Longevity Vegetable Bean Soup

A hearty vegetable and bean soup with big flavor and simple ingredients. Nourishing, flexible and perfect for easy weeknight cooking.

Longevity Vegetable Bean Soup

Every now and then, I stumble on a recipe that has good bones but needs a little coaxing to come alive.

That’s exactly how this soup started - as a clipped recipe for Dr. Greger’s Live Longer Vegetable Bean Soup - a weight loss soup - that promised nourishment but was a little lacking in flavor to my liking.

So I did what any Gulf Coast cook would do: I layered in flavor until it felt like home!

Gulf Coast Lenten Eggs and Rice

A simple Gulf Coast Lenten classic, made with warmed leftover rice, buttered eggs, and easy add‑ins with leftover veggies. Humble, comforting, and rooted in Mississippi and Louisiana Catholic tradition.

A Dish Rooted in Gulf Coast Catholic Life

Along the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coast, Lent has always carried its own rhythm. Fridays meant no meat, but nobody went hungry.

Why Eggs and Rice?

Catholic families often relied on simple, meatless meals during Lent. Rice was inexpensive, filling, and always on hand. Eggs added protein, and leftover vegetables stretched the meal even further.

Over time, the dish became a quiet Lenten tradition, not celebrated, not written down, but remembered in the rhythms of family life. It was the kind of meal you made because it was Friday during Lent, you were Catholic, and you had leftovers.

Creamy Homestyle Chicken Noodle Stew made with tender chicken, hearty veggies, and wide egg noodles. Cozy, creamy, and perfect for weeknights or freezer clean‑outs.

Creamy Homestyle Chicken Noodle Stew

So, I have several freezers because I buy meat in bulk, and one suddenly went out on me recently. If you've ever had a freezer go out, you know what a mad scramble it is to either get another freezer or to rearrange any remaining freezer space to transfer stuff into, so you don't lose valuable meat.

Just one of those things that life throws at us!

I ended up with excess frozen meats that I couldn't fit and just had to refrigerate to thaw and come up with some recipes to use those things up! One of those was a large package of cooked, shredded chicken from a whole bird I’d simmered last month.

I used half of it to make this stew and the rest I used to make my Shortcut Chicken and Dumplings.

A hearty one‑pot cabbage supper loaded with smoked sausage, beef, and sweet peppers. Cozy, colorful, full of smoky flavor and perfect for busy weeknights.

Loaded Sweet Pepper Cabbage Supper

Some cabbage-and-sausage suppers are simple and savory, but this one brings something extra to the table. Sweet peppers.

They melt down into the pot with the cabbage, sausage, and beef, adding not only color, but a delicious, natural sweetness, and a depth of flavor that sets this version apart from the other more classic cabbage dishes I’ve shared over the years.

A golden, buttery ham and cheese bake nestled in soft Hawaiian bread - warm, melty, and the kind of timeless comfort that works for family dinners or any gathering.

Hawaiian Bread Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwich

There’s something about a warm ham and cheese bake that just feels right on the table and we've pretty much all made some version of it. It's simple, cozy, and guaranteed to be one of the first things to disappear at a party.

This version has all the familiar comforts: soft, sweet bread, melty savory layers, and that irresistible buttery topping. It’s the kind of recipe that fits anywhere, from weeknight dinners to potlucks to holiday spreads, and it always brings people back for another slice.

And just like those old‑fashioned cone‑shaped croquettes that quietly evolved into flat patties, my earliest memories of this now‑viral “slider” recipe didn’t start with sliders at all.

A Gulf Coast Gumbo Collection: The Recipes I Make All Year Long

Gumbo is a dish with endless variations, and this roundup brings together the classics, the coastal favorites, and the seasonal bowls that define Deep South cooking. Whether you’re stirring a dark roux, simmering summer vegetables, or making a simple Lenten pot, you’ll find a gumbo here for every table.

A Deep South Gumbo Roundup: Classics, Seafood and Seasonal Favorites

If there’s one dish that tells the story of the Gulf Coast, it’s gumbo.

