What a blessing to have been raised in Memphis by a country cook who knew what she was doing. Good cooking was just a way of life in our household and among our extended family. My mother prepared the best fried chicken in Tipton County (We grew up in Memphis, but our reunions were in Tipton County.) according to my aunts, uncles, cousins, and great aunts & uncles; I have no reason to doubt their words of praise. I saw at every family reunion whose chicken was the first to go.
And my mother wasn’t the only good cook in our house. My daddy was a master at the grill and could throw together a variety of tasty snacks inside as well. He specialized in oyster chowder & Bleu Cheese Dressing; and sitting down with Daddy as we built snacks of smoked oysters, cheeses, crackers, olives, and anything else he could scrape together was a banquet in itself.
The blog entries below come from recipes we enjoy around our household; from recipes I’ve yet to try; from recipes given me by friends and family, and things I’ve read about on line or in real print. Yes, I do still subscribe to magazines that come in the mail. Also there are posts about cooking equipment, techniques, sources for more information, etc. I hope you find something of interest. By all means, feel free to write (rbyrd@rbyrd.net).
Collection of Crawfish Etouffee Recipes
Louisiana Style: Allrecipes.com allrecipes.com/recipe/76155/louisiana-crawfish-etouffee/ Stir in the flour until well blended. Gradually stir in the tomato sauce and water, then add the crawfish tails and bring to a simmer. Add the green onions and season...
Todd’s Creek
I grew up literally on the bank of a bayou in Memphis, Tennessee. Of course, we didn’t call it a “bayou.” We called it “The Ditch.” It’s real name was “Todd’s Creek,” which I sometimes call just “Todd Creek” (leaving out the possessive). Or I sometimes call it...
Jesus on the Wall
As far back as I can remember, the picture hung on my grandmother’s wall in her living room. Jesus holds a little lamb in one arm, and a shepherd’s crook in the other hand. Sheep gather around, and one looks up at Jesus (Like he knows him and trusts him?)....
French Onion and Mushroom Casserole
This is some GOOD stuff! I got the idea from Ree Drummond - the Pioneer Woman. I changed it up a bit. For instance, I used home-made chicken stock rather than store-bought beef broth. And we used large sweet onions and probably a pound of fresh white mushrooms...
Fool-Proof Steamed Eggs
Special thanks to America's Test Kitchen for this take on steaming eggs to a hard-boil. Bring one inch water to a rolling boil in a pot suitable for steaming. Place eggs in steamer basket and the basket into the pot so that the eggs are not touching the water....
Medium White Sauce
I found this recipe at Mother's house. It had been clipped from a box of corn starch called "CREAM Corn Starch." I've never heard of it. Argo corn starch offers a very similar method. Ingredients 1 1/2 T butter1 T corn starch1 cup milk1/2 teaspoon...
Buzz Magazines Recipe Trove
When we lived in Houston, we got The Bellaire Buzz Magazine once a month. I enjoy flipping through it to see what's going on in the neighborhood. Children, school, pets, etc. I always check out the Chef's Corner feature and the Recipes sections.
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients 1 pound small or medium shrimp; peeled and deveined12 ounces bow tie pasta2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon minced garlic2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning1/3 cup white wine14 cup unsalted butter1 1/2 cups heavy cream1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese; finely...
Easy Yeast Rolls
Ingredients 1 cup warm water 1 pkg. active dry yeast 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 3 Tbsp. softened butter 1 egg, beaten 3 1/2-4 cups flour Directions Mix water, yeast, sugar, salt and butter in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Add 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour and...
Turkey Sausage
I made up some turkey sausage yesterday from 85/15 HEB chum ground turkey. I kept the salt at a minimum; but I upped the onion and garlic powders; added a lot of extra black pepper; and bumped the Cayenne. Having enjoyed some success with home-made pork sausage,...
Deep South Dishes (And a link to the Southern Rubin)
Sherry stumbled across a recipe for a southern alternative to the traditional Rubin. This is southern, as the name of the web site states. We're going to try this Rubin; we'll report on it later. In the meantime, browse the Deep South Dish site. Enjoy
Recipe Nutrition Calculator
Here is a rather neat service I discovered today. It's the Very Well Fit Recipe Nutrition Calculator. Just paste in your ingredients into the text box; then choose number of servings. Then choose the option to embed the label. Copy the code; paste it into a web...
