What a blessing to have been raised in Memphis by a country cook who knew what she was doing. Good cooking was just a way of life in our household and among our extended family. My mother prepared the best fried chicken in Tipton County (We grew up in Memphis, but our reunions were in Tipton County.) according to my aunts, uncles, cousins, and great aunts & uncles; I have no reason to doubt their words of praise. I saw at every family reunion whose chicken was the first to go.
And my mother wasn’t the only good cook in our house. My daddy was a master at the grill and could throw together a variety of tasty snacks inside as well. He specialized in oyster chowder & Bleu Cheese Dressing; and sitting down with Daddy as we built snacks of smoked oysters, cheeses, crackers, olives, and anything else he could scrape together was a banquet in itself.
There’s more than just cooking going on here. The Stories dropdown in the header above leads to personal stories about things like baseball games, county dress codes, a bit of history and geography and more.
The blog entries below come from recipes we enjoy around our household; from recipes I’ve yet to try; from recipes given me by friends and family, and things I’ve read about on line or in real print. Yes, I do still subscribe to magazines that come in the mail. Also there are posts about cooking equipment, techniques, sources for more information, etc. I hope you find something of interest..
Roasted Garlic & Onions with Shrimp
Sherry asked me to cook something, and I said, “But we have nothing to work with.” She knew better and invited me to figure out something. I love it when she does that. I roasted most of the vegetables in a dry skillet. Toward the end, I did drizzle a bit of olive oil...
Cheese-Spinach Bake
Ingredients 3 medium eggs ; beaten.20 ounces of frozen chopped spinach.4 ounces of cheddar cheese ; grated.1 cup of cottage cheese.1/4 cup of butter ; softened.2 teaspoons of flour.Salt ; and pepper.1 cup Bacon ; fried and crumbled Instructions Cook the spinach...
Green Chiles and Mushrooms on a Shingle
When I was growing up my Aunt Marie introduced me to something she loving called “SOS.” I think it was an old Navy acronymn for something served on a “shingle.” Tonight, I had a couple of heals left over from a loaf of wheat bread, so I decided, “Why not?” Of...
5 – Good – About the Episcopal Church
A few resources I find handy. The Episcopal Church: https://www.episcopalchurch.org What We Believe (Short Version): https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe/ What We Believe (Long Version): https://www.bookofcommonprayer.net/catechism (From the Book of...
7 – Pretty good -Instructed Eucharist
The Episcopal Church: https://www.episcopalchurch.org What We Believe (Short Version): https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe/ What We Believe (Long Version): https://www.bookofcommonprayer.net/catechism What Lessons on What Sundays?...
Trump Lobbied to Deny COVID Funding
Solid TruthTrump offials lobbied to deny funding for COVID vaccine rollout. https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/31/trump-officials-lobbied-to-deny-states-money-for-vaccine-rollout/
The Mind Diet
As members of AARP, we read their newsletter which often addresses matters of health, diet, life-style, etc. We’ve probably all heard of the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, created to lower blood pressure). Now there is the MIND diet (Mediterranean...
Sheila’s Sausage and Egg Casserole
Church Lady LoveOur friend from St. Matthew’s, Shelia, shared this recipe with Sherry. She wrote it on a note card. Ingredients 1 lb. pork sausage 6 slices bread 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese 5 eggs 1 tsp dry mustard 1 tsp salt pepper to taste 1 1/2 cups of milk...
Todd’s Creek
I grew up literally on the bank of a bayou in Memphis, Tennessee. Of course, we didn’t call it a “bayou.” We called it “The Ditch.” It’s real name was “Todd’s Creek,” which I sometimes call just “Todd Creek” (leaving out the possessive). Or I sometimes call it by...
Jesus on the Wall
As far back as I can remember, the picture hung on my grandmother’s wall in her living room. Jesus holds a little lamb in one arm, and a shepherd’s crook in the other hand. Sheep gather around, and one looks up at Jesus (Like he knows him and trusts him?). My...
