Gracious Goodness

Peruvian Roasted Chicken- You've got this!

2018-01-24T17:34:00.000-06:00

I have to admit, that when I set out to start this recipe, I was a little afraid of the idea of spatchcocking a chicken. Do you know what that means? You remove the backbone and break the breastbone, so that you can make the chicken as flat as possible. I was intimidated, but let me tell you something- it was a breeze!

This dinner was a big hit and much easier than I expected!

First, start by mixing up your rub.

In a small bowl, garlic, salt, garam masala, cumin, oregano and fresh pepper and lemon zest.

Now, add your oil and lemon juice and combine until you have a smooth paste.

Now it's time to Spatchcock your chicken. Grab your poultry shears, or a very sharp pair of scissors.
*Note: I am just now understanding the blessings of owning a pair of poultry shears. It makes your life so much easier and you will use them more than you think you will!*

Start with your chicken breast-side down. I like starting with the tail closest to me, so that I can use it to guide my cuts.

*Notice that I have a plastic cutting board on top of my big wooden board. This is just to prevent contaminating my big wooden board that is more work to clean!*

Take your shears and cut along both sides of the backbone, cutting through the ribs as you go. You've got this! Discard of backbone, or save to make chicken stock if you are really going for it.

Now, flip the chicken over and spread it flat. Using your palms, press down on the breastbone of the chicken until you hear it crack. This will allow for the chicken to lay as flat as possible.

See? That wasn't that hard! Now, carefully separate the skin from the breast and thigh areas of the chicken. Without tearing the skin, spread the rub beneath the skin covering all meat well.

Next, place your onion slices, lime slices and lemon slices in your skillet. Toss lightly with olive oil. Place chicken breast side up in the skillet and brush with olive oil.

Place into 400F oven and baste every 15 minutes for about an hour. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the internal temperature has reached 165F.

While the chicken is roasting, you can make your green sauce.

Add all ingredients, except mayonnaise, into your food processor and blend. Add Mayonnaise and pulse until smooth.

Slice chicken and drizzle with green sauce.

Serve and Enjoy!

Click HERE for my Peruvian Roasted Chicken Recipe!

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles

2018-01-20T17:39:00.001-06:00

A few nights ago, Austin and I invited my sweet in-laws over for dinner. I wanted to make something easy and comforting, but also special.

Hey Mamas, you sick of being stuck inside with energetic, bored kiddos during all this weather? This is the dinner for you! Growing up in the kitchen with my Mama, I will always believe in the importance of getting your children in the kitchen every once in a while. This is a great opportunity for them to get involved in cooking with you! They get to be a little messy and have fun, all while helping make your family's dinner!

This is my Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles!

Several years ago, one of my amazing second Mamas, Sarah Gessler, taught me how to make pasta- something that sounds rather intimidating upfront. Here's the thing, y'all. Its really pretty easy. Sarah of course can make outrageously amazing things, but I stick to the simple recipes. You don't need a pasta machine or any special equipment for this recipe.

Start by making your pasta dough. In a large mixing bowl, sift your flour. This is IMPORTANT! I always want to skip the sifting, but you really actually need to do it in this recipe. Do you want to bite into a noodle and have dry flour burst into your mouth? Me either. Sift. The. Flour.

Now, with your hands or a spatula, make a well in the middle of the flour. Into the well, crack your eggs and add oil and salt.

Using a fork, beat the eggs, oil and salt within the well. Slowly and gradually, begin to bring in flour and combine with the wet ingredients until dough is thick enough that it can no longer be mixed with a fork. *Remember- during this mixing process, the goal is to keep the dough in one large piece, not a lot of little pieces mixed in the flour. This is why it is important to add a little flour at a time!

Once the dough mixture gets thick, go ahead and coat your hands with flour and begin to mix the remaining flour into the dough with your hands. Remember, the goal is one ball of dough, not a million little pieces, so I use the method of folding and pressing the remaining flour into the dough.

Once you have incorporated all of your flour, go ahead and flour your work surface and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is very firm. You will know it is ready when you press your finger into it and it immediately pops back out.

Once you are done kneading, place your mixing bowl over your dough and let sit for about 15-20 minutes.

While the dough is resting, get started chopping your veggies. Once veggies are chopped, add to 2 tbsp. butter in a hot pan and sauté until veggies are translucent.

Once the veggies are tender, add your raw chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with 10 cups of chicken broth. As you know, I love "Better than Bouillon," but you can use any stock you like. Bring to a boil and then cover. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Once your chicken has cooked through, remove with tongs to a cutting board. With two forks, pull the chicken into small strips and return to broth. Return to a simmer.

Now it's time to roll out your noodles! (You can actually start this while your chicken is cooking).

First, on your flour board, cut your ball of dough in half. Put half in a plastic bag and store in the fridge for later. This will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Next, put other half onto your floured board and cut in half again. Press down your first quarter to make a flat surface to begin rolling out.

Coat your rolling pin in flour and begin to roll thin. When you feel like you have stretched your pasta to its limits and it begins to fold and ripple, flip it over and roll again. You want to get your pasta as thin as possible. Once you have rolled it thin, slice in 1/4" strips to mock linguine.

Once you have cut into strips, slice horizontally into four segments to make shorter noodles. I only do this because I don't like a long noodle in soup. You can slice them however you like!

During this process, continue to pile your noodles up onto a plate, making sure that they are coated with plenty of flour so that they don't begin to stick together.

It is finally time to add your noodles!

Bring the broth back up to boil and slowly add the noodles a few at a time, scattering them over the broth and stirring immediately after. This is to prevent clumping.

Once you have added all the noodles, let the soup simmer until noodles are soft.

Enjoy!

Beef & Vegetable Stir Fry

2018-01-14T10:47:00.001-06:00

When I was a little girl, my Mama used to make this Beef & Veggie Stir Fry for me all the time. It was the dinner I always begged for. It had been years since I have made this until this week and it brought back all of those wonderful memories! Now I'd like to share it with you!

One of my least favorite things about beef stir fry is that the beef always tends to be so tough. So, this time I went to the grocery store and made sure to chat with the butcher about a new option. He led me to a package of sirloin tip side steak, thin sliced. Y'all, it was perfect! This is definitely what I will be using from now on. Go ahead and slice up your beef and place it in a gallon ziplock bag.

In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp. soy sauce and 3 tbsp. cornstarch. Pour this mixture over your beef and toss it to coat every piece. Place in the fridge to chill.

Now, grab a medium-sized bowl and we are going to make our sauce! Combine remaining soy sauce, sherry, sugar and red wine vinegar. Mix until sugar dissolves and set aside.

For our last prep step before we start cooking, let's slice up all of our veggies! I use broccoli, bell peppers and sugar snaps, but you can throw anything you would like in there!

Okay, time to cook! In a large non-stick skillet, heat your vegetable oil. Add in your red chili flakes and cook until black. Add in your beef and saute over high heat until cooked through. You will notice that it will start to thicken from all the cornstarch!

Remove your beef from the pan and add in your scallions and ground ginger. Toast those for about 2 minutes, then pour in your sauce. Stir until toasted ginger is incorporated evenly, leaving no clumps.

Add your beef and veggies to the pan and toss to coat everything with that delicious sauce.

Saute until veggies are tender, but still have a little bit of crunch. Add peanuts and serve with brown rice or cauliflower rice!

Enjoy! Click HERE for my Beef & Veggie Stir Fry recipe!

Shakshuka Dinner Delight

2018-01-11T00:17:00.000-06:00

Tonight I cried. Over meatballs.

I cried over coconut curry chicken meatballs that I have made before perfectly, but for some reason, tonight, they turned out like something all of us would rather not discuss.

So I cried. As I pulled the disasters out of the oven, the frustration grew. Then, while stirring my cauliflower around in the food processor to re-situate it, I accidentally hit the pulse button and pulsed half of my wooden spoon into the cauliflower rice. At that very moment, my husband happened to walk in the door, and suddenly it all culminated and the crying began.

After a few loving (verrrrry patient) minutes on his part, he insisted I pull myself together and sweetly offered to take me out for dinner. But here lies the problem! I have committed myself to you! And to this! So we decided to go BACK to the grocery store together and figure out a new idea for dinner. And a wonderful idea we had.

Shakshuka. I fell in love with this recipe and Austin insists that we have it for breakfast again tomorrow!

So to begin, grab your cast iron skillet, and heat 3-4 tbsp. of olive oil. Next, dice your onion, garlic and red bell pepper. Saute until soft, and then add all of your spices.

Now, typically, Shakshuka does not have meat, however, my husband needs a little protein so I added ground sirloin. Try to use the leanest ground beef you can find so that you don't have to drain. Saute until beef is fully browned.

Once the meat is fully browned, add your whole tomatoes with juice.

Once I have added them, I take a fork and knife and just roughly chop them in the skillet. Medium sized pieces are good. Then, add a small can of diced tomatoes with juice to fill it out. Add 8 oz. crumbled feta. Bring to a simmer and let everything thicken a bit.

Once you have brought everything to a simmer, carefully crack six eggs on top of the tomato sauce and place into a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Once the whites of the eggs have set, remove the skillet from the oven and immediately crack the runny yolks before they harden.

This Shakshuka is typically served with Challah bread, but I prefer it with my homemade "Jean Penney" bread. For those of you who know Jean Penney, you get it. You get that, because I call it "Jean Penney Bread," that it is, of course, the best bread on earth. For those of you who don't know Jean Penney, be patient. She and her fabulous family will appear in this blog often. But for now, know that anything that has Mrs. Jean's name on it is gold and you should automatically save it in your archives. This is a secret that she taught me a few years ago while I was catering a party at her house.

