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).
Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients 2-3 medium sweet potatoes2 sticks celery, chopped1/2 small yellow onion, minced1/2 cup mayo (Or More!)2T prepared mustard (Or MORE!)4 boiled eggs (Or More!)1 small to medium minced carrot (optional) Directions Boil potatoes for about...
Boiled Shrimp
I’m sure there are a thousand different ways of boiling shrimp. I’ve done it several different ways myself, and it’s usually very good. The trick is to avoid overcooking. I adapted this method from The Frank Davis Seafood Notebook (Pelican Publishing Company;...
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients cooking spray 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 envelopes rapid-rise yeast 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk (very warm 120-130°F) 2 tablespoons corn oil 1 egg Filling 2 packages chicken gravy mix 2 cups cold water...
Peanut Sauce
This sauce goes well with Satay Chicken. Ingredients 1 cup peanut butter; chunky 1 to 2 tsp hot chilie sauce (I like Sriracha.) 2 cloves garlic; crushed 3 Tbsp honey 1 tsp cayenne 1/4 cup lime juice 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup peanut oil Directions Place peanut butter...
Oxtail Stew
Ingredients 4 pounds oxtails cut into 1" pieces 3 T peanut oil 4 carrots; chopped 2 turnips; peeled and diced 4 stalks celery; diced 2 yellow onions; peeled and diced 3 cups stock 1 cup red wine 2 bay leaves 1 tsp thyme (dried) 1/2 cup par, parsley 1 cup of brown roux...
Dwayne’s Fettuccine with Bolognese Sauce
My brother, Dwayne, prepared this meal for a family gathering at my Mom's house tonight. It was a big hit. The "girls" loved it. (The "girls" are our cousins Vicky from St. Louis, and Betty from San Francisco.) This is just as he wrote it for me. Ingredients 3...
Mantia’s Sweet-Dill Garlic Pickles
My mother gave me this recipe she clipped from the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Ingredients 1 gallon dill(not Kosher) pickles 1 large head garlic, peeled and minced 1/2 small bottle Tobasco sauce 2 lbs (4 cups) sugar Directions Drain all the juice from the pickles and...
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Ingredients 1 pound Andouille sausage ; diced 3 pounds Chicken ; leg quarters, skinned 1/2 teaspoon White pepper ; ground 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper 1 teaspoon Salt 1 pound Frozen sliced okra (or fresh if you prefer) 4 each Garlic ; minced 3 Onion...
Fig Bread
We have a huge fig tree in our backyard. We used to put up preserves each summer, but this year we decided to freeze the figs instead. Just place on a flat sheet in freezer. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags. I like to snack on the frozen figs like...
Pot Liquor Soup
We had about a half gallon of delicious "pot liquor" left over from a huge mess of greens we'd cooked. It was delicious by itself, but I decided to experiment with this "Pot Liquor Soup." It's more like a pot of beans flavored with greens, but call it what you will....
Pop Tart Cake
Ingredients 1 box yellow cake mix 1/2 cup strawberries, sliced 1/2 cup blueberries, halved 1 1/2 strawberry Pop-Tarts, crumbled 1 1/2 blueberry Pop-Tarts, crumbled 1 jar white icing (with sprinkles) Directions 1) Mix all ingredients (except icing) together in mixing...
Easy Boiled Chicken
This is an easy way to boil up a chicken without cooking all the flavor out of it. We got this idea from Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet. Ingredients 3-4 pound whole chicken, thoroughly rinsed. Directions Bring a HUGE pot of water to a boil. It's got to be big because...
Guacamole Stuffed Poblano
This is a bit decadent, but I had some extra chiles on hand along with some ripe avocados. Use your favorite guacamole recipe, or just throw one together following mine. Ingredients2 poblano chiles, roasted skinned, and cleaned of seeds and membranes8 ounces V & V...
Old-fashion Basic Cole Slaw
Nothing fancy about this slaw. It's similar to the one my mother makes. Plain and simple, and VERY tasty. Ingredients 1/2 head cabbage; shredded or finely chopped 3 green onions (or a quarter cup or so of finely chopped yellow onion) 1 medium carrot; finely grated...
Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients 1 lb shrimp; peeled, deveined garlic powder cayenne white pepper black pepper onion powder thyme, dried paprika 8 corn or flour tortillas (We like whole wheat.) 2 cups fresh garden salad (lettuce, tomatoes, jicama, fresh turnips, etc.) mayo or salad...
Shrimp Pilau #2
My friend, Nikki Merritt, turned me on to Shrimp Pilau, and the recipe she gave me is excellent. I did some researching on "pilau," though, and saw that it's very much like a jambalaya I'm more accustomed to cooking, but using bacon instead of sausage, and with less...
My Play Lists
I was a music lover and professional musician before I was the family cook. One thing I've found is that music and kitchen fun seem to go hand in hand. I like to put on good music and get in the kitchen and groove. It just comes natural, as the Beatles would say,...
Dwayne’s Pork Ribs
Dwayne does almost as good a job on ribs as Daddy used to do. I've found another recipe that is very similar to Dwayne's. Don't be afraid to experiment. Ingredients 2 racks Pork ribs2 cups Pineapple juiceDry Rub for RibsApple ciderCooking Oil Instructions Rub ribs...
Corn, Tomato & Black Bean Salsa
Ingredients 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 2 Tablespoons olive oil 4 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1/4 teaspoon cumin seed, freshly ground and lightly toasted 1 jalapeno, minced 2 Tablespoon cider vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup fresh...
Easy Oven Roasted Fish
Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine Dijon mustard and brown sugar. Adjust to the desired amount of sweetness-tanginess. Salt and pepper the fish. Line a cooking sheet with foil. Lightly oil the sheet; then add fish skin-side down. Spread the tops of the fillets...
Casseroles
As we added more recipes to our site, we found that some simply defy categorizing in one neat cubbyhole or another. To address this, I decided, at Sherry's urging, to add "casseroles" to our list of food categories. Yes, I know. "Casserole" means a very specific thing...
The Mayor and I
There once was a county clerk in Memphis, by the name of Dick Hackett. He was a hard line fundamentalist right winger who required female employees to wear bras. I wrote him and volunteered to be the county bra “inspector.” Needless to say, I didn't get the job....
Fresh Fig Quesadillas
Our friend from Palmer, Joey Hunter, brought us this recipe. It's credited to Fig Heaven: 70 recipes for the Worlds's Most Luscious Fruit by Marie Simmons (Willam Morrow - 2004). Wonderful combination here. (Joey adds that if you can't get fresh figs, that peaches,...
Non-cooking Links
We have other interests, of course, besides cooking. And here are a few of them. Tumbleweed Almanac - Fr. Neil Willard's Blog Roger Hutchison - Christian Educator, Artist, and Author Cajun History Kirsten Dinesen's Photo Blog Frayser69 (My high school...
Church Stuff
Some pictures of our children at church anglicans online bcp (By Section) bcp (Entire Book in PDF) bible Bible Gateway bishop doyle bishop doyle recommends bishop greg rickel childrens ministry online church calendar 1 | church calendar 2 daily office episcopal cafe...
Newspapers
Arkansas Democrat Gazette Arkansas Times Atlanta J&C Austin Chronicle Boston Globe Chicago Tribune Christian Science Monitor Houston Chronicle The Independent Los Angeles Times Memphis Commercial Appeal Memphis Flyer New York Observer New York Times Palm Beach...
Miscelleanous Links
AlterNet American Politics Arianna Bart Cop Bible Trivia Bill Maher's Blog Bush's House of Horrors Bush Watch Campaign Desk Capitol Hill Christian Gays Columbia Journalism Review Common Dreams Consortium News Crisis Papers Cultural Literacy The Daily...
Radio & TV
abc cbs cnn daily show directv msnbc npr o'franken pacifica pbs tallefero whaddya know abc cbs cnn daily show directv msnbc npr o'franken pacifica pbs tallefero whaddya know Back to Randal's...
