ribs—pretty much any …

This oven baked omelet is perfect for two for breakfast or a light supper. Just mix up some eggs and cheese and whatever vegetables you like and bake! Let me state for the record, unequivocally, I love Ina Garten. I love to watch her shows because she has such a calm, soothing manner as she …

The best Chicken Salad with grapes, pecans, celery and a tangy mayo and sour cream dressing! This Chicken Salad will have your guests asking for more! Years ago, several ladies of my grandmother’s and mother’s acquaintance used to hold monthly meetings which they called UDC meetings, at which someone would read something, they would all discuss whatever it …

The major premise behind In In a Southern Kitchen is “doing life together.” We practice that at every opportunity, whether with friends or family. It’s not uncommon for us to throw together a dinner party for ten or more on the spur of the moment. For those times that we do plan in advance, I like to …

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic—the garlic mellows in the oven and lends wonderful, rich flavor to the slow-cooked chicken! When you tell someone you’re about to serve Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, you see their eyes immediately widen and you can imagine their thoughts…I won’t be able to talk to anyone for days…40 …

Braised Beef Short Ribs—slow-cooked with vegetables in red wine and beef broth until they are fall off the bone tender! You will want to make these beef short ribs again and again! The trees are turning golden and scarlet, the air is finally cooler—cold on some days—and we are enjoying a beautiful fall here in Georgia. …

This Rosemary Lemon Chicken is simple and easy—no chopping required! Just toss in some fresh herbs and lemon slices and roast for a perfect weeknight dinner.  I am an admitted Food Network junkie. I would watch all day long if I could. And, a few years ago when I had jaw surgery, that’s exactly what …

Coq au Vin is braised chicken with mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon in a wine sauce. Perfect for fall dinner parties! Anything that comes from Julia Child has to be good, especially if it involves wine. This chicken recipe is delicious and pretty easy although it is a little time-consuming. I cheat and use frozen pearl …

Beef Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots in a silky sauce—it’s an easy, one-pot meal and comfort food at its best! This pot roast recipes works in the oven or on the stove and makes the best pot roast that’s tender and flavorful. One of the easiest dishes for a new cook to make is …

Easy ribs baked low and slow in the oven with a barbecue rub. These are fall-apart tender and so easy! Your family will love these ribs! There are few things better than ribs cooked all day in the smoker, low and slow with applewood chips, until they fall off the bone and fill your palate …

Growing up on a farm in middle Georgia, my cousins and I ran wild every summer. We clambered up and down trees, spent hours wading in the creeks and generally found any excuse to stay outside until well after dark. We used to sift through the sandy bottom of Buck Creek to find the shiny, black freshwater mussels — …