Grill Man is my favorite taste tester, although I don’t always like to hear his comments. If he doesn’t like something that I have cooked,  I know he will convey his  honest opinion. Then, the hard part is that I have to decide what to do with this information and how to interpret.  Many times I may cook a dish until we love it.

Love to hear that something is delicious and he agrees that I should include a recipe on  my site. Quiche- Albacore Tuna Spiced Up? Wow! recipe is a “one and done recipe”. One and done recipes are my absolute favorite but a bit rarer than I would like.

Keep a well stocked pantry

Always pick the best quality ingredients possible for you and your family. My preference is wild caught albacore tuna. Cooking this dish with fresh tuna would be the best option if  you have it available and it is a great last-minute, “I don’t know what to cook for dinner recipe.” Quiche- Albacore Tuna Spiced Up? Wow! recipe will come to the rescue when your at a loss.

Truly, Grill Man needs to get back on the water and soon to fill up my freezer. For adventure on the water charter a boat with friends or family. Boat captains typically make sure a fish haul if possible.

Deep Sea fishing is a great way to spend the day. Fishing on the Gulf Coast is fabulous with extremely varied species in Gulf waters. Wild Caught tuna is available for you to reel in if your willing to go out far enough. You must be  willing to fight for your catch.

Shout out to Alexa for Maddie & Tay’s “Shut Up and Fish”.

For other Quiche recipes, check out the following:

Spicy Sausage Cheese Egg Pies

Smoky Egg Pie with Sausage and Onions Date

Peeps, chickens and Egg Pie

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Watching the meal planning exercise and execution with your adult child is educational. It is  amusing to hear her make comments to me about the need to cook healthy. What?  Me the Mom who has received more than my share of eye rolls, snarky comments and blank stares when I have made simple comments like:

-limit drinking soda’s or totally avoid
-stay away from junk food
-drink plenty of water
-limit fried foods

What is best way to add new healthy habits?

Learning to merge healthy habits into  your diet and cooking is a process. My belief is that adding in healthy habits are sustainable if you adjust over time. A total change overnight is harder to keep going after the “new” wears off. Cooking healthy is vitally important to our overall health. Healthy food assists our bodies to work properly and in boosting our immune system.

My girl has introduced her own healthy suggestions into our home. We are never too old to learn, even from our children. I requested muffins, meat-loaves and new chef recipe to be used on my site and a healthy mix of vegetables for our meal.  Quickly, my new chef stated that the menu would consist of ground turkey for the Muffins, Meatloaves and New Chef recipe.

Off she went to the grocery to buy items needed for dinner. Time for me to put my feet up, I could get use to this. Is it time for wine?  I moved to the couch and my computer while I waited for my new chef to whip up a recipe.

My girl and I chatted about pans, ingredients and typical meatloaf recipes in general. The healthy addition to her meatloaf recipe was ground turkey. Prior to this, Muffins, Meatloaves and New Chef recipe, ground turkey was MIA from my kitchen. In our house, we love whole turkeys baked in the oven, grilled on the egg and in the slow cooker.

But, ground? This tiny piece of information would be on the “need to know status” for Grill Man.  Certainly the meat-loaves cooked in a muffin pan would be delicious. This had been on my list to try for some time. My favorite part of a traditional meatloaf is the crispy end or edges where all the flavor concentrates. The black-ish part that appears  too burnt to eat but is oh so delicious. The multiple muffin tins would allow for more crispy edges to share less crispy to negotiate over.

To use Ground Turkey or not in Muffin Meatloaves ?

My girl had experience cooking with ground turkey therefore I was not worried about the taste. Since Grill Man was traveling, she would have time to complete the dish before he discovered the ground turkey secret. How would he like the meatloaf? Would he notice the  turkey before we shared the secret with him? Over time would he want to eat the meatloaf again after he found out it was turkey? Inquiring minds want to know.

Muffins Meatloaves and New Chef recipe is a hit. Grill Man and I loved the flavor of the meatloaf. Muffin tins provide more crispy bits of heavenly flavor to fight over. The turkey secret remained intact until I decided to share with Grill Man.

As with most “food dislikes” once the person learns of additional add of “item to avoid” they may or may not want to eat the item again. Over time, a person with “food dislikes” may change their opinion and learn to love an item once avoided. Then again, some times not. Food like and dislikes is a very personal choice.

Muffins Meatloaves and New Chef recipe is yummy with turkey.  In lieu of turkey swap out your favorite ground meat. The spices may need to be adjusted accordingly. For a completely different type of meatloaf which includes meat, meat and more meat visit Meatloaf Trifecta Beef, Spicy Sausage and Bacon

Alexa Shout out to Peter Frampton  for Wind of Change. I tried to search for the newest album Acoustic Classics but Alexa isn’t that hip yet. Grill Man has this album and loves it.

