To bean or not to bean? Yes, beans are technically a legume, but the green beans here are super low in lectins compared to other beans in the family, as it’s primarily the non-starchy pod that we eat. We limit our occasional legume exposure to just green beans, fresh…
healthy
Sweet potato casserole
We see this delicious dish served up with turkey and dressing all the time. Don’t reserve this dish for only Thanksgiving and Christmas, as it can make its way to the table year round. No need for all that brown sugar to hide the natural sweetness of the sweet potato….
Paleo grits
The movie My Cousin Vinnie says it best: “No self-respecting Southerner uses instant grits.” Yep, grits are a cornerstone for any Southern breakfast. The wonderful thing about these paleo grits is that there is very little difference in prep time between this gem and…
Okra stew
There is no telling how many times I’ve treated myself to okra stew. This one is a favorite of my Dad, especially when Mom is out of town, perhaps because it is so easy to prepare! It is thick and hearty and goes great with any meal. We especially enjoy this one with…
Momma slaw
This is a backyard barbecue staple. If you want to add that traditional yellow hue to it, throw a tablespoon of yellow mustard into the slaw. Your friends won’t know any better. Yes, we have two slaw recipes in this book. It’s just one of those dishes that keeps well,…
Dirty cauliflower “rice”
Dirty rice is most commonly thought of as Cajun in origin (though it is very common throughout the entire South). Why is this rice called dirty? The rice in this dish gets an almost dirty color from the giblets, some people thinking the little bits of giblets resemble…
Sweet potato spears
I remember the first time Julie made these for me, accompanied with her Chipotle Dipping Sauce. I thought, how can sweet potatoes taste good with chipotle sauce on them? You’ll have to see for yourself. Trust me that you will not be disappointed. They also plate very…
Tart cranapple sauce
Growing up, Thanksgiving at our house meant the only acceptable way to serve cranberry sauce was from a can. You know the one. That gelatinous mold of cranberries sweetened with enough sugar to overtake the turkey’s tryptophan side-effects. As I got older, and…
Fried green tomatoes
No, not the movie. Although I’m certain Kathy Bates and crew would approve of this recipe. You can bet that we will be cooking this one up from mid-summer all the way through fall. There are at least fifteen tomato plant varieties in the ground at our house in the…
Oven-roasted okra
Are you getting tired of okra yet? We aren’t. As Southern as you may be, I’ll bet you have never had “just okra.” We hadn’t until Julie’s brother Andy gave us two tickets to Outstanding in the Field. Please go Google them now. Jim Denevan has put together the most…
The tastiest slaw ever
This slaw will go well with just about any fish you want to serve. The host of various flavors in this are a great accompaniment to most anything with fins. We especially like this slaw with our Fish Tacos (recipe here). Red cabbage and the optional shredded carrots…
Scattered, smothered and chunked sweet hash
Just about anyone in the South will recognize the black-and-yellow sign of a Waffle House from miles away. While yes, Waffle House is known for its waffles, perhaps better known to the masses are the variations on hash browns and the vernacular that accompanies them…












