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.

New Year's Black Eyed Peas

Inexplicably difficult item to photograph

Since we're Southern, we had to have black eyed peas on New Year's Day to guarantee good luck in the new year.  We made tacos with the leftover roast from Friday night, so we had to make the black eyed peas conform to the ethnicity of the rest of the dinner by making them into Mexican black eyed peas.  Here's how we did it.

Cornbread Dressing

Of all the things Mom cooks, her cornbread dressing is by far my favorite.  It's one of the best things on earth.  Around September of every year, I start getting giddy thinking about having it at Thanksgiving, and there's nothing better than waking up on Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings to the smell of onions and celery sauteing in butter to start off the cooking process.  

The recipe provided below is basically an estimate and one that was very difficult to compile because everything is done to taste, without any measurements.  However, if you get close, you'll be close enough to know you're eating something special.

Mom's Cornbread

Mom's cornbread is the stuff of legends.  It's perfect, and there's not much else I can say about it.  I will be kind enough to share the recipe with you.

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is not my favorite thing on earth, but it has been a part of my family's Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for longer than I've been alive, so I dutifully eat a tablespoon or so a couple of times a year.  I know that's not a glowing endorsement, but a lot of people love it.  If you dig green beans, give it a shot.

Bing Cherry Salad

I frequently make a dish or pass along a recipe and am surprised when the person on the receiving end comments about the "Southernness" of the recipe.  This usually happens with things like black-eyed peas, okra, and beans-only dinners - all things common here in Oklahoma.  This recipe, however, is decidedly Southern.  It's strange, highly processed, and includes an odd combination of ingredients.  I would turn my own nose up at it, but it's so good that I can't.

Corn Casserole

My grandmother's corn casserole recipe has been around since the beginning of time and is one of those things that everyone loves.  I don't even like corn and I love this casserole.  It makes appearances at all our family events, from Christmas to Easter to Thanksgiving to any birthday dinner.  Trust me, even if you think it sounds strange, you'll love it.  Combine that with the fact that it's extremely simple to make, and it may become a staple at your house, too.