French Onion and Mushroom Casserole
This is some GOOD stuff! I got the idea from Ree Drummond - the Pioneer Woman. I changed it up a bit. For instance, I used home-made chicken stock rather than store-bought beef broth. And we used large sweet onions and probably a pound of fresh white mushrooms which...
Norma and Nita
Norma and Nita Kuykendall - July, 1959 - Forbes family gathering.
Jack & Jane with Stanley Forbes
Uncle Jack, Aunt Jane, and their first son Stanley. That is most likely Vicky Millican on the right.I don't recognize that pick-up truck behind the swing set, but that Ford looks like Uncle Clyde Kuykendall's. That swing set looks like one we had in our backyard on...
Billie, Vicky and Betty
We often referred to them as "The Girls." I believe they may have referred to us as "The Boys." Three sisters, Billie, Vicky, and Betty. Oh, how we love these cousins of ours.We're still trying to figure out where this picture was taken and when. We know the date...
Vicky, Anita, Billie, Norma & Betty
The Millican girls and two of the Kuykendall girls pose at this family gathering. Betty says she believes it was taken in Daddy Forbes's back yard. The date stamp on the photo reads "July 1959."
Scanning Family Photos
March 30, 2021: My cousin, Betty Millican Barnes, sent a packet of old family photos. I’ve been scanning them and trying to figure out who’s who. To see what we’ve scanned so far, click on the “Family Photos” link in the menu above; or click here.I’ve created blog...
Forbes Family Gathering
Sam & Billy Byrd; Jane & Stanley Forbes. Solomon Harris "Hap" Forbes; and maybe Jack Forbes with back turned?To view larger image, click here.
Daddy Forbes and Hat in Back Yard – July, 1959
Daddy Forbes sits in a lawn chair. Woman in white looks like she may be Billie Billings.
Our Move to Houston
ack in 1998, we were invited by Houston Baptist University to come to Houston. 1998 She received her call on Monday, June 29, and they flew the two of us down on Wednesday, July 1, 1998. They made their offer to hire...
Norma & Betty
Betty Millican and Norma Kuykendall
Sam & Bill Byrd; Jane and Daddy Forbes – July 1959
A gathering of the Forbes Family, believed by Betty Millican Barnes to be in Daddy Forbes's back yard. She also indicated she believed it was a birthday gathering for Uncle Joe. An obituary, though, indicates that Uncle Joe died in June, 1959. The picture is dated by...
Trump vs Puerto Rico
ccording to "The Lancet," Trump and his administration exhibited open and relentless "hostility toward Puerto Ricans.""The Trump administration’s unremitting hostility toward Puerto Ricans was also reflected in its 2019 proposal to cut “excessive...
Border Crisis
id the increase of children arriving at the border start under Trump or under Biden? Answer: Under Trump. Biden had nothing to do with it. The fact-checkers had a look. From "Politifact" Escobar is correct that the increase started before the...
Rioters and Money Problems
ashington Post investigators found that nearly 60 percent of Trump's insurrectionists "had prior money troubles, including bankruptcies, bad debts and tax liens." https://tinyurl.com/38bfj2sv
Mad Man
March 20, 2021: My cousin, Betty Millican Barnes, sent a packet of old family photos. I’ve been scanning them and trying to figure out who’s who. To see what we’ve scanned so far, click on the “Family Photos” link in the menu above; or click here. I’ve created blog...
Kavanaugh Was Not Exonerated
says it's a LIE that her witnesses refuted her allegation. "WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his Senate supporters misrepresented the record when they stated that three witnesses refuted Christine Blasey Ford’s...
Trump Depleted Vaccine Reserve for Biden
According to Kate Riga and Josh Kovensky of Talking Points Memo, Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary Azar gave “health officials the impression that their stockpiles would grow and allow them to dramatically expand the vaccination effort. “ “That promise...
