Southern My Way: Simple Recipes, Fresh Flavors

by Gena Knox

Southern My Simple Recipes, Fresh Flavor is a cookbook filled with recipes that reflect author Gena Knox's upbringing in southern Georgia where farming shaped both culture and community. Today, Knox is passionate about sharing her modern take on Southern specialties. With more than 250 pages of seasonal recipes and full-color photographs, Southern My Way takes home cooks on a journey through both the South in which Gena grew up and the South she knows today, while encouraging readers to keep local foodways and farming traditions alive. Knox shares her realization that preparing tasty and healthy meals is amazingly uncomplicated when using fresh ingredients, arming home cooks with a collection of standbys that are easy enough for everyday cooking, from toasted pecan goat cheese with Tupelo honey, to summer gazpacho, to gingersnap ice cream sandwiches. The cookbook will be available in major bookstores nationwide as well as online at fireandflavor.com, amazon.com and at zinio.com beginning November 2010.

Genres: Cookbooks

252 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2010

Reviews

[Julie H. Ernstein]

I recently snagged a copy of Knox's Southern My Way: Simple Recipes, Fresh Flavors at a second hand shop for inclusion in some lucky recipient's Easter basket this year. Naturally, I gave it a quick read and promptly found something to make for dinner that night (i.e., the Shrimp and Artichoke Bake). Since then I have made several other items, including: the cheese wrapped olives (think cheese straw dough wrapped around an olive--I used large, jalapeno-stuffed olives to good effect), roasted beet and arugula salad, appreciated the five easy salad dressings, the aforementioned shrimp and artichoke bake (which is delicious over couscous), country captain stew (to which I added shredded chicken instead of tidy, 1/2-inch pieces), shrimp creole risotto, and the macaroni and cheese with caramelized onions (to which I added some pancetta--oh my!). I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of peaches this year to make the Georgia Caprese Salad with lime vinaigrette.

The recipes here are not overly complicated, but the results are quite tasty. The instructions are short, well organized, and each one I have encountered has been accurate (unlike another bummer of a cookbook I recently attempted to test run to ill effect). The book is very attractive, has loads of good sides, salads, desserts, and quick kitchen pickling recommendations. Anyone just setting up house and beginning their cooking journey will readily appreciate the basics that are included here and things such as the five easy salad dressings. I am confident that the recipient is going to appreciate this item, but need to be sure to jot down a few things before it heads Easter basketward.

[Lisa]

Mazzolini family had this book. It is gorgeous and the recipes look awesome and totally doable. This is one I'd buy, which is saying a lot for me and purchasing cookbooks.

[Erica]

Lovely read, gorgeous pictures, many wonderful recipes, but I haven't tried any yet. A purchase while traveling in Tennessee.

[Christina Allen-wise]

Absolutely fantastic recipes!