In the bread section at our local Publix, there is a small refrigerator with homemade pizza dough balls. Grab the whole grain one. If you have a pizza stone, wonderful! If not, just use a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal and then just place the ball on so that it doesn't stick. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle it with whatever makes you happy. Salt and parmesan make me happy. Let the dough ball rise and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes! You will literally fall over it is so divine! The photo posted is half the loaf because we ate the other half before I could take a photo.

To get my Shakshuka Recipe click HERE!

Soup Night is Our Favorite Night!

2018-01-09T21:19:00.001-06:00

Y'all are just going to fall out over this one! Tonight I made our new FAVORITE soup- Chicken Tortellini. This recipe is easy, relatively inexpensive and packed with flavor!

We have admittedly been on a little bit of a soup binge lately, but this is the one we keep coming back to. The first time I made this soup was the night we put up our outdoor Christmas lights and it was F.R.E.E.Z.I.N.G. I'm not sure if it was the cold or the soup, but I think Austin had three bowls in one sitting that night!

Like most soups, this one gets better and better each day! It will keep up to four days in the refrigerator, but it never makes it that long in our house!

To start, heat 2 tbsp. of coconut oil in a large pot. Your veggies will be the first to go in.

*You can of course use any carrots. I used these because I happened to have them in my fridge*

First, mince your garlic. Next take your vidalia onion, red, yellow and orange bell peppers, mushrooms and carrots and finely dice them.

Place all of your veggies into the pot with the hot coconut oil and add a sprinkle of kosher salt and 2 bay leaves. Sauté until softened.

Now for the chicken. Add your uncooked bone-in chicken breasts to the veggies, placing them right on top. Sprinkle with a little fresh ground black pepper.

*Note: I prefer to use organic chicken simply because it is smaller and much more tender. My two chicken breasts came to 1.3 lbs. The chicken breast should never be bigger than your hand.*

Okay y'all.... here is my biggest secret for this soup (and any soup really). While I would prefer it, I typically don't have time to make homemade chicken stock. However, I despise buying the canned or boxed broth because I never seem to go through it and then it sits, taking up room spoiling in my fridge. So, drumroll please:

This is one of my favorite items that is ALWAYS in my fridge. They also have a low-sodium item if you prefer! It lasts forever and has wonderful flavor! 1 tsp. to 1 cup of water! It's fabulous!

Add your 6 cups of broth to cover your chicken breasts and bring to a boil. Once your broth is boiling, cover your pot and let simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Once cooked, remove your chicken to a cutting board and pull (I find that using 2 forks is the easiest way).

Once shredded, add your chicken back to the broth and add 1 package of cheese tortellini.

Bring the soup back to a boil. Once it is at a steady boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer. Cook until tortellini begins to burst. This is key! You will feel like you are overcooking them when it's happening, but the thing that makes this soup so amazing is that when the tortellini burst, the flavor of the cheeses inside begin to flavor the soup! It turns out to be the most flavorful broth you have ever tasted! When they are done, your soup will look something like this:

Now, turn the heat completely off, cover, and let sit for about 1 hour. Once it has rested and the flavors have melded into the broth, measure out 2 cups of whole milk. Make sure that you have let the broth rest before you add the milk, otherwise it will curdle. Add your milk and bring back to a simmer.

When you are ready to serve, chop 2 cups of spinach and add to your simmering soup.

Once the spinach has wilted, you are ready to serve!

I hope you love this as much as we do!

Click HERE to get the recipe for my Chicken Tortellini Soup!

New Year, New Us!

2018-01-08T20:24:00.001-06:00

Ahhhh January...

The month of endless New Years resolutions that usually end up getting abandoned after about one week. After a few months of marital bliss, it is time for us to get ourselves back on a program!

I will admit that Austin and I are both a bit extreme, usually opting for extreme resolutions.
Instead, this year we decided to set some realistic goals that we might actually be able to achieve.
So, here are our grown up married people goals for 2018:

1. Healthier Eating:
No, we are not going Paleo, Whole 30, Keto, Gluten-Free or any other "diet." We are simply making ourselves a promise to be more aware and careful about what we are putting into our bodies.

2. No Weekday Cocktails:
We have decided to cut out all alcohol during the week. You all know how much I love a glass of wine (or three), so this was a big one. So far, this has also been our favorite. We feel amazing!
And we do things like go on walks and read books! Who knew we were so grown up???
Don't worry though, Friday counts as the weekend!

3. Spend Less Money:
Again, we are simply being more aware of our careless spending on things we don't really need. When we sat down to discuss this, we realized that a lot of our spending was coming from a lack of planning. I would decide what I was cooking each morning and was going to the grocery store almost EVERY DAY!

This is where we were able to tie all of our goals together.
We decided to make a weekly menu, shop only once and eat at home Monday through Thursday.
Welcome to our first full week!
I hope you will enjoy following along with us!

Yes, I fell into the trendy trap of the letter boards. It might be my favorite thing in my house though!

Y'all, do you know how much I spent at the grocery store today?

Keep in mind that I bought EVERY INGREDIENT for this week's menu,

except for a few pantry items (soy sauce, etc.)

$87.00! That's it!

Each of these recipes will make at least four servings for us.

These are large servings, as I have a very hungry husband, so you could probably get six.

Do you know what that comes out to per meal? $5.43!

Y'all, I'm just as shocked as you are that I am sitting here giving you budgeting tips,

but this is exciting!

So tonight was Egg Drop Soup and Turkey Lettuce Wraps and let me tell you, they were delicious!

You and your family are going to LOVE this recipe!

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

First, grab your extra-firm tofu and dice about 1 cup full.

In a medium non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp. coconut oil, 3 tbsp. teriyaki sauce, a dash of cinnamon and a dash of curry powder.

Drop in tofu and sauté until edges begin to get golden. Once the tofu starts to pop and jump around in the pan a little, you are good to go! Remove from pan and set aside.

*Note: Make sure not to overcook your tofu or it will get dry and chewy*

Next, grab a larger skillet. I used a cast-iron Le Creuset that I LOVE.

Heat 2 tbsp. coconut oil and add in your minced garlic and grated fresh ginger. Saute over low heat just long enough to let the oil get fragrant.

Now add your ground turkey and sauté until browned.

Now for all of the fun things!

One of my favorite additions to this filling is a hard scrambled egg. In a hot skillet with coconut oil,

I drop an egg in, almost as if I was going to fry it.

Once the whites get crispy, I crack the yolk and hard scramble it.

Once it is scrambled, transfer to a cutting board and finely chop. Add to your turkey skillet.

Now add all of your chopped ingredients:

Green onion, mushrooms, water chestnuts, tofu, and fresh basil.

Mix all ingredients and heat through, allowing the vegetables to soften.

Now we make the sauce:

In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, rice vinegar, soy sauce and red chili paste.

Pour over turkey mix in skillet and sauté on low heat to allow flavors to combine.

Only a few steps left! Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and drizzle about 1 tbsp. of honey.

Stir to combine and sauté over low heat.

At this point when I tasted, I felt that I needed a little crunch, so I added chopped roasted peanuts.

Serve with Bibb Lettuce leaves and Enjoy!

We enjoyed this dish with Austin's favorite Egg Drop Soup.

I'm not going to be able to give you "my recipe" for this one.....

because it is out of a packet. I know. I'm horrible. But it is so good.

The first time I made it, Austin kept going on and on about how talented I was and how amazing it was. I enjoyed the praise at first, but eventually I had to tell him the horrible truth!

We had a good long laugh about it and I went back to the store and got more packets.

Hey, Ina says store-bought is okay! (I'm just not sure she meant this!)

I always love to serve any Asian-inspired dish with orange slices and fortune cookies for fun!

It makes us feel like we are at our favorite Chinese restaurant, Ding How II!

Click HERE for my Turkey Lettuce Wrap Recipe!

Easy Like Sunday... Dinner!

2016-01-31T20:27:00.001-06:00

Sometimes there is just nothing better than an easy dinner. This is a new one that I tried tonight and I just NEEDED to share it with you. It is Sunday- this means several things. It means that I got up early for church, went out to a nice lunch, have cleaned the house, done laundry, worked out, and am now completely NOT in the mood to cook something lovely and decadent.

My answer tonight? Mexican food.

Not typically healthy, but typically cheap and full of ingredients that come in jars or cans or dried that your pantry may be filled with. So as I looked through my pantry and fridge, I came across some great items that I already had. It was a hodge podge- and I didn't end up using them all, but it gave me a good start.

So of course, I turned to Pinterest, which for the record, I typically do not trust for recipes. Pinterest is fabulous for one thing... it INSPIRES us. Just as you would slightly tweak a wedding decor idea you find on Pinterest to your taste, do the same with the recipe. When I logged onto the app, I searched for "Healthy Mexican Dinner." The first thing that came up looked DELICIOUS, but then I read the title and saw "Baked Chicken Chimichanga". I wouldn't even tell Austin the name of the dish when I described it to him!

A chimichanga just sounds like cardiac arrest and cellulite to me. However, after getting some inspiration from a fellow pinner, I came up with this healthier recipe that is delish.

LeeLee's Healthy Baked Chicken Burritos (because I still don't like the name Chimichanga):

4 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken

Great tip: Rotisserie Chicken is tender, quick and cheap (especially at Star Market- and you can buy just the breast!)

