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..
2nd Visit to Occupational Therapist
This morning Sherry visited her therapist at 7:00 a.m. Dianne exclaimed when Sherry walked in that she looked like a totally different person than the one who visited two days ago.The swelling in Sherry's hand has greatly diminished, and she's showing excellent...
Follow-up to Face Surgery
Today, Sherry visited the two surgeons who operated on her eye and cheek area. Both report that they are pleased with the outcome of their work and with the way Sherry's healing. She still has lots of bruising and considerable swelling, but things are on the mend, and...
Therapy – Day One
11:45am - Sherry met her physical therapist today for evaluation and initial treatments. It was pretty rough going for her, and she was glad to be done and get back to the house. She's scheduled for two sessions per week for the time being, and for ongoing daily...
Out of the Splint
Sherry visited the orthopedic surgeon this morning and had the splint and stitches removed. She has quite an incision. Thank goodness that heavy splint is off, and she only has to contend with the sling for now.Her elbow and shoulder Xrays are looking good, and she...
The First 48 Hours
1:45pm - It's been almost two days now since Sherry's visit to the Neurosensory Surgical Center at Methodist Hospital. Today she slept in and was still in bed when I got home from church. The Third-Graders at Palmer were already working on this "Get Well" poster for...
Resting Quietly
1:21pm - Sherry slept well last night. We're continuing the cold compress treatments (frozen peas from Methodist), and she's passing her red color saturation tests. She's more comfortable in our bed than she was yesterday on that hospital gurney. She's thirsty, but...
Home – Sweet – Home
11:12 pm - They released her from the Methodist Neurosensory Surgical Center at around 9:50pm. After a slow drive home, we've got her in her own bed, resting with frozen peas on her face (doctor's orders). Dr. Soparkar called at 11:00pm to check on her, and all seems...
Out of Surgery!
6:55 pm - Both doctors (Dr. Terry Taylor, maxillofacial/oral surgeon, & Dr. Soparkar, eye plastic surgeon) report that things went well; she looks good. She's sporting a titanium plate in her cheek area, and a new synthetic orbitbal floor. This is encouraging news,...
Hurry Up and Wait at Methodist Hospital
We checked Sherry in at Methodist Neurosensory Surgical Center as ordered at 8:45 this morning. At about 12:30 pm., Dr. Soparkar came to tell us that Dr. Alford had taken ill and could not operate. They put in a call to another ENT who agreed to do the operation, but...
Elbow Repaired
Took Sherry into the Kirby Surgical Center at 5:45 a.m., and they wheeled her into surgery at 7:15. At 8:15, Dr. Gabel came to give me an update. They decided to go with a plate rather than with the wire as they had originally intended. I saw the xray which clearly...
The Primary Care Physician
Today we took Sherry to see Dr. Garb, her primary care physician, to get a clearance (required by Methodist Hospital) for her to undergo surgery. Tomorrow we take her over to the Kirby surgical center to have her elbow repaired.How's she doing? She's very tender;...
The Second Face Doctor
We took Sherry's new CT scan films to Dr. Eugene Alford, and he walked us through the procedure he and Dr. Soparkar plan to do on November 4. Dr. Alford will use titanium plates to hold her various fractures together. He had the same surgery done himself by Dr....
The Orthopedic
Thanks to PCAC member and fellow Palmer Parishioner, Tana Key, we were able to get Sherry in to see Dr. Gerard Gabel first thing today.He proposed using wire to repair her broken elbow; in the course of his examination, he noticed extreme tenderness in her shoulder,...
More Imaging
Dr. Soparkar ordered more CT scans; we went to the Hermann Memorial Imaging Center on Richmond and had another round of scans done. We delivered one set of films to Dr. Soparkar's office. He called to say he'd reviewed the films and was set to do the surgery.
First Round of Specialists
We took Sherry in to see Dr. Key at Methodist, and he gave her a clean bill of health on the condition of her eye; but noted that she needed extra help with the multiple fractures of her orbit and face. He got us in to see Dr. Charles Soparkar within an hour.Dr....
To the Rescue
At 9:00 A.M. Saturday morning, our first incoming phone call was from Dr. Jim Key, ophthalmologist, who also happens to attend our church. Jim had been on call Friday night, and saw Saturday morning that the emergency room had attempted to contact him regarding...
Bike Accident
At around 8:30 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011, Sherry lost control of her bicycle and flipped over the handle bars. I was with her, and rushed to her side immediately. She was unconscious, lying on her back, and a pool of blood formed under her head.She regained...
