Meal No. 4177: Salmon Croquettes

Dateline: Wed 12 Aug. A fine foursome sat down to dinner a couple of Wednesdays ago, on a mid-week movie night, with the main feature being salmon croquettes (i.e., cakes, patties, or burgers: call ‘em what you will.) A chili-garlic-lime aioli is always the right choice for dipping bites into, and I also spiced and roasted whole green beans. I sure didn’t grow up eating dishes like this but boy howdy have I come to like ‘em a lot.

It would have seemed like a missed opportunity not to have dessert, so I’d grabbed blackberries and raspberries on a recent grocery run and had a multi-berry version of Gerry’s cobbler in the oven while we ate our dinner. It really came out awfully sweet this time, and I wouldn’t have minded the filling setting up a little better. But I absolutely ate every bit and crumb and sent my bowl to the sink well-scraped of all its residual goodness.

---

Adapted from “Salmon Burgers,” from Denise Austin, Shrink Your Female Fat Zones, Rodale Books (2003), p. 396.

"Chili-Lime Aïoli," from David Wald of Princeton, NJ, May 2009.

Adapted from "Gerry's Blackberry Cobbler," by Baritone Bob. In allrecipes, Summer 2024, p. 43. Also found online at AllRecipes.com. [Updated 14 January 2022]

Meal No. 4164: Soy Sauce Ramen Noodles

Dateline: Tue 28 July. As we rolled lazily into the wrap-up of the preceding calendar month, I found myself at last inspired to tackle more of the yard chores that have remained neglected. Once our extended rainy pattern had broken, and I could emerge from the bit of cabin fever that had developed, it felt good to labor and sweat in short bursts. That also meant a worked-up appetite, satisfied Tuesday a week ago by the quick fixin’ of the "viral" ramen recipe that let me work late into the afternoon and still get supper on the table before 6 pm. A sauce of simple design but full of flavor, a couple of eggs stirred in to up the protein and heartiness, all over easy ramen noodles with sliced scallions and everything bagel seasoning: it proved pretty satisfying.

---

Based on "Viral Ramen Noodles," from Brian Gerwig [NC]. Instagram Profile: g_bque. [Posted 15 May 2024]

Meal No. 4163: Not So Cajun Chicken

Dateline: Sun 26 July. As July rolled into its final week, the Sunday supper at the Roediger House brought out a classic and old favorite: Not So Cajun Chicken. Often the first dish I’d make for new company, and featured prominently on special occasions (like the first meal in the new kitchen in 2008), this dish comes with multi-faceted nostalgia and triggers all kinds of warm memories and feelings. Also: it’s quite tasty.

---

"Not So Cajun Chicken," a dish I regularly enjoyed at Crowley's Old Time Favorites restaurant and bar on Medlin Drive in Raleigh, NC. (Another version of the recipe can be found here.) A heap of thanks is due to Jimmy Randolph for tracking down the recipe for me.

Meal No. 4162: Hamburger Supreme

Dateline: Sat July 25. The extended cool-down and storm-and-drizzle pattern finally began to break on the final Saturday of July, and its exit seemed to call for a comfort dish of celebration. The long-time family favorite of hamburger supreme stepped in to support that menu, along with plenty of hot buttered corn. I'd worked up a good appetite from a short burst of yard activity, some initial clearing of overgrown areas, even though it was but a small dent in the larger tasks ahead of me before my summer break ends.

---

"Hamburger Supreme," from the late Mrs. John T. (Glynn) Johnson of Buies Creek, North Carolina.

Meal No. 4155: Cheeseburgers for Game Night

Dateline: Fri 18 July. Summertime rolls around, which includes the happy stretch of days with my brother-in-law visiting, and the crew must assemble for supper and game night. That was our collective endeavor Friday a week ago, as our hotter July held sway and it seemed best to keep the heat out of the kitchen. So: cheeseburgers to the rescue, fresh from the grill, with chips of choice and lots of homemade special sauce.

