Dinner

Old-fashioned beef tips and gravy: cubes of chuck roast browned hard in batches, simmered covered on low in an onion and beef broth gravy for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until a fork falls through, served over white rice.

Homemade cheeseburger macaroni in one skillet: browned ground beef and onion, dry elbow macaroni simmered in 2 cups beef broth and 1 1/2 cups milk for 12 to 14 minutes, then 2 cups sharp cheddar stirred in off the heat.

My mother's crispy roast chicken: dried and salted the night before, roasted at 425 degrees with no basting and no foil, about 15 minutes per pound, then rested before carving. A roasting chart for every size of bird.

How to make juicy homemade hamburgers in a skillet: loosely shaped beef patties with a thumb dent, salted on the outside just before cooking, cooked in a hot cast iron pan and flipped once, never pressed.

Southern oven-fried chicken: buttermilk-soaked pieces double-dipped in seasoned flour, laid skin side down in sizzling melted butter at 425 degrees, baked 30 minutes, turned once, then baked 15 to 20 minutes more until crisp.

My mother's Friday night sheet pan pizza: a thick olive oil yeast crust risen 1 1/2 hours, pressed into an oiled 18x13 inch pan, topped with homemade sauce, ground beef, onion, green pepper and mozzarella to the edges, baked at 450 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes.

Old-fashioned Southern smothered chicken: bone-in thighs and drumsticks browned in a skillet, then simmered covered in a smooth onion gravy made in the same pan until the meat falls off the bone. Served over white rice.

Soft, tender beef meatballs made the old way, with torn bread soaked in milk, mixed with a light hand, rolled with wet hands and browned in a 400 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes before simmering in tomato sauce.

The grilled cheese my mother made: mayonnaise spread thin on the outside instead of butter, sharp cheddar plus a slice of American cheese inside, a cold skillet, medium low heat and a lid for 3 to 4 minutes, then 2 to 3 minutes on the second side.

Old-fashioned hamburger steaks with homemade onion gravy: thick seasoned beef patties seared in cast iron, onions cooked slow in the same skillet to lift the brown bits, a little flour, beef broth, then the patties simmered back in the gravy under a lid. No packet. Exact amounts and times.

Old-fashioned chicken and homemade noodles: a whole chicken simmered for the broth, egg noodles rolled thin, cut with a knife and dried two hours on a towel over a chair back, cooked in the broth with the shredded chicken and served over mashed potatoes.