Dolly Parton and Her Casserole

                                                 

She's a country music singer, guitarist, philanthropist, and actress known for pioneering the country-pop crossover.

 

Cornmeal-battered Oven-fried Catfish and Ice Fishing with My FIL

 

Fishing around for a new catfish recipe?

 

 

Here’s one for you with savory flavors
that can be
put on the table quickly. 

 

Serve Belly-filling Baked Ziti for Dinner!

 

Cheater’s Lasagna should be 

the name for this dish!

 

  

Do you like lasagna, but could do without the fuss?  Make this baked ziti instead.  It has about the same flavors, is easy to make and is just as tasty.  

 

Mouthwatering Mustard and Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

 

This is just barely a recipe ~

only 5 ingredients, and two of them are salt and pepper.

 

Mustard, brown sugar and pork, mmm, mmmm, fit for a king!

And that’s a good thing because this is some delicious pork tenderloin ~ juicy and a bit sweet and savory. 

 

Baked Five-Spice-Maple-Glazed Salmon

 

a smidgen of Chinese five-spice blend, 


a taste of maple syrup,
a trickle of lemon juice,


a driblet of hoisin sauce,
a pinch of ginger,

a dollop of Dijon mustard...

That's all it takes to create this tasty glaze!

Easy Baked Chicken Breasts with Brown Sugar and Garlic Rub

 

You all know how the nursery rhyme goes:

"Sugar and spice and

everything nice."

That describes this delectable rub when sugar meets garlic...

We’re all aware that chicken is a great source of protein, it’s a smart food choice.  And we all know that eating it often gets old after a while. 

Fork-tender Oven-Baked Pork Chops

Just tasty tender pork chops here,
coated with a great dry rub. 

This is my go-to rub, a good blend of aromatic herbs and spices: Hungarian sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, seasoned pepper and oregano.  It’s everyday ingredients most of us have on hand.

Crispy Stovetop Iron-Skillet Salmon

I was lucky enough to inherit two cast iron skillets ~ a 10-inch skillet from Grandma and a 12-inch skillet from Mom.  They're way up there in years, probably 70 years at the least, and I handle them with TLC!

If you'd tell me that I could only have one cooking utensil in my kitchen, 
this is what it would be!

Stuffing-topped Baked Pork Chops with Gravy

These delicious savory fork-tender chops 
are topped with 
stuffing and gravy, 
they’re right up Bill’s alley!

Bill is a huge fan of pork chops and I’m always thinking of new ways of preparing them.  If stuffing is involved, that’s all the better in my way of thinking!

Chow down on Cowboy Chicken Casserole

Yee-ha!  

Here’s a casserole with great ingredients that 

any cowboy would like to chow down on.

 And so do we when it's a chilly night here.  

It’s Cowboy Chicken Casserole!

It’s a wholesome concoction of chicken, black beans, corn, cheese, salsa, tortillas and seasonings that come together to make this a tasty hearty filling dinner.

Cowboy Chicken lives up to its name with bringing to mind the good flavors of the Southwest. 

Spicy Cormeal-battered Baked Catfish w/Really Lousy Photos!

Fishing around for a seafood dinner for tonight?  Then consider this crispy baked catfish!

Ready for baking----photos do not get any better than this!

I might live in the Midwest now, but my roots run deep in Louisville, where catfish is abundant at all-you-can-eat fish fry’s at family restaurants about year round.  

Hungarian Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Potatoes and Cabbage

 A chilly winter-time day calls for comfort food: 
potatoes and cabbage roasted alongside
pork tenderloin for a tasty meal. 

I’m a big fan of pork tenderloin, it’s an excellent cut of meat for cooking, simply because it’s versatile, fairly inexpensive, tasty and friendly with a wide variety of spices...

Tilapia Baked with Cannellini Beans and Black Olives

Tilapia has been around since 1500 B.C. ~ it's not surprising then that the fish has history connected to the Bible.  It has been fished in the Sea of Galilee for thousands of years.   

Supposedly the fish that was caught by St. Peter was thought to have been tilapia.  This is one reason why the fish is also known as "St. Peter's fish" and is separated from meat according to Lenten standards.

Here's why most cooks like tilapia:  it's inexpensive, easy to prepare, widely available and "goes with everything."  It's also a good source of protein and has a low to moderate fat content.  It tastes pretty good too. 

Old Fashioned Chuck Roast w/Potatoes, Carrots and Onions

I remember it vividly!

It’s “chuck roast,” Mom corrected me, on the day I blurted out “pot roast.”  Must've been because she didn't want the cattle on our farm to be offended... 😉

Perfect Baked Chicken Breast

Looking for a recipe for baked chicken breast?  
This is the only recipe you'll need!

The ubiquitous chicken just might be the most popular meat around.  Cooks love it for its versatility and folks, young and old, love the flavor of it.  I’ve cooked a lot of chicken in my lifetime, and we think this is one of the best!

Chicken w/Garlic and Mushrooms in White Wine Sauce

Chicken lovers unite, here’s a scrumptious creamy 

satisfying dish just for you!

This delicious chicken smothered in a delectable creamy garlic and mushroom sauce with white wine will make you forget it’s a chilly fall day out there, not to mention less daylight. It comes together in no time!

Chicken with Olives, Salsa and Lime

If you need an effortless 

dish for dinner 

that comes together in 20 minutes, 

this saucy chicken dinner is for you.

Chicken breasts braised in flavorful pico de gallo (salsa) and salty green olives for tender, delicious meat...

Down East Crab Cakes

Down East Crab Cakes 

taste great, 

less filler!

The Down East Crab Cake name comes from crabmeat mixed with eggs and sauce, 

no mayonnaise included!

Most of us love the sweet, briny crab meat that comes from the coasts.  Crab cakes started out as a measure of thrift.

Creamy Chicken-Broccoli Mac & Cheese with Mushrooms with Birdwatching on the Side

  With this version of mac and cheese, you can eat all you like ~ there’s a helping of greens is in it, as in broccoli.  Broccoli is full of vitamins and minerals and is a classic example of a superfood. 

Actually, there has not been much cooking here lately, as Bill and I have been busy “birding" for a while ~ watching 2 bird nests in bushes on the side of our house; one, a nest of cardinals and the other, a nest of robins.  

Chicken Cutlets Blue Bloods Way

I’ve said it before, I’m a huge fan of “Blue Bloods” TV show 
and haven’t missed one episode. 

  
The Blue Bloods Cookbook  
is just as good!