Lancet Commission on Public Health
rom "The Lancet" - The premier British medical journal examined Trump's conduct. The Lancet Commission on Public Policy and Health examined Trump's actions and assessed their impact on public health. Among the actions by Trump cited by the...
LBJ’s Voting Rights Speech
ydon Johnson's address to Congress in support of voting rights should be required reading for all Americans today. ________________ “And We Shall Overcome”: President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Special Message to Congress Forward by someone at GMU:...
Sam’s Houston Press Articles – 2021
Sam Byrd is a freelance contributor to the Houston Press who loves to take in all of Houston’s sights, sounds, food and fun. He also loves helping others to discover Houston’s rich culture. PS - Sam also contributes to Outsmart December 14, 2021 – Behind The...
Sam’s Houston Press Articles – 2021
Sam Byrd is a freelance contributor to the Houston Press who loves to take in all of Houston’s sights, sounds, food and fun. He also loves helping others to discover Houston’s rich culture. PS - Sam also contributes to Outsmart December 14, 2021 – Behind The...
Sam’s Houston Press Articles – 2020
Sam Byrd is a freelance contributor to the Houston Press who loves to take in all of Houston’s sights, sounds, food and fun. He also loves helping others to discover Houston’s rich culture. PS - Sam also contributes to Outsmart November 20, 2020 – Houston...
GoDaddy Back-Ups
1) Log-in2) Sherrybyrd.com >>> Manage3) Sherrybyrd.com >>> Manage Hosting4) Sherrybyrd.com (Web Hosting with CPanel)5) cPanel
Spinach with Cheese and Boiled Egg
I made this up tonight just on a lark. I'll do this one again! Ingredients 8 oz. Baby spinach2 T olive oilSalt and pepper2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 to 1 cup grated cheddar cheese1 boiled egg; shelled and coarsely chopped (or sliced)Sriracha sauce...
Welcome to the River City Diner
Tommy Moore | Quarter Beer Night | Mayor | Wall Jesus | Todd’s Creek | Rassling
What a blessing to have been raised in Memphis by a country cook who knew what she was doing. Good cooking was just a way of life in our household and among our extended family. My mother prepared the best fried chicken in Tipton County (We grew up in Memphis, but our reunions were in Tipton County.) according to my aunts, uncles, cousins, and great aunts & uncles; I have no reason to doubt their words of praise. I saw at every family reunion whose chicken was the first to go.
And my mother wasn’t the only good cook in our house. My daddy was a master at the grill and could throw together a variety of tasty snacks inside as well. He specialized in oyster chowder & Bleu Cheese Dressing; and sitting down with Daddy as we built snacks of smoked oysters, cheeses, crackers, olives, and anything else he could scrape together was a banquet in itself.
There’s more than just cooking going on here. The Stories dropdown in the header above leads to personal stories about things like baseball games, county dress codes, a bit of history and geography and more.
The blog entries below come from recipes we enjoy around our household; from recipes I’ve yet to try; from recipes given me by friends and family, and things I’ve read about on line or in real print. Yes, I do still subscribe to magazines that come in the mail. Also there are posts about cooking equipment, techniques, sources for more information, etc. I hope you find something of interest. By all means, feel free to write (rbyrd@rbyrd.net)..
Roasted Garlic & Onions with Shrimp
Sherry asked me to cook something, and I said, “But we have nothing to work with.” She knew better and invited me to figure out something. I love it when she does that. I roasted most of the vegetables in a dry skillet. Toward the end, I did drizzle a bit of olive oil...
Cheese-Spinach Bake
Ingredients 3 medium eggs ; beaten.20 ounces of frozen chopped spinach.4 ounces of cheddar cheese ; grated.1 cup of cottage cheese.1/4 cup of butter ; softened.2 teaspoons of flour.Salt ; and pepper.1 cup Bacon ; fried and crumbled Instructions Cook the spinach...
