Tag: balance

Southern Comfort Food

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When I’ve had a rough day, I crave food that gives me comfort. Being from the South, my comfort food is considerably better than pizza or ice cream. 


Fried Pork Chops, Rice with Homemade Milk Gravy and Black Eye Peas

What you need:

  • Four breakfast pork chops, bone in
  • Flour
  • Milk
  • Canola oil, enough to fill halfway up the sides of a skillet
  • 1/2 cup rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 15-ounce cans black eye peas
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Garlic powder, to taste

For the gravy:

  • Grease from the pork chops, about 3-4 tablespoons 
  • 2 heaping tablespoons flour
  • Milk, enough to fill halfway up the side of a skillet
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil over medium high heat. Pour milk into a bowl and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Pour flour onto a plate and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. 

Soak the pork chops in the milk mixture. Then, dredge the chops through the seasoned flour. 

Fry until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes on each side. 

Cook rice according to package directions. I used Riceland Extea Long Grain White Rice because it’s grown in Arkansas. My hometown to be exact. 

Open the cans of peas, and heat over medium heat in a pan on the stove. I like to add lots of pepper. 

Once the pork chops are cooked, remove any excess grease. Keep some grease with the pork chop bits, and add two heaping tablespoons of flour. Stir vigorously. 

The flour will take on a deep brown color and become creamy. This will cook off the flour taste. 

Pour milk into the flour mixture, enough to fill halfway the side of the skillet. Turn the heat to low. And stir constantly until the gravy thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gravy is difficult to make, but you can master it. The key is low heat, constant stirring and good, flavorful grease. 

I’ve made it so many times I don’t measure anything. So if these measurements are off a little bit, that’s why. 

There is nothing better than a plate of Southern comfort food. This recipe was a staple in my mom’s kitchen, and I have many fond memories of watching her cook. 

It felt good to channel my mom in my own kitchen and know the legacy of her pork chops and gravy will live on every time I make it. 

Who knows? Maybe she will start letting me make it for her so she can relax for a change.

What is your go-to comfort food?

How Does Your Garden Grow

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Y’all, this is the first year I’ve planted a real garden. 

Boyfriend’s backyard had a very sad, overgrown raised garden bed, and after hours of laborious love we have nursed it back to health. 


Yes, we did get rainbow colored tomato cages. Because life is too short for regular tomato cages. 

In the garden, we planted Buttercrisp lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, cucumbers, yellow squash, basil, dill, lavender and cat nip. 

We’ve placed insect repellent flowers throughout to help manage it. 

I’ve fertilized it once with organic plant food. And I’m impatiently waiting for fruit. 

So far, I’ve only trimmed the basil a couple of times, the lettuce once. What a nerve wrecking process that was. Lettuce is fickle. And it needs a ton of water. 



But I love coming home from work to check on it. It’s such a cool thing to grow your own food. My future salads will taste so good. 

I am really excited to share about my garden. It’s such a huge part of my life right now, and it will play a major role in the food I create in the upcoming months. 

Tell me about your garden. Do you have one/want one? What’s in it? How does it look right now? Feel free to post and share in the comments. Or on Facebook because I have that now. 😊

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

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This weekend was an absolute blast. I spent all day Saturday surrounded by my favorite people. 

And we had some good food. 


Homemade ranch burgers and chicken sandwiches with a tomato mozzarella and basil salad, grilled yellow squash and zucchini and a fresh green salad. 


I want to focus on the tomato, mozzarella and basil salad for a minute. 

What an underrated creation. 

What you need: 

  • One pack of cherry tomatoes
  • Two packs of mini mozzarella balls
  • Fresh basil, to taste
  • Balsalmic vinegar 
  • Good quality olive oil 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Start by slicing the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes in half. Julienne the basil. I used about 10 smaller leaves of basil from my garden. 

Coat the mixture with Balsalmic vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least three or four hours so the flavors can meld. 

This salad is one of my favorites. Cool and fresh. The mozzarella takes on the flavors of the basil, oil and vinegar. The tomatoes add a sweetness. 

Just pure perfection. 

You absolutely must add this to your summer salad list. 

Fried Egg and Avocado Toast

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There are few flavors I love more than eggs paired with avocado. To me, it’s the end-all-be-all of breakfast creations. 

Avocado is creamy and mild, and the fried egg is warm with a runny yolk. 

Having said I love eggs and avocado the most, it’s not far off to say I love eggs with dill just as much. 

So why have I not pair them all together for the ultimate breakfast toast?


What you need:

  • One slice of your favorite sandwich bread 
  • One egg
  • Half an avocado
  • One slice of your favorite cheese
  • Fresh dill, to taste
  • Salt and pepper

Start out by toasting your bread. I like bread with lots of seeds in it. I feel it is “healthier” than plain ole white or wheat bread. It just depends on what’s in it. So check your ingredients, or shop at your local bakery. 

Heat a little bit of oil on medium heat. Fry the egg until the white is cooked, but the yolk is running. I usually cook it a couple minutes, then flip it. But don’t leave it too long or the yolk will fully harden. 

While the egg is cooking, put a slice of your favorite cheese on the toast. I used Colby Jack. Slice up half of the avocado. You could mash it if you want to make a spread. 

Top the avocado and cheese toast with the fried egg, and season with fresh chopped dill, salt and pepper. 

A perfect portion size. Full of flavor. And a healthy way to start the day. 

There are so many variations to this type of breakfast. Tell me about your favorite. 

The Ultimate Chicken Sandwich

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How do you master the art of the perfect chicken sandwich? 

I’ll tell you the truth. I’ve never tried to make one. So many restaurants make delicious chicken sandwiches, I’ve never felt the need to make one of my own.

Until today.   

The ultimate chicken sandwich was born. And you’ll never want another fast food substitute again.

What you’ll need:

  • Thin-cut chicken cutlets
  • Bacon
  • Pepper jack cheese
  • Buns
  • Lettuce
  • Tomato
  • Avocado
  • Ranch seasoning
  • Smidge of butter

Fry some slices of bacon. Get it crispy.

While the bacon cooks, prep your chicken and coat it in ranch seasoning. I used about half a packet, maybe less. But sure to give it a coat of black pepper, too. 

Sauté the chicken in the bacon grease. Yep, in the bacon grease. You’ll like it. I promise. 

Turn on the broiler, and butter the hamburger buns. Broil until butter is melted and buns are toasted.

Once the chicken is cooked completely, place a few slices of bacon on the chicken and top it with a slice of pepper jack cheese. Put a lid on your pan so the cheese can get melty.

Assemble the sandwich. I topped my chicken, bacon and pepper jack cheese sandwich with shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes and fresh avocado. 

I made some fried potatoes to serve as my Southern “French fries.” 

Nobody at the table complained. 

It’s a messy, delicious sandwich. You won’t be sorry you made it.