Southern

Now, "Southern" cooking could mean a lot of things (especially since my most recent post was all about making South African curry...now I guess that's really Southern) including a good ole' pig pickin', something fried, or just some black-eyed peas to celebrate the New Year.

But one of the most comforting meals in warm weather to me, is some North Carolina southern grilling. What could be more relaxing than a table set outdoors, with chicken grillin' on the BBQ, while you sit around drinking sweet tea and laughing together? Spring and summer here in the American Southeast conjures up visions of fresh vegetables from the garden, cooking outside whenever possible, and long, lingering meals on the patio. All the better if no mosquitoes are invited.

Menu: BBQ Chicken
Corn on the Cob
Fresh-from-the-garden salad greens
Strawberry Shortcake

This particular cooking night was not well-attended...everyone was pretty busy...but a few gals came, and our hungry friend, David was happy to join in. So we kept things pretty basic. Grilling chicken is not rocket science, neither is boiling corn or making a salad.

But here are a few little pointers for each of these processes:

1. Grilling around here typically involves a lot of grease fires/flare-ups. To avoid this, keep your flame as low as possible, and start the chicken on some foil (or conversely, bake it for a little while and THEN put it on the grill at the very end), and then transfer it to direct heat for the last 10 minutes or so. I use a local favorite sauce from the grocery store: "Bone Suckin' Sauce." It's delicious.

2. I grew up wrestling butter over my cylindrical corn still on the cob. I decided a long time ago, I wouldn't put my family through all that trauma at the dinner table. So after I drain the corn, I put a great big blob of REAL butter and some salt in the pot with the hot corn, put the lid back on, and let it melt. Then I give it a big stir to make sure all are coated and serve it already prepared. Of course, the little corn-shaped pokey things are at the table as well, so you can manage the corn without getting all buttery.

3. Salad: doesn't need a lot of dressing. A little splash of balsamic vinegar and olive oil just on the greens, does the trick. Then add in the other goodies.

4. Strawberry Shortcake: I'm all about some shortcuts, and Bisquick is one of my favorites. They have a delightful recipe for shortcake on the box. You can modify and dress up the presentation, and everyone will think you are Martha S. Strawberries are ready for the picking at local farms, so you really will be Martha if you throw in that you "picked them this morning!"

So, sans mosquitoes, we enjoyed another lovely meal together on a warm spring night.