The recipes requests I get most often from family, friends and readers are for appetizers – “something different, that I can make ahead.” I have developed a host of recipes over the years that fit the bill, but people still seem to want more. So here’s another one. It’s a riff on the classic cheddar and pecan cheese ball so popular at parties, but this dish is amped up with … [Read more...] about Southern Blue Cheese Pecan Spread
Nancie’s Asian Chicken Salad
Years ago, when I first thought about becoming a full-time food writer, I attended the wonderful and much missed Symposium for Professional Food Writers at the Greenbrier Hotel. It was amazing and inspiring and really made me understand that food writing is real and vibrant field, and it set me on the path to doing something I truly love. One of the first people I met was the … [Read more...] about Nancie’s Asian Chicken Salad
Red Pepper Relish
I love good pepper jelly, the wobbly kind with little bits of pepper suspended in the jar. The kind ladies used to bring to the Christmas party to serve over cream cheese, the jar topped with a pretty little cloth circle. And as much as I love canning, jelly, made with exact amounts of liquid and pectin, are a little bit out of my league. So when I saw this simple recipe in a … [Read more...] about Red Pepper Relish
Sunshine Succotash
Field peas and corn are my favorite summer foods, so I am always thinking up ways to use them in recipes. Succotash is a traditional Native American dish originating in the Northeast, but it lends itself to regional variations and is a perfect vehicle for Southern field peas and our own fresh corn. Creamy butterbeans and delicate lady peas pair wonderfully with sweet corn. I … [Read more...] about Sunshine Succotash
Squash Blossom Risotto
I ate at two restaurants in Rome earlier this summer that claimed to be built on the very spot where Julius Caesar was killed, and visited two tourist attractions that claimed the same thing. It makes a great story to print on a menu, and they each had some historical perspective to back up the claim. Of course, the restaurants are modern buildings now with only a small trace … [Read more...] about Squash Blossom Risotto