With plates cleared away, it was time to bring out our homemade version of Cards Against Humanity, based on the Dark Shadows gothic soap opera from the late 1960s. With answer options that would color the cheeks of the prim and proper among us, it’s prudent to keep the contents on the DL…but we sure get a lot of groans, gasps, and hearty laughs from the gathered souls.

---

Adapted from "Grilled Juicy Burgers," originally from Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks recipe magazine, July 2003 [Updated Online 03 February 2011], p. 52-53.

"Beef & Cheddar Melts Sauce," a Roediger House creation.

Lemon Meringue and Chocolate Meringue Pies

Dateline: Thu 02 July. It was double-duty for me on the first Thursday afternoon in July, when I let Pillsbury pie shells take some of the pressure off and then I compensated by making both a lemon meringue pie and chocolate meringue pie. They had time to chill a bit and then the chocolate version served as that evening’s dessert when Kristen and Mookie were over.

Additional Dateline: Sat 04 July. I saved the lemon meringue pie to bring out for dessert on the Fourth of July, though, because that was our big gathering of Roediger House regulars. I regretted that my approach to meringue left it shrunken and sweaty in the intervening days from making and baking to greeting and eating. But was it still a fine pie? In the sweetest mouth-puckering way possible, yes indeed.

---

"Chocolate and Lemon Meringue Pie," based on a classic and common recipe.

Meal No. 4146: Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches

Dateline: Sat 04 July 2026. It was a casual gathering of seven on the occasion of the nation's 250th anniversary, a hot day very nearly for the record books. Figuring out how to put supper on the table without unnecessarily heating up the kitchen with the oven was a challenge, and I didn't think I liked the idea of grilling in the direct sunshine with that kind of heat and humidity about. All that indecision and imprecision resulted in quite a remarkable menu, though, with the inaugural attempt (and with happy success!) of Nashville hot chicken sandwiches.

Yep: all breaded and fried and spiced and seasoned, these boneless skinless chicken thighs were amazing. In turning these into sandwiches, folks could choose between standard Duke's mayo or spicy ranch, and for those so inclined pickle chips could be added.

There was macaroni salad befitting the hot summer day. I'd also made tasty appetizer items, like southwestern dip and pimento cheese.

And lordy, for the first time in about three-and-a-half years: my dear friend Barbara's take on creamy stuffed eggs.

And in his usual spot under that table, close at hand to all these folks he loves, there was Sumner laid out happy and safe:

---

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches based on:

• "Nashville Hot Chicken," from Melissa Nolan of Budget Bytes. [Published 26 May 2025]
• "Crispy Fried Chicken Thighs," from Brendan Cunningham of I'm Hungry for That! [Published 26 September 2025 / Updated 03 January 2026]

Macaroni Salad based on "Classic Macaroni Salad," by Jaclyn Bell of CookingClassy.com [Published 15 April 2017 / Updated 23 June 2025]

"Southwestern Dip," in Betty Crocker Monthly Recipes, December 2001.

"South Carolina-Style Pimento Cheese." Recipe worked out by me, based on Sharon's Palmetto Pimento Cheese. [Published 23 October 2009]

"Creamy Stuffed Eggs," a recipe shared with me by Barbara Huneycutt of Crozet, VA.

Guidance for Hard-Boiled Eggs from "Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs," by Jill Winger of the Prairie Homestead [Published April 2016 / Updated 26 May 2020]; and from "Instant Pot Recipes Everyone Should Know," by Alina Bradford from c|net.com. [Published 17 May 2018]

Meal No. 4144: Cheeseburger Wellingtons in Puff Pastry

Dateline: Wed 01 July. It was just a crazy cool idea that crossed my radar and that then set me into motion as July commenced under a brutal heatwave: puff pastry cheeseburger Wellingtons. Outrageous, no? But it seemed too fun not to foist it upon Amy on her weekly Wednesday visit that day. And she knew immediately what I was doing when she walked in, likely because Instagram knows we have similar interests and fed us the same post that inspired that evening's meanu. I fried center-cut bacon, and I got a batch of onions almost perfectly caramelized, and I made some more souped up special burger sauce. Then I got to work on the thin and small burger patties. Once they'd been given a good sear on each side, the wellingtons underwent their assembly. I had a pretty messy result overall and yet these really were pretty darned good...and incredibly filling!

