Like most women in the south all of the women in my family are ~~amazing cooks~~… Ok there is at least one dish that they are known for and can execute flawlessly. My Granny (paternal grandmother) can make anything taste good. She is the very first chef that I feel in live with. She taught me the fundamentals of a kitchen, how to measure without using measuring utensils, how to identify seasonings upon taste and most importantly how to cook cornbread. It took me 34 years to learn how to make cornbread and I have been baking since I was in the 7th grade. For some reason I just could not get the recipe/consistency right, cornbread and pancakes have been my greatest downfall in the kitchen.

For years I would call my granny and ask how to make cornbread and she would rattle off that I needed cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, butter, eggs, sugar and a line of salt… Yes you read it correctly a line, open your hand and pour salt in the line closest to your fingers when cupped. I have never poured it into a measuring utensils to see exactly how much it is but it has always been the right amount from baking cornbread, cakes, pies and beyond.

I bought a bunch of beets from the farmers market yesterday and was thinking of ways that I could use it all and not waste any. I thought if I can cook collards, kale, mustard, spinach and turnip greens surely I can cook these beet greens and make them amazing. After cutting the greens off the beet, I washed them thoroughly three times then cut them up into thin slices. While I let the greens drain in a colander, I cut up two small onions and some garlic. I sautéed the onions and garlic with some maple cured bacon. Once the onions were transparent I added the green, a line of salt, 3/4 cup water and a tablespoon of cane sugar. I let the ingredients come to a boil then lowered to a constant simmer for 25 mins, then I added a teaspoon apple cider vinegar and let simmer for an additional ten minutes.

Sunday dinner consisted of beets 2 ways, boiled beets, beet greens, cornbread, corn (boiled in coconut milk, cinnamon, allspice and butter), turkey meatloaf, tomatoes, avocado, cucumbers and strawberry lemonade.

I don’t remember if my Granny ever cooked beet greens for us, but I am sure that this would not have been her recipe. We have this thing, whenever I am home I cook for her and she will try and guess the seasonings I used. If I bake a cake or pie, she will say, “hmmm, I taste lemon zest, vanilla, almond and nutmeg or allspice, what else is in here Kizzy?” I will chuckle and say “Granny your close, but off by one ” without ever telling her the recipe. A few weeks after I have returned to my home she will call and say I think I figured out what you used, as soon as this cake come out of the oven I will let you know if I duplicated your recipe or made it better. I love my Granny and I love that she taught me how to cook and how to use all that you have without wasting it.