Butter beans, lima beans, whatever you want to call them, good, fresh butter beans are a real treat. When I start to see these fresh little green gems at the farmer’s market and produce stand, I load up on them. And I love to cook them in the Southern manner – with pork. Here I use bacon and add a simple, old-fashioned sauce. These would be great alongside a pork chop … [Read more...] about Southern Girl Butter Beans
Farmers Market
Caprese Tart
A few years ago, in the hot, hot summer, we had a big storm that knocked out power for over two weeks. They say it was a wind storm, but we all called it Hurricane Elvis. As it was summer, many people were away on vacation, had vacations planned, or just left town during the power outage. But I was a busy little event planner and had a wedding and a private event to plan and … [Read more...] about Caprese Tart
Strawberry Shortcake
I would hazard a guess that for many people, the image that comes to mind with the words strawberry shortcake are those electric yellow sponge cake cups with the little crater on the top that are sold as “shortcakes,” usually next to the berries in the produce section. Maybe served with fresh berries, maybe with frozen berries in syrup or maybe even gel-glazed pie filling. … [Read more...] about Strawberry Shortcake
Greek Feta Parcels
Okay, I’ll admit. I have fear of phyllo. I love Greek food and pastries, but I am too afraid, or okay, too lazy to work with phyllo myself. Clearing all that counterspace, brushing every layer with butter, covering with damp towels. My few forays have been madly unsuccessful. And messy. Every year in Memphis there is a wonderful Greek food festival. People line up for … [Read more...] about Greek Feta Parcels
Peas with Pancetta, Mint and Crème Fraiche
I am still waiting for the bounty of spring vegetables to arrive. It’s almost here, but has not fully taken over, and it’s a few more weeks to the opening of the Farmer’s Market. So in the meantime, my need for something green leads me back to my favorite way of preparing that old standby, frozen peas. Fresh mint, crispy, salty pancetta and creamy crème fraiche make … [Read more...] about Peas with Pancetta, Mint and Crème Fraiche