2 cups Salsa- I bought a fresh salsa in the refrigerated section that wasn't as potent and had more fresh veggies and herbs

3 Green Onions, Chopped

1 avocado- Peeled and Chopped into Small Cubes

1/2 Green Bell Pepper, Minced

1/2 Red Bell Pepper, Minced

1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper, Minced

1 tsp. Fresh Garlic, Minced

2 Cups Shredded Mexican Cheese

1 1/2 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Ground Oregano

8 10" Flour Tortillas

2 tbsp. Melted Butter

Salt and Pepper To Taste

Additional Toppings: Salsa, Sour Cream, Guacamole

Instructions:

Shred cooked chicken into large bowl. Add Salsa, Green Onions, Avocado, Bell Peppers, Garlic, Cheese, Cumin and Oregano and mix until well combined.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place 1 cup of chicken mixture into middle of each tortilla. Fold each side and roll like a burrito. Place open side down on parchment lined baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray (or brush with melted butter) and bake for 30 minutes until tortillas are golden brown on tops.

Serve with Yellow Rice with Scallions and Grilled Corn Salad

Mexican Grilled Corn Salad:

3 Cups Shredded Iceberg Lettuce

4 Ears of Corn, Sprayed with Oil and Grilled

2 tbsp. Avocado Ranch Dressing

1 tbsp. Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Juice of 1/2 Lime

Austin loved this dinner and inhaled it before heading out for a night with the guys. One of my best friends, Cynthia, and I also adored it before watching the LIVE performance of "Grease" on FOX tonight. The perfect evening.

If you have any questions about this recipe, please comment! And as always... Enjoy!

Welcome Back to Gracious Goodness

2016-01-21T14:42:00.000-06:00

Well, I have finally decided that it is time for me to start blogging again!

Cooking, entertaining and writing have always been passions of mine, so this blog has always seemed like an obvious outlet, but in the past two years (has it really been that long since I have posted something?!?!) finding the time has been an issue.

These "late-twenties" years are hectic! When I was in college, I was under the common impression that your twenties are so much fun- and don't get me wrong, they are- but real life hits fast and hard after that breezy college lifestyle. Since I last posted, I have gone through some major changes and done a whole lot of that wonderful/awful "growing up" thing.

Here are a few things that have changed from my past-blogger self:

1. I'm very much in love with a wonderful, kind man, Austin Ray.

You will hear a lot about him throughout my posts, as he is usually my recipe guinea pig (most of the time, very happily- unless I really screw something up!)

2. I now own a restaurant that I used to be an employee of.

This was a much bigger change than I expected it to be. After working as an assistant to my Mama, then a cook, then a MASSIVE failure of a book-keeper, then a manager, Mama finally decided it was time for me to take some ownership.

I'll never forget sitting at that table with my attorney (who also doubles as my brother, Chris, the best big brother a girl could ever pray for) as I was about to sign those papers. It all felt so official- sitting at a huge conference table at a law firm with just the two of us, him sitting at the head of the table with printed documents and a very fancy pen for me to sign them with.

Before I got there, I was totally ready. I mean, I had been running this deal for over two years alone! As soon as I sat down, I suddenly felt very small, very young, very unprepared, and quite frankly- scared to death. I remember him asking me how I felt. I told him it was a 50/50 between bursting into tears and throwing up on the table.

It has been two years now, lots and lots of changes, and while I have never thrown up over it, there have definitely been some bursts of tears. While it is a stressful, 24/7 kind of job, there is none more rewarding. We have increased our restaurant business, increased our catering business, incorporated cooking camps for children, and are about to introduce our first open adult cooking classes.

3. I've dealt with some personal losses.

In May of 2014, we lost my Grandfather, Elton Wiginton. He was a Godly family man that worked almost until the day he died. I love a story that his pastor, Brother Nathan, told at his funeral. Brother Nathan is notoriously an inexperienced farmer/gardener, but he wanted a vegetable garden. Grandaddy, of course, offered to till the land for him and mentor him through the gardening process. Brother Nathan said that when Grandaddy arrived at his house with the tiller in the back of the truck, Brother Nathan went to get it down, knowing that it is a very heavy piece of machinery for a 93-year-old man to manage. Grandaddy immediately stopped him and said, "Son, let me get this. I think it may be a little too heavy for you." That is the man he was- giving, loving, and always serving others. We love and miss him greatly.

Earlier this year, we lost my precious Suggie, Evelyn Jean Newcomb, my Mama's Mama. She was my everything- my role model, my go-to for advice, the epitome of elegance and grace. She taught me how to tease my hair, the glorious benefits of powder-spray shampoo, the importance of being prepared to entertain unexpectedly (the woman pre-cut a whole roll of parchment paper into 9" rounds so that she could bake a cake on a whim. She also pre-sifted her flour, which I still don't understand completely, but I still do it), and a whole lot about how to one day be a good wife. This loss was, and still is, a big one for me, but I find peace in knowing that she is finally back in the arms of her beloved husband, Guy, who she had been missing since 1984. You'll hear a lot more about Suggie in upcoming posts.

4. I've come a few steps closer to my dream of one day having my own cooking show.

As most of you know, I was on an episode of the Food Network's "Cutthroat Kitchen" a few years ago-and WON! I was on another episode of Cutthroat Kitchen for the "Evilicious Tournament," where winners returned to compete against one another. I lost in the first round, due to a sabotage where I was given a wok with the bottom cut out of it, but it was still a wonderful opportunity.

In 2015, my restaurant, Lyn's Gracious Goodness, was featured on a new Food Network show, "Southern Fried Road Trip" with the Deen brothers. We had the best time with Bobby and Jamie making our signature Tomato Pie, Fried Bologna sandwiches and Sweet Garlic Pickles. What a treat!

So to my past readers, thanks for sticking with me through this lengthy break. To my new readers, get ready for some great recipes, some great stories, and a whole lot of honesty. Cooking and entertaining are two areas where people try very hard to be "perfect." Through these past few years, I no longer strive for perfection, and I don't think you should either. Just do your best- people can't enjoy the fruits of your labor (perfect or not) if you are exuding stress instead of joy. I will do my best to help you through these times and give you some great ideas, but I will give full disclosure when something completely flops. I adore your comments, questions, and shares to help the blog reach further than my immediate audience.

I'm also planning on a format change for the blog. Some posts will be much like my prior posts- longer and full of detailed, step-by-step photos. Other posts will be quick with some photos. Others will be non-cooking related and focus on something I like to call "Things I'm Really Into Right Now." This could range from a new cookbook, a new boutique wine I have found, or maybe even an adult coloring book.

I look forward to this new adventure and thank you for joining me in it.

Enjoy, y'all!

A New Friend and a New Adventure

2012-10-12T16:53:00.000-05:00

Many of you know that, just as much as I love to cook, I love to entertain. I've been notorious since high school for turning a casual cookout into a full-fledged dinner party. I'm sorry- I just can't help myself. I love everything involved in throwing a party- the planning process of it- the food - the decorations - the flowers - the little touches that make it special. For the past year, I have been trying to figure out a way to logically incorporate these things into my business, but without fully becoming an event planner, it just didn't make sense. I just couldn't find the answer. Until now...

A couple of months ago, I got a phone call from my friend Melissa Dodgen asking if I knew anything about her friend Natasha McCrary, who had a farm in Mooresville. Melissa told me that Natasha was looking for someone to teach classes at her farm and that she had given her my name. I really had no idea what kind of classes she meant, but was immediately intrigued. Within five minutes I was on the phone with Natasha and fully committed to the task.

Natasha and me at our first entertaining class at 1818 Farms

I ran into Natasha at a party at the Huntsville Museum of Art shortly after. When we began talking and planning, the only thing I could think was, "Why am I just now meeting this person?" Natasha is one of those people that you know could throw a gorgeous dinner party and give an i.v. to a sheep, both with astounding levels of grace and confidence. It is kind of unbelievable.

Once the date was set for our Fall entertaining class, I quickly had to figure out what on earth I was going to teach these people! The class was sold out and I knew that I had to make a good first impression in order for this to be a successful venture for both of us. The day before the class, Mama called to check on me. I told her of my plans to head to the wholesale florist to pick up some flowers, then on to get more flowers from Mary Frances Brosemer at the Greene Street Market and .... at that point she cut me off. "You are going to teach these women how to do flowers?!," she asked, seeming shocked. I wasn't wild about her tone, but answered with a firm "yes." She then asked, "LeeLee, do YOU know how to do flowers?" A little bit of panic struck in my stomach. "No...not really," I answered, "but I will figure it out."

Twelve hours later, my arms were covered in pumpkin gunk and you couldn't see the floor of my garage beneath the piles of petals, stems and leaves, but I was ready.


Testing designs in pumpkin scraps


The first successful arrangement in my garage turned flower studio

At 7 am on Friday morning, my cook/friend, Becca, and I loaded up the car and headed to 1818 Farms in Mooresville. The ladies arrived at 10 am and were taken on a tour of the farm. Natasha introduced them to the sheep, chickens, goats, and the newest member of the 1818 Farms family, Cupcake, a baby pot-bellied pig.

Natasha introducing our guests to the animals

Cupcake being friendly

Once they had met the animals, they headed down to see Natasha's gorgeous garden, from which I conveniently stole the most gorgeous lettuces you have ever seen, along with a handful of heirloom cherry tomatoes. On top of the vegetables, Natasha has the most gorgeous flowers and herbs - Sunflowers, zinnias, and rows of lavender.

Ladies and Lavender!

While Natasha was giving everyone the grand tour, Becca and I were preparing lunch in the precious garden house.


1818 Farms Garden House- The perfect setting for our classes!


My Centerpieces - White pumpkin vase filled with Roses, Dahlias and Zinnias. Gourds from 1818 Farms were the perfect addition to the pumpkin arrangement. Extra flowers were tucked in as a final garnish.

A sprig of lavender from 1818 Farms made each place setting a bit more special

Guests enjoyed a curried chicken salad in a roasted acorn squash, a salad of Natasha's lettuces and tomatoes in a citrus vinaigrette, and Dee's delicious homemade rolls.