Home-made Breakfast Sausage
We're trying to come up with an alternative to high-sodium breakfast sausage; and we figure the best way to get that is to make it from scratch. So, W started with Alton Brown's recipe. I cut his salt from 2 teaspoons to 1, which cut the Sodium from 14% to 8%!...
Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk
Sherry gave me this book in 1986. It's Jeff Smith's "The Frugal Gourmet." I've cooked a LOT out of this book. This dish is from Kenya. It's unusual to this southern guy's taste; but we like it. Try it! Ingredients 3-4 sweet potatoes, peeled, and cubed 1...
Low Sodium Breakfast Sausage
Jimmy Dean’s Frozen Patties contain 560 mg of Sodium per serving. I found also, a home-made low-sodium sausage recipe here: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1369504 It comes in at a whopping 36 mg as compared to 560 mg for the Jimmy Dean ...
Camellia’s Black Eyed Peas
I adapted this recipe from a package of Camellia Black Eyed peas. The original recipe called for sage and thyme. Plus, it only called for onion and garlic. I added the poblano, celery, and carrot. I liked the texture achieved by cooking the vegetables in a...
Recording of “Southern Nights”
I use an 8 track digital recorder that is no larger than a cigar box. While it has 8 separate tracks which can be bounced, punched in, dubbed, edited, moved about, etc., the machine only allows two inputs at a time. This is no problem as long as I'm recording solo, as...
Lagniappe
"Lagniappe" is where I put things that relate to cooking, but that aren't necessarily recipes per se (but which sometimes are). You might find some of this interesting. BBQ Is Not a Verb Cajun Seasoning Fool Proof Boiled Eggs How Hot Is that Fire?...
Cinnamon Sautéed Pears
No added sugar; top cereal or pancakes. Sherry did these, and they turned out superb! (November 14, 2020) Ingredients 2 large pears 1 tbsp oil 2 tbsp water 1 tsp ground cinnamon Instructions Peel, core and slice pears into 1/2-inch slices. Place pears in a...
Sheet Pan Meat Loaf
Superb!! Ingredients 1 lb breakfast sausage1 lb mild Italian sausage2 eggsOatmeal (a handful or so)Allspice (Slight sprinkling)Garlic powder1 onion1 medium tomatoBottled BBQ saucePrepared mustard Directions Preheat oven to 400F. Dice onion and tomato; cook in a...
Spinach with Cheese and Boiled Egg
I made this up tonight just on a lark. I'll do this one again! Ingredients 8 oz. Baby spinach2 T olive oilSalt and pepper2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 to 1 cup grated cheddar cheese1 boiled egg; shelled and coarsely chopped (or sliced)Sriracha sauce...
Pursued by the Magician’s Assistant
Once, at a Gridiron Show cast party, the magician's assistant made a play for me. I wasn't interested and tried to dodge her. She persisted. One of the other acts was a lady barbershop quartet. They saw what was going on. They liked me too; but weren't at all...
Italian Sausage Meat Loaf
Meat loaf is hard to beat; and the leftovers are even better! I pressed this one into a sheet pan, and it was superb!1 lb breakfast sausage1 lb mild Italian sausage2 eggsOatmeal (a handful or so)Allspice (Slight sprinkling)Garlic powder1 onion1 medium...
Potato and Sausage Casserole
Ingredients 6 medium red potatoes; sliced 1 lb breakfast sausage; crumbled 1 medium yellow onion; diced 1/2 pound mushrooms; cleaned and sliced 1/2 pound cream cheese; softened 2-3 cups grated cheddar cheese 1 lb frozen green peas; thawed Worcestershire Sauce...
Cooking Links
amazing ribs aluminum foil faq Thanks to Reynolds asparagus recipes – California Asparagus Commission apple cider vinegar by bragg apple-cider brochure from bragg AARP uses of ripe bananas Barbeque Bible beer can chicken debunked caramelized onions carrie...
Skillet Pork Chops
I used rib end pork chops. They were about 1/2" thick. Adjust cooking times if using thicker chops. These turned out delicious! Reminded me of my Grand Byrd's cooking! Ingredients2 pork chops (I've used rib end, and center cut which were about 1/2" thick)bacon...
