Cooking Exceptionally With Gin Lee

Crispy Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe That Never Gets Soggy You pull a pan of eggplant parmesan from the oven, and instead of a crisp slice, you get a sad, watery mess on your plate. Watery vegetable layers ruin a good batch of Italian comfort food faster than almost any kitchen mistake. You want that crunchy breadcrumb crust to hold strong against rich tomato sauce and melted cheese. Getting that crisp texture means you have to outsmart the high water content inside the vegetable itself. Let us look at why homemade bakes fail and how you can fix the problem for good. Why Restaurant-Style Eggplant Parmesan Fails at Home Most home cooks slice the purple squash, dip it in breadcrumbs, and bake it right away. That shortcut leaves trapped water inside the flesh. As the dish bakes in the oven, that trapped moisture steams the breading from the inside out. You end up with a soggy crust that slides right off the slice. Professional kitchens prep their ingredients with patience and specific st...

Making self-rising flour Most recipes that I prepare list flour as an ingredient. I prefer using self-rising, but there's been several times, within the past few years, when the stores that I shop at haven't had self-rising flour. So, I will make my own and today I will tell you how I do it. No, I am not grinding my own wheat, etc.. When you make your own self-rising flour, you're in control of the amount of salt that's added to it. Whereas, when you purchase self-rising flour in the store, you're not. Yes, self-rising flour is made with salt already added, as well as a few other needed ingredients. These ingredients are what are essentially needed to make your biscuits, etc. rise during the baking process. Since I bake a lot, I double the recipe while I have all the ingredients already out. This self-rising flour recipe takes me about five minutes to prepare. I do not sift the flour while I am making it; I wait to sift the flour as it's needed.  After mixing th...

A Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Javiana, Traced to raw Fresh Jalapeno Peppers From Sinaloa, Mexico A multistate outbreak of Salmonella Javiana, traced to raw fresh jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, has resulted in 345 reported illnesses and 36 hospitalizations across 27 states as of August 7, 2026. Minnesota and Colorado are the most affected, each reporting approximately 110 cases. Key Statistics - Total Illnesses: 345 - Total Hospitalizations: 36 - Affected States: 27 - Hardest-Hit States: Minnesota (110 cases), Colorado (110 cases) Recommendations for Consumers Avoid Consumption: Refrain from eating fresh jalapeños originating from Sinaloa, Mexico, particularly those distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Inspect Your Supplies: If you possess these jalapeños, safely dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase. Seek Medical Attention: If you experience symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, or abdominal cramps after cons...

How to Cook Pork and Beef Neck Bones for Maximum Flavor Soul food traditions and budget-friendly cooking rely heavily on neck bones to deliver rich flavor. People often pass these cuts by at the meat counter. Yet, neck bones transform into tender meat and thick broths when you give them the right care. Home cooks prize these cuts for their high bone-to-meat ratio. As food costs rise, savvy shoppers find that neck bones cost far less than short ribs or oxtails while giving you the same rich taste. Unlocking the full potential of neck bones means knowing how to break down tough connective tissue. Slow cooking is the key. From traditional Southern gumbos to Asian noodle soups, many methods can make these bones the star of your dinner table. Slow-Simmered Southern Style Neck Bones Building Deep Flavor Through Traditional Seasoning Southern cooking uses bold flavor profiles to bring out the best in pork neck bones. Start with the holy trinity of chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper. Toss ...

Country-Style Peppered Bacon Milk Gravy As if peppered milk gravy isn't good all on its own, today I added bacon! Bacon not only adds extra delicious flavor, but it also makes the gravy a lot more filling, and when you have a hungry crowd waiting for breakfast, that truly matters! Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped 4 tablespoons of bacon grease or canola oil 1/4 cup of self-rising flour 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper 4 cups of evaporated milk Instructions: In a skillet, cook 12 ounces of bacon for about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on how crispy you like yours to be. Turn the slices of bacon midway through cooking. Drain the cooked pieces of bacon on a paper towel-lined plate.   Using the same skillet, heat the bacon grease or canola oil over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of self-rising flour to the hot grease and whisk until the mixture becomes smooth. Reduce the heat to a simmer.   Ad...

