A Southern Style Dinner

Southern cooking - Low Country and Soul food. Traditional heirloom recipes handed down from generation to generation. Good old comfort food the kind that makes you feel warm all over inside……





Ok I have been cooking for years at least as far back as I can remember. And I really like to play with food. I should say I like to experiment with food.
Growing up I cooked for my self and my younger two sisters when either my mother was working or just gone.

And through the years I have done different types of food but mostly the area from where I was raised from. Good old fashion southern home cooking. The only thing is I try and zip up the recipes some what.

Well after my divorce some what seven years ago and my children grew up there was no need to cook any more. I always enjoyed cooking but why cook now it was just me. And I never knew how to cook in small amounts because when the girls were younger there were always a house full of the neighbors kids at our table to eat. So you could say I always cooked for an army….lol….
And after I became on my own again I just never learned to cook for one. And it was easier to just pick some thing up for my self. So this is what I did for I guess 2 years.

Then the third year or so I started cooking for my friends. And as always it was enough to feed and army with plenty of left over’s for a day or two.

Now I know there are people out there that don’t believe in left over’s. However let me say this. There are some foods that get better the next day when it’s allowed to sit over night in a fridge. Don’t know why or if it really matters but it’s true.

One of those foods happen to be southern cooked collard greens.
Not to get tangled with mustard greens or even turnip greens. And yeah these types of foods aren’t for every one. And yet there have been some that come from different parts of the country that didn’t even know what a collard was and tasted them and fall in love with them.

Now not every one from the south knows how to cook collards either. And then there are different ways to eat them. Some use vinegar, some use hot sauce and then there are the ones that just eat them plan and some times even right out of the bowl.

So let me say this I have some friends that like this southern cooked greens an some that don’t. Well he didn’t know if he liked it or not until he tried it. And he doesn’t. But that’s alright because he isn’t even from here so he don’t count any way….lol…. (From another country...)
But I can say this he tried it before he made his choice. And was a good sport about it also... Right Brit....

But the other guys up at the shop well lets say there is nothing left of the dinner I made. And let me say Remy, Pain,and Shop Rat will not just eat anything either. The are picky eaters.
I always make a special dinner one night a week. Well the person I made the dinner for didn’t call and say they weren’t going to be in town because of what ever reason.
But that’s alright...lol...
I will forgive ....again.....


So I got busy with work for a few days and I didn’t get a chance to call them or run by to see if dinner was still planned. Then the night before I started getting things together for this Southern Cooked meal with out even thinking if I should call to check. Well there phone doesn’t even work half the time any way when you call in but it's fine to call out with.
So I cooked this Southern meal all from scratch as I do with ever meal I have done and I had everything almost ready when I found out that my friend wasn’t in town….

So I called up a mutual friend and asked him if he wanted some collards, baked chicken, steamed carrots and of course home made cornbread.
Hey I had to give it to some one. I can't stand to buy all the stuff and spend all the time cooking to just dump it. But I can say I have done this also. Then I called the guys at the shop and asked if they had eaten yet and as always they said bring it right over. So I loaded everything up in my army food carrier and off I went to feed five guys.


So I hope my friend knows just what a wonderful Southern Home Cooked Meal they missed.
And I hope the McDonald's french fries were old....lol...

This is the menu from dinner last night…….

Home cooked collards with ham hock… 3 hrs to just cut up the 1 hr to cook.

Rosemary baked chicken….. Over night marinated and cooked slow for about an hr.

Steamed carrots with garlic, and olive oil and lemon….. 45 minutes to prepare.

Home made from scratch cornbread with onions and cheese… About an hr. to do with mixing and cooking time.

So I guess as of now I am out of the cooking business for friends. Not that I will not cook again but why should I. I loved to cook for those who enjoy it...
Of course the guys at the shop will more than like be willing to take any left over’s I can come up with. They would more than likely have cooking twice a week. But it's just not the same so. So I think for a while I will Just leave the pots and pans in there place and put away the recipe's and take a brake from this have cooking thing since there is no need to do so.

Did I mention I love to cook for those that enjoy what I make?? I am always told when I ask what do you want for dinner? The reply is always "you always come up with something better than what I could even think of"…..

So friend when you talk to the other friend ask them how your collards were…lol….

Have a great day every one and enjoy your weekend and be safe……
Happy eating if there is someone that you love then share the comfort of food with them………
And happy cooking for those who love to cook……..