---

“Burger Wellington (Cheeseburger Wrapped in Puff Pastry),” from Chef Josh Gale, The Chef Out West. [Published 30 June 2026]

"Beef & Cheddar Melts Sauce," a Roediger House creation.

Meal No. 4138: Peanut Butter Bacon Burgers

Dateline: Tue 23 June. It was another opportune boys' night when Mookie made a Tuesday evening visit a couple of weeks ago. He's long been a fan, and a reasonably regular partaker of, the house specialty of peanut butter bacon burgers. Since he missed the recent offering just over 10 meals ago, I thought he was owed his due, so to work I went.

Home ground chuck tender steak, homemade peanut butter, homemade special sauce, and the slightly fussy touch of latticed bacon...all on buttered toasted brioche buns with the house-made beef and cheddar melts sauce, a/k/a a souped-up Thousand Island dressing. The mastication was occasionally interrupted by giddy happy gustatory giggles.

This was the 36th occasion for this particular delicacy, and I always like to update the history accordingly:

• Inspired by Yo Mama's in the French Quarter of New Orleans
• First Made: Meal No. 180
• Last Made: Meal No. 4126
• Fresh Home-Ground Beef, typically from boneless beef short ribs and top sirloin
• Homemade Peanut Butter
• Homemade Burger Sauce
• Labeled Photo of a Sample "Final Product" Burger: Guide to Meal No. 234

---

Guidance on grinding, shaping, and cooking burgers from "Best Old-Fashioned Burgers," by J. Kenji Alt, in Cook's Illustrated, No. 93 (July/August 2008), p. 10-11.

"Beef & Cheddar Melts Sauce," a Roediger House creation.

Original bacon braid guidance from "Bacon Sheets," from MyFridgeFood.com. See also: "How to Make Bacon Lattices for the Perfect BLTs," a nice video demonstration, from Justin Chapple's Mad Genius Tips on the Food & Wine website [published 02 March 2015 / Updated 14 September 2021 by Bridget Hallinana].

Meal No. 4136: Grilled Chicken Tenders

The happy circumstance of half-priced chicken tenders at the grocery left me with one final package on the first official day of summer, so I seasoned and marinated them and then let the grill take care of the rest. Alongside, there was salad with some fresh flavor-boosted Thousand Island dressing. But a true highlight was a dish of twice-baked cheesy bacon-scallion-sour cream mashed potatoes, highly reminiscent of what the old Raleigh favorite restaurant known as Darryl's would have called "smashed potatoes." (That name conjures something else altogether these days.)

---

"Grilled Chicken Tenders," from Sara Welch of Dinner at the Zoo. [Published 14 May 2018 / Updated 23 March 2019]

Based on "Beef & Cheddar Melts Sauce," a Roediger House creation.

Meal No. 4133: Not So Cajun Chicken

Dateline: Thur 18 June. From Meal No. 1 in 2009 to Meal No. 4133, I offer for your consideration the simply excellent Not So Cajun Chicken. Long depended on as a special occasion meal, or something to serve first-time guests, this dish has recurred less frequently but it has not been forgotten or sidelined. My college roommate Jimmy pulled up this recipe by scouring the interwebs and locating it in a South Carolina newspaper, if memory serves, after he and I met up for a meal at that old Raleigh favorite haunt known as Crowley's. That must've been late 2004 or early 2005 and I have thoroughly enjoyed its long history among Roediger House staples.

Just like I have enjoyed the almost-10-year-old sweet boy Sumner, captured here after a bit of rain that afternoon.

---

"Not So Cajun Chicken," a dish I regularly enjoyed at Crowley's Old Time Favorites restaurant and bar on Medlin Drive in Raleigh, NC. (Another version of the recipe can be found here.) A heap of thanks is due to Jimmy Randolph for tracking down the recipe for me.

