Southern Fried Catfish (Crispy Skillet Fillets) Catfish Friday, Done Right Catfish Friday wasn’t just a meal in my childhood—it was a weekly reunion of laughter, tall fishing tales, and sizzling skillets. When Grandma’s screen door slammed at 5 p.m., we knew the oil was already popping. Her southern fried catfish boasted a paper‑thin, garlic‑pepper crust that…
Southern Fried Pork Steak (No Egg Batter) Grandma’s Skillet Meets Weeknight Comfort “Grab a fork, this here’s supper!” My Great‑Aunt Opal announced those words every Friday when a platter of southern fried pork steak hit the table. Golden, crunchy coating that clung like armor, juicy pork inside, and that unmistakable Cajun kick that made sweet…
Cast Iron Skillet Peach Cobbler A Bubblin’ Summer Memory in Every Bite “Anybody want cobbler?” Grandma didn’t have to ask twice. The moment we spotted her black cast‑iron skillet sliding into the oven, we’d race to claim licking rights for the batter bowl. Her cast iron skillet peach cobbler took exactly eight ingredients and tasted…
Old‑Fashioned Chocolate Chess Pie Granny’s Saturday‑Night Chocolate Fix Old fashioned chocolate chess pie was my grandmother Bernice’s instant cure for any bad week. She believed two things fixed a sour mood: gospel music and a slice of warm chocolate pie. Every Saturday after chores, she’d play Mahalia Jackson on the radio, tie on her faded…
Lemon Meringue Pie with Condensed Milk Sunshine on a Plate The very first pie I ever baked solo was a lemon meringue—and I almost torched it. My teenage self cranked the broiler to “volcanic,” walked away, and returned to peaks the color of charcoal briquettes. The kitchen smelled like campfire lemonade for days. Thankfully, Grandma…
Coconut Cream Pie with Mile‑High Meringue A Slice of Sunday‑Dinner Nostalgia There’s something about a coconut cream pie crowned with golden peaks of meringue that turns grown‑ups into giddy kids again. Maybe it’s the way the custard smells like Grandma’s kitchen in mid‑July, or how the first forkful sends toasted coconut snowflakes drifting onto your…
Moist Lemon Loaf Cake | Tangy Starbucks Copycat Moist Lemon Loaf Cake Who else fell head‑over‑heels for that moist lemon loaf cake behind the Starbucks glass case—but balked at the price tag? 🙋♀️ Same here. One rainy Tuesday I eyed my last lemon, mixed up Grandma’s trusty pound‑cake batter, and hoped for the same tangy‑sweet…
Soft Hungarian Kifli Rolls Easy Crescent‑Shaped Yeast Bread The aroma of soft Hungarian kifli rolls can transport me straight back to my great‑grandma’s tiny Galician kitchen—even though I never actually set foot there. She passed the recipe down to Grandma, Grandma passed the bent‑edge index card to Mom, and last week Mom slid it across…
Easy Sourdough Discard Crackers The first time yeast disappeared from grocery shelves, I stared at my dwindling stash like it was buried treasure. That’s when Jill Winger’s “simple sourdough crackers” (page 179 of The Prairie Homestead Cookbook) rode in like a Kentucky cavalry charge and saved the day. Three days into nurturing my very first starter—still…
Fresh Corn Skillet Cornbread (Gritted Cornbread) If you grew up anywhere near the Appalachian foothills, summer suppers weren’t complete without a bubbling cast‑iron skillet of what the old‑timers called “gritted bread.” My 101‑year‑young mom still swears by it—no boxed mix, no fancy gadget, just farm‑fresh ears of corn grated straight off the cob, a splash…