Green Chiles and Mushrooms on a Shingle
When I was growing up my Aunt Marie introduced me to something she loving called “SOS.” I think it was an old Navy acronymn for something served on a “shingle.” Tonight, I had a couple of heals left over from a loaf of wheat bread, so I decided, “Why not?” Of...
5 – Good – About the Episcopal Church
A few resources I find handy. The Episcopal Church: https://www.episcopalchurch.org What We Believe (Short Version): https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe/ What We Believe (Long Version): https://www.bookofcommonprayer.net/catechism (From the Book of...
7 – Pretty good -Instructed Eucharist
The Episcopal Church: https://www.episcopalchurch.org What We Believe (Short Version): https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe/ What We Believe (Long Version): https://www.bookofcommonprayer.net/catechism What Lessons on What Sundays?...
Trump Lobbied to Deny COVID Funding
Solid TruthTrump offials lobbied to deny funding for COVID vaccine rollout. https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/31/trump-officials-lobbied-to-deny-states-money-for-vaccine-rollout/
The Mind Diet
As members of AARP, we read their newsletter which often addresses matters of health, diet, life-style, etc. We’ve probably all heard of the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, created to lower blood pressure). Now there is the MIND diet (Mediterranean...
Sheila’s Sausage and Egg Casserole
Church Lady LoveOur friend from St. Matthew’s, Shelia, shared this recipe with Sherry. She wrote it on a note card. Ingredients 1 lb. pork sausage 6 slices bread 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese 5 eggs 1 tsp dry mustard 1 tsp salt pepper to taste 1 1/2 cups of milk...
Todd’s Creek
I grew up literally on the bank of a bayou in Memphis, Tennessee. Of course, we didn’t call it a “bayou.” We called it “The Ditch.” It’s real name was “Todd’s Creek,” which I sometimes call just “Todd Creek” (leaving out the possessive). Or I sometimes call it by...
Jesus on the Wall
As far back as I can remember, the picture hung on my grandmother’s wall in her living room. Jesus holds a little lamb in one arm, and a shepherd’s crook in the other hand. Sheep gather around, and one looks up at Jesus (Like he knows him and trusts him?). My...
French Onion and Mushroom Casserole
This is some GOOD stuff! I got the idea from Ree Drummond - the Pioneer Woman. I changed it up a bit. For instance, I used home-made chicken stock rather than store-bought beef broth. And we used large sweet onions and probably a pound of fresh white mushrooms which...
Norma and Nita
Norma and Nita Kuykendall - July, 1959 - Forbes family gathering.
Jack & Jane with Stanley Forbes
Uncle Jack, Aunt Jane, and their first son Stanley. That is most likely Vicky Millican on the right.I don't recognize that pick-up truck behind the swing set, but that Ford looks like Uncle Clyde Kuykendall's. That swing set looks like one we had in our backyard on...
Billie, Vicky and Betty
We often referred to them as "The Girls." I believe they may have referred to us as "The Boys." Three sisters, Billie, Vicky, and Betty. Oh, how we love these cousins of ours.We're still trying to figure out where this picture was taken and when. We know the date...
Vicky, Anita, Billie, Norma & Betty
The Millican girls and two of the Kuykendall girls pose at this family gathering. Betty says she believes it was taken in Daddy Forbes's back yard. The date stamp on the photo reads "July 1959."
Scanning Family Photos
March 30, 2021: My cousin, Betty Millican Barnes, sent a packet of old family photos. I’ve been scanning them and trying to figure out who’s who. To see what we’ve scanned so far, click on the “Family Photos” link in the menu above; or click here.I’ve created blog...
Forbes Family Gathering
Sam & Billy Byrd; Jane & Stanley Forbes. Solomon Harris "Hap" Forbes; and maybe Jack Forbes with back turned?To view larger image, click here.
Daddy Forbes and Hat in Back Yard – July, 1959
Daddy Forbes sits in a lawn chair. Woman in white looks like she may be Billie Billings.
