A simple skillet meal of nicely seasoned shrimp and pasta with asparagus.

Skillet Shrimp and Pasta with Asparagus

Y'all already know that, being not only a gal from the Deep South, but also growing up right here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, that I love my fresh from the Gulf seafood.

I have also talked here about how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE asparagus - any way you make it. Roasted, steamed, grilled and butter-steamed, asparagus is great as a side dish or included in other dishes. This is such a simple and easy skillet meal and the combination of asparagus with fresh shrimp is frankly, just downright delicious.

Baked bone-in half ham, made with a brown sugar and honey mustard glaze.

Honey Mustard Glazed Ham

Most of y'all familiar with my website know my No. 1 ham is the one that has been a favorite of The South for many years and the same one my Mama made - a brown sugar and mustard glaze with a Coca Cola pan sauce.

It's just such a good ham and always so well received, that it's pretty much the standard around here.

A classic, cold salad made from carrots, raisins and pineapple, sometimes coconut and peanuts, and dressed with a sweetened mayonnaise.

Classic Carrot Raisin Salad

We are still in the process of moving out of our old home, while the new house is looking more and more like we have lived here for 20 years! And the garage, oh you don't even want to know what that looks like, but as I have the energy, I bring in a box and go through it.

We are moving all of the Christmas stuff, the china from the china cabinet and have a freezer and a few pieces of furniture to go and we'll be finished... finally. The Cajun and I were so tired and hungry yesterday afternoon that we stopped by Hartz's Fried Chicken and treated ourselves to their buffet for an early supper.

Skillet Asparagus

Fresh asparagus prepared by butter steaming in a skillet.

How to Prepare Asparagus

I have been a huge fan of fresh asparagus for years and love it just about any way that you can cook it - steamed, blanched, stir fried, grilled, roasted - the marinated bacon wrapped version is mighty delicious and a favorite of mine too.

 

Button mushrooms, sauteed and reduced in a bordelaise style butter and beef stock sauce, great as a side, on a sandwich or burger, or as a grilled meat topper, perfect for steaks!

Steak and Burger Mushrooms

Not that we ever put our grills up for the winter here in the Deep South, but springtime is prime grilling season for us, because summer is near unbearable standing outside over a hot grill.

There's certainly been a lot of grilling going on here already at our new house since we moved in - I'm sure our neighbors think the only cooking we do is on the grill!