All Posts By Jennifer

You ever have one of those days where only gravy can fix what’s wrong? Yeah, me too. There’s something downright healing about Southern smothered pork chops. It’s not just food. It’s a whole mood. Crispy-edged, golden-fried chops nestled in a pan of silky onion gravy that’s so good it makes you forget your troubles. You pour that over mashed potatoes, maybe scoop it up with a piece of cornbread, and suddenly the world feels a little less upside down. I grew up watching my mama make these on Sundays. She wore this old blue apron and never measured a thing …

Let me tell you a little story. Back in the ’80s, on a road trip through Nebraska with two hungry kids in the back seat and my husband trying to read a paper map upside-down, we stumbled across this charming little diner off Highway 6. The sign out front read “Homemade Runzas Today!” We had no idea what a Runza was — but honey, once that flaky, golden pastry hit my lips and I tasted that warm, peppery beef and cabbage filling? I was sold. Runzas are like a warm hug from the Midwest. If a pot pie and a …

Simple, satisfying, and full of “tastes like home” goodness. I don’t know about you, but there are days when all I want is something warm, savory, and wrapped in a little Southern comfort. Something that fills the house with a smell that practically hugs you at the door. That’s this dish right here. This cabbage beef bake is the kind of meal that doesn’t try to be trendy — it’s not dressed up with microgreens or hiding behind a fancy name. It’s humble. It’s hearty. And every single bite feels like your grandma wrapped it in foil and sent it …

The kind of dish that makes people ask for seconds — and maybe the recipe, too. Now listen. This isn’t one of those fussy, four-page recipes with ten kinds of stock and French wine you’ve never heard of. This is the kind of rice dish your mama would’ve made when company was coming over — or when it was just too chilly out and you needed something warm, buttery, and soul-soothing to go with dinner. It’s a little French, a little Southern, and a whole lotta comfort. We’re talking caramelized onions, buttery rice, a touch of thyme, and a sprinkle …

Alright, sugar — if you’ve never had Southern shrimp dip before, bless your heart, because you’re about to meet your new go-to dish. This stuff is ridiculous in the best way. It’s creamy, just a touch spicy, and loaded with tender chunks of shrimp. It’s one of those things that seems fancy but takes barely any effort, which honestly makes it even better. We’ve had this at everything from baby showers to backyard BBQs — and no matter the crowd, there’s always someone hovering near the bowl, scooping up “just one more bite.” You know the type. (Sometimes it’s me. …

You know those cookies that somehow feel like a hug from the past? That’s these. Back in my childhood kitchen in the Midwest, you could always count on a plate of these toffee pecan cookies showing up somewhere between the end of summer and the first snow. Usually wrapped in wax paper, tucked into a cookie tin, and sitting real casual on the counter like they weren’t about to be devoured in one sitting. The scent alone — all brown sugar, butter, and toasted pecans — was enough to draw every kid in the neighborhood through the door like cartoon …

I remember the first time I made these crispy little beauties at a potluck — folks circled back not once, not twice, but three times. And every single time, someone would whisper, “Did you say these were… egg rolls?” Yep. But not just any egg rolls. These are Southern-style—stuffed with seasoned pork, tender cabbage, and carrots, then fried to golden perfection. They’re everything we love about comfort food, wrapped in one handheld, crackly bite. Think of them like a little party in a roll: part classic, part unexpected, and all the way delicious. Why You’ll Be Fryin’ Up a Second …