Southern

Here, the beloved grits of the South are baked into a tender, cheesy roll that embraces all the elements of a country-style breakfast. Just slice and serve.

This simple, rustic cornbread is best used for making stuffing.

Our resident Louisianan, associate food editor Alexis Touchet, remembers this dressing from her childhood—and it's the one that still graces her family's Thanksgiving meal, year after year. This dressing is not considered a stuffing for the turkey, but a dish that "dresses up" the table.

We liked turkey best in this easy one-dish meal, but if removing tendons from the drumsticks seems too laborious, substitute 1 1/2 pounds of smoked ham steak. Trim the steak, discarding any bone, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

You'll have more spice rub than you need for the Grillades . Try this seasoning on fish, pork, or beef dishes.

The grits mixture will almost fill the entire baking dish and will puff up when baking, but don't worry — it won't overflow. Also, switching sides, these grits can take the place of mashed potatoes anytime.

Karen Schineller of Ridgewood, New Jersey, writes: "Every year, I visit my cousins in Dallas, and every year, we try a different restaurant. This time, we went to George. The short ribs came with the most unusual grits. I'd like to make them, but don't know where to start." This rich casserole would pair well with fried eggs at brunch. For a more savory version, simply omit the sautéed apples.

A good hit of curry spices up this classic. Begin marinating the chicken in the buttermilk mixture the night before.

Go completely southern: Serve the chops with cornbread, coleslaw, and ice-cold beer.

The fruit is tossed with a peach caramel sauce (juices from the peaches combined with homemade caramel) that adds depth of flavor to the filling. Keep an eye on this pie as it bakes; it browns quickly and so needs to be tented with foil.

Be sure to remove (or score) the membrane on the underside of the ribs so that the seasonings can penetrate and fully flavor the meat. Even better, ask the butcher to remove the membrane. What to drink: Kenwood Vineyards 2003 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($17).

Chilled shrimp in piquant remoulade sauce is a Creole classic. Here, it tops pumpernickel toasts spread with a chili-molasses butter. What to drink: Berry Rum Punch.

I can't begin to guess how much fried chicken I've cooked in my lifetime! Becaue it was a staple in our home during my childhood, it was a rite of passage for each girl child to learn to fry chicken like the womenfolk.

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are the poultry cut grill jockeys both love and hate. We love the convenience (not to mention the fact that they're virtually pure protien with practically no fat). On the down side, they're rather bland in flavor and tend to dry out on the grill. Brining is a great way to compensate for both of these shortcomings — especially if you use this "redeye" variation on traditional brine. A shot of espresso adds an unexpected flavor (don't worry, it's subtle), along with an inviting mahogany hue. To complete the coffee motif, I propose serving the chicken with an espresso-flavored mustard barbecue sauce.

These thin cornmeal fritters go nicely with the flounder in jalapeño cream. They are made from the same type of batter as hush puppies, but not deep-fried.

Associate Food Editor: Alexis Touchet
Father: Rodney Miller, Abbeville, LA
When I was a kid, our summer routine started with the opening day of shrimp season — my dad would get the boat ready and out we would go, winding our way down the bayou until we reached Vermilion Bay. He would check to make sure the trawl net was securely tied before tossing it into the water, and would then let it be dragged down slowly along with the trawl boards. When we painstakingly pulled the net up onto the boat and untied the bag, it spilled out a catch of shrimp, crabs, and fish. These fresh shrimp were the stars in Dad's favorite gumbo recipe.

This hot chicken casserole is perfectly seasoned. Lots of celery and almonds give it a nice crunch. You may be inclined to leave off the potato-chip topping, but believe me, it won't be the same without it!