Beyond Barbecue - You need some sides dishes of course.

If I haven't put a few pounds on your frame with my Barbecue recipes, then buy some fat pants and check out my newest space at Garden and Hearth--Southern Cooking.

I have a few great side dishes like Best Ever Potato Salad in with my outdoor recipes. I was thrilled when I talked one of the local ladies out of that one. Some of the great southern cooks won't share their secrets. I'm not even big on potato salad, but that one totally rocked. In any case, it made sense to branch out with side dishes and desserts. After all, what's a cookout without the extras. Now, I can share all the family cooking secrets.

Of course, I'm really cooking like crazy now. This makes my boys very happy.

Strawberries are just coming in around here. And, they're even good for you. I love foods that both taste like heaven and don't clog my arteries--and those are rare I must add.

For a little sample, here's the strawberry pie we had this evening. It's so easy to make that even the kids can nail it, and it tastes great too. If you're close a refrigerator, then this one is perfect with a grilled out meal.

It's a Beer Butt Chicken day here!

Today we're making Beer Butt Chicken. My recipe is at Yes You Can Grill. That version is for the grill. It's quicker than smoking which is what we're doing today. If you decided to smoke your bird, then expect to spend between 4 and 5 hours cooking up the chicken. That sounds like a lot of time, but you just need to check the chicken every hour or two, so it's not as labor intensive at it sounds.

If you don't drink beer, you can use soda. It works out better to use regular rather than diet (for some reason). My pick is Pepsi, but yellow soft drinks work out well too.

For those rainy days when it's not fit to barbecue!

Not to worry. I'm not packing away my grill. But I have branched out and started writing about good old indoor cooking.

My newest site is Southern Cuisine at Suite 101. Suite 101 has been around 10 years now, and they are getting ready to launch with a whole new look. That should be some time this month or next (April-May 2006). I have no clue what they're doing with the space, so I guess we will all be surprised.

I have a couple of pieces up already including Fried Dandelion Blossoms and Electric Skillet Meat Loaf. If you stop by, be sure to check out my poll. I'll use feedback to help select upcoming recipes to share.