Sweet and Smoky Spicy Country Ribs Recipe for Tender Fall-Off-The-Bone Meat A hungry crowd waiting for dinner doesn’t want dry, overcooked pork. When weekend grilling season arrives, traditional spare ribs often require hours of babysitting, but country-style ribs offer a meaty, budget-friendly shortcut without sacrificing rich flavor. Getting that perfect balance of heat and tenderness can be tricky without the right technique. These cuts are actually sliced from the blade end of the pork loin near the shoulder, meaning they pack plenty of natural marbling and rich pork flavor that reacts brilliantly to bold spice rubs. This step-by-step recipe delivers mouth-watering, spice-rubbed country ribs with a caramelized crust and tender center. Whether using a smoker, oven, or grill, mastering this method guarantees a restaurant-quality meal at home. Understanding Country-Style Ribs and Why They Need Special Care Why Country Ribs Differ From Traditional Ribs Country-style ribs are not actual...

Country-Style Breakfast Sausage Links Today, I am delighted to share with you my recipe for mouthwatering country-style breakfast sausage links. What sets these apart is that I do not use casings in the preparation, making them even more convenient and enjoyable to savor. Ingredients: 1 pound of high-quality pork 1/2 teaspoon of dried sage 1 tablespoon of Splenda brown sugar blend or regular brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes A small pinch of ground cloves 1 teaspoon of seasoning salt 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon of dried marjoram 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder (optional) Instructions: Begin by gathering all the necessary ingredients, ensuring the pork is of the finest quality for optimal flavor. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried sage, Splenda brown sugar blend (or regular brown sugar), crushed red pepper flakes, ground cloves, seasoning salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried marjoram, onion powder, and ...

How to Cook Southern Style New Potatoes and Green Beans for Sunday Dinner You remember the smell of bacon fat and simmering vegetables hitting the air before you even walk through the back screen door. Southern style new potatoes and green beans represent the heart of country cooking. They use basic garden crops to build rich flavor without any fuss. This dish warms you up on a cool fall evening and pairs with almost any main course you put on the table. You only need a few pantry items and a heavy pot to make this comforting classic at home. The History of Fresh New Potatoes and Snap Beans in Appalachian and Lowcountry Kitchens Early homesteaders planted new potatoes and snap beans early in the spring because both crops thrived in rich Southern dirt. Gardeners harvested the small, thin-skinned tubers just weeks after planting while the vines still produced tender pods. Families picked the green beans by hand on humid mornings, snapping off the ends before they went straight into a cas...

Partly sunny eggs These eggs take approximately six minutes to cook. They're yummy and the egg yolks aren't terribly runny! During the last minute of cooking the partly sunny eggs, I constantly, lightly splash the oil over the top of each egg with a spatula. This is to make certain that none of the egg whites are left uncooked. I have just cooked some sausages, so I am using the oil from them to cook the eggs. Once the eggs are finished cooking, the egg whites will look like clouds coming out over the sunny yolk. Hence, the reasons why I refer to them as being partly sunny eggs. Ingredients: Eggs (I used four) A sprinkle of freshly ground pepper and seasoning salt Oil, bacon or sausage drippings, or use butter (use just enough to coat your skillet) Instructions: Add your oil to a non-stick skillet, allowing the oil to get hot on medium heat. Next, carefully crack the eggs and add them to the skillet of hot oil. Cook for five minutes, then turn the burner off. Finish cooking the...

  Southern Food and Its Heritage: How to Taste History by Region Smoked pork, hot cornbread, slow greens, flaky biscuits, Gulf shrimp, and layered spice can fill a kitchen before the first bite. Southern food and its heritage carry more than flavor. They hold centuries of migration, survival, forced labor, trade, family memory, and local pride. Southern cuisine is not one fixed tradition. Indigenous nations, enslaved Africans, African Americans, European settlers, Caribbean migrants, later immigrants, farmers, fishers, and home cooks all shaped it. Soil, weather, waterways, and access to markets created sharp regional differences. To understand the food, you must look at both its pleasure and its past. Southern Food and Its Heritage Begins With Indigenous Knowledge Indigenous crops built the foundation Southern food traditions existed long before European colonization. Indigenous communities cultivated and gathered corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, wild rice, pecans, berri...