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Admittedly, I am very sentimental. I value the stories and memories from the past. Loved ones that are no longer with us, live on in our memories even our dreams. Food, aromas and memories are tied together in an amazing way. These memories store away then remind us of all that we love and lost. Cooking a dish that my Grandmother made for us offers comfort in her absence. My recipe box treasures are priceless.

First item to enter my Recipe Treasure Box

The earliest recipe that I remember collecting is ladyfingers cookies. Ladyfinger cookies are everything that I  desire in a cookie. Firm, hint of sweet, tiniest pecan crunch,  buttery flavor that melts in your mouth and leads to a craving for another cookie.

Sadly, the recipe is on a small piece of paper with an orange sharpie that is faded but protected in a tiny plastic bag. I should rewrite this on a recipe card and toss the tiny paper. Memories flood my brain when I see my recipe scrap of paper. A computer generated copy is unable to move me in this way.

When my daughter was little my neighbor shared her ladyfingers cookie recipe. The cookies became one of our comfort cookies that I would make as a special treat. A delicious bite of butter, sugar, flour and pecans. How may you top that?

Over the years of learning to cook, I would add my favorites from family and friends to my recipe box. Occasionally I find recipes with notes for added instructions and comments from the person who shared the recipe. I love the process of scanning through the hidden gems and selecting recipes to cook.

Grill Man has his Grandmother’s version of recipe box treasures.  Enclosed in a paperback cookbook titled “Favorite Recipes of Alabama Vocational Home Economics Teachers”. Stuffed inside with lots of handwritten recipes on scraps of paper in various shapes and sizes. Recipes mostly consisting of desserts, few entrees and holiday recipes.

I smile  when I gaze through the recipes in this collection. A couple of the recipes only have a list of ingredients without the instructions. A recipe so simple, no instructions needed.

In addition,  is the no name recipe that involves cooked chicken, eggs, seasonings and gelatin. A savory meat mold with chicken?  I wonder if the timing of this creation was popular at the same time avocado and orange furnishings were the rage?  I have not attempted this little gem yet.

Where to store recipe box treasures?

Grill Man’s Aunt Theria kept her own version of recipe box treasures except she stored them in a basket, albums and tiny  notebooks. The notebooks and albums include handwritten recipes that she  either created, people shared or discovered in magazines and cookbooks.

Recipes titled, numbered and include origination of recipe. Occasionally, Theria added comments that would include how much she enjoyed the dish or holiday suggestions. Thoughtfully, she added an index at the end of the notebook for easy referencing.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered  a recipe that I shared with Theria. The inclusion in her recipe box treasures was the sweetest. I miss Theria and her infectious laugh. Theria embraced life and learning at every stage of her life. Her recipe treasure box or basket and notebooks offer a connection that I love and enjoy when I  review the collection. The collection is where the value lies not the storage device.

Attending estate sales and garage sales provides an opportunity to buy a collection. Occasionally, I have purchased  “recipe box treasures”. I am always amazed that someone has left treasures out for me to buy. My favorite treasure I found in New Orleans. Details in this post titled  Southern Comfort and Oh That Chocolate Pie

Create your treasures and store them properly

I shudder to think what the future may hold for recipe box treasures. Everything is moving towards high-speed and efficient technology. Easily I imagine how the future may only hold recipes in computers.  Yet technology will not offer  memories or connections that my handwritten notes and collections offer.

Technology erases and minimizes our human interactions if we allow. Use your electronic devices only  as needed. Otherwise you may have a ferocious machine that requires constant feeding to work.

Balance is the key to everything and finding that balance is paramount to living well. On your road to a life well lived,  take time to start your recipe treasure box.  Do you have recipes recorded from your friends and family? Have you shared them with your children or grandchildren? I promise that it will be priceless to someone you love.

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My Grandfather was the first person that I met who canned and preserved foods. Any visit would always include our family returning with Preserved Figs, Sweet Pickles and green beans.  My Grandfather had a massive garden at his home.

As an adult, I do not know how he took took care of his garden. I don’t remember my Grandfather having help but surely his garden size dictated a helper or two? Picking produce from his garden is a memory that is indelibly imprinted on my brain. At the time, I did not appreciate the value of the garden, the labor required to maintain seemed excessive in my young mind.

Gardening or preserving was not very exciting to a child. Sadly, by the time I became interested in the happenings of a kitchen, he had moved on to greener pastures. The loss of a loved one leaves a void and some opportunities evaporate with their death. When one door closes another one opens. Occasionally, we have to knock the door down to keep moving.

