southerncooker's Profile

From: Boomer, NC USA

Joined: January 3rd, 2010

About me: I collect cookbooks and love to cook and try new recipes. I tested recipes for Leite's Culinaria for almost eight years. I learned to cook from many good southern cooks including my Mom, Dad, several Aunts and my Grandmothers. My children and husband also like to cook and try new foods and recipes. My son still lives with us but our daughter is married. She often visits to cook with me. We are adventuresome eaters willing to try new things.

Bourbon Roasted Pork Loin from Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook

This was delicious. I know she says in the book not to use the good bourbon but all I had was Woodford Reserve so that's what I used. I marinated for about 8 hours in fridge. Loved the apples and onions... read more >

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Cookbook Reviews

Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook

By Patrick Neely, Gina Neely, Paula Disbrowe
Knopf - 2009

This book is more than just a cookbook. Also included is the story of how Pat and Gina met, married, and came to be on the food network. Before each recipe is a note from Pat or Gina and sometimes both of them about where the recipe came from, what one of them might do different, and sometimes hits or tips to help you successfully make the recipe yourself. It's a fun book to read as well as cook from.

If you love southern cooking then you'll enjoy this one. The recipes are tried and true family recipes from Pat, Gina, and their families. Some recipes are ones that have been in their families for generations. There are also some recipes from their restauants and a few you might have seen on their Food Network Show. They share their Barbecue seasoning and sauce recipes too. There is even a section from Pat's brother and restaurant partner, Tony giving you tips on grilling at home.

If you like photos in your cookbooks there are plenty of those here. Many family photos as well as mouth watering food photos. You shouldn't have any problem at all finding the ingredients called for in this book. The type is black ink with the ingriedents list and name of the recipe in brown. Most recipes are on one page with a few taking up two pages that you can easily read on facing pages with the book open.

I have wanted to try their siginature BBQ Spaghetti ever since I saw it on the Road Food show when the Deen brothers went to their restaurant. The recipe is in this book. The only problem for me is you have to make the seasoning recipe, sauce recipe, smoked BBQ and then the spaghetti. That wouldn't be a problem but both Dexter and Harold say they wouldn't even try it. That leaves me and if Sarita were here her, but I don't think Andrew would eat it either and this makes quiet a bit. I'd love to go to one of their restaurants and try it there. I do have the recipe though if I ever want to tackle it.