A fabulous Fall luncheon

Guests enjoying lunch

The "class" portion of the day took place after lunch. I first discussed the making of the centerpieces and variations that could be made to fit other tables/occasions. We then created several different arrangements using different varieties of pumpkins and gourds, discussing which were better for certain types of arrangements. We did large arrangements of branches and flowers in cylinder vases that I filled with beans as a substitute for oasis, warning the ladies that this was a 1-day arrangement, because the beans begin to sprout in the water!

Working on an arrangement

My flower station in the garden house

Gorgeous apples were used as votive candle holders. I carve a small portion of the apple out, so that the votive candle fits just in the top. The apples look so pretty as the wax drips!

Pressing the votive candle into the apple

My favorite creation of the day was the massive pumpkin that I carved and then etched into a gorgeous wine cooler using wood carving tools.

My massive masterpiece- So much more fun and festive than your typical wine cooler!

Finally, we ended the lesson with fun ideas for Fall-themed place cards. Becca, Natasha and I laughed after the class, because this was everyone's favorite thing and it took the very least time and effort!

I literally found this leaf on the ground at 1818 Farms- Something so simple can be made into something very special

Tiny Pumpkins from 1818 Farms became festive place cards with just a little help from a gold paint pen!

After the class, pumpkins, eggs, lavender, and flowers from 1818 Farms were for sale, along with a few baked goodies from Lyn's Gracious Goodness. As a party favor, each guest got to pick a pumpkin to take home!

As we were all getting up to leave, Cupcake wandered in to clean up the crumbs!

Cupcake wanted to join the fun!

I just cannot even begin to tell you how fun and special these classes are. I am so thankful to be a part of it all. Our next class will be Thanksgiving themed and is scheduled for Friday, November 9. Due to the popularity of the first class, we will be offering a morning class from 10-12 as well as an afternoon class from 12:30-2:30. The class will be $75 per person. To make your reservations, visit Natasha's website: www.1818farms.com

I'm back! in more ways than one!

2011-09-04T10:22:00.000-05:00

"Find something you are passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." -Julia Child

Since I last posted, there have been many changes in my life. I'll go ahead and cover all my bases since I get the same questions on a daily basis.

1. Yes, I am now living in Huntsville, AL.
2. No, I have not graduated.
3. Yes, I plan to.
4. No, I am not in school now.
5. No, I am no longer planning on attending culinary school.
6. Yes, I am the new co-owner, soon to be owner, of Lyn's Gracious Goodness- a restaurant owned by my mother, Lyn Newcomb Aust, in Huntsville, AL.

Now a bit of explanation- First and foremost, I am happier now, running the restaurant, than I have ever been. In the last few months of work, some of you have made it evident that you disapprove of my decision to leave school, and I sincerely apologize if I have let you down. What I hope everyone can come to realize is that by not making this career move, I would have been letting myself down.

As far as cooking school goes, I did as much reading and personal research about it as possible-2 main issues came up for me. First, I read over and over that after spending two years and $200,000 you had maybe a 30% chance of getting anything above a prep job in a semi-prestigious restaurant. Also, I had to really question how much I wanted to be a chef- this was a big commitment! Did I want to play the behind the scenes role, or did I want to be the boss, the designer, the entertainer? It should come with little surprise to those of you who know me that chose the latter.

Realizing that culinary school probably wasn't my best option was very daunting to me- A sort of "well damn.... What do I do now?" sort of moment, but as she always does, Mama came through once again. As I was filling out my application to the two-year program at CIA, the Culinary Institute of America, Mama called to say that she just couldn't wait two more years and that she would be closing the restaurant. I just couldn't let her.

So here I am- and just like it did for her years ago, Lyn's has brought me back to life.

I had seriously considered ending this blog, but when people I didn't even know contacted me requesting more posts, I decided there must be some interest. I cannot promise you a daily post, but will make sure to blog at least once a week. I will promise you that this will not turn into a promotional blog for my restaurant, but since this blog is based on my life, the restaurant will be a part of some of my posts.

Stay tuned for a post on my favorite foods from my current vacation in Jamaica!

Millie's Iron Skillet Apple Pie

2011-04-14T22:27:00.001-05:00

"Comfort me with apples..." - The Song of Solomon 2:5

Being from the South, we all know that there are few things in this world as welcoming and heartwarming as a homemade pie being pulled from the oven. When most of us imagine a 1950s American housewife, the picture that usually comes to mind is of a woman wearing a full-skirted dress, high heels and an apron, standing in her kitchen holding a pie. There's something uniquely American about pie, but in my opinion, Southerners do it best.

Over Christmas, I was asking family members for some of their favorite recipes that I could try out and then blog about. I hit the jackpot when I received this recipe for Iron Skillet Apple Pie from my cousin Nick's wife, Millie. Millie is one of the most kind, loving, and patient people you will ever meet. She is a fantastic mother, an extremely talented photographer, and a FABULOUS cook, who makes the most mouth-watering sweet treats you could ever imagine. This Iron Skillet Apple Pie recipe is pure gold. I advise that each of you print it out, make it for dessert tomorrow, and tuck it away in your recipe file for safe keeping.

Many great cooks will tell you that almost everything is better when made in a cast iron skillet. Not having much experience with one myself (other than making cornbread) I asked for one for Christmas. To my surprise, Mama gave me her very own Martin cast iron skillet, which apparently are very hard to come by these days. Now, I don't know about everything, but after trying this recipe of Millie's, I can boldly say that apple pie is most DEFINITELY better when made in a cast iron skillet. If you don't have one, head to your local hardware store and buy one. It will be a one-time purchase that you will use for the rest of your life.

This recipe is super easy, super inexpensive, and absolutely delectable. I've made it twice now and have eaten it not only for dessert, but also for breakfast the next morning...both times... whoops! It even had sweet little Napoleon licking his lips! This is a must-try recipe! Thank you Millie!

Click HERE for Millie's Iron Skillet Apple Pie Recipe!

Let them eat cake!

2011-02-03T20:06:00.000-06:00

"Everything in moderation...including moderation!" -Julia Child

So, we've already discussed how I have a little bit of an over-celebration problem and the birthday cake that I made for my friend Meagan's 24th birthday last weekend is a PERFECT example. Making cakes for my friends has become a tradition with me, but I will openly admit that I went a little bit overboard on this one. But hey, everyone loves a little extravagance on their birthday!

While making and eating this chocolate buttercream cake, we all need to completely erase the word "moderation" from our vocabularies. This recipe calls for so much butter that I'm shocked it isn't one of Paula Deen's recipes. But as every good southerner knows, butter makes it better. And WOW it really does in this case.

I found this recipe for chocolate buttercream cake in a Barefoot Contessa book a few weeks ago when I made a cake for our family friend Suzan Boyce. As delicious as Suzan's cake was, it wasn't that pretty and ended up being a trial run for the version I made the following week for Meagan. Once I had tweaked and mastered the recipe, I went a little crazy. Four tiers of crazy to be exact.

I'll warn you- this is a time consuming recipe, but it is SO worth the effort. The cake itself is the most fluffy, moist cake I've ever tasted. The trick is the cup of sour cream in the batter. On top of the cake itself being unbelievable, the icing is like nothing you've ever experienced. I love it because it really isn't all that sweet (which is dangerous because you're likely to end up eating more of it!)- that and the rum. Ina Garten lists the rum as "optional," but I consider it ESSENTIAL! What could be more indulgent than a whipped mixture of butter, sugar, chocolate and rum? It is truly sinful.

Making a tiered cake with a buttercream icing is much different than most tiered cakes you see with beautiful, smooth fondant icing. Unless you're a pro, which I am not, the buttercream looks a little less perfectly smooth than I would like when I finish icing it. For this reason, I feel that decorations are essential. Those of you who know me know that I'm a little bit Type A, so I need something about this cake to look streamlined and "perfect."

One of my favorite cake decorating tools are dragees- edible little shiny, metallic-colored balls. They are available at any cake decorating store and some specialty grocery stores. They are the perfect way to make something look fancy and special.

On Meagan's cake, I lined the edge of each tier with silver dragees. When doing this on a buttercream icing, I recommend placing the dragees with tweezers rather than your fingers because the heat of your hands will tend to melt the buttercream.

To top the cake, fresh flowers are always a gorgeous (and EASY) option. I grabbed a few different shades of pink roses, rinsed them, cut the stems to about 2 inches, removed the leaves and thorns, and arranged them on the top tier of the cake. For candles, I ALWAYS choose long sparkler candles. There is nothing more special than being presented with a cake that looks like it is topped with fireworks!

Served with pink champagne, this tiered chocolate buttercream cake made Meagan's birthday super special- and was a HUGE crowd pleaser. When I came back into the living room after handing out everyone's cake, I literally found Meagan licking her plate. I would post a picture if I didn't think it would jeopardize our friendship! However, to make my point, I will share a picture of how much the birthday girl still loved her cake the next morning!

I hope that this cake can make a special memory for you and your friends just as it did for us!

Click HERE for the Chocolate Buttercream Cake Recipe!
Click HERE for the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe!

My Twist on Julia Child's TARTE AUX POMMES

2010-11-11T15:40:00.000-06:00

"It is so beautifully arranged on the plate- you know someone's fingers have been all over it."

- Julia Child

First I must apologize for not writing this post sooner- leaving you hanging with an empty pie crust after my Pate Brisee Sucree post a while back. If you recall, I used that gorgeous pie shell in making Julia Child's TARTE AUX POMMES- an apple tarte that can be served hot or cold (I prefer hot). In "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," Julia describes Tarte aux Pommes as a classic French apple tarte that "consists of a thick, well-flavored applesauce spread in a partially cooked pastry shell. Over it thinly sliced apples are placed in an overlapping design of circles. After baking, it is coated with apricot glaze."