Fig Chess Pie Recipe and lessons from Granny

In addition to moving and never stopping, my Granny certainly taught me a thing or two about southern cooking. I learned to always cook more than you need because you never know when you may have an extra guest. Lord knows, I needed to learn this one. Cook simply and with the best ingredients that you may afford. Serve your guests with a smile and give a southern welcome.

I love preparing standard Chess Pie and serving at any gathering. My friend Jazz Girl is particularly fond of my plain-jane Chess Pie.  First of all, I knew that figs would blend well in an updated version of the Chess  pie. Figs have a sweet delicate flavor that marries well with dairy products.

In this recipe, I included a small amount of figs to the recipe for a delicate flavor. Depending on your taste and harvest, the figs could easily be doubled to increase the fig flavor. Southern Chess Pie is an old-fashioned dessert that holds up against the most discriminating palate.

In summary, simple with minimal ingredients, Fig Chess Pie recipe will entice your guests. A dollop of homemade whipped cream or a scoop of delicious ice cream would pair nicely with this pie. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

Shout out to Alexa  Jillian Jacqueline for her song- Reasons

Jilliam is part of the Listen Up Campaign. https://www.jillianjacqueline.com/

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Week at the beach screams for a well planned menu. A menu that lends itself to preparing ahead  of time at home, freeze  and transport to join the fun. First, extra planning and cooking for you before your trip. Let’s face it, it will be easier for you to cook meals in your home. You have everything at your fingertips, baking dishes, seasonings, stocked pantry and recipes.

Sharing a home cooked meal and engaging in conversations is important to family relationships. If you have teenagers or young adults, it is important to have special time with them while you may.  They will be up and out of the house before you know it.  A meal at home provides a relaxed atmosphere and allows you to linger longer than a meal out.

What does cooking meals ahead reduce ?

-reduce transporting to/from beach items to cook, seasonings & pantry basics
-reduce multiple grocery trips  & paying more for small packaging
cost of eating out
-reduced aggravation because your stuck inside cooking while missing beach fun with family
-poor choices for quick meals including junk & fast food

Planning meals for the beach will enhance the special time for you and your family. It will give you a framework, on which to plan trip and let everyone know the plan. Please allow for flexibility, allow for freedom of choice and add in “free-days”. Decide ahead of time which meals will need everyone in attendance. Too much planning or structure does not allow for spontaneity.

As a suggestion, recommend that for breakfast and lunch, everyone is on their own. Prepare a list of items available for your crew to prepare for themselves or reheat for breakfast or lunch. After all, this will end the barrage of questions about meals.

Set a time for everyone to be ready to join the evening meal. Anyone late is first on the list for kitchen duty for breakfast. Enjoy the meal and dinner conversation with your family. Then  allow everyone to help with the clean up before moving on to other things after dinner.

Discussions of beach activity options for the week will keep everyone busy for the first night. Between the days adventures and tomorrow’s possibilities, you should have plenty to talk about. Not to mention no one will go hungry with your planned menu.

Make Ahead Beach Menu

Here is a suggested menu plan. This make ahead beach menu plan allows for a week at the beach of meals. You may need to adjust the recipe quantity based on the number of people in your crew. Also, adjust as needed for how many times you may want to eat out while at the beach.

Easy Breakfast Casserole

Spicy Sausage Cheese Egg Pies

A Savory Cake of Bread, Sausage and Cheese

Weary Souls Chicken Soup Recipe

Spicy Corn and Crawfish Chowder

Spicy Chili with Chipotle

Working Mom’s Chicken Enchilada

Braised Beef Roast Served on a Bed of Egg Noodles with Smoky Gravy

Meatloaf Trifecta Beef, Spicy Sausage and Bacon

Beach Ready? New Fresh Potato Salad Recipe

Southern Zipper Peas Recipe

Updated 100 year old Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

Chocolate Mint Brownie Bites

Things to keep in mind for your Make Ahead Beach Menu

Breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes, all freeze well.
Roast recipe- cook pasta  just before serving.
No seafood  in main entree- when dining out, order fresh seafood.
Chicken enchiladas Serve alone or add salad on side
Chili is perfect to serve on a hot dog or sausage dog for lunch.
Leftover Meatloaf & Roast make excellent sandwiches for lunch

In summary, as I look at this list, I realize it is a lot to prepare fresh food but it taste so much better. Not to mention it is a healthier option. If you want to cut the work, pick only a couple of the items on the list. The meatloaf and the chicken enchiladas will not disappoint for dinner or leftover as sandwiches. I hope that this list will aid and allow you more time on the beach with your family. Or with a cocktail in your hand! When Mom is happy, everyone is happy.

Happy Beachin’ Y’all

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