Potato and Mushroom Frittata
Easy to do especially if you already have on hand the prepared mushrooms and onions.Ingredients8 eggs; whisked until well blended1 - 1 1/2 cup prepared Mushrooms and Onions (Click Here!)1 - 2 small red potatoes; diced1 - 2 cups Oaxaca Cheese (grated)Butter or...
Crustless Quiche
Ingredients1 tbsp. butter8 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced1 shallot, minced2 c. loosely packed spinachKosher saltFreshly ground black pepper8 large eggs1/4 c. whole milk1/4 c. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped1/4 c. freshly grated...
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil2 tbsp. sweet chili sauce1 tbsp. SrirachaJuice of 1 lime3 cloves garlic, minced2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)Kosher saltFreshly ground black pepper Directions Preheat oven to...
Dal
I adapted this recipe from one I found in the New York Times. Sherry loves this! The original recipe calls for double the amount of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger. Add more than the 1 teaspoon of each, if you like. Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable...
Cauliflower Snack Chips
IngredientsCooking spray2 c. riced cauliflower1 1/2 c. grated ParmesanFreshly ground black pepperDirectionsPreheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Apply cooking spray lightly.Microwave the cauliflower in covered bowl on high for 1...
Chili Pie
I did a version of this for our Canterbury Students. Sherry loved the cornbread crust. I used mushrooms and spinach because I had them on hand and I wanted to "stretch" the results. For a more "Mexican" feel, you may omit these. I'm not a fan of ground beef, so...
Pizza Recipes
Pizza #1 For years, I made my pizza dough with corn meal as in the recipe pictured here. Have fun with it, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Pizza #2 Ingredients 1 package dry yeast3 tablespoon butter; softened1 1/2...
Mushrooms and Onions
Ingredients1 pound mushrooms; cleaned and sliced1 large yellow onion; diced2- 4 T soy saucegarlic powdersalt and pepper1 tsp, plus toasted sesame oilDirectionsIn wide skillet (with a lid) saute the onions in the olive oil for a few minutes; add the sliced...
Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats1/2 cup flour1 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp ground nutmeg1/4 tsp salt1 Large Egg, beaten3/4 cup yogurt1/4 cup milk1/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup1 tsp pure vanilla extract1...
Sweet Potato Tots
You can make these ahead of time (before baking). Place frozen tots in oven and bake until done. Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Ingredients 1 3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes (3 medium sweet potatoes) 1 egg yolk 1/2 cup grated cheese 1 small brown onion...
We Both Went Shopping!
I fired up the smoker and cooked two family packs of chicken wings. I got them on sale for $1.49/lb at Foodarama. Also cooked up a huge batch of green chili sauce. Why a huge batch? Because Sherry and I both picked up the same items at the grocery. A...
Hot Water Cornbread
I used to help my mother make this back in our Frayser days. Ingredients 2 cups Cornmeal (Yellow or White) 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup grated onion or chopped 1-2 tablespoons melted butter 1 cup ( or more ) boiling water Instructions In a...
Spaghetti Squash with Peppers and Onions
We will definitely do this one again. Prepare Peppers and Onions, but without the cheese topping and without baking. That is, just do the stove-top part and use that to top your spaghetti squash "noodles" when serving. Ingredients 1 large spaghetti squash 1/2...
Bacon, Sausage, and Shrimp Tetrazinni
This makes up enough to fill two half-trays (9" x 13"). Ingredients: 1 lb breakfast sausage 1 lb bacon 24 ounces small shrimp 2 large sweet yellow onions, chopped 1 orange or red (or green) bell pepper, chopped 1 pound rotini pasta 1/2 pound grated cheddar...
Instructions for the Smokenator
(Instruction Booklet PDF - 2017) www.smokenator.com (Phone 888.205.1931) ________________________________________________________ LONG Cook Times - Set Up and Temperature Management A loaded Smokenator box will fuel a cook of about 6 hours. To...
Raspberry Happiness
Ingredients 2 teaspoons oil 1/3 cup onion; chopped 1 clove garlic; minced 2 cups carrots; peeled and chopped juice of one large orange 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt black pepper 1 cup stock fresh herbs for garnish Directions Cook onion in oil until tender;...
Hazael’s Salsa
Our son's good friend, Hazael, brings this over when they come to dinner. It's superb! The card to the right is Hazael's writing. Ingredients 3 red tomatoes, grilled and chopped1 poblano,grilled and chopped2 T olive oil1 clove garlic, mincedsalt and pepperjuice...