Meal No. 4131: Pan-Seared Tuna Steaks with Ginger-Soy Glaze

Dateline: Tue 16 June. Somehow it's been over three years since I made tuna here, and that was what was featured Tuesday a week ago. A slight special at the Harris Teeter made the tuna steaks marginally more attractive, but I'd been looking out for them nonetheless. On that night, I spiced and pan-seared them to a tasty medium-rare while also cooking down an Asian-inspired ginger-soy glaze to go over top. I also tried out black ("Forbidden") rice as a novelty and was well-pleased with the result. A small side salad with Thousand Island dressing finished out the plate.

---

Adapted from "Sesame-Seared Tuna with Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette." In Cuisine at Home, Issue 48 (December 2004), p. 22-23.

"How to Cook Black Rice (aka Forbidden Rice)," from Chris Scheuer of The Café Sucre Farine. [Updated 22 May 2024]

Thousand Island Dressing adapted from "Beef & Cheddar Melts Sauce," a Roediger House creation.

Meal No. 4126: Peanut Butter Bacon Burgers

Dateline: Thur 11 June. An enormous amount of time has passed since the last time I made peanut butter bacon burgers, a remarkable undertaking and a definite gustatory treat. These monstrosities might get put together in slightly different ways each time they appear here, but there are some faithful constants that are catalogued just below. Peanut butter bacon burgers are very much a labor of love with an incredibly satisfying conclusion.

This was the 35th occasion for this particular delicacy, and I always like to update the history accordingly:

• Inspired by Yo Mama's in the French Quarter of New Orleans
• First Made: Meal No. 180
• Last Made: Meal No. 3583
• Fresh Home-Ground Beef, typically from boneless beef short ribs and top sirloin
• Homemade Peanut Butter
• Homemade Classic Burger Sauce (recipe below)
• Labeled Sample "Final Product" Burger: Guide to Meal No. 234

---

Classic Burger Sauce

from Cook's Illustrated, July-August 2008, p. 11.

4 T mayonnaise
2 T ketchup
1 tsp sweet pickle relish
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

---

Guidance on grinding, shaping, and cooking burgers from "Best Old-Fashioned Burgers," by J. Kenji Alt, in Cook's Illustrated, No. 93 (July/August 2008), p. 10-11.

"Beef & Cheddar Melts Sauce," a Roediger House creation.

Original bacon braid guidance from "Bacon Sheets," from MyFridgeFood.com. See also: "How to Make a Bacon Lattices for the Perfect BLTs," a nice video demonstration, from Justin Chapple's Mad Genius Tips on the Food & Wine website [published 02 March 2015 / Updated 14 September 2021 by Bridget Hallinana].

Lemon Meringue Pie

Dateline: Mon 01 June. Coming in at just about the most perfect I've ever made it, the dessert at the start of the month was the glorious traditional creamy lemon meringue pie. The lemon filling was truly airy and excellent but there was something uniquely pleasing about the way the meringue turned out. While the four of us might have been desirous of larger or additional portions, we also were wise enough to recognize when enough was enough. Boy howdy, was it ever good.

The next day, before I headed out for a few days of work in Richmond, the Goodyear Blimp flew over downtown. Here's the photo to record that uneventful event.

---

"Lemon Meringue Pie," based on a classic and common recipe.

Meal No. 4120: Pork Medallions with Ginger-Soy-Shiitake Cream Sauce

Dateline: Mon 01 June. The new month was welcomed on its first day with the happy return of Amy and Gern to the dinner table. And a long-time house favorite was served up to the delight of us all: pan-seared pork medallions with a ginger-soy-shiitake cream sauce. We had our much-loved company mashed potatoes alongside, and there was fresh-made creamy Caesar dressing for some crunchy green lettuced salad. We feasted with joy.

---

Based on "Pan-Seared Tuna with Ginger-Shiitake Cream Sauce," from The Bon Appétit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild, 2006, p. 398-399.

"Company Mashed Potatoes," a Jones Family favorite.

Based on "Easy Lemon Caesar Salad Dressing," by Kim Hardesty of lowcarbmaven.com.