Sherry’s Apple Muffins
Sherry can't remember where she got this recipe. So we can't credit the source. These are quick, easy, and very tasty. Ingredients 1 egg 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup salad oil 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup...
Shrimp Pilau ala Nikki
My dear friend, Nikki Merritt, served this dish to the vestry. Once again, as we've come to expect from her, she hit a homer! Thank you, so much. (Nikki says this is from one of the Junior League of Charleston Cookbooks. When I read, "Receipts" in her email, I...
Greek Tomatoes
Ingredients 2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced 1 red onion, thinly sliced 3 ounces ripe olives, pitted and sliced 1/2 pound crumbled feta cheese Fresh or dried oregano, to taste 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive...
Tex-Mex Chunky Salsa Salad
Ingredients 3 to 4 medium tomatoes, halved, seeded and cubed (3 cups) 1 large Texas 1015 onion, coarsely chopped 2 cucumbers, pared, halved lengthwise, seeded and cubed 4 teaspoons minced garlic 4 jalapeños or other small hot chiles, seeded and finely chopped...
Randal Byrd
Married since 1971 and very much still in love, my wife Sherry and I are happy to have taught Sunday school for elementary, junior high, and senior high aged students for over 10 years. She likes me to add that we also taught at our previous church back in Conway,...
Potato, Corn & Tomato Salad with Basil Dressing
Ingredients 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 1/2 pounds red potatoes 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved 6 ears fresh corn, cooked, kernels removed Directions Put the...
History of This Cookbook
I've been the head cook in our household since 1983, when I got laid off at the same time Sherry returned to work from maternity leave. We soon discovered that I was a much better cook than she; plus I enjoyed it much more than she did. I began writing notes...
Basil Salad Dressing
Ingredients 2 T white wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1 cup basil leaves, packed salt and pepper to taste Directions Place all ingredients in blender or food processor, and process until the mixture is emulsified.
Categories
Each recipe has one (or more) "tag" associated with it. For instance, when I posted my shrimp enchiladas recipe, I "tagged" it as "Mexican" and as a "Seafood." The list of categories below are the "tags" associated with various recipes. Clicking on "grill," for...
Archives
January 2005 April 2005 May 2005 February 2006 April 2006 May 2006 October 2006 February 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 June 2008 May 2009 June...
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Soup
This soup started out as Chinese, and suddenly evolved into Tex-Mex, Cajun, and soul-cooking all rolled into one. I started out with the notion of making egg drop soup, but with a twist. I had close to a quart of "pot liquor" left over from some REALLY good...
Black Beans with Pork Neck Bone
My mother gave us her old pressure cooker, and that's how I cook these. I'm sure they'd be just as good slow cooked too, so don't worry if you don't have a pressure cooker. We try to limit our sodium intake, so I skip the smoked neck bones. If sodium is not a...
No-oil Salad Dressing
A little horseradish gives a lot of zip to this tart cooked dressing. Cornstarch offers a convenient way to thicken this tangy blend without oil. Update: First report in - this is good stuff according to the lady whose lunch box I helped pack this morning. (May 11,...
Fool-Proof Boiled Eggs
Special thanks to the American Egg Board for these instructions. Place eggs in saucepan large enough to hold eggs in a single layer. Cover with cold water to a depth of 1 inch over the eggs. Bring just to a boil; remove from burner and cover pan. Let eggs stand...
Shrimp Stuffed Sweet Peppers
Ingredients 4-6 bell peppers1/2 small yellow onion, minced1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped1 celery stick, minced1 poblano or jalapeno, seeded and minced3 T butter for pan frying1 pound small shrimp, peeled1/2+ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning1 tsp garlic powderTony...
Chicken Pot Pie
I did this tonight, and it was GREAT! Don't be afraid to experiment. For one thing, we don't buy those gravy packets. I made my gravy from scratch, using the drippings from chicken I'd baked in the microwave. Just heat up a few tablespoons of the drippings and stir in...
