Root Vegetable

I recently ate dinner at the home of a couple who are producers-turned-friends, Barry and Jen. They work in food TV, so they’re all about great-tasting food. When I showed up, they were making a huge pan of caramelized onions that looked unbelievably good. They were serving them with almost everything that night, which I was happy about because I love onions. I have to admit I was surprised when I saw them piling the onions on grilled salmon. It was not a combination I’d ever considered. But because when in Rome you’re supposed to do as the Romans do, I dug in. It was delicious! I came home and figured out how to make caramelized onions that didn’t need a lot of fat or hands-on time. This dish is now a favorite among many I’ve served. Although salmon is high in fat, it’s good-for-you fat when eaten in moderation. Wild salmon has 12 fewer calories and 1.5 grams less fat per ounce than farm-raised, so I always try to buy that. But it is more expensive and tougher to find. So if you choose farm-raised, it will add 47 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving to this dish.

I love using tiny potatoes and baby carrots, which makes this recipe insanely easy. That said, sometimes tiny potatoes cost a minor fortune. If that’s the case, save money by using larger boiling potatoes. You’ll have to spend time cutting them into cubes, but it might make sense. You don’t have to use the nonstick foil here if you have a really good nonstick roasting pan, but it makes cleanup almost nonexistent, so I swear by it.

These potato chips are shockingly fresh and tasty right from the microwave, and they’re healthier than almost any chips on the market. Plus, they’re likely to save you a lot of cash since baked chips tend to be quite expensive, yet large bags of fresh potatoes are not.

When I first saw the “herbs in tubes,” as I call them, referring to Gourmet Garden’s herb blends, I thought I wouldn’t like them. But with one try, I became hooked, particularly to the garlic blend. This rendition of a margarita pizza is one of my favorite applications for them. It’s insanely easy to throw together and especially tasty, considering the little amount of time it takes. If you’re having trouble finding these herbs, visit gourmetgarden.com and check out their store locator. Or you can look for herbs frozen in trays. At my local Trader Joe’s, they sell frozen chopped garlic and chopped basil in trays from a brand called Dorot. Just be sure to measure the herbs yourself instead of relying on the measurements listed on the package (I found 1 teaspoon of basil was more than 1 cube, though the package says that 1 cube is equivalent to 1 teaspoon).

When I was a child, we went to Chuck E. Cheese’s for our birthdays. In addition to all of the cool games and the characters, I loved that they cut their pizzas into squares instead of wedges. Not only could you get more crust or less crust as you like (I’m a less-crust girl), I got to eat a number of pieces, since they’re petite. Here, I’ve cut the flatbread into squares to distinguish it from other pizzas . . . and because it just feels more decadent. If you’re making this pizza on a charcoal grill, heat the coals until they are hot and covered with gray ash. Then place the pizza on the grill about 5 inches from the coals for best results. Cover and grill for 3 to 4 minutes.

The key to this sandwich is perfectly cooked chicken. Because this sub is jam-packed with grilled chicken, it’s important that the chicken isn’t dry or the sandwich will be dry. Just follow the directions for Basic Grilled Chicken (page 219), and you’ll be well on your way to prepping a delicious sub for the entire family. I love making the chicken on Sunday so I have it to use in recipes like this one over the next few days.

Pat: In Memphis, barbecued meats are ordered either “dry” or “wet. “Dry” meats are coated with a dry spice rub before they’re cooked, and often sprinkled with those seasonings when they come off the grill. “Wet” meats are slathered with barbecue sauce. Folks who crave a double dose of flavor, like me, order foods “wet and dry,” meaning that the meat is sprinkled with dry rub before being cooked, then slathered with sauce afterward. This Memphis pit tradition has found its way into the repertoire of home cooks as well. The application of a dry rub works for meats cooked on the grill or, as our mothers are fond of doing, in the oven. In this recipe, we douse our chicken with a dry rub and then bake it in barbecue sauce. The result is moist, flavorful, falling-off-the-bone tender chicken. We serve this saucy chicken with steamed rice or hot buttered rolls to soak up all the tomatoey goodness, and the accompanying vegetables on the side. It’s no wonder the Neely boys became so good with the grill when Momma was feeding us dishes like this from her kitchen oven.

Pat: Don’t even think about servin’ me fried eggs and toast unless they come with a side of crispy, golden hash browns. We make ours with salty browned smoked ham. I’ve been making them this way for years. My girls love ’em, and if my girls love ’em you know they’re good. Sometimes I’ll use a food processor to shred the potatoes coarsely; other times I’ll cube them and fry them up until they are golden brown and crispy. And if I really want to go overboard, sometimes I’ll top each serving with a slice of American cheese.

Gina: Calley Anderson is Shelbi’s best friend, in large part because Belinda Anderson, Calley’s mother, is my best friend. Calley is an excellent student but the girl is a chef at heart. Baking is her first love, and one day Calley made this sweet potato pie for our family, and it knocked me off my feet. The filling relies on two sweeteners, brown sugar and maple sugar, for an incredible flavor. Warm spices and pure vanilla create an intoxicating perfume, and fresh lemon juice helps cut the sweetness and balance the flavors. So, I swallowed my pride (along with another slice of pie) and asked her for the recipe. Here I am, an adult asking my daughter’s friend for a recipe—pretty funny, huh?