Our Move to Houston
ack in 1998, we were invited by Houston Baptist University to come to Houston. 1998 She received her call on Monday, June 29, and they flew the two of us down on Wednesday, July 1, 1998. They made their offer to hire...
Norma & Betty
Betty Millican and Norma Kuykendall
Sam & Bill Byrd; Jane and Daddy Forbes – July 1959
A gathering of the Forbes Family, believed by Betty Millican Barnes to be in Daddy Forbes's back yard. She also indicated she believed it was a birthday gathering for Uncle Joe. An obituary, though, indicates that Uncle Joe died in June, 1959. The picture is dated by...
Trump vs Puerto Rico
ccording to "The Lancet," Trump and his administration exhibited open and relentless "hostility toward Puerto Ricans.""The Trump administration’s unremitting hostility toward Puerto Ricans was also reflected in its 2019 proposal to cut “excessive...
Border Crisis
id the increase of children arriving at the border start under Trump or under Biden? Answer: Under Trump. Biden had nothing to do with it. The fact-checkers had a look. From "Politifact" Escobar is correct that the increase started before the...
Rioters and Money Problems
ashington Post investigators found that nearly 60 percent of Trump's insurrectionists "had prior money troubles, including bankruptcies, bad debts and tax liens." https://tinyurl.com/38bfj2sv
Mad Man
March 20, 2021: My cousin, Betty Millican Barnes, sent a packet of old family photos. I’ve been scanning them and trying to figure out who’s who. To see what we’ve scanned so far, click on the “Family Photos” link in the menu above; or click here. I’ve created blog...
Kavanaugh Was Not Exonerated
says it's a LIE that her witnesses refuted her allegation. "WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his Senate supporters misrepresented the record when they stated that three witnesses refuted Christine Blasey Ford’s...
Trump Depleted Vaccine Reserve for Biden
According to Kate Riga and Josh Kovensky of Talking Points Memo, Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary Azar gave “health officials the impression that their stockpiles would grow and allow them to dramatically expand the vaccination effort. “ “That promise...
Lancet Commission on Public Health
rom "The Lancet" - The premier British medical journal examined Trump's conduct. The Lancet Commission on Public Policy and Health examined Trump's actions and assessed their impact on public health. Among the actions by Trump cited by the...
LBJ’s Voting Rights Speech
ydon Johnson's address to Congress in support of voting rights should be required reading for all Americans today. ________________ “And We Shall Overcome”: President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Special Message to Congress Forward by someone at GMU:...
Sam’s Houston Press Articles – 2021
Sam Byrd is a freelance contributor to the Houston Press who loves to take in all of Houston’s sights, sounds, food and fun. He also loves helping others to discover Houston’s rich culture. PS - Sam also contributes to Outsmart December 14, 2021 – Behind The...
Sam’s Houston Press Articles – 2021
Sam Byrd is a freelance contributor to the Houston Press who loves to take in all of Houston’s sights, sounds, food and fun. He also loves helping others to discover Houston’s rich culture. PS - Sam also contributes to Outsmart December 14, 2021 – Behind The...
Sam’s Houston Press Articles – 2020
Sam Byrd is a freelance contributor to the Houston Press who loves to take in all of Houston’s sights, sounds, food and fun. He also loves helping others to discover Houston’s rich culture. PS - Sam also contributes to Outsmart November 20, 2020 – Houston...
GoDaddy Back-Ups
1) Log-in2) Sherrybyrd.com >>> Manage3) Sherrybyrd.com >>> Manage Hosting4) Sherrybyrd.com (Web Hosting with CPanel)5) cPanel
Spinach with Cheese and Boiled Egg
I made this up tonight just on a lark. I'll do this one again! Ingredients 8 oz. Baby spinach2 T olive oilSalt and pepper2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 to 1 cup grated cheddar cheese1 boiled egg; shelled and coarsely chopped (or sliced)Sriracha sauce...