I’m hosting Thanksgiving this year, and I find my emotions swinging wildly between ecstatic (my sister is coming! With nieces!! Michael’s family will be here! With oyster dressing! And rolls!!) and sad (it’s my first Thanksgiving without my mom). But mom feels like she is constantly with me over the past few days. I canContinue reading “Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad”
Category Archives: Salads and Sides
Watermelon Salad
I love the Monroe Farmer’s Market. I realize that it’s ridiculously small by big city standards — usually just three stalls. But they stock the most delicious… well, everything. I buy perfect small red potatoes for potato salad and the best cantaloupes and watermelons. My favorite Cherokee Purple tomatoes. Peaches, fresh corn, blueberries, yellow squash…Continue reading “Watermelon Salad”
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
For various reasons, my boys are out of the house a lot during lunch time this summer. When they are at work or camps, I find myself doing solo lunch instead of feeding the crowd. I keep a big bowl of this in the fridge and scoop it out for one of my favorite summerContinue reading “Cucumber and Tomato Salad”
Spinach Madeline
I don’t love everything about living in the South. August, for instance, is truly terrible. And every time I go over when to use “good” and when to use “well” in my ACT prep class, at least one student says “That just doesn’t sound right!” My standard answer: “You live in northeast Louisiana. You probablyContinue reading “Spinach Madeline”
Cornbread Dressing
Thanksgiving was one of my mom’s favorite holidays. No present-buying stress… just good food and all of her family around us. She hosted every year — her family, my dad’s family, neighbors, friends — everyone was always welcome and we usually had over 20 people there. My Uncle Bill always smoked the turkey and broughtContinue reading “Cornbread Dressing”
Kale Quinoa Salad
My husband has a very green thumb. I, on the other hand, kill every plant I try to raise. I do OK with kids and animals — we have two thriving boys, plus two dogs, four cats, and the chickens… but anything that doesn’t remind me to feed/ water it by making noise is probablyContinue reading “Kale Quinoa Salad”
Mexi Coleslaw
So what’s the craziest thing that’s happened during a Zoom meeting for you? Mine have been fairly tame so far. I mean, other than that news guy showing up the week we started all of this. In general, I’ve managed to mute out background noise (using my son’s Fortnite headset). I’ve been, if not “professionallyContinue reading “Mexi Coleslaw”
Bacon Jam and Greens
I did not grow up eating greens. Maybe my mom thought they were too “country” (also in this category of things my mother never cooked — cabbage, pork chops, and anything fried. She would happily enjoy fried catfish or fried chicken… elsewhere.) Or maybe we were just picky kids (I do, distinctly, remember steamed broccoliContinue reading “Bacon Jam and Greens”
Black Bean Corn Salsa
July 2 The Fourth of July is my favorite “eating” holiday. Even better than Thanksgiving or Christmas — at least when it is not too hot. All my favorite things are in season. We start the morning off with a bike parade in Triangle Park, and then, for the past fifteen years, give or take, we’veContinue reading “Black Bean Corn Salsa”
Louisiana Pickle 