I put a little twist on Julia's recipe by replacing the Golden Delicious apples with the "pear apples" (or Chinese White Pears) that I picked up from the produce stands on I-82. The tarte turned out beautifully with the "pear apples" and was unbelievably delicious. It also held longer than regular apples probably would have. However, I would not recommend using them instead of the Golden Delicious apples if I were to make this recipe again, simply because the pear apples are much more tough and grainy, which made them a nightmare to work with.

Once your Pate Brisee Sucree is completed, the next step is to start on your apples. Quarter, core and peel 4 lbs. of apples. Once prepared, cut the apples lengthwise into even 1/8 inch crescent-shaped slices. Immediately after slicing, toss the slices in a mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar. This is to prevent browning.

Here's a tip: Do one apple at a time. I made the mistake of cleaning (quartering, coring, and peeling) all of my apples at once for the sake of a good blog photo and had to go to extra measures to prevent browning.

For the first few apples (enough to make 4 cups worth of slices) make sure your slices are even and beautiful. Take your time on this because these will be the slices that will top your tarte. Toss these in lemon juice and sugar, cover with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator.

Next, grab a large mixing bowl and repeat this process with the remaining apples. Don't be a Type A perfectionist (like me) here, slicing each apple with meticulous care. You're wasting your time- they will be mush in the end. In this step, I found that 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar weren't enough, so add as you need it. Keep in mind that the slices only need to be lightly coated, not drenched- If drenched, the acid from the lemon juice will make them disintegrate. You should end up with about 8 cups.

Note: I find that in a process like this, having a "trash bowl" (just another large mixing bowl to throw your scraps in) makes life much easier. It keeps you from walking back and forth to the trash can constantly.

Next, place your 8 cups of slices into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, leaving your pretty slices in the fridge- We'll get to them later. Over low heat, cook covered until tender, about 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Once the apples are tender, beat in 2/3 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of butter, 1/3 cup syrup from a jar of peach preserves, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and the grated rind of 1 lemon and 1 orange.

Note: this is MY spin on this recipe. Where I used 1/3 cup syrup from a jar of peach preserves, Julia says to use 1/3 cup apricot preserves forced through a sieve. I didn't have apricot preserves or a sieve, so I worked with what I had and it turned out just fine. She also notes that you can replace the tablespoon of vanilla extract with 1/4 cup Calvados (apple brandy), rum, or cognac- again, I worked with what I had. Julia lists the cinnamon, lemon rind and orange rind all as optional ingredients, but I used them all and I recommend that you do the same- It's a flavor like nothing you've ever experienced.

Once you've beaten these ingredients together with your cooked apple slices, raise the heat and boil, stirring consistently until your applesauce is thick enough to hold a mass in the spoon. This takes a while, but be patient! It is sooooooooooooooooooooo worth it!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Grab your cooled Pate Brisee Sucree. Pour your applesauce into the pie shell and smooth over with your spoon or spatula.

Now, here comes the decorative part. Remove your pretty slices from the refrigerator. Starting on the outer edges, cover our applesauce with "a neat, closely overlapping layer of sliced apples arranged in a spiral, concentric circles."

After arranging your slices, bake your tarte in the upper third of your oven for about 30 minutes or until the top layer of apples is slightly browned and tender. Remove tarte from oven and set aside to cool.

If you left the spring-releasing edges of your false-bottomed pan on for this final baking process, carefully set your tarte atop a jar (ALWAYS HOLDING ONTO IT!) and VERY CAREFULLY release the spring sides of the pan, letting them fall to the counter, leaving your tarte on the false bottom atop the jar. Carefully slide your tarte off of the false bottom and onto a cooling rack or serving dish.

At this point, you're supposed to brush your tarte with apricot glaze (recipe available on page 593 of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"), but I simply brought the remainder of my syrup from my peach preserves to a boil and brushed my tarte with that.

Serve warm or cold with FRESH, HOMEMADE whipped cream or creme fraiche. You have worked SO hard on this gorgeous tarte. Topping it with whipped cream from a can would simply be a crime.

This is one of the most time consuming recipes I've ever tried, but I am more proud of my TARTE AUX POMMES than I am of anything else I've ever cooked. As Julia says, "...nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should."

The Perfect Beginning to the Holiday Season

2010-11-11T10:28:00.001-06:00

I'm going to use this post to admit a personal flaw of mine. I am an over-celebrator. I love to celebrate most anything. I am notorious for making "an event" out of anything. A few weekends ago I had some friends over to watch an Alabama game and while on the phone with my friend, Ben Epps, I immediately started planning a menu. He quickly cut me off and I believe his exact words were something along the lines of "Now LeeLee, I know how you like to have your little dinner parties, but this is about watching football." I have a tendency to make birthdays-not just mine, but my friends' too- last at least a week, so you can only imagine what happens when an occasion as monumental as Christmas rolls around.

I live for Christmas. I love everything about it. I make an ordeal out of every aspect of it- which drives my Mama crazy. Decorating the tree, arranging the manger scene, draping the garland, cooking our traditional Christmas morning breakfast, wrapping the presents- all of it is a sentimental process to me. All of it must be done perfectly and all done while blaring my favorite mix CD, which I appropriately titled "CHRISTMAS! YAY!"

So just as all of these things must be done each year, the season, in my little Christmas world, must begin the same way each year- with Wassail. Wassail is a warm drink that captures Christmas in every way. It smells like Christmas, tastes like Christmas, and is a constant reminder that Christmas is fast approaching.

Mama used to make wassail on the first cold day of each year (which to us meant any day with a temperature below 50 degrees) and now I do the same. Not only is wassail a warm delicious treat, but it fills your home with the scents of cinnamon and cloves- a perfect way to begin the holiday season.

Click HERE for my Wassail Recipe!

My Favorite Holiday Treat

2010-11-10T16:07:00.001-06:00

In response to questions from my last post, today I'm writing about my favorite holiday treat- Grandmother Wiginton's Peanut Brittle.

I have to start my telling you a little bit about this special woman. Grandmother Wiginton, who we just call "Grandmother," is my dad's mom. Grandmother and Grandaddy live in a teency tiny town called Golden, Mississippi. Population 200. Yes, you read that correctly. TWO HUNDRED. Talk about a small town. Grandmother has always been one of those women who seems to know how to do just about everything, and it is from her that I have learned so many things that I cherish today. She taught me how to quilt, how to crochet, how to dig potatoes, how to gather eggs from the chicken coop, and had a huge influence on me in the kitchen.

Some of my fondest memories are from summers spent in Golden at Grandmother and Grandaddy's house. One summer I had a pet pony, Buttercup, who was rejected by her mama (my other horse, creatively named "Black Beauty") and who we brought home to the pasture behind their house. Being my only real friend there, I would dress Buttercup up in hats and scarves and feed her from a bottle. Another summer, I had a pet chicken, who I later accidentally killed by dropping it on the ground after it pooped in my hand. Whoops.
Every day my job was to gather the eggs from the chickens before I began my afternoon of cutting "paper dolls" from the gigantic Sears catalog.

Although my trips to Grandmother and Grandaddy's house have become fewer and far between through the years, we still visit every Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Daddy and I are somehow always the last ones to get there, but I always go straight for the kitchen, where I know I will find Grandmother over the stove and a jar of peanut brittle on the counter. This is hands-down the most wonderful peanut brittle you will ever have.
The reason that this is my favorite holiday treat is simply because of how deliciously irresistible it is. It is actually very addictive. I often eat so much of it before Thanksgiving or Christmas lunch that I'm not hungry by the time we say the blessing.

This recipe is so special to me that I almost feel like a traitor giving it out, but it is so wonderful that I just can't keep it to myself. There are lots of family recipes that I love, but have always been intimidated to try myself. This is one of them, and for that reason, I'm going to give you a step-by-step explanation of the recipe in detail. Don't be discouraged if you have to throw away a few batches before you get it right- I definitely did. My first was too sticky, my second burnt completely, but the third batch was just right. This is a tricky recipe, but well worth the effort. So, let's get started!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup water
1 cup RAW redskin peanuts
1/4 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
Tips: Do not try to multiply this recipe. It is tricky on its own and must be done so quickly that it won't work in large quantities. There simply isn't enough time. Also, NEVER leave the stove and NEVER stop stirring.

1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, Karo syrup, and water. Combine and stir.
Tip: Grandmother says to cook at 1 notch above medium, but I got impatient and cooked at 2 notches above medium and it worked just fine. All stoves are different, so just cook accordingly.

2. Cook until it spins a thread. I didn't know what that meant, so I figure that some of you don't either. When you lift your spoon from the mixture, an ultra-thin wispy string should form and fly back from your spoon. The string should be long.

3. Add raw peanuts- Mixture will be white and bubbly at this point. Mixture will thicken greatly after adding the peanuts so you MUST STIR CONSTANTLY.

4. Cook until it's a light honey color- Not too long or the baking soda won't react properly.

5. Set saucepan off the eye.

6. Add butter and vanilla extract and stir, then add baking soda. Combine completely.
Tip: This must be done VERY quickly, so it's best to have your peanuts, butter, vanilla extract and baking soda measured out beforehand. Also, BAKING SODA MUST BE ADDED LAST!

7. Pour mixture onto greased cookie sheet and immediately spread it a little with your spoon, spatula or whatever you're using. Don't do this too much or it will string and be ugly.

8. Pull the brittle.
This is the step that I was the most nervous about. When Grandmother was explaining this recipe to me over the phone, I told her how nervous I was about this step and she told me that I didn't really have to pull the brittle, but Grandaddy immediately yelled from the other room that it's not worth eating unless it's pulled- and boy was he right! The thing that makes Grandmother Wiginton's Peanut Brittle so wonderful is that it is almost paper thin.
With a knife, gently lift edges and pull brittle thinner, but without tearing. Be careful- it's hot!
Pull every minute or so until hard- it's better when paper thin.
Tip: DO NOT taste test until brittle is completely hard- You will break a tooth!

