I have always been easily–and happily–influenced by food.

My Mema’s kitchen carried the most unmistakable smell of stewed meats, fresh beans from the garden, crackling pans, and seasonal squash dipped in egg, dredged in flour, shaken in a brown paper bag, and dropped into hot, bubbling oil. That squash was the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

Mornings or afternoons. I would pop open Mason jars filled with every kind of fruit. I preferred her fresh peaches over a bowl of Corn Flakes and milk, just like my papa did. There were homemade pickles soaking in sugar, vinegar, and spices that may have been my greatest obsession, along with freshly picked muscadines gathered from the field each September.

Mornings meant grits, eggs, bacon, toast with coffee. By lunchtime, the coffee had given way to freshly brewed pitchers of ice-cold tea splashing into those mallard duck glasses.

It was what dreams were made of, and it was my beautiful reality.

There was always a dessert waiting in the back room, where it stayed cool.

We always looked forward to Mema’s deserts made from scratch, most likely made with Swans Down cake flour–a staple in a Southern grandmother’s pantry. The banana cake held a place all its own. Every year, Mema made it for my birthday. Soft layers were covered in the whitest icing and dotted with slices of banana. I thought about that cake long before my November birthday arrived, and the first bite always felt like the celebration had finally begun.

She also made delicious German chocolate cake rich with shreds of coconut and that unmistakable milk chocolate color. Pecan pie was another favorite, one she lovingly baked and shared with family and close friends throughout the holidays. What made it even more special were the pecans themselves, collected from the trees scattered across their land beyond the woods. When there were extra pecans, she’d roast them in the oven. I can still remember how irresistible they were–warm, buttery… delicioso.

Last, but certainly not least, was the wine cake. That’s simply what we called it. Three layers of green, yellow, and pink–think 1960’s decor colors. The top was covered with raisins and nuts soaked in wine. It was a complete throwback.

I never knew where it came from. I never thought to ask. It’s something I’ve wondered about many times over the years, but perhaps that’s part of the charm. In that mystery lies comfort and nostalgia. Some things are better left unknown, left to simply live in your heart.

It’s more than memories. Some of my happiest moments were spent sitting at the kitchen bar on one of those four pink leather chairs, watching her cook. Looking back, that was all the influence I needed to one day create the same feeling for my own family.

People often ask what I’m cooking when I share meals on social media. More often than not, it’s something Southern, simple, and familiar. Just like Mema, most of our meals revolve around a meat, a vegetable, and a starch. Some nights it’s just meat and vegetables, but whatever is on the menu, it has to be realistic for our busy lives.

I’ve spent the last eighteen years raising two boys around our dinner table. The recipes that follow are the ones my family asks for again and again–the tried-and-true favorites that have found a permanent place in our home. I hope they find one in yours, too.

I find comfort in knowing Mema lived long enough to see the home I built and the homemaker I was becoming because of her. Even her beloved mixer was set aside for me. Some traditions are simply too sweet to leave behind. And trust me–we always make room for a homemade dessert at least once a week.

SAVORY
salt | butter | fresh

Kitchen Staples
Dutch Oven | Crock Pot | Food Processor | Mixer | Sheet Pans

These are the recipes my family has loved for years. I’ve included my notes and favorite tweaks along the way, and you’ll find the original recipe links beneath each dish.

Viral Chuck Roast
I always buy a good chuck roast with just the right amount of fat and cook it in my well-loved Staub Dutch oven. The only thing I change is adding about two cups of bone broth so there’s plenty of flavorful juice to spoon over everything.

I usually serve it with basmati rice and French green beans tossed with butter, salt, and pepper. It’s easy, delicious, and one of those meals everyone is happy to see on the table.

Recipe: Olivia Adriance

Leek Pasta with Thyme
I stumbled across this recipe by chance, and it’s quietly become one of my favorites. Freshly grated Parmesan and thyme from the garden make it feel special, even though it’s incredibly simple. I almost always serve it with crispy chicken thighs–you’ll find my recipe a few dishes below.

Recipe: Alexandra’s Kitchen

Spaghetti
It’s no surprise how expensive groceries have become. One of the most affordable meals I’ve found is simply spaghetti. I make it two ways. One is classic spaghetti and meatballs, and the other is this version with hidden vegetables blended into the sauce. It creates a texture similar to bolognese, and it’s the one I make most often because it’s an easy way to sneak in something healthy.

Ingredients
2 lbs. 80/20 ground beef
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 zucchini, roughly chopped
3–4 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Butter
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce
Pasta of choice
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions
1. Cook your favorite pasta in generously salted boiling water.
2. Brown 2 pounds of 80/20 beef (I have hungry boys!). Skim off some of the fat if desired.
3. In a food processor, combine the onion, garlic, zucchini, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture resembles a chunky salsa.
4.Heat a large saucepan with a little olive oil and butter. Add the vegetable mixture and cook for a few minutes.
5. Stir in the ground beef into the vegetable mixture. Add your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce. A good quality sauce makes a huge difference, especially if you can find it on sale. I usually use a jar and a half because I make a larger batch of beef.
6. Simmer on low for about 30 minutes. I like to add a few slices of butter at the end to mellow the acidity of the sauce.
7. Serve over pasta.

My Notes
*I almost always double this recipe because the leftovers are even better the next day.
*A loaf of crusty bread and a simple salad make this an easy weeknight meal.
*Side Note: If you’re looking for a really good spaghetti and meatball recipe, Ina Garten’s Spaghetti & Meatballs is hard to beat.