Huevos Rancheros
There are probably a million ways to do this simple dish. You can make it as complicated as you like. Simple is easy and tasty. I like to "poach" the eggs on top of the salsa. If you wish to do this, use a pan with a lid. Ingredients 1 onion, chopped 1 poblano, seeded...
Shrove Tuesday Pictures
These are a few of the pictures from our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church. All proceeds go toward supporting Youth Mission Trips.
Saturday Morning Rassling
When I was a boy, I thought Studio Rassling star, Billy Wicks was a real champion for decency. He and Sputnik battled fiercely, and I hung on every body slam and sleeper hold.A recent post to the Frayser High Class of 1969 website by Gary Harrison (class of ‘72)...
Green Tomato and Vidalia Onion Gratin
Okay, I shamelessly stole this from FoodNetwork's Claire Robinson. (I just learned today that she's a fellow alumna of U. Memphis.) If you can't find Vidalia onions, try Texas Sweets. Ingredients 1/4 pound bacon 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled...
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients cooking spray 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 envelopes rapid-rise yeast 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk (very warm 120-130°F) 2 tablespoons corn oil 1 egg Filling 2 packages chicken gravy mix 2 cups cold water...
Dwayne’s Fettuccine with Bolognese Sauce
My brother, Dwayne, prepared this meal for a family gathering at my Mom's house tonight. It was a big hit. The "girls" loved it. (The "girls" are our cousins Vicky from St. Louis, and Betty from San Francisco.) This is just as he wrote it for me. Ingredients 3...
Casseroles
As we added more recipes to our site, we found that some simply defy categorizing in one neat cubbyhole or another. To address this, I decided, at Sherry's urging, to add "casseroles" to our list of food categories. Yes, I know. "Casserole" means a very specific thing...
The Mayor and I
Thanks to the Center for Manpower Studies at U Memphis, I found myself working as a bureau manager for the City. It was a grand experience. here once was a county clerk in Memphis, by the name of Dick Hackett. He was a hard line fundamentalist...
Church Stuff
Some pictures of our children at church anglicans online bcp (By Section) bcp (Entire Book in PDF) bible Bible Gateway bishop doyle bishop doyle recommends bishop greg rickel childrens ministry online church calendar 1 | church calendar 2 daily office episcopal cafe...
Rice, Sausage, and Mushroom Casserole
Okay, I made this one up and had no idea where I was going with it, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. I was making stuffed mushrooms, and wound up wth more mushrooms than I needed. And I also happened to have some left over bround rice and some Texas Style...
Here I Stand: Pacts with the Devil and Haiti
The Rev’d James W. Nutter January 14, 2010 From today’s Houston Chronicle: “Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson says Haiti has been ‘cursed’ because of what he calls a ‘pact with the devil’ in its history.” Well, I couldn’t quite believe that such words were said,...
Macaroni & Cheese with Lobster
This recipe was adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas. Use freshly steamed lobster meat or frozen, cooked lobster meat that has been thoroughly defrosted. A total of 3 1/2 pounds of live lobster ought to yield enough for this recipe, or...
Cheesy Mexican Corn Bake
JR brought this over on Christmas Day (2009), and it was suberb. He sent me the link to the Betty Crocker site where he got the recipe. Ingredients 2 bags (12 oz each) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1 cup chopped...
Nikki’s Ravioli & Tortellini Salad
My good friend, Nikki Merritt, served this at one of our vestry meetings. It was a hit! Thank you, Nikki. Ingredients 1 (19 oz) pkg frozen cheese tortellini 1 (19 oz) pkg frozen cheese ravioli 1 ½ cups canola or olive oil ½ - ¾ cup red wine or balsamic vinegar 1 TBS...
Eggplant Parmesan + Mario Batali’s Version
Ingredients1 eggplant ; pared3 egg 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs 3/4 cup olive oil 1 cup Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese 3 ounces canned tomato sauce InstructionsHeat oven to 350. Cut egglplant into 1/4 inch slices. Slice pared eggplant about...
Rachel’s Chicken And Squash Casserole
Ingredients 2 cups squash, diced 2 cups cornbread, crumbled 1/2 stick of butter, melted 10 3/4 ounces cream of chicken soup (To cut the sodium, make your own.) 1 1/2 cups Cooked chicken thigh meat, diced 1 onion ; chopped salt and pepper Instructions Spread chicken in...
Smothered Chicken
I use two versions of Smothered Chicken - the one shown here, and sometimes I do another by Craig Clairborne. Ingredients 4 pounds chicken leg quarters ; skinnedsalt to taste (optional)1/3 cup flour (more if needed1/4 teaspoon cayenne1/2 teaspoon white...