9. Break into pieces and let cool. Store in Tupperware container or cookie jar- Something with a lid.

More Tips:
If, in the end, your brittle is too sticky and is impossible to get out of your teeth, you've messed up in one of three places. Either, you didn't let the mixture spin a long enough thread, you didn't let the mixture cook long enough after adding the peanuts, or you didn't put in enough baking soda. Without being there, I can't tell you which one of these it is, but through trial and error, you'll figure it out.

Also, if you're making this as a gift and plan on making multiple batches, keep in mind that 1 bottle of Light Karo Syrup will give you four batches.

I hope you enjoy this treat as much as my family does! I would love to hear how it comes out when you make it! Feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me with any new tips you come up with!

Halloween Nostalgia

2010-11-02T20:36:00.001-05:00

Do you have those vivid memories from your childhood- ones that seemed so special or that made you so happy- that they almost seem magical? It's funny, the things that stick out in our minds. Often times, it's the little things that we hold so dear- Things that our families thought went unnoticed or sometimes things so small that only you remember even happened. In reality, these moments probably weren't all that spectacular- maybe just romanticized and exaggerated over the years of remembering- but in the end, just the remembering in and of itself is special. Our ability- after so many years, so many heartbreaks, so many failures and disappointments- to see and feel these memories exactly as we experienced them as children is really something magical.

When I look back into my file of such memories, I always find Halloween and the annual Halloween dinner parties that my family threw. We were living at our old house on Franklin Street, where I spent the majority of my childhood. Every Halloween, Mama and Daddy would invite all their friends over for chili and martinis. The children would have dinner first- always Mama's chili and Suggie's broccoli cornbread (just about the most delicious thing on earth!). After dinner, we were off to trick-or-treat with whoever our parents had managed to con into taking us that year. One year it was even Mr. Estes, a teacher from our school. I still feel sorry for him about that one. Once we returned home, our bags filled with candy and our parents filled with martinis, everyone was happy.

One of these Halloween dinner parties stands out in particular. Mama had gone all out on decorations that year. The formal dining room at the Franklin Street house was beautiful. An enormous chandelier hung above the heavy, beautifully sculpted dining room table. The chairs were big (or maybe they just seemed that way then) and were upholstered in a heavy, light-blue fabric. Starting in the chandelier, Mama spread fake spider webs to form a sort of mosquito-net-like sheath over the table, attaching the webbing to the back of each chair. She even went as far as placing little plastic spiders all over the webbing. I was beyond thrilled.

I remember being so excited to go into that room that night. It was special to get to have dinner in there. Don't get me wrong. Our house wasn't one of those where children aren't allowed in certain rooms for the parents' fear of antiques being destroyed. It just wasn't where we normally sat down for dinner each night. Sitting in that big chair, under that magnificent spider web with all of my friends, eating my chili from Mama's good china instead of my normal soup bowls, with the big chandelier glowing as though it were hung just for us beneath the web- that is my special memory.

I felt special. And proud. With just a few bags of cheap plastic spider web, she had created a whole other world just for us, and as corny as it sounds, it was really pretty magical. Although my life is very different now than it was back then, I still make chili and broccoli cornbread (and maybe a few dirty martinis) every Halloween and remember that special night beneath the spider web.

Even though we're all grown up now, maybe it's good for us to look back every now and then, recognize the tough times, accept them for what they are, and cherish the wonderful times with as much joy as we did as children.

My decorations for the dining room table at this year's Halloween dinner party

I would love to hear some of your favorite memories, so leave a comment!

Click HERE for Mama's Chili recipe

Click HERE for Suggie's Broccoli Cornbread recipe

Enjoy!

Napoleon's Frog Prince Halloween costume

Sweet Sarah Grace Rowe in her 2nd costume of the night

Sarah Stubblefield, Caroline Wills and me as the Powerpuff Girls on Senior Dress Up Day at Randolph

Sarah Stubblefield, Maggie Oliver and me as contestants from Legends of the Hidden Temple

(the Purple Parrots were always may favorite!)

Pâte Brisée Sucrée [Sweet Short Paste]

2010-10-14T20:13:00.000-05:00

“Pastry is like people,” says Anne, who translates the rest. Some dough needs a lot of kneading, some requires much less. Some dough is satisfied just a little, while other dough needs to double in size. All dough needs warmth to rise.

- The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn

When trying to figure out what to do with these “pear apples” I brought home from the I-82 produce stands, I went straight to recipes that involved apples since they were apparently similar. All of the apple pie recipes I found looked so normal and I really wanted to do something a little more challenging. Finding and trying challenging recipes has been a big part of my life since I decided that I want to go to culinary school. This is mainly because I don’t want to get there and look like a total idiot who thinks she can cook just because she can make a few things beautifully. Yes, people rave about my guacamole, my brioche, and many other things, but in all honesty a six year old could probably pull off both of those things. In search of something fancier, I immediately turned to Julia. Julia Child that is.

My copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking is quickly becoming well broken in. The pages are covered in splatters of sauces and smears of flour. I look at it like a normal person looks at an encyclopedia, because it really is so comprehensive.

I went to the section on Dessert Tarts and found Tarte aux Pommes (which is the pretty French way of saying apple tart). Reading through the recipe, which Julia writes beautifully as more of an article than a recipe, I realized that it was going to be a bit of a process, calling for Pâte Brisée Sucrée, the pretty French way of saying pie crust.

If you’re going to take the time to do this, I recommend doing it in abundance. Just for the heck of it, I tripled the recipe. This pastry dough can last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but can be frozen for many weeks. While making this pastry shell, I thought “I have never appreciated store-bought pastry shells more than right now,” but once I finished, the thought of buying a store-bought pastry shell seemed completely ridiculous. I never thought a crust could be SO DELICIOUS. This sweet short paste is made exactly like a regular short paste (like you would use for a quiche), but you mix the sugar into the flour before you begin rather than after.

Now, you can make this dough either by hand mixing or with a food processor. I don’t own a food processor of my own, so hand mixing was my only option. Besides as Julia says, “A pastry blender may be used if you wish, but a necessary part of learning how to cook is to get the feel of the dough in your fingers. Il faunt mettre la main à la pâte!”

Go ahead and blend your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then add your “fats” (butter and vegetable shortening).

Julia emphasizes the importance of working QUICKLY, which always scares me. I guess I should get used to it though since I will soon be required to do everything quickly in the kitchen. If you have a warm kitchen, CRANK UP THE A.C.! Also, I tend to enjoy a glass of wine while I’m in the kitchen, but if you get flushed and heated from this, wait until after your pastry is done to have a cocktail. The heat from your hands can ruin the entire process. Here are Julia’s instructions:

“Rub the flour and fat together rapidly between the tips of your fingers until the fat is broken into pieces the size of oatmeal flakes. Do not overdo this step as the fat will be blended more thoroughly later.”

Don’t worry if your bits aren’t quite as small as oatmeal flakes, because it will be taken care of later. Especially if you have wine-warmed hands like mine and an over-head light that could substitute a space-heater.

Next, Julia instructs us to, “Add the water and blend quickly with one hand, fingers held together and slightly cupped, as you rapidly gather the dough into a mass. Sprinkle up to 1 tablespoon more water by droplets over any unmassed remains and add them to the main body of the dough. Then press the dough firmly into a roughly shaped ball. It should just hold together and be pliable, but not sticky.”

Our next step is the “fraisage,” or final blending. Note: You must do this step even if you made your dough with a food processor.

I was nervous about this step because I am notoriously horrible at kneading. One Christmas, while making homemade pasta with the Gesslers, I was called out on my inabilities and referred to as a child with play-doh. But I had to face my fears and go for it.

Transfer your mass of dough onto a lightly floured cutting board and lightly sprinkle your dough with flour. I’m going to go ahead and give you Julia’s instructions word-for-word due to my fear of re-wording it and messing you all up.

“With the heel of one hand, not the palm which is too warm, rapidly press the pastry by two-spoonful bits down on the board and away from you in a firm, quick smear of about 6 inches.”

“With a scraper or spatula, gather the dough into a mass; knead it briefly into a fairly smooth round ball. Sprinkle it with four and wrap it in waxed paper.”

Once you’ve wrapped up your dough, place it in the freezer for about 1 hour until it’s firm, or (if you have the time) refrigerate it overnight.

Such a typical college freezer. Bourbon, TCBY, frozen dinners and hot pockets. I guess I mixed it up a bit with the pastry dough.

Once the dough has become workable, it’s time to roll it out. Again, I was nervous about this step because of my lack of counter space.
My only option was to place my cutting board on top of my pre-heating oven, which of course warmed up my dough- making my life VERY difficult. If this happens to you for some reason, don’t feel bashful about sticking it back into the freezer for a few minutes to make it workable again. This is a much better option than trying to work with hot dough. This dough in particular becomes difficult to handle because of its high butter content- which is also the thing that makes it so delicious so we can’t complain too much.

Place your dough on the floured cutting board and sprinkle the top with flour. If you’re like me and are deathly afraid of sticky dough, cover both your hands and your rolling pin in flour as well.

Now, I’m usually not big on product promotion, but since I’m not being particular about brands here, I’ll give you this wonderful tip. I was wandering around Target’s baking section and came across this wonderful baking mat. It has circles drawn on it that tell you how large to roll out your dough for each different size of pan. How wonderful is that! You will never roll your dough too small again- because we all know how frustrating it is to roll out your dough and then be unable to cover your pan.