Every pot has its own personality - the roux, the stock, the meats, the seafood, the vegetables, the season, the occasion. Some gumbos simmer all afternoon, filling the house with that unmistakable aroma that feels like home. Others come together quickly for busy nights when you still want something warm and soulful.

Over the years, I’ve shared many different versions, each one rooted in tradition but shaped by the way real home cooks live and eat today. Whether you’re craving a classic chicken-and-sausage gumbo, a seafood feast, a Lenten-friendly bowl, or even a veggie-packed summer pot, you’ll find something here that fits the moment.

A cozy one‑pan beef tenderloin tips dinner with pan‑sauteed vegetables, a splash of white wine, and just enough broth to bring everything together. Tender, flavorful, and ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for weeknights or entertaining.

Beef Tenderloin Tips with Vegetables

This dish, inspired by Jacques Pepin's Instant Beef Tenderloin Stew, isn't like the traditional, thick stew we think of in the South. This is more of a skillet meal, but with a stew vibe.

The focus stays on the beef tenderloin that cooks quickly and stays buttery‑soft, while the vegetables help it to feel hearty like a traditional stew, but without being overly heavy.

What comes out of the pan in the end, is tender beef tips, tossed with potatoes and carrots, earthy mushrooms, sweet peas, and just enough white wine and broth to pull everything together with a glossy, savory finish.

Cold Weather Favorites

Warm up with this collection of hearty, comforting cold‑weather recipes, from classic soups and stews to slow‑braised roasts, cozy casseroles, and Southern favorites. These tried‑and‑true dishes are perfect for chilly nights, busy weeknights, and Sunday suppers alike. Save this roundup for all your winter cooking inspiration.

Cold Weather Favorites: Cozy, Hearty, Stick‑to‑Your‑Ribs Comfort

When the temperatures dip and the days feel a little shorter as they have here lately, I always find myself reaching for the kinds of recipes that warm you from the inside out.

The dishes that fill the house with slow‑simmered aromas, that make you linger a little longer at the table, and that remind you why home cooking is such a comfort in the first place.

This collection brings together some of my most beloved cold‑weather favorites - recipes that have been simmered, baked, braised, and stirred in Southern kitchens for generations.

 

This Chicken Burrito Bowl is packed with seasoned chicken, Mexican rice, black beans, corn, pico, avocado, jalapenos, shredded cheese and topped with fresh cilantro, lime wedges and a creamy homemade dressing. It's a quick, customizable weeknight dinner everyone will love.

Chicken Burrito Bowl

There’s something so satisfying about a good burrito bowl. It has all the flavors you love, layered up in one big, beautiful dish you can customize to your heart’s content. This Chicken Burrito Bowl is one of those recipes that checks every box: easy to make ahead, quick to prep and full of color and texture.

The base starts with fluffy Mexican yellow rice, which brings instant flavor without any extra work. Make your own from scratch or pick up a mix.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips, get a simple but bold seasoning from a packet of taco seasonings or your own homemade version and a quick sear in a hot skillet. It’s the kind of easy weeknight technique that still gives you those caramelized, flavorful edges.

Poor Man's Meal of Hot Dogs with Potatoes and Onions

A skillet mix of fried potatoes, onions and sliced hot dogs, born out of ingenuity and necessity during the 1930s Great Depression era and known as a Poor Man's Meal, because of the low cost, easy prep and ingredient availability. This dish continues to carry comfort that never goes out of style.

Poor Man's Meal - Hot Dogs with Potatoes and Onions

There are those days where you know you need to eat, but you just don't really feel like cooking or even know what it is that you want!

Enter one of my favorites. Fried potatoes. 

I can certainly make a meal of those alone, or really any other potato central dish to be honest - set a pot of those smothered potatoes in front of me and I'm a happy gal - but if you want to get in a little protein too, it's excellent with some sliced smoked sausage or hot dogs tossed in and I make it regularly because I love it!