Meal No. 4111: 2 x 2 Soup in Bread Bowls

With the return of Chris (a UNC chum and fellow Argonaut of the Order of the Golden Fleece) back on September 23rd, the occasion fell alongside a fall-like rainy spell with temps no higher than the upper 50s. Soup was a natural fit for that nasty weather, and I thought Chris might like to shake it up a bit with something served in a bread bowl. I went with 2 x 2 soup, so named because its ingredient list dwells mostly in two-fers: 2 pounds of ground beef, 2 cans of minestrone, 2 cans of Rotel, and 2 cans of kidney beans. The outlier is the 1 pound of Velveeta that gets mixed in at the end of the cooking time until it melts into a creamy cheesy smoothness before ladling into the waiting bread bowls. We enjoyed ourselves while we enjoyed this dinner.

---

"2 x 2 Soup," from various sources.

Soup Bread Bowls from "My Mother's Peasant Bread," by Alexandra Stafford of AlexandraCooks.com. [07 November 2012 / Updated 11 February 2026]

Meal No. 4095: 2 x 2 Soup

This past Wednesday was cool and drizzly for much of the day, and that's all it takes for me to zero in on a soup selection for supper. A package of ground beef in the fridge spoke loudest at the moment of decision, and I thought it might not be a terrible idea to resurrect the more rare 2 x 2 soup that used to be in regular rotation here. It's not hard to throw together, depends heavily on canned goods from the cabinet, and includes the indulgence of a pound of Velveeta. It was Amy's mid-week visit, and having enough to send home to her hubby felt like a favored option.

---

"2 x 2 Soup," from various sources.

Meal No. 4088: Birthday Sliders Selection

The final Saturday of April, as storms and rain rolled in after a long dry spell, it was a warm gathering of great friends at the Roediger House. With a birthday celebration to draw us together, we kept our menu simple but still good.

I made Hawaiian rolls to serve as slider buns, and then diverged into two kinds for people to choose between or freely indulge both: cheeseburger sliders or bacon turkey Swiss spicy ranch sliders.

I probably made the cheeseburger Hawaiian rolls too large, and the turkey-bacon sliders rolls too small. But we all managed well enough.

There was also warm Swiss and bacon dip and a fresh batch of southwestern dip, too.

---

"Hawaiian Sweet Rolls," from Kate Dean of I Heart Baking. [Published 15 March 2017 / Modified 15 March 2022]

Based loosely on "Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Subs," from Brandi Skibinski of The Country Cook. [Published 09 March 2025]

Adapted from "Cheeseburger Sliders," by Natasha Kravchuk of Natasha's Kitchen. [Published 27 March 2020]

Bacon Jam from "Bacon Jam Cheeseburger Sliders," from Nick Nesgoda of Burnt Pellet BBQ. [Published 08 April 2025] Instagram Reel can be found at https://www.instagram.com/p/DXhTPrXyBc3/.

"Chile-Rubbed Bacon," by Rick Martinez. In "D.I.Y. B.L.T. O.M.G.: Bake Better Bacon (Upgrade Idea No. 1)," Bon Appétit, July 2016, p. 44.

"Beef & Cheddar Melts Sauce," a Roediger House creation.

"Spicy Ranch Dressing," from Alexa Blay of Key to My Lime. [Published 09 March 2021]

"Swiss and Bacon Dip," from Rachael Ray. Available online at the Food Network website.

"Southwestern Dip," in Betty Crocker Monthly Recipes, December 2001.

Lemon Meringue Pie

As last week got started, I gave in to a multi-week hankering for a lemon meringue pie. Once more it was a store-bought Pillsbury crust but the filling and meringue were homemade—and heavenly.

---

"Lemon Meringue Pie," based on a classic and common recipe.

Meal No. 4077: Hamburger Supreme

Last Monday was centered on a dinner of a longtime Jones family favorite: hamburger supreme. I'd given it a reprieve of almost two years, since it was so frequently on our dinner table, and maybe we needed a break. But with a nice pile of buttered corn, it was a plate of goodness and comfort that evening.

---

"Hamburger Supreme," from the late Mrs. John T. (Glynn) Johnson of Buies Creek, North Carolina.