Peeled russet potatoes, cut into chunks and gently boiled in water until tender and reduced, thickened with a slurry.

Creamed Potatoes with Thickening

Potatoes are a staple across the country I suppose, but like rice, they sure are a pretty big part of life in the South.

Not only do they act as a side dish, they can also serve as an inexpensive and filling main dish for those times when the money has fallen short of the month. In fact, this meal topped with whatever leftovers were in the house, or whatever was on hand from the pantry, actually comes from the Depression Era.

An appetizer bread, spread with a mix of mayo, shredded cheese, bacon, nuts and green onion, spread on French bread, baked and sliced for serving.

Million Dollar Cheese Bread

You've probably seen Million Dollar Dip and Neiman Marcus Dip all around the internet at some point. As to bloggers of food, it seems to be offered everywhere!

Million Dollar Dip was originally known simply as Almond-Bacon-Cheese Spread and later as Neiman Marcus Dip because that's where the original developer of the recipe, Helen Corbitt, happened to work as Director of Food Services at the Neiman Marcus restaurant, Zodiac Room in Texas, where it is said many of her recipes are still offered.

A quick and easy, classic cold bean dip, made using a combination of seasoned, thick and creamy pinto and white beans, with a hint of heat from Creole or Cajun seasoning and pickled jalapenos.

Quick Cold Bean Dip

You can't beat a classic bean dip and there's a reason it's stood the test of time!

Everybody seems to like them, whether it's baked, or served cold like this one, though this one may certainly be warmed up to serve as well. Personally, I enjoy them equally, but when I'm in the mood for a quick bean dip, this is the one that I lean to.

A very basic and simple soup, starts with a stewed smoked pork hock and made with chicken stock, potatoes, turnips, carrots, onion, cabbage and tomatoes.

Dolly's Stone Soup

There are many stories of the origins of the folk tale of Stone Soup, and it seems to cross many cultures as well, but essentially it centers around the tale of a hungry traveler who arrives in a village where the residents don't seem to want to share their food.

The traveler goes to a stream, fills a pot with water and drops a stone into the water - promising the stone will result in a very special soup.

Russet potatoes, peeled and cut up, smothered with onion, smoked sausage and Rotel tomatoes and cooked in a rice cooker.

Rice Cooker Smothered Potatoes

Rice cookers may be a bit old school, but believe it or not, they're still a thing down here and for the most part, it's an appliance that is completely uncomplicated.

One simple "start" button is usually all there is to them!

You press it, it cooks your rice, kicks over to warm when your rice is done, and it actually holds the rice for a long time. As far as timing goes, it's really going to depend on your cooker, so holding on to that product manual is key to timing for the rest of your dinner.

Spicy mixed nuts, tossed with a seasoned butter and honey blend and roasted.

Bar Nuts

It's been a minute since I've spent anytime at all in a bar whether it's around town or on vacation, but I do remember a time where there were freely available snacks available.

Mostly they were intentionally savory and salty, purportedly to encourage your thirst so you'd buy more drinks!

These days it's more about offering paid for appetizer menu items, or if there are any kind of snacky freebies, it's typically small plates of food or appetizers called tapas,

A seafood dressing made with the trinity, cornbread and French bread crumbs, shrimp, crabmeat and oysters.

Seafood Cornbread Dressing

There are so many different kinds of dressings out there, the most common ones in the South being one made with cornbread, another made including chicken and the other with only staled bread in the form of sandwich bread, French bread or leftover rolls or biscuits and the addition of herbs.

I've made cornbread dressing both with and without any kind of bread, but I find that I prefer the texture of cornbread dressing when it includes some bread with the cornbread. It's another one of those Southern things that folks tend to argue about though, because there are some who will tell you that only cornbread should be in your cornbread dressing, and that is the only way.

Well. Y'all know what I say about that! 

A creamy soup, made with a light roux, the trinity, stock, milk, artichokes, fresh oysters and finished with a garnish of quartered artichoke and smoked oysters.

Oysters and Artichoke Soup

Let's start off by saying that I do realize that oysters aren't everybody's thing.

They certainly weren't a thing for me when I was younger, that's for sure, and I've shared that story here before. But... let's just say as I matured as an adult, my love of oysters grew and the holidays are certainly when they show up.

I mean, c'mon. I grew up on the Gulf Coast!

A slow-stewed whole chicken finished with rolled buttermilk dumplings.

Chicken with Rolled Buttermilk Dumplings

I love chicken and dumplings but you know what? Although drop dumplings are and will always be my favorite, I'm not particularly married to chicken and dumplings done one way and one way only.

I'm just too adventurous for that!

There are so many different methods and even types of dumplings out there and I like trying them all. Hey, life is short, right?

One thing is for certain. A big bowl of stewed chicken with dumplings is comfort food 101.

A snack mix of corn and rice squares with cheese crackers and a mix of pecans, cashews and peanuts, tossed with a spicy seasoned butter and slow baked.

Spicy Party Mix

Everyone makes these cereal-based snack mixes all year round because they are a great snack for parties, movie nights or just anytime, but for some reason they became a holiday favorite too. I think a lot of folks bag it up and gift it and frankly, once you start doing that, it will be expected every year!

What I call the original original 1952 advertised recipe was simply 2 cups each of wheat and rice Chex cereals, 1/2 cup nuts, butter, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and garlic salt. That's it! Even that original has evolved over the years and isn't the same original as is on the current Chex website.

I won't go into it here again, but you can read up a bit on that Chexistory at this link.