My Last Memphis in May

Melissa with whole hog

The Memphis in May World BBQ Cooking Contest has been extremely good to me.  Though I have competed and won (and lost)  in many BBQ contests, Memphis in May, or MIM as we call it around here, has always been the pinnacle of BBQ in my life.  A large part of that is regional- in […]

World JR BBQ League Contest in Guatemala

Hot on the heels of our first international World JR BBQ C0ntest in the Cayman Islands, we also had a contest in Guatemala!  I must say, I was very impressed as the teams really showed amazing planning, preparation, and teamwork throughout the whole event.  They made delicious marinades and sauces from scratch, timed out their […]

World JR BBQ League Contest in the Cayman Islands!

A few years ago I started a 501(c)3 charity, the World Junior BBQ League (worldjrbbqleague.com)  The main aim of the charity is to help create BBQ events for young people. Our teens should be involved in more than just video games.  I want them to learn teamwork, work ethic, planning skills, leadership, and so much […]

Grilled Lemon Pepper Lobster Tails

if you asked most people to pick the most decadent dish, you’d find lobster tails would be among the top vote-getters.  Most people reserve lobster tails for very special occasions, and generally only order them in a restaurant.  While lobster is no “value meal,” you can definitely make better lobster at home than most restaurants, […]

Garlic Parmesan Squash Saute

In the South, we value side dishes as much as the main course.  So much so that dinner at my house is often made up of side dishes.  A tradition around here is to get a “meat and three” or a “veggie plate” at many local diners.  This Garlic Parmesan Squash Saute recipe has zucchini, […]

Smoked Buffalo Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloins don’t get nearly enough ink as an all-around excellent dinner option.  They’re hard to overcook, easy to portion, and take any flavor profile you want to give them.  Like American BBQ?  Ok.  How about Asian-flavored- perfect.  Thinking a bit more Mediterranean?  Well, they’ll be excellent in that as well.  This recipe for Smoked […]

Easy Habanero Grilled Shrimp

grilled shrimp

When you want delicious grilled shrimp, you can’t be afraid of the flames!  This recipe for Easy Habanero Grilled Shrimp is super tasty and super delicious.  Best of all, you can get it cooked in only 4-5 minutes! The Best Shrimp for Habanero Grilled Shrimp I grew up in Mississippi, so I am very partial […]

Amazing Crab Cake Recipe

Crab cakes are one of my favorite things to eat, and I like to treat myself and my family to them occasionally.  This Amazing Crab Cake Recipe is a mixture of Jumbo Lump crab meat and lump crab meat, for a rich texture and flavor.  Many crab cakes are full of “fillers,” or binding agents […]

Easy Garlicky Green Beans

This Garlicky Green Bean recipe uses French green beans, or haricot vert.  This is a type of green bean that is thinned and usually harvested earlier than the thicker “green bean” that Americans are used to eating.  They’re not the most common item in my area, but they can be found, and make a great […]

Smoked Beef Rib Bites

Beef spare and back ribs get short-shrift in the PR department.  Pork ribs, beef plate ribs, (those “dinosaur” ribs you see,) and beef short ribs always get the big love on pics and posts.  But I’m here to tell you when you cook beef ribs into Beef Rib Bites as I do in this recipe, […]