Rice for 100
Most of you will probably never have to cook rice for 100-120 or so, but I did it last night. Thanks to Ken Brown for this recipe. Ingredients 1.5 gallons water + 1.5 cups 1 gallon rice cup of butter or margerine Directions Stir together in deep hotel tray. Seal...
Stuffed Mushrooms
I'm sure there are a million ways to stuff mushrooms, and I don't always do them the same way myself. But this is a pretty good dish, and can be modified to your liking and depending on what you have around the house. Ingredients 14 medium mushrooms3 green onions1 1/2...
Saturday Morning Rassling
A recent post to the Frayser High Class of 1969 website by Gary Harrison (class of ‘72) mentioned famous wrestlers, Tojo Yamamoto and Jackie Fargo. It reminded me of two other famous personalities from that same era, and I thought I’d relate this tale to my...
Shrimp and Oyster/Clam Sauce with Pasta
I made this up for Sherry just from stuff we had around the house. I keep some frozen shrimp on hand at all times. Luckily, I also had some cans of oysters and clams. I try also to keep the Cotija cheese on hand. Ingredients 1 pound shrimp, peeled 8 ounce can of...
No-Knead Bread
A client gave me this recipe and swears it's top notch. Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour (more for dusting) 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast cornmeal or wheat bran as needed Directions In large bowl, mix flour, salt and yeast. Add 1 5/8 cups water and...
Baked Apple Pancake
Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter1 cup peeled, sliced tart apples1/3 cup chopped pecans1/4 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamon2 large eggs1 cup flour3/4 cup milk1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powderPinch of salt Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees....
Rice, Sausage, and Mushroom Casserole
Okay, I made this one up and had no idea where I was going with it, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. I was making stuffed mushrooms, and wound up wth more mushrooms than I needed. And I also happened to have some left over bround rice and some Texas Style...
Bacon Explosion
Sounds weird, eh? My little brother turned me on to this, and I'm thinking about trying it. The New York Times featured this recipe recently, as did Good Morning America Update (February 1, 2009 - Super Bowl Sunday): I did it, and it wasn't nearly as tricky as it...
Poblano – Tomatillo Sauce
This versatile and tasty green sauce is great for enchiladas, dipping, over eggs, and even as a base for soup. Ingredients 1 pound Poblano Chile1 pound tomatillo1 onion diced1 teaspoon salt1 bay leaf3 cups chicken stock (or seafood stock if appropriate)*3 cloves...
Not So Irish Stew
My mother recently gave us her old Mirror-matic pressure cooker, and we've had fun seeing what it will do. She still had the old 1970's instruction and recipe booklet, and that's where we got the idea for this recipe. We adapted it from their Irish Stew. We didn't...
Caribbean Chicken
I stumbled across this one on Food TV, and it looks like a winner. I'm thinking of doing these on the grill. Ingredients * 1 habanero, seeded and chopped * 1/4 cup soy sauce * 1/4 cup honey * 1/4 cup brown sugar * 2 tablespoon sugar * 2 teaspoons fennel seed * 2...
Seafood Bisque
I threw this together because I couldn't think of anything else to do. I debated "red?" or "white?" And "white" won out. This is as much an Alfredo as it is a bisque. I got the base for the recipe off a can of Tony Chachere's Instant White Gravy, and he called it a...
Here I Stand: Pacts with the Devil and Haiti
The Rev’d James W. Nutter January 14, 2010 From today’s Houston Chronicle: “Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson says Haiti has been ‘cursed’ because of what he calls a ‘pact with the devil’ in its history.” Well, I couldn’t quite believe that such words were said,...
Macaroni & Cheese with Lobster
This recipe was adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas. Use freshly steamed lobster meat or frozen, cooked lobster meat that has been thoroughly defrosted. A total of 3 1/2 pounds of live lobster ought to yield enough for this recipe, or...
About the Author
Born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1951 into a loving, happy, working class family, I am just one generation removed from the cotton farm. My grandparents were still dirt farmers when I was young, and for years I would help them bring in their cotton during picking season....
Winterizing
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“Among the acts of love we as humans do, feeding one another is one of the most intimate.” – – R. Byrd