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)..
2nd Visit to Occupational Therapist
This morning Sherry visited her therapist at 7:00 a.m. Dianne exclaimed when Sherry walked in that she looked like a totally different person than the one who visited two days ago.The swelling in Sherry's hand has greatly diminished, and she's showing excellent...
Follow-up to Face Surgery
Today, Sherry visited the two surgeons who operated on her eye and cheek area. Both report that they are pleased with the outcome of their work and with the way Sherry's healing. She still has lots of bruising and considerable swelling, but things are on the mend, and...
Therapy – Day One
11:45am - Sherry met her physical therapist today for evaluation and initial treatments. It was pretty rough going for her, and she was glad to be done and get back to the house. She's scheduled for two sessions per week for the time being, and for ongoing daily...
Out of the Splint
Sherry visited the orthopedic surgeon this morning and had the splint and stitches removed. She has quite an incision. Thank goodness that heavy splint is off, and she only has to contend with the sling for now.Her elbow and shoulder Xrays are looking good, and she...
The First 48 Hours
1:45pm - It's been almost two days now since Sherry's visit to the Neurosensory Surgical Center at Methodist Hospital. Today she slept in and was still in bed when I got home from church. The Third-Graders at Palmer were already working on this "Get Well" poster for...
Resting Quietly
1:21pm - Sherry slept well last night. We're continuing the cold compress treatments (frozen peas from Methodist), and she's passing her red color saturation tests. She's more comfortable in our bed than she was yesterday on that hospital gurney. She's thirsty, but...
Home – Sweet – Home
11:12 pm - They released her from the Methodist Neurosensory Surgical Center at around 9:50pm. After a slow drive home, we've got her in her own bed, resting with frozen peas on her face (doctor's orders). Dr. Soparkar called at 11:00pm to check on her, and all seems...
Out of Surgery!
6:55 pm - Both doctors (Dr. Terry Taylor, maxillofacial/oral surgeon, & Dr. Soparkar, eye plastic surgeon) report that things went well; she looks good. She's sporting a titanium plate in her cheek area, and a new synthetic orbitbal floor. This is encouraging news,...
Hurry Up and Wait at Methodist Hospital
We checked Sherry in at Methodist Neurosensory Surgical Center as ordered at 8:45 this morning. At about 12:30 pm., Dr. Soparkar came to tell us that Dr. Alford had taken ill and could not operate. They put in a call to another ENT who agreed to do the operation, but...
Elbow Repaired
Took Sherry into the Kirby Surgical Center at 5:45 a.m., and they wheeled her into surgery at 7:15. At 8:15, Dr. Gabel came to give me an update. They decided to go with a plate rather than with the wire as they had originally intended. I saw the xray which clearly...
The Primary Care Physician
Today we took Sherry to see Dr. Garb, her primary care physician, to get a clearance (required by Methodist Hospital) for her to undergo surgery. Tomorrow we take her over to the Kirby surgical center to have her elbow repaired.How's she doing? She's very tender;...
The Second Face Doctor
We took Sherry's new CT scan films to Dr. Eugene Alford, and he walked us through the procedure he and Dr. Soparkar plan to do on November 4. Dr. Alford will use titanium plates to hold her various fractures together. He had the same surgery done himself by Dr....
The Orthopedic
Thanks to PCAC member and fellow Palmer Parishioner, Tana Key, we were able to get Sherry in to see Dr. Gerard Gabel first thing today.He proposed using wire to repair her broken elbow; in the course of his examination, he noticed extreme tenderness in her shoulder,...
More Imaging
Dr. Soparkar ordered more CT scans; we went to the Hermann Memorial Imaging Center on Richmond and had another round of scans done. We delivered one set of films to Dr. Soparkar's office. He called to say he'd reviewed the films and was set to do the surgery.
First Round of Specialists
We took Sherry in to see Dr. Key at Methodist, and he gave her a clean bill of health on the condition of her eye; but noted that she needed extra help with the multiple fractures of her orbit and face. He got us in to see Dr. Charles Soparkar within an hour.Dr....
To the Rescue
At 9:00 A.M. Saturday morning, our first incoming phone call was from Dr. Jim Key, ophthalmologist, who also happens to attend our church. Jim had been on call Friday night, and saw Saturday morning that the emergency room had attempted to contact him regarding...
Bike Accident
At around 8:30 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011, Sherry lost control of her bicycle and flipped over the handle bars. I was with her, and rushed to her side immediately. She was unconscious, lying on her back, and a pool of blood formed under her head.She regained...
