Simply the Best: 10 of Our Readers’ Favorite Recipes
From savory main dishes to crave-able desserts and time-honored canning traditions to irresistible side dishes, here are the top 10 recipes that readers return to again and again.
Selected from more than 750 recipes on Lana’s Cooking, this small group are the recipes that our readers love the most!
Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice
Total time: 40 minutes
Level: Beginner
Main ingredients: Chicken, long-grain rice, chicken broth, onion, celery
Learn more and get the recipe: Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice
This old-fashioned one pot Chicken and Rice recipe is pure, hearty comfort food. For this simple recipe, chicken, rice, celery, and onions are combined and steamed to perfection all in one pot. It’s a great meal to make on a weeknight or when you need something that really sticks to your ribs!
The Best Southern Cheese Grits
Total time: 15 minutes
Level: Beginner
Main ingredients: Grits, butter, sharp cheese, garlic powder
Learn more and get the recipe: The Best Southern Cheese Grits
If you’re looking for the perfect southern side dish then I have the recipe you need! This classic Southern Cheese Grits recipe goes with any meal from breakfast to supper and is fabulous with anything from chicken to fried fish to shrimp. They’re always the right answer to the which side dish to serve dilemma.
Simple Seasoned Grilled Fish
Total time: 5 minutes
Level: Beginner
Main ingredients: Fish fillets, seasoning, oil, lemon
Learn more and get the recipe: Simple Seasoned Grilled Fish
On even the busiest day, you can serve your family a home cooked dinner with this 5-minute Simple Seasoned Grilled Fish recipe! Pair these lightly seasoned and grilled fish fillets with your choice of steamed vegetables for a quick and easy weeknight meal!
Homemade Pickled Okra
Total time: 55 minutes
Level: Intermediate
Main ingredients: Fresh okra pods, salt, vinegar, garlic
Learn more and get the recipe: Homemade Pickled Okra
Learn how to make Homemade Pickled Okra. From preparing the brine to packing and sealing the jars, this step-by-step guide will have you canning our favorite southern veggie with no added preservatives
Baked Catfish with Herbs
Total time: 25 minutes
Level: Beginner
Main ingredients: Catfish fillets, seasonings, lemon, butter
Learn more and get the recipe: Baked Catfish with Herbs
Follow this quick and easy recipe for fresh Baked Catfish fillets topped with herbs, butter, and lemon. A perfect weeknight dinner that the whole family will love, ready in under 30 minutes!
Easy Vintage Haystacks Candy
Total time: 10 minutes
Level: Beginner
Main ingredients: Chow mein noodles, peanut butter, butterscotch chips, salted peanuts
Learn more and get the recipe: Easy Vintage Haystacks Candy
Four ingredients and just 10 minutes are all you’ll need to make this Easy Vintage Haystacks Candy recipe. Crunchy chow mein noodles, butterscotch, and peanut butter collide in this no-bake treat for the holiday season or any time of year. It’s an easy to make vintage candy recipe that’s a perfect combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy!
Favorite Kosher Dill Pickles
Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Level: Intermediate
Main ingredients: Cucumbers, dill seed (or fresh dill weed), vinegar, garlic, peppercorns
Learn more and get the recipe: Favorite Kosher Dill Pickles
Our family’s Favorite Kosher Dill Pickles – Homemade with fresh cucumbers, dill, and garlic. Tested and approved safe canning recipe for shelf stable storage.
Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes
Total time: 30 minutes (plus overnight chilling time)
Level: Beginner
Main ingredients: Butter, sugar, flour, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla
Learn more and get the recipe: Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes
Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes is a classic, vintage recipe. It’s a bit of a cross between a cookie and cake, not too sweet, and utterly delicious. Tea cakes are the perfect ending to any meal or a great mid-afternoon snack with coffee, tea, or milk.
Easy Basic Salsa Recipe for Canning
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Level: Intermediate
Main ingredients: Tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, garlic vinegar, sugar, parsley, cilantro
Learn more and get the recipe: Easy Basic Salsa Recipe for Canning
Use this easy home canning recipe for Basic Salsa with fresh tomatoes, onions, and peppers to keep fresh summer flavors in your pantry all year round. You can make it as mild or spicy as you like and add it to all your southwest recipes!
Old Fashioned Brunswick Stew
Total time: 4 hours
Level: Intermediate
Main ingredients: Chicken, smoked ham bone, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, butter beans, corn, barbecue sauce
Learn more and get the recipe: Old Fashioned Brunswick Stew
If you’re looking for the perfect, most delicious side dish for your next barbecue, then I have the solution for you right here. This is the best Old Fashioned Brunswick Stew recipe! Not only is it a Georgia staple, it’s an iconic Southern barbecue side dish containing the most delicious combination of meat and vegetables you’ve ever tasted.
My Southern Table Cookbook
If you like these recipes, you’ll love my new cookbook! It’s 348 pages filled with 246 recipes, each with a full-color photo. Visit my blog at Lana’s Cooking for more information.