Pat: Let’s face it, one of the great joys of roasting a big ole turkey or ham is the leftovers. Can you imagine what the day after Thanksgiving would be like without a big turkey sandwich? Anytime we have leftover ham, I dream of ham sandwiches on a soft roll with a little dollop of Miracle Whip. When it comes right down to it, I think I prefer the sandwiches to the actual meal. What follows are two of our favorite ways to dress up leftovers. The Turkey, Brie, and Cranberry Panini are crisp and cheesy and have become a year-round lunch staple.

This zippy Italian-style hero proves that a vegetable sandwich can be as hearty as one made with meat. We take colorful slices of grilled, lightly charred vegetables, an oil-and-vinegar dressing, tapenade (a pungent black-olive spread), fresh basil, and provolone cheese, and serve the whole things on a crackly seeded roll that will keep its texture while soaking up the delicious dressing. This satisfying sandwich is delicious with spiced Terra sweet-potato chips.

Gina: Like many of our favorite recipes, this one comes with a story, and, girl, I’m not about to let you down, because this is a tale of seduction. This is one of the recipes I made for Pat when I was courting him (and, most important, his stomach). The key to this dish is the scent it gives off while simmering on the stovetop. The minute your man walks in the house and gets a whiff, well, it’s game over (you may not even make it to the dinner table, hon!). It’s not a typical Southern dish—the chicken is essentially poached in tomato sauce and fresh herbs—but the end result is chicken that’s as tender as any rib that has been smoked for hours over a hickory pit. I use chicken thighs, because the dark meat is flavorful and moist, but you can also use chicken breasts if you are cooking for a breast man (who said that?!?). The result—well, we’re still married, aren’t we? We’re not courting anymore, but I still turn to this recipe when I need to get Pat around to my way of thinking—like when he discovers that Gucci bag I’ve splurged on! Ladies, handle your business and rule the house. Your man will never look at you the same.

Pat: This is a third-generation Neely dish. Grandma Rena used to cook it for my dad. Then she taught my momma how to prepare it. Now, you know Grandma Rena was a smart woman, showing Momma how to cook for Dad. Gina: Ladies, this is a very old Southern tactic. My suggestion, if you want to keep your man happy, is to spend some time in the kitchen with his momma and have her teach you a few things. Pat: I always listen to Gina. You should, too. My momma cooked this dish for my dad and for the kids. Kept us all happy. Now I’m cooking it for my girls (it’s one of their favorites on cold-weather days). And I’m sure someday they will cook it for their children.

Pat: There is nothing like the smell of a pot roast cooking in the oven. My mother made a mean pot roast; her secret was using dried Italian seasoning on the meat, and it’s a technique I’ve incorporated into this recipe. The flavors of the dressing really permeate and tenderize the roast. A well-seasoned cast-iron Dutch oven (or an enamel-coated Dutch oven) is our favorite cooking vessel for this roast. Here we call for a boneless chuck roast, because the well-marbled cut keeps plenty moist, but you can also use a 4- to 6-pound bone-in roast (you’ll need to cook it for another 45 minutes). Gina: Ladies, this is also a great dish to make when your schedule is tight. You can sear the meat, then throw it and the remaining ingredients into a slow cooker and head off to work. Make some cornbread when you get home, and it’s a wrap.

Gina: This recipe came from my fabulous “girlfriend” D’Won (every girl needs a D’Won in her circle). D’Won is a huge turkey-lover, an amateur chef, and the best personal shopper around. When I was visiting him in Atlanta, we cooked up this recipe and it was spot-on. It’s essentially a red dress for the meatloaf (and y’all know everything looks and tastes better in a red dress!). Pat: This is one of those dishes where we splash on barbecue sauce without firing up the grill. During the early days of our post-reunion courtship, Gina would prepare this delicious meatloaf for me. She replaced ketchup, traditionally used in meatloaf recipes, with Neely’s Barbecue Sauce and Seasoning. Looking back on it, I think that just might have sealed the deal. I remember thinking at the time that any woman who can light a fire under a red-meat man with a turkey loaf—well, that woman is special. Gina: This meatloaf is so full of flavor that I promise it will knock the socks off a 300-pound, steak-loving football player. What’s more, you can prepare this after work and have it ready by suppertime. For the best results, don’t use extra-lean ground turkey, or the meatloaf will be dry.

Gina: These days, with both of us being so busy, Pat usually smokes our holiday hams and turkeys at the restaurant (what can I say, it’s a perk of being in the barbecue business), but when we first got married we prepared them at home. Pat and I are holiday people. We love Thanksgiving and Christmas and all the festive traditions associated with each day. It’s a special time of year for our families, and Lord knows we have a lot to be thankful for. When it comes to the holiday table, I want the flavor and presentation of everything to be the best. With this bird you can’t go wrong. We’ve been serving it on the Neely holiday table for decades. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. The flavor, the juicy texture, and, most important, the love that inspires it are simply unbelievable.

Gina: Ladies! The things we go through to please our men! You should be fully aware that Aunt Faye is Pat’s favorite aunt, so you know I had to get this recipe down right. Pat: My dear and favorite aunt, Faye, is my late father’s oldest sister. She lives in Chicago, and for a while, when we were children, we lived there, too. During those years, Aunt Faye would cook us chicken and dumplings. Needless to say, it became one of my favorite dishes (and the fact that my favorite aunt was preparing it made it all the better!).