Roll your dough to the appropriate size, sprinkling with flour whenever necessary, until you have a circle that is about 1/8 inch thick and about 2 inches larger all around than your pan. If it’s uneven- as mine ALWAYS is- just even it out with your knife. Here’s Julia’s tip on this topic:

“If your circle is uneven, cut off a too-large portion, moisten the edge of the too-small portion with water, press the two pieces of pastry together, and smooth them with your rolling pin.”

NOTE: You must use your dough IMMEDIATELY or it will soften and be a total wreck.

To avoid the typical American “country” looking pie, I used a false-bottomed cake pan with spring-releasing edges. I have always been afraid of these pans, but now I AM OBSESSED! IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE, GET ONE...OR FOUR!

Alright, now here’s the semi-tricky part. Getting the dough into the pan. First, butter your pan EXTREMELY WELL!

My Mama, and many others, were taught to transfer the dough by rolling it over the rolling pin and over the pan. I fail at this process every time, but luckily, Julia provides us with another option that I LOVE! Okay here we go. Sprinkle your dough with flour so that there is no chance of it sticking to anything AT ALL. Fold it in half, and then again, so that one edge is a perfect 90 degree angle. Place this 90 degree angle in the center of your pan and simply unfold. It is amazing how perfectly this works.

Press the dough lightly on the bottom of the pan, then lift the edges and work it down the inside edges of the pan with your fingers, “taking in about 3/8 inch of dough all around the circumference. This will make the sides of the pastry shell a little thicker and sturdier.”

Once it’s in, trim off the edges and press in a pretty pattern around the edge with your knife.

Then prick the bottom with your form to avoid puffing and rising. Now come the protective measures. This was completely new to me and seemed crazy. Apparently it’s been done forever and is totally normal. I was telling Mama about it over breakfast like I had discovered something phenomenal and she looked at me like I was an idiot.

To avoid your pastry shell from collapsing or rising, line the inside of the shell with buttered aluminum foil and fill it with beans to weigh it down! How neat is that!

My recipe for Tarte aux Pommes called for a partially cooked shell, which is partially baked, then filled, then baked again. Here are Julia’s instructions:

“Bake at the middle level of a preheated 400-degree oven for 8 to 9 minutes until pastry is set. Remove mold or foil and beans. Prick bottom of pastry with a fork to keep it from rising. Return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes more. When the shell is starting to color and just beginning to shrink from sides of mold, remove it from the oven. If it seems to you that the sides of the shell are fragile, or are liable to crack or leak with the weight of the filling to come, do not unmold until your tart or quiche is filled and finally baked.”
This was my final product, which seemed to me “liable to crack” so i left the sides of the pan on until my tart was filled and baked. This is quite a process, but is SO UNBELIEVABLY WORTH IT!

Enjoy!

“Noncooks think it’s silly to invest two hours’ work into two minutes’ enjoyment, but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet.” -Julia Child

The Produce Stands of I-82

2010-10-06T14:33:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I took my little pug, Napoleon, on his first trip to the family beach condo in Destin, FL. It rained practically the entire weekend and I quickly learned that a condo on the 20th floor is no place for a semi-housebroken puppy, but one great thing did come from the weekend- a wonderful blog topic!

The drive from Tuscaloosa to Destin is about 4.5 hours, the first two of which take you along the winding two-lane I-82. I absolutely LOVE this part of the drive. Besides the scenic landscape and quaint little towns between Tuscaloosa and Prattville, I-82 is FILLED with wonderful family-run produce stands that are stocked with the freshest and most gorgeous produce you can find. I didn't get to make any stops on my drive to or from the beach (not having cash and the stands being closed on Sundays), but it was all I could think about when I got home. A few days later, my afternoon class was cancelled so I decided to make the trip.

My biggest fear, which, of course, I was stuck behind for most of the drive.

Now, I understand that most of you aren't willing to spend four hours in the car just to go get some fresh fruit and veggies, but if you're passing through, STOP! AND STOP AT ALL OF THEM! Not only is this produce amazing, but it is so much cheaper than what you find in the grocery store! (This is probably because you aren't paying to have it shipped half-way across the country.) Unfortunately, I had waited a few weeks too late and many of the stands had already closed until Spring, but don't think that stopped me from bringing home a trunk-full of goodies!

Whether I'm talking to a chef at an esteemed restaurant or a 60-year-old farmer at a produce stand on the side of the interstate, my first question is always, "Is there something that I absolutely have to have?" This isn't because I'm indecisive, but because they know better than I do. The thought of missing something special and different is unacceptable in my books, so I always make sure to cover my bases.

My first stop on this adventure was Buddy Jones Fruit Stand.

Talk about the nicest people on Earth! The man working that afternoon was so helpful and, thankfully, open to my chatty nature. I must have asked him a hundred questions. When I asked him what I absolutely had to have, to my surprise he said, "Well a pumpkin, of course!" And man did they have some pumpkins! You know how when you go to the local farmers market to get one of those giant pumpkins to carve and put on your front porch, they are usually misshaped, bruised, or completely rotten on one side? NOT the case at Buddy Jones's. I've never seen such gigantic and utterly perfect pumpkins in my life. Because of the limited space on the front steps of my apartment, I came home with two unique little pumpkins, but they had some that were up to 75 pounds!

I also fell in love with Buddy's small decorative pumpkins and gourds and came home with a bag full- more than a centerpeice could ever dream of holding. I admit, I got a little swept up in the moment while making this particular purchase, not bothering to realize that I don't have a table in my apartment remotely big enough to hold any sort of centerpiece at all. Whoops!

While I was there, I also picked up some gorgeous tomatoes and a basket of Starfire peaches. Before this stop, I had no idea what a Starfire peach was, but the nice man at Buddy's was happy to explain. Starfire peaches are sweeter and jucier than most, with a non-browning flesh, which is super convenient if you are a slow peeler like me! They're great for cooking, baking, canning and freezing.

At this point, I thought it was time to move on to the next stand, until I saw my ultimate weakness- homemade canned goods. Seeing those Mason jars with the hand written labels took me right back to the shelves of canned green beans and peach preserves in my Grandmother's storm shelter in Golden, Mississippi. I simply couldn't resist. I went straight for a jar of fig preserves, Mama's favorite, which are TO DIE FOR! Then I saw something unfamiliar. Scuppernong Jelly. I didn't have a clue what a scuppernong was, so I turned to my helpful new friend, who taught me that it is a lot like a grape. It grows on a vine and is similar to a white grape, but has a bronze color and is a little bigger. Whatever it is, it makes delicious jelly!

My second and, unfortunately, my final stop was Lawley's Chilton County Peaches.

This stand was run by an older couple, who weren't quite as comfortable with my chattiness. Honestly, when I asked them what I absolutely had to have, they looked at me like I was an idiot. The little woman replied with, "Well, how would I know. You're the one who needs it." Not quite the answer I was looking for, but then again, I guess she had a point. I tried to easy my way through after that, picking up some more peaches and some more tomatoes. The thing I loved about Lawley's was the personal aspect. When I asked the old man about the peaches, he told me that he had personally picked them from his home down the road that very morning, that they were still a little hard, but that they would ripen up in a couple of days. Apparently, I was lucky to be getting peaches at all. He was telling me that peaches are usually done by this time, but because of the cold winter last year, they were a few weeks late.

My last purchase at Lawley's was something I had never seen before. I looked at the basket of fruit for a good while before I got the guts to ask the woman what I was looking at. They looked like apples, but were much bigger, had a rough skin, and were a strange shade of green- not like a Granny Smith apple, but green like a pear. I was right on the pear part. They were what she called "pear apples". I asked her if I could use them in a pie and she told me that she had a woman come by last week to tell her that they made a better pie than any apple she had ever seen. I didn't have a clue, so I went ahead and bought a basket of them.

I did a little research on them and found that they are actually Chinese White Pears. They have a rough skin, which is EXTREMELY difficult to peel, a high water content and an ultra-grainy texture. From what I found on the Internet, they usually aren't used in pies of jellies because of their high water content. Despite my research, I followed the lady's advice and baked the most beautiful apple tart I've ever made.

Upon returning home, I realized that I bought WAY too much and had some serious baking to do.

Napoleon was worn out from shopping all day!

Be looking for my next few blog posts to see which recipes I chose to use up all of my I-82 goodies!

Food for Fall and Football

2010-09-27T22:57:00.000-05:00

Are y’all as excited as I am that it is FINALLY getting chilly outside?! My roommate Kathryn has been teasing me because all I can talk about is how excited I am to wear a turtleneck again! I LOVE Fall almost as much as I love Winter- mainly because it means it’s almost time for coats and Christmas, but it has its own personal perks as well- one of them being football. Now, many of you who actually know me may laugh when you read that because you probably know that I don’t really understand football all that well, and you would be correct, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t LOVE it.

Going to the University of Alabama, football is clearly a big part of life. I may not understand the game, but I definitely understand the party that goes along with it. There is nothing like waking up early for a game, putting on your gameday dress and pouring a whiskey drink. It may not be the most ladylike cocktail in the world, but goodness it’s good. When you can’t make it to the game though, here’s one of my favorite recipes for a gameday dinner at home. This is PERFECT for a house full of boys. Two weekends ago, I had a few friends over to watch the game and this is what I made for them.

