A cross between gumbo and jambalaya, this quick and easy skillet meal packs a burst of gumbo flavor, but without the usual lengthy time commitment - great for busy weeknights.

Skillet Gumbolaya

This is a great skillet meal that's a bit of a cross between gumbo and jambalaya. It's another one of those quickie dishes that I'm making while I work my way through getting whatever gardening and planting I want done before summer heat sets in.

Honestly though, I'm not quite sure which is worse... spring allergies or summer heat!

I got a high allergy alert on my Weather Channel app a little earlier, and just the thought of it made me cough! We've got a little rain moving in tonight and tomorrow, so I may get a break on the allergens and a little time to catch up on blogging and writing duties, speaking of which...

Meat and Potatoes Casserole, a baked dish, layered with potatoes, seasoned ground beef, cream soup sauce and topped with shredded cheese.

Meat and Potatoes Casserole

I've been super busy the past few weeks, trying to get my spring gardening in before the heat sets into south Mississippi. It comes pretty quick, and seems quicker as I get older, and once it does, it makes it impossible for me to do much in the way of gardening. I just can't tolerate the heat anymore.

You may recall that we moved a few years ago, and although this house had so many features we loved, gardens and flowers were not one of them. Previous owners had either not had an interest in planting or had failed due to the east/west exposure. All the post-Katrina planting I did at the old house, which frankly was an awfully good selling point and one of the reasons the new buyers fell in love with the place, I'm having to completely start from scratch with at this house.

One of my Freedom hedge roses - I planted 4 more of them this spring!

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The Masters, held in Augusta Georgia every April, is steeped in tradition, and the food served there is an important element. If you're not lucky enough to be a patron, set the mood for your own home viewing with some of my traditional, Master-worthy recipes.

Food for The Masters

We get a lot of golfers down here along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and we even have some popular tournaments - in fact, the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic was held in Biloxi this past week, and with a $1.6 million dollar purse, it's serious stuff.

The Masters, held annually in the first week of April, is really the one to watch though, and it is firmly centered in traditions, including the classic foods that are served there. One of four major professional golf championships, it is always held in the first full week of April, and unlike others, always at the same location at the Augusta National Golf Club, a private club located in Augusta, Georgia.