It can be fancy, or cobbled together with whatevers left in the fridge. Tomatoes Tomatoes ranked nearly as high as chicken salad in our survey. Perhaps its because they happen to be in season when cold plates are the most popular. Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox (Several people specified home grown or garden tomatoes.) Fruit Along with tomatoes, a good cold plate needs another fresh element. Grapes were also mentioned, both on their own, and mixed into chicken salada perennial Southern favorite....

Fans deem it a “new favorite.” Getty Images Whether you start with a boxed mix (shh.. that can be our little secret! As Southerners, we take a lot of pride in the recipe. Credit:Getty Images Some swear that, to be Southern, cornbread must never include certain ingredients. Ina Gartens Sour Cream Cornbreadis definitely worth breaking the no-sugar rules for. When time is tight, ourbest boxed cornbread mixpicks are stellar, too....

An episode revealed an ingenious trick for making cheap, scratchybed sheetsfeel like a million bucks. And the best part: It only costs about $3. You better believe we’ll try this out before considering splurging on a new pricey set of sheets! Credit: Alex Bramwell/Getty Images It is best tostart the wash on hotand switch to cold during the rinse cycle. Another tip for using this trick is to wait to include the vinegar until the rinse cycle....

Its all about the flavor. So what takes a ho-hum taco to a new level of greatness? It comes down to theseasoningand flavor of the meat. Credit:Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall How Do You Get Smokiness Without Smoke? These simple ingredients are an easy and flavorful way to take yourtaco barto a whole new level. Getty Images What Are Chipotles In Adobo? Credit:Getty Images How To Use Chipotles In Adobo For Tacos?...

Use a peeler, knife, or grater to zest a lemon in a pinch. Lots of recipes call for the zest of a lemon. Keep in mind that graters tend to be very sharp so be careful while using them. Caitlin Bensel; Food styling: Torie Cox. If possible, use safety gloves. Wash The Lemons First Before you go about zesting your lemon, be sure to wash the fruit. This will remove any residual protective wax....

Others dont love the squishy texture ofokra. A few of us dont even liketomatoes(the horror!). But theres one vegetable that has far fewer friends than it should. Credit:Brian Woodcock; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley What Is The Least Popular Vegetable In The South? It doesnt look too weird, but its developed a bad reputation for one major reason. Getty Images Why Fennel Has A Bad Reputation Folks say it tastes like licorice....

Spicy, sweet, and pretty much perfect. Which is why ourOld-Fashioned Gingerbreadis the Souths favorite cake to make during the holiday season. We use butter instead of oil for a moist and tender crumb that still tastes rich. Credit: Emily Laurae / Southern Living How To Make Old-Fashioned Gingerbread This cake is about as simple to make as it can be. You dont even need a stand mixer. One of the most important steps when making this cake is to check your spices....

Our tried-and-true recipe is worth holding onto. There is no shortage of pound cake recipes on the internet. But neither of those recipes are the one that readers search for the most. Credit: Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox And after just one slice of this pound cake, you’ll understand why. It all starts with a pound ofbutter(fitting, right? ), which is beaten until light and airy. Credit:Magdalena Niemczyk–ElanArt/Getty Images...

Hint: This old-school Southern Living recipe is a classic. We dont have to tell you that the South lovesa good casserole. You probably have a few in your freezer right now. Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Our Old-School Squash Casserole, of course. It took the top spot, whilePineapple CasseroleandCabbage Casserolefell into the silver and bronze spots. All three recipes are classic side dishes, made with a few humble ingredients....

There’s a good reason why this weeknight staple is part of the holiday lineup. Who doesnt love a good Thanksgiving casserole? Not only can you make them ahead of time, but the options are endless. Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox ), green bean, squash, and mac and cheese. Hint: It doubles as a weeknight favorite. Broccoli-Cheese Casserole is the most searched for Thanksgiving casserole. Credit: VeselovaElena/Getty Images What Makes Broccoli Cheese Casserole So Good?...

Hint: It involves tater tots. If youre thinking it’shash brown casserole, youre close, but it’s a different form of frozen potatoes. The reviews speak for themselves when it comes to justifying how this dish earned the top spot. Credit: Photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford The most searched breakfast casserole in the South isTater Tot Breakfast Casserole. I made this to freeze for after our baby is born!...

Hint: It’s not cream of mushroom soup. Getty Images Afull pantryis a godsend for a busy cook. What Are Canned Chipotles in Adobo? Credit:Getty Images What Can You Do With Canned Chipotles? The answer: Just about anything! If Im feeling up to it, Ill puree them. Credit:Getty Images The resulting smoky, spicy paste is then ready to punch up any dish your heart desires. Its also great to stir into mayo or sour cream for a sandwich ortaco topping....

“I am so happy to make pancakes now! This is The BEST!” And Im not alone. Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox The sight of her standing at her griddle would draw lines of people with paper plates in hand. Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox What Makes Pam-Cakes Special? Simple Ingredients:Theres nothing fancy or unexpected aboutthis recipe. Credit:Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox But the ratio of everythingespecially the amount of buttermilkis key....