The Menu:

Nana’s Babyback Ribs

Guy’s Slaw

Creamed corn

Nana’s Baby back Ribs:

This recipe for baby back ribs comes from Mrs. Vivian Martin, better known to me as Nana. Nana was Vivian’s (my childhood bff) grandmother and it is AMAZING! I always remember having these growing up- and thank goodness it was one of the few recipes that we could squeeze out of the secret Schreeder recipe lock-box. First, I need to explain my personal feelings on barbecued anything. I like it rather dry. I am not a fan of any sort of barbecue sauce, unless it is the thin liquid spicy sauce from The Dixie Pig in Blytheville, Arkansas. Don’t even get me started on The Dixie Pig- I’ll just tell you that I look forward to Suggie (my grandmother) bringing this barbecue every Christmas more than I look forward to the presents she brings. Nana’s recipe is for a dry rib- and to ask for bbq sauce with them is almost insulting. It would be the equivalent of asking for ketchup with a filet. Just don’t do it. However, if you MUST, then at least try a bite without before you ruin it. Click HERE for the recipe!

Guy’s Slaw:

This slaw is named after my grandfather, Suggie’s husband, Guy Newcomb (better known in our family as “Big Sug”). If you’re wondering where these nicknames came from, yes, they are what Guy and Jean Newcomb were/are called by their grandchildren, but what is even sweeter, is that this is what they called one another. “Sug”- pronounced “shug,” but under no circumstances spelled that way- stands for “Sugar.” And so he was “Big Sug” and she was “Suggie.” Guy Newcomb loved his slaw, and because of that, I am EXTREMELY particular about how it is made. If you plan on buying a bag of pre-shredded cabbage, don’t even bother reading the rest of this recipe- that’s simply not how it’s done here. The way that the cabbage is chopped is what makes Guy’s Slaw unique. It must be chopped into small squares that are about they size of a key on a keyboard. Everything else is in the instructions is pretty straight-forward, but I had to be specific about that one! Click HERE for the recipe.

Creamed Corn:

Creamed corn is an ultimate Southern comfort food. I love how we consider this a “vegetable” with our dinner, when really it is a starch, heated with melted butter, then thickened with whole milk, corn starch and salt. Still sounds pretty wonderful though, doesn’t it?

I have a few tricks for you with this one. First of all, haven’t you always thought that it was called “creamed corn” because the corn was drowned in cream? I sure have. Until my Mama taught me this trick. When you are slicing the corn off of the cob you need to do it in two thin layers. First cut the kernels in half, taking the first layer off. Then cut the rest of the kernels off the cob. When you do this, you let the “cream” out of the corn. I thought this sounded ridiculous, but it really does let the milky wonderfulness out of the kernels and makes your creamed corn 10,000 times better!

Trick # 2 comes from Rachel Ray via Mama. When cutting the corn off the cob, place a small bowl upside down in your large bowl and balance each cob on top while you slice. This makes it SO much easier! Here’s what it looks like.

This “vegetable” is the perfect comfort item to finish of this menu. Click HERE for the recipe. Enjoy!

Last Night's Dinner at Dad's

2010-09-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

I am home in Huntsville for the weekend, which always means LOTS of cooking. When I come home, I take full advantage of my time and SPACE to cook for my family and friends. Minuscule is a kind way to describe the kitchen in my apartment at school, so my cooking is limited there. I am staying with my father this weekend and decided to cook dinner for us last night. I wanted to try something new, so I flipped through the August 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine and honestly had a hard time picking out of the multitude of delicious looking recipes, but decided on the bruschetta with rosemary, roasted plum tomatoes, ricotta, and prosciutto to start, followed by the grilled mustard chicken with fresh corn polenta. Both of these recipes can be found on the magazine’s website. I tweaked both recipes a bit due to my forgetfulness at the grocery store.

This bruschetta is now one of my FAVORITE bruschetta recipes I’ve come across. Since they were out of plum tomatoes at the grocery, I used cherry tomatoes instead and I think I actually prefer them since they are smaller and more appropriately bite-sized for this particular dish. Instead of using their marinade for the tomatoes, I used my own that I frequently use. After placing the halved tomatoes on a sheet pan covered in foil, I sprinkled them with some good olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt (it is essential to use a good salt- kosher at least, but a good fleur de sel makes such a difference), fresh cracked pepper, rosemary and oregano. Then I tossed it with my hands and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the flavors. Then into the oven they went!

This recipe says to roast them at 425 for about 35 minutes, but keep in mind that they are using larger plum tomatoes. It doesn’t take quite as long with the cherry tomatoes, so just keep an eye on them.

Instead of arugula, I used a yummy frisee blend and tossed it in a bit of the marinade I had prepared for the chicken (before it touched the raw meat of course) just because I already had it made and I liked how it would tie the mustard flavor into both of my dishes.

The final product was UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS! I do have one tip though: I did not follow the recipe’s instruction to fold the prosciutto slices and placing them side by side on the baguette. I didn’t really see the point until I bit into my finished product and the entire topping slid right off the baguette. I might even recommend roughly chopping your prosciutto into small pieces just to ensure that this doesn’t happen to you.

For the chicken, I used two bone-in chicken breasts instead of thicken thighs, simply because I like it more. I also did without pinning the skin down after placing the marinade beneath it, but in the end, I regretted it. I think the marinade would have stayed more in place on the grill, but oh well, live and learn! I also chose to combine a coarse dijon mustard with a smooth one. I didn’t really do this for any particular reason other than changing things up a bit, but I really liked how it turned out.

I had some of my roasted tomatoes left over from the bruschetta, so I placed them on top of my polenta, which added an extra boost to the overall dish. It ended up being a well rounded, comforting supper that I would recommend to anyone! Very easy and not too time consuming! I’d love to hear your take on it and any twists you may have made to the recipe!

Enjoy!

Links to the Recipes:

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/08/bruschetta_with_rosemary_roasted_plum_tomatoes_ricotta_and_prosciutto

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/08/grilled_mustard_chicken_with_fresh_corn_polenta

The Day My Mother Decided to Open a Restaurant

2010-09-09T18:21:00.001-05:00

I must begin this story by giving you a bit of background information on my mother. Mama has always loved to cook. Some of my earliest memories are in the kitchen with her. If she was at the stove whisking a sauce, I was right next to her whisking away, even if my pot was filled only with water and with no heat coming from the stove below it. But even more than cooking, my mother loves to entertain. Whether it was fancy hors d’oeurves at a political fundraiser or martinis and chili at our annual Halloween party, I remember watching the joy of the guests as they tasted her food. I was even more in awe of how much the joy escalated when she walked into the room. The woman always has and always will know how to work a room!

Mama graduated from Ole Miss with a degree in elementary education (something she never really used). After graduation, Mama went to Paris for a sort of “finishing school” through the famed Maxim’s Restaurant. This is where she truly fell in love with cooking and eating French food.

Following her return, Mama moved to Memphis, where she opened Lyn Newcomb Interiors. She didn’t major in interior design at Ole Miss because, although he was a supportive man, her father said “Lyn, anyone can be a decorator.” She protested making the point that she would be a designer, NOT a decorator, but at that day and age the man simply didn’t get it. Mama was hired to design a man’s home in Huntsville, AL, they fell in love and were married. And that is how my parent’s began. Eighteen years later, they divorced. I was a sophomore in high school then. It was ugly and horrible and one of the worst years of my life- but as it happens in many horrible situations, something wonderful came of it.

Mama and I had moved into a new house just a few streets over from Daddy’s and had just begun to settle ourselves in. I woke up one morning to the sounds of clanging and banging of pots and pans and an array of mouth-watering smells coming from the kitchen downstairs. I wandered down (still half-asleep) and found my mother, still in her bathrobe and house shoes, pacing back and forth from the stove to the counter, checking recipes. It was clear that she was not making dishes that were appropriate for the breakfast that I had been expecting. I looked at her like she was crazy. Then all of a sudden, cast-iron skillet in hand, she turned to me and said in one of the most confident voices I have ever heard, “LeeLee, I’ve decided to open a restaurant. I have always had a father and a husband who told me I couldn’t. Now my Daddy is dead and my husband is gone, so by damn I’m doing it.”

At this point, I wasn’t just looking at her like she was crazy. I truly believed she was. But there was no turning back from there. We spent the next few weeks together searching through all of our favorite cookbooks and marking recipes we thought would be perfect for her new restaurant. We must have gone through 6 stacks of post-it notes. We decided that the menu needed to be filled with the things (specifically the Southern things) that we loved the most. That was when we realized that Lyn’s was going to be special because of how personal it would be. A few crazy months later, Lyn’s Gracious Goodness was officially open for business.

I don’t know how to describe Lyn’s other than by saying that it is SO my mother. The atmosphere is so happy and vibrant- all yellow, lime green and my mother’s favorite, orange. The menu is filled with the most personal of items- things that are really special to us. Don Wheeler, a family friend of ours, made the best pimento cheese in town and that is exactly how you will find it on the menu- “Don’s Pimento Cheese.” Another favorite is “Carl John’s Fried Bologna Sandwich.” Carl John is one of my best friends from childhood. Growing up, his mother, Sarah Gessler (much healthier and subsequently much thinner) didn’t keep bologna as a regular item in her refrigerator. So when Carl John would come over to our house, we would always have fried bologna sandwiches. The version of this sandwich at Lyn’s Gracious Goodness has been rated one of the “Must-Have” sandwiches in Huntsville. (Miss Sarah later agreed to buy bologna for CJ, but only the fat-free kind, which we all know... isn’t really even worth it.)

Looking back on that day she decided to open a restaurant, Mama admits that she really didn’t know what she was getting herself into. The restaurant business is known for its instability, long hours and unreliable employees. You can never really expect what will happen when you walk in the door each morning. Mama may have been a little crazy that morning, but I have never been more proud of her in my life. Opening Lyn’s Gracious Goodness brought her back to life. And in a way, it brought me back to life too. It showed me a side of my mother that I had never seen before- the most confident, hard-working and determined woman I’ve ever met- and it opened the door to the culinary world that I now love so much.

Check out Lyn's Gracious Goodness Online!