Category: Let’s Cook!

Pizza Is My Love Language… Let’s Talk About It…

December 12, 2025

Eat, Pray, Love, Let’s Cook!, The Sitcom Called “Mary Jane”

If loving pizza is wrong then I do not want to be right.

My love of pizza is next level… as in I could eat it every single day and still act surprised when someone suggests pizza for dinner. Like, “Oh wow, pizza? What a creative idea!” Meanwhile I’m already halfway to the car with my stretchy pants and my dignity in the other room.

Pizza has been with me through every era of life. Every glow-up. Every meltdown. Every “I don’t know what I want to eat” moment that magically ends in pepperoni.

🍕 School Lunch Pizza Was a Whole Situation

Let’s start with the real OG: school lunch pizza back in the day.

That pizza was not trying to be authentic, artisanal, wood-fired, locally sourced, hand-tossed by a man named Luca. No ma’am. It was a rectangle. It had that slightly sweet sauce. The cheese was doing its best. And that crust… bless it… it was both chewy and soft in a way that makes no scientific sense.

But I loved it. We all did. You’d get that slice on a flimsy tray with a little cup of corn or peas pretending to be a side dish and you felt like you’d hit the jackpot.

Was it gourmet? Absolutely not.

Was it happiness? Yes it was.

🍕 Pizza Hut in the 80’s Was Peak Living

Now listen. Pizza Hut in the 80’s wasn’t just a pizza place. It was an experience. It was a destination.

Those red plastic cups? Iconic.

The dim lights? Cozy.

The smell when you walked in? Better than perfume.

Pizza Hut pizza back then hit different. That pan crust had a little crisp on the bottom, buttery edges, and enough cheese to make you feel like your bones were being blessed. And don’t even get me started on the sheer joy of tearing into a slice while the grownups talked about grownup stuff and you got to live your best life with a straw in your Coke and zero responsibilities.

Honestly, the 80’s were wild but Pizza Hut was stable. Pizza Hut was reliable. Pizza Hut understood the assignment.

🍕 And then there were those Chef Boyardee pizza kits.

Lord have mercy. If you grew up with those, you know exactly what I mean. You felt like a full-on chef. You were out here mixing sauce like you owned a restaurant. Rolling that dough out like you had a cooking show. Sprinkling cheese with the confidence of someone who had never once paid a bill.

Was the crust a little… dense? Sure.

Did the sauce taste like “sweet tomato paste with ambition”? Yes.

Did it matter? Absolutely not.

Because it was pizza you made yourself and that meant it was a masterpiece.

🍕 My Current Pizza Personality

Here’s the thing. I’m not picky about pizza. I’m passionate.

I can respect a fancy pizza. I can appreciate the thin crust, the char, the little basil leaf placed gently on top like it’s tucked in for bedtime.

But I also love the bold stuff.

Deep dish Chicago style? Oh yes. A glorious, dramatic casserole of cheese and sauce that requires a nap afterward and maybe a commitment to better choices tomorrow. The kind of pizza you eat with a fork and a prayer.

And then there’s the giant slice from Joe’s on Broadway. That’s not pizza. That’s a New York moment. That’s the kind of slice you fold like a pro and suddenly you feel cooler than you actually are. A big, floppy, perfect slice that drips just enough grease to remind you it’s real.

Mamma Mia.

🍕 Pizza Goes With Everything

And here’s the part nobody can argue with… pizza goes with everything.

A crisp Coca-Cola on a hot summer day? Perfect.

A Corona after hitting a few balls at the park? Also perfect.

Maybe you wanna be fancy and pair it with a nice glass of Grape Creek Cabernet Trois? Do it. No one will judge. Well, I won’t judge anyway.

In fact, offer me pizza and wine or maybe a Buffalo Trace neat and I am in.

Actually… I’d be in at pizza and tap water.

🍕 Pizza Isn’t Just Food… It’s Comfort

Pizza has been my comfort food forever. It’s celebration food. It’s “we survived today” food. It’s “I don’t want to cook and I’m not sorry” food. It’s the one thing that can show up at a party and everybody stops arguing.

I don’t care if it’s square, thin, thick, deep dish, folded, cheesy, crunchy, loaded, basic, bougie, or straight from the freezer at midnight. Pizza is faithful.

And honestly? In a world full of chaos, I respect a food that shows up hot, comforting, and ready to make everything feel a little better.

So yes… my love of pizza is next level. I could eat it every day. And if you ever want to win my heart, don’t bring me flowers.

🍕 Bring me a slice.

XOXO, Jani

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Southern Stories Part 2: Food That Hugs You Back!

September 10, 2025

Eat, Pray, Love, Let’s Cook!, Southern Stories

In the South, food is never just food—it’s comfort, it’s family, it’s how we love on people. A casserole shows up on your doorstep when times are tough, Sunday dinner isn’t a suggestion but an expectation, and recipes are passed down on worn index cards with little notes like “don’t forget extra butter.” Every dish has a story, and every bite feels like a hug.

