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Quick, COOL Cucumber Salad

4 Jul

It is finally Summer in Chicago and if you’re like me you’re looking for an easy and refreshing, almost rote summer dish. Favorite Cucumber Salad is what you need. It is so very easy, you’ll just need fresh cucumbers, onions, vinegar and seasonings. I usually slice the onions and cukes by hand, but if your food […]

Holiday Delights (get the ebook)

17 Nov

Download ChowChow & Soul™ Holiday Delights by Charla Draper

Slow-Cooker Candied Sweets

22 Dec

I’ve written a few posts about my grandmothers and some of the wonderful dishes they would make. From weekday dinners to holiday meals with all the fixins’ they were talented cooks. As far as we were concerned my maternal grandmother Gonga, was the maven of candied sweets. This was one of the dishes she made […]

5 Last Minute Tips Can Rescue Holiday Cooks

24 Nov

The countdown to Thanksgiving is swift and can lead to menu mayhem or turkey trauma. No worries, take a deep breath and use the following tips to help avoid holiday cooking drama. 1. Turkey Still Frozen?  “Yes, they do take longer than we think to thaw.” As a turkey expert on the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, […]

5 Tips Help Parents Fend Off the Freshmen 15

31 Aug

Are your one-time toddlers, headed out the door, leaving the swaddling of the home cocoon? If this is your current situation, both you and your young adult may be facing the “freshmen 15.” Though the pounds may sneak up on both of you, generally speaking they’ll weigh you down for different reasons. The Parent Trap […]

Let’s Celebrate Soul Food

2 Jun

June is National Soul food Month, celebrating the heritage and history of the foods and foodways of African Americans and peoples from the African diaspora. The culinary contributions of this group had an indelible impact on the American menu. When Big Mama whipped up a family favorite back in the day, she stirred in plenty […]

The New Power Green

27 Feb

As Black History Month wraps up I want to raise a shot glass of pot likker to greens. Greens are the edible leaves of plants that have provided nourishment for African Americans throughout the ages. Last year I shared that greens were on the hot list, as one of the vegetables getting lots of buzz. […]

5 Tips Last Minute Tips & Recipes for Holiday Cooks

27 Nov

For 21st century meal mavens juggling a full plate of activities—jobs and multigenerational family tasks, the countdown to Thanksgiving is swift and can lead to menu mayhem.  No worries, take a deep breath and use the following guidelines to help avoid holiday cooking drama. 1. Turkey Still Frozen?  “Yes, they do take longer than folks think […]

Holiday Side Dishes

25 Nov

Macaroni & Cheese

I’m getting your questions and you’re quizzing me on side dishes. You want to know tips and tactics for holiday standards—cornbread dressing and macaroni and cheese. Folks are in a panic about dressing—too dry.  It is always good to have a box or two of ready-to-use chicken broth on hand.  Adding a little broth allows […]

911—Save the Mac ‘n Cheese

27 Dec

by Charla L. Draper You know food is an intrinsic element of culture—anytime people celebrate there are foods of some type attached to the occasion.  Macaroni and cheese is one such dish at the Drapers.  Not bragging, but folks have always enjoyed coming to the Drapers because regardless of the occasion, they knew there would […]