Apple Date Bread
I got this one off a package of dates. Ingredients: 1 cup chopped apples 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup chopped dates 1/2 cup butter 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon Instructions: Cream the butter...
Substitute for Canned “Creamed” Soup
We're not fans of canned soups because of their tendency to be LOADED with sodium. So when a recipe calls for a "Cream of This or That" soup, we like to use a version of this instead. INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup chicken broth...
Pan Seared Scallops
Ingredients 1 to 1 1/4 pounds sea scallops2 teaspoons unsalted butter2 teaspoons olive oilKosher saltFreshly ground black pepper Directions Pat scallops thoroughly dry. Add the butter and oil to a 12 to 14-inch saute pan on high heat. Salt and...
Sweet and Sour Cabbage
We enjoyed living around the corner from a public library in Memphis. It was there I found an interesting Chinese cookbook. Each recipe was given in English on one page, and in Chinese on the facing page. When I cook this one, the family leaves the house until...
Three Ingredient Cookie
1 cup peanut butter 1 cup white sugar 1 egg, beaten Preheat the oven to 350F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the peanut butter, white sugar and egg. Mix until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet; flatten the mounds a bit....
Cola Brined Chicken Thighs
Clipped from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015992-coke-brined-fried-chicken Ingredients 5 cups Coca-Cola 1 tablespoon kosher salt 10 sprigs fresh thyme 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced 4 teaspoons mild hot sauce like Crystal 8 to 12 chicken thighs,...
Neely’s BBQ Sauce
Both of us always enjoyed watching the Neelys on TV. Gina is loaded with personality; and they're from our home town. This is a recipe they say is "Kansas City" style. I don't know about that. It's a lot like what we've been making in west Tennessee for generations....
Ginger Brined Chicken Wings
I recently tried a cola brine, and it imparted a delicious sweet flavor to chicken thighs. Today, I had no cola, but I had plenty of ginger ale. INGREDIENTS 16 chicken wings 2 cans of Ginger Ale 3/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 3/4 cup brown sugar...
Chicken and Gravy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBMqzSd3UlM Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat the chicken pieces with melted butter, working in thoroughly. Season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders, and other seasonings as desired. Spray roasting pan with non-stick spray and place...
Upside Down Onion-Corn Bread
Ingredients 2 (8.5 oz.) boxes corn muffin mix 2 Vidalia onions 3 eggs 1 cup cottage cheese 1 cup corn, rinsed and drained 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled 1/3 cup green onions,...
Oven Fried Oysters
Ingredients 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 eggs 1 cup dry bread crumbs 2/3 cup grated Romano cheese 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1 pint shucked oysters or 2 cans (8 ounceseach) whole oysters, drained 2...
Schools and Unions
So much talk about this that and the other ---- how about our schools? Teachers, tests, standards, on, and on, and on.... Yes, all of this is important. Did you ever think about who cooks the food? Who waxes the floors? Who carries out the trash? Well, I DO think...
Quarter Beer Night
ost of us have heard at one time or another a hair-raising tale about an event which was so harrowing that it caused the storyteller's "whole life to flash before" him. I'm not sure I've ever had such a "flash before me" experience; at least...
Pan Seared Salmon – Alton Brown
e picked up some fresh Salmon today from the Blue Horizon in Rice Village. Here is a video on how to pan sear it. Thanks to Alton Brown for this. http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/pan-seared-salmon-0136160.html Here is another look I published in...
Skillet Pizza
Ingredients ¾ cup lukewarm water 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1 teaspoon sugar 2 ¼ cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Instructions Stir together the water, yeast and sugar. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until foamy. Mix until well...
Week’s Worth of Soup
So I did it again. I made up a week's worth of soup for Sherry. Okay - I managed to get 8 lunches out of the deal. To do it, I had to fill that big pot to within an 8th inch of the top. But I got her done. Also, I had a quart of stock in the freezer which I added to...
Multi-Grain Veggie Bread
Sherry spotted this in our Bellaire Buzz. Ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup oat flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 3 eggs½ cup vegetable oil ½ cup...
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“Among the acts of love we as humans do, feeding one another is one of the most intimate.” – – R. Byrd