This is by far my favorite blueberry muffin recipe. It’s so easy, and I love the flavor and the texture. I’m not a fan of muffins that are overly sweet, or cakey, or dry, and these are none of those things. And you’re going to laugh when I tell you the secret...
Peach, Blueberry, and Burrata Salad
Peaches and blueberries are a match made in heaven. One of my very favorite quick summertime desserts is super simple. It’s nothing more than a sliced ripe peach, a handful of fresh blueberries, a tiny sprinkle of brown sugar, and a splash of ice cold heavy cream. ...
Chicken Souvlaki
Yum--Chicken Souvlaki. I make it frequently in the summer. If you’re not familiar with it, souvlaki is Greek street food. I first tasted it in college at an international food fair. When I had my own kitchen, I checked a Greek cookbook out of the library and...
The Best Tzatziki Sauce
Part of growing up on the Gulf Coast means you’re exposed to the wonderful world of Mediterranean food. Many local families have Greek, Italian, or Lebanese grandparents and/or great-grandparents who immigrated to the U.S. Lots of those immigrants opened grocery...
Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
My dad knocked on the back door a few days ago and handed me a bag of seven or eight cucumbers from my parents’ garden. I cut some up for Princess Persnickety to take with lunch, I made a batch of Tzatziki Sauce, and then I threw together a batch of Refrigerator...
Antipasto Salad
Antipasto. The literal translation from Italian is “before the meal.” In Italy antipasto can be any number of things served at the table before the main dishes: cheeses, meats, olives, artichokes, marinated vegetables, fried or grilled vegetables, bruschetta,...
Spicy Shrimp and Pineapple
I’ve heard the cuisine popular along the southernmost coast of the Gulf called “Mexi-ribbean”. That term works for me, and it’s perfect for Spicy Shrimp and Pineapple. This is a fantastic dinner recipe that you can have on the table in 25 minutes including cooking...
Chicken Ramen Noodle Salad with Mandarin Oranges
We've loved Ramen Noodle Salads here at Casa LCK for ages. If you’ve been to a barbecue/potluck/dinner-on-the-grounds affair in the last 25 years, chances are pretty good that you’ve had--or at least seen--ramen noodle salad before. If not, the very idea may be,...
Mini Kentucky Hot Browns
A few years back, I had a sweet friend call to say she needed a favor. Dot was in her 80s, smart as a whip, funny as could be, and I loved chatting with her. Dot was from Hattiesburg. She had moved here in the late 1990s I think, and we knew a lot of the same...
Stuffed Zucchini
Do you need a nutritious dinner that everyone in your orbit will enjoy? I think we all do! Italian-American-style Stuffed Zucchini is easy and almost magical in its ability to appeal to all ages and tastes. Kids love it! You can call them “boats” or whatever else...
The Very Best Pasta Primavera
Pasta Primavera literally means “spring pasta” in Italian. It’s an Italian-American dish invented in the 1970s, and widely credited to Sirio Maccioni, the co-owner of Le Cirque in New York City. Le Cirque ran Pasta Primavera as an off-menu special. Happily, from...
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Yesterday I did a small water bath canning class at my house. We had a good time and everyone went home with a jar of strawberry preserves. Of course I’d bought more fruit than I needed because just in case and you never know. (Old catering habits die hard.) So...













