Pork Chops and Rice

Pork chops and rice is a dish my mom has been making since I was a tiny little kid.  Dad and my brother loved it because it's stick-to-your-ribs man food.  I hated it and gave Mom all kinds of grief every time we had it for dinner, flat refusing to eat anything.  Eventually I agreed to eat the rice.  I later agreed to eat the pork chop, but only with a heaping helping of ketchup.  Now I love it so much that I almost requested it for my birthday dinner.  It may sound bland, but, trust me, if you like pork, you'll love it.

Quick Banana Pudding

Mom doesn't make banana pudding often, but when she does it's fabulous and gone in a flash.  She had a very complicated recipe that involved preparing her own pudding from scratch, but ditched it after making my Aunt Lisa's version.  Here's how she does it now.

Spicy Mustard Salmon

I love salmon, but it's rare that I get to cook it because Mom greatly dislikes fish and we generally eat our meals together.  However, she doesn't eat lunch, so when I'm not substituting (like today), I try to prepare fish for lunch.  This is a great Asian-ish recipe that includes soy sauce, garlic, and spicy mustard.  Really, how could that combination of ingredients taste bad?  I hope you enjoy it!

Chocolate Pie

 

Based on the advice of the local weathermen, we planned on being snowed in today and tomorrow, which, of course, means dessert consumption.  This week we chose chocolate pie as our sugar victim.  It's another of those classic family recipes that is always fabulous.  Enjoy!

Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken tetrazzini is another of our traditional family dishes.  Both of my grandmothers prepared it when they were hosting a crowd.  It's pretty cheap eating, as the cost of the ingredients is low and it makes a lot of food.  It's a creamy, cheesy casserole that I'm perfectly happy eating on a regular basis.  Here's our recipe.

Curried Corn Chowder

After Mom's experience with the massive ice storm of 2010, including 10 days without electricity, we over-prepared for this week's snow storm.  Before the storm hit, Mom cooked pots of beans and chicken and dumplings, both things we could reheat in the fireplace if the need arose.  Fortunately we did not lose electricity at any point this week and have passed the time being snowed in reheating both of those lovely dishes in the microwave and eating in the warm comfort of our home.  Five days in, I'm tired of both beans and chicken and dumplings, so I decided to be adventurous and make a new curried corn chowder for lunch today.  It turned out well.  It's spicy and filling, making it perfect for this cold day.

Balsamic Kale with Garlic and Onions

I know this is surprising for my family, but the star of this dish isn't the roast, but the kale.  Since reading all the New Year's articles on resolutions, healthy living, and "super foods," Mom and I had been curious about kale.  We finally manned up and invested the necessary $0.98 to try some.  It was a good investment.  We've been eating it like crazy women ever since.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is the world's best chocolate cake and has been my birthday cake since I was old enough to tell Mom what I wanted.  I wish my mom or grandma could take credit for the recipe, but they can't.  It comes from an old cookbook from the '40s or '50s that first belonged to my Mam-Maw and now belongs to my mom.  The author of this recipe is Mrs. Mae Brewer of Riverside, Oklahoma.

My Mam-Maw - a good cook and a total hottie

Even though my family can't claim this recipe, it has been part of our family gatherings forever.  Every time my grandparents had company, Mam-Maw made this cake.  And because Mam-Maw wanted everyone to like everything she cooked, she would put pecans on top of one end of the cake and leave the other half without nuts.  If only that trait hadn't skipped a generation.

Every time we have a "special occasion" meal at our house, I request this cake.  It's chocolatey, with a little cinnamon, very moist, and dangerously tempting because we walk by and grab "bites" every time we're in the kitchen to get coffee or water. 

I really can't stress how much I love this cake.  If I'm ever in a position to choose my last meal, this is all I will request.  It's the perfect combination of tasty food and great memories for me.  I hope you enjoy it!

Fudgy Brownies

A friend made a special request for a brownie recipe, so I don't have a picture of these at the moment.  This is my grandmother's brownie recipe.  It's the brownie recipe that I grew up eating and I still make it any time I think I need a brownie.  It's fudgy, chocolatey, and just incredible.  Enjoy!