Crispy Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are one of my favorite budget-friendly dinners. Bone-in, skin-on thighs turn out incredibly flavorful with very little effort, making this one of those meals I come back to again and again.

Directions
1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
2. Place on a sheet pan. (My favorite pans are Nordic Ware–you can often find them at HomeGoods for a great price.)
3. Season generously with salt and pepper. My son always adds paprika, and it’s delicious.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 45 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.
5. Serve with green beans and rice.

My Notes
*Bone-in, skin-on thighs give you the best flavor.
*This is one of our easiest weekend dinners.
*I usually pair it with green beans and rice, but it also goes well with roasted potatoes or a salad. The organic green beans from Costco’s freezer section are a great value. I sauté them in a little olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper, and they’re one of my favorite easy weeknight sides.
*These are also delicious with Barefoot Contessa’s Herbed Roasted Potatoes.
*Leftover chicken thighs make excellent chicken salad the next day.

Salmon
This is one of those dinners I make over and over because it’s almost impossible to mess up. Start with a salmon filet, drizzle generously with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then top with whatever sounds good that day.

Some of my favorite combinations:
1. Lemon, red onion, olives, and fresh thyme (pictured)
2. Pesto spread over the top before baking
3. A thin layer of mayonnaise mixed with Parmesan and basil.
4. Capers, fresh dill, garlic, and lemon
5. Dijon mustard with herbs
6. Butter, garlic, and parsley

Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. I usually start checking around 12-14 minutes. The salmon should flake easily with a fork but still be moist in the center. If you have a thermometer, pull it around 125-130 degrees F for a medium or 140-145 degrees F if you prefer it fully cooked.

Serve with basmati rice, roasted potatoes, asparagus, French green beans, or a simple salad.

Mema’s Chicken & Rice
My Mema was known for her chicken and rice. I never asked for the recipe, and somehow I never needed to. It was one of those meals that became part of me. Years later, I started making it in my own kitchen, and somewhere along the way I realized it tasted just like hers.

This is the kind of meal I make on a quiet day at home when I’m cleaning, folding laundry, or just puttering around the house. It takes a little time, but almost no effort, and the reward is worth every minute.

I use chicken leg quarters because they’re flavorful, forgiving, and one of the best values at the grocery store. Rub the skin generously with butter, season well with salt and pepper, and roast at 425 degrees for about 40-45 minutes, until the skin is golden and the chicken is cooked through.

When the chicken comes out of the oven, pour 1 cup of water into the hot roasting pan and scrape up all those browned bits. They become a simple broth that’s full of flavor (and collagen). Let the chicken cool until it’s easy to handle.

Pull the meat from the bones. No need to make it perfect–just go with it. Rustic is exactly how it’s supposed to be. I even snip the crispy skin into tiny pieces with kitchen scissors because that’s where so much of the flavor is.

Cook 2 cups of basmati rice according to the package directions, replacing 1 cup of the cooking water with the broth from the roasting pan. Stir in the chicken, season with salt and pepper to taste, and fluff everything gently with a fork instead of a spoon so the rice stays light.

Serve it in a big bowl with bread-and-butter pickles on the side.

My Mema made her own pickles, and they’re still the standard I measure every jar against. Until I learn to make hers, the closet I’ve found are Dutch Kettle Homestyle Bread & Butter Pickles.

My oldest son adds hot sauce. My youngest likes it just the way it is.

This meal is about as close to my roots as anything I know.

Weekend Favorites
Some meals just belong to the weekend.

Friday Nights, if crab legs are on sale, they’re coming home with us. Pair them with a couple of good steaks on the grill, melted butter, and a sprinkle of Old Bay, and that’s about as good as it gets. Crab legs are wonderfully forgiving–you can roast them, boil them, grill them, or even air fry them.

Saturday Nights, if I glance at the radar and see rain in Saturday’s forecast, there’s a good chance Barefoot Contessa’s pot roast is going into the Dutch oven. It takes a little more time, but rainy weekends almost seem to ask for slow-cooked comfort food. The best part? If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they’re even better after church on Sunday.

Sunday Nights, we’re almost always making carbonara. A bowl of pasta, a good glass of wine (or Pellegrino), and one last slow dinner before another busy week begins.

Recipe: Barefoot Contessa Company Pot Roast | New York Times Carbonara

Looking back, I realized I inherited the best of both worlds.

My Mema taught me the joy of gathering around homemade food. Everything she did felt special. Her cakes, pies, and family recipes felt like a celebration that we never wanted to end. Then she sent us home with to-go boxes of comfort food, love, and a big glass of iced tea.

My mom taught me something different. She made the best homemade biscuits, often with eggs for breakfast, and I still remember her fried fish and hush puppies. But she was also the one at the gym every day.

When I was around thirteen, she signed me up for a running class and joined in on nutrition classes. I remember learning about ingredients and reading labels long before it was something most people talked about.

Those lessons stayed with me.

Today, I still believe food should be comforting and shared with the people you love. I also try to cook with the best ingredients I can find–good butter, unbleached flour, good-quality olive oil and cheeses, simple ingredients, and plenty of fresh food whenever possible. Not everything has to be perfect, but I do think those little things can make a difference in so many ways–without sacrificing flavor.

Somewhere between my Mema’s cooking and my mom’s example, I found my own way of cooking.

One that leaves plenty of room for birthday cake, homemade biscuits, rainy-day pot roast, Sunday pasta, and candlelit dinners with the people I love.

If you enjoyed these savory recipes, stay tuned for Food, Part Two: Sweet–my favorite.

With Love,
Erica
Salty Blonde Living