Huevos Rancheros
There are probably a million ways to do this simple dish. You can make it as complicated as you like. Simple is easy and tasty. I like to "poach" the eggs on top of the salsa. If you wish to do this, use a pan with a lid. Ingredients 1 onion, chopped 1 poblano, seeded...
Shrove Tuesday Pictures
These are a few of the pictures from our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church. All proceeds go toward supporting Youth Mission Trips.
Saturday Morning Rassling
When I was a boy, I thought Studio Rassling star, Billy Wicks was a real champion for decency. He and Sputnik battled fiercely, and I hung on every body slam and sleeper hold.A recent post to the Frayser High Class of 1969 website by Gary Harrison (class of ‘72)...
Green Tomato and Vidalia Onion Gratin
Okay, I shamelessly stole this from FoodNetwork's Claire Robinson. (I just learned today that she's a fellow alumna of U. Memphis.) If you can't find Vidalia onions, try Texas Sweets. Ingredients 1/4 pound bacon 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled...
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients cooking spray 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 envelopes rapid-rise yeast 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk (very warm 120-130°F) 2 tablespoons corn oil 1 egg Filling 2 packages chicken gravy mix 2 cups cold water...
Dwayne’s Fettuccine with Bolognese Sauce
My brother, Dwayne, prepared this meal for a family gathering at my Mom's house tonight. It was a big hit. The "girls" loved it. (The "girls" are our cousins Vicky from St. Louis, and Betty from San Francisco.) This is just as he wrote it for me. Ingredients 3...
Casseroles
As we added more recipes to our site, we found that some simply defy categorizing in one neat cubbyhole or another. To address this, I decided, at Sherry's urging, to add "casseroles" to our list of food categories. Yes, I know. "Casserole" means a very specific thing...
The Mayor and I
Thanks to the Center for Manpower Studies at U Memphis, I found myself working as a bureau manager for the City. It was a grand experience. here once was a county clerk in Memphis, by the name of Dick Hackett. He was a hard line fundamentalist...
Church Stuff
Some pictures of our children at church anglicans online bcp (By Section) bcp (Entire Book in PDF) bible Bible Gateway bishop doyle bishop doyle recommends bishop greg rickel childrens ministry online church calendar 1 | church calendar 2 daily office episcopal cafe...
Rice, Sausage, and Mushroom Casserole
Okay, I made this one up and had no idea where I was going with it, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. I was making stuffed mushrooms, and wound up wth more mushrooms than I needed. And I also happened to have some left over bround rice and some Texas Style...
Here I Stand: Pacts with the Devil and Haiti
The Rev’d James W. Nutter January 14, 2010 From today’s Houston Chronicle: “Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson says Haiti has been ‘cursed’ because of what he calls a ‘pact with the devil’ in its history.” Well, I couldn’t quite believe that such words were said,...
Macaroni & Cheese with Lobster
This recipe was adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas. Use freshly steamed lobster meat or frozen, cooked lobster meat that has been thoroughly defrosted. A total of 3 1/2 pounds of live lobster ought to yield enough for this recipe, or...
Cheesy Mexican Corn Bake
JR brought this over on Christmas Day (2009), and it was suberb. He sent me the link to the Betty Crocker site where he got the recipe. Ingredients 2 bags (12 oz each) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1 cup chopped...
Nikki’s Ravioli & Tortellini Salad
My good friend, Nikki Merritt, served this at one of our vestry meetings. It was a hit! Thank you, Nikki. Ingredients 1 (19 oz) pkg frozen cheese tortellini 1 (19 oz) pkg frozen cheese ravioli 1 ½ cups canola or olive oil ½ - ¾ cup red wine or balsamic vinegar 1 TBS...
Eggplant Parmesan + Mario Batali’s Version
Ingredients1 eggplant ; pared3 egg 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs 3/4 cup olive oil 1 cup Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese 3 ounces canned tomato sauce InstructionsHeat oven to 350. Cut egglplant into 1/4 inch slices. Slice pared eggplant about...
Rachel’s Chicken And Squash Casserole
Ingredients 2 cups squash, diced 2 cups cornbread, crumbled 1/2 stick of butter, melted 10 3/4 ounces cream of chicken soup (To cut the sodium, make your own.) 1 1/2 cups Cooked chicken thigh meat, diced 1 onion ; chopped salt and pepper Instructions Spread chicken in...
Smothered Chicken
I use two versions of Smothered Chicken - the one shown here, and sometimes I do another by Craig Clairborne. Ingredients 4 pounds chicken leg quarters ; skinnedsalt to taste (optional)1/3 cup flour (more if needed1/4 teaspoon cayenne1/2 teaspoon white...