strawberry bread

This is like banana bread, except it's strawberry. It's better than bad, it's good!

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
16 oz frozen strawberries, thawed
3/4 cup oil

Mix together the dry ingredients, then combine with eggs, strawberries and oil. Pour into two greased & floured pans (or 3 coffee cans if you want to be really southern). Bake at 325 for 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pants, then cool on racks. Slice and serve warm with cream cheese.

piecora's house salad

This isn't southern but it's my favorite salad, from Piecora's on Capitol Hill. It's just

green leaf lettuce
artichoke hearts
olives
salami
canadian bacon
mozzerella
tomatoes
mushrooms
peppercinis

pasta carbonara

Oh my gosh, the best. Just the best.

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp cream (can use half & half or milk)
1 tbsp butter
a few slices of pancetta (bacon will do if needed)
4 ounces pasta (like fettuccine)
1/4 cup grated parmesan, romano or pecorino cheese
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Set out the egg, cream and butter before you start so they can reach room temperature. Cook the pancetta till crispy and drain. Then cook the pasta, drain it, then return it to the saucepan and put it on low heat. Toss the butter in the pasta. Beat the yolk and cream together, then toss with the pasta. Add pancetta, cheese and parsley and toss some more till well coated. Serve it right away, serves 3 or 4. [Or one hungry man and a regular girl.]

the best pancakes in the world

I'm snobby about pancakes and I can tell when they're made from a mix, from scratch, and with or without buttermilk. Actually anyone can tell this if they have had buttermilk pancakes before, it really, really makes a difference. This is my father-in-law's recipe and it's the best I've ever had. It even replaced my Great Aunt Kak's recipe that I'd always used before this one.

2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
buttermilk to consistence (2 to 3 cups)

Heat skillet on medium high. Flip pancakes when they start to bubble, but don't wait for the bubbles to burst before you flip them (the bubbles are what makes them fluffy, for real).