Southern Sundays

Around My Gramma’s Table

My Gramma’s chicken n’ dumplings made my heart sing. Pillowy dumplings floating in broth so rich you could feel it warming you from the inside out. And like any true coastal Carolina woman, she always had rice on the table—always. To this day, I can still see the steam rising from that bowl.

Now, I’ll tell you the truth—I hated the smell of collard greens cooking… until the very last stretch when they finally turned that corner and filled the house with a heavenly aroma. Funny how even the things we wrinkled our noses at as kids become the very smells that feel like home.

And her buttermilk pie? Lawd have mercy. The stuff of legends. Creamy, sweet, tangy perfection wrapped in a flaky crust. If love had a taste, that pie was it.

Chicken’ N Dumplins’

Biscuits w/ Gravy

Buttermilk Pie

Southern Staples That Stick With You

Every Southern family has their staples. Fried chicken that crunches when you bite into it, biscuits split open and smothered in gravy, shrimp and grits that taste like the coast itself. Down here, mac n’ cheese doesn’t come from a box—it’s baked till bubbly and golden. Gumbo and jambalaya are the stories of Louisiana, simmered with spice and history.

Hush puppies, fried catfish, pulled pork barbecue, red beans and rice… they’re not just dishes, they’re cultural landmarks. And don’t get me started on pimento cheese—it’s basically our love language spread on crackers.

Pimento Cheese

Gumbo

Barbecue!

Bread, Biscuits, and the Sweet Side

Cornbread and buttermilk biscuits are the unsung heroes of the South. They cradle our gravies, our honeys, our jams, and sometimes, our broken hearts.

And then come the desserts—sweet potato pie, pecan pie, banana pudding layered with vanilla wafers, and peach cobbler bubbling hot under a golden crust. Around here, dessert isn’t an afterthought. It’s a memory-maker.

Learning to Cook, Southern Style

Here’s the funny part—when I first got married, neither my ex-husband nor I had much in the way of culinary skills. But over the years, we honed them into true Southern specialties. My son Jake? He’s a master of meat. The man can take a tough, cheap cut and turn it into something that makes you want to weep… for more.

As for me, I kept Gramma’s tradition alive. Chicken n’ dumplings became my specialty, the kind of dish that makes people pause mid-bite and close their eyes. And while it isn’t Southern, my cheesecake has become something of a legend in its own right. It might not have roots below the Mason-Dixon, but it hugs you up just the same.

Dirty Rice

Fried Green Tomatoes

Black-eyed Peas

Why Southern Food Feels Like a Hug

It’s not just the flavors—it’s the stories, the traditions, the people who serve them. It’s the way food bridges generations, fills porches with laughter, and makes even strangers feel like family. Southern food doesn’t just sit on a plate. It lingers in memory, wrapping you up long after the meal is done.

Taste Your Way Through the South

Want to truly know the South? Taste it. Take a road trip through barbecue country in the Carolinas, order shrimp and grits in Charleston, savor gumbo in New Orleans, and grab a hot, buttery biscuit in Georgia. Each bite is a story. Each meal is a memory waiting to be made.

Because here in the South, food doesn’t just feed you—it hugs you back.

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What Is My Favorite Recipe? Let’s Talk About It…

August 24, 2025

Eat, Pray, Love, Let’s Cook!

What’s your favorite recipe?

Well, today’s Daily Prompt has me stumped, y’all. What is your favorite recipe? Seriously? That’s like asking me to pick my favorite grandchild—or my favorite vacation destination. Impossible!

Some of my recipes are comfort-food classics that wrap you up like a warm hug. Think:

🐓 Chicken n’ Dumplings – the kind that takes all day and makes your whole house smell like heaven.

🍤 Shrimp & Grits – creamy, buttery, just enough spice to make my ancestors proud.

🌶️ Dirty Rice – because Cajun flavors never disappoint.

Then there are the quick-and-sassy ones that show up at parties and tailgates:

🧀 Tailgate Pimento Cheese – creamy, sharp, and gone before halftime.

🥓 Cream Cheese, Bacon & Scallion RITZwich – snack-sized perfection.

🍇 Prosecco Grapes – fancy little gems that say, “yes, I do bring the fun.”

And let’s not forget my sweet tooth:

🍋 Lemon Pound Cake – fresh, tangy, and perfect with coffee.

🗽 New York Classic Cheesecake – tall, creamy, indulgent.

🍫 Brick Street Chocolate Cake – rich enough to cure any bad day.

🍹 Wash it all down with a Pineapple Margarita, and I’ve just described my whole personality in recipes.

So no, I can’t pick just one. Recipes are like stories for me—they hold memories, comfort, and a little bit of flair. Some are quick fixes for busy days, others are weekend projects that bring everyone to the table.

And maybe that’s my real answer: my favorite recipe is whichever one I get to share—with family, friends, or even just with you here.

XOXO, Jani

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