New Inspiration

You’ve probably noticed, we are switching gears…instead of cooking all Rachael, we’re expanding to include our other Food Network favorite, Paula Deen, among others.

Debbie sent me her extra "Lady and Sons, Too" cookbook and it is such an inspiration. There are already a few recipes I have in mind that I’d like to try. I haven’t seen Vidalia onions here but the new crop of Texas 1015’s is out. I want to try the onion casserole as well as the individually baked ones. I’m still cleaning out my freezer and have some frozen pork chops. I’m going to try the Dixieland Pork Chops sometime soon.

In the meantime I’ve been cooking some old favorites, the other day I made Oprah’s "Unfried Chicken" from that "In the Kitchen With Rosie" cookbook. I made some peanut butter cookies from an old Mrs. Field’s cookbook. And stuffed peppers from a Better Homes and Garden magazine clipping from years ago. Tonight we are having belated corned beef and cabbage. I looked at Paula’s recipe and instead of cooking up the cabbage separately I’m going to cook it in the pot likker with potatoes and carrots (the usual way). The cabbage here looks weird, it is greener and the head looks like a giant brussel sprout. I hope it tastes the same.
Next week my stepdaughter is coming to visit so I’ll go through my new cookbook and see what I can find that sounds easy and something everyone might like.

I drive about 45 minutes each way to work and listen to audiobooks all the time. This week it was the first half of Anthony Bourdain’s "A Cook’s Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal." He is definitely more adventurous than I am. I also think he writes like a man, if a person can say such a thing. So far it is an enjoyable read, I find my stomach turning at some of the things he eats and holding my breath for him to say he got sick (which he hasn’t, at least so far).