A Southern Family Cookbook - Down Home with the Neelys

This book was purchased for my oldest sister. It was a Christmas present and was received on the 22nd though I didn't order it until Dec. 20th - the store provided great service and she got the book for Christmas.

I very much enjoy watching the Neelys' cooking show on the Food Network. Pat Neely's gentle humor is the perfect counterpoint for the spirit and sass of his wife, Gina. These folks really know how to cook, and they cook much more than just the BBQ for which they are famous. There is a wide variety of recipes in this book. Food that is prepared with love and intuition, and then well-seasoned with spices and flavorings. Some of the recipes and cooking methods are very similar to my own family's cooking traditions like "Lorine's Brown Flour Gravy", "Sweet and Spicy Slaw", "Chocolate Chip Muffins", "Southern Creamed Corn", and "Molasses Baked Beans". Then there are wonderfully different recipes like "Crab Cakes with Lime Mayonnaise", "Turkey, Brie, and Cranberry Panini", and "Deep-Fried Pork Chops and Quick Vegetable Soup". The desserts are all tempting, but the "Southern Red Velvet Cake" is spectacular. The photo shows a three-layer cake that looks to be three stories high! The Neelys own and operate several famously successful BBQ restaurants. In this book, they share their recipes for BBQ seasoning and BBQ sauce and many tips and techinques for preparing mouth-watering barbequed foods. Just as compelling as all the wonderful food is the amazing real-life love story of Pat and Gina Neely, and how their two families work together and support each other in their business. Pat and his brothers started the BBQ business with hard work, skill, and determination. Gina and Pat were high school sweethearts who went their separate ways and married others after graduation. Ten years later, they met up again, and a high school reunion turned into a reunion romance. When Gina joined Pat in the family business, a match was made in heaven, and a loving partnership was formed. Bobby and Jamie Deen featured the Neelys on their program "Road Tasted", and then their mother, Paula Deen, featured Pat and Gina on "Paula's Party". TV history was made, and two Food Network stars were born. Great story, great food, inspiring people!

Review Copy Gratis Borzoi Books

Just like their Food Network cooking show, this book takes on their southern personalities. The Neely's open up and tell their stories of how they met, came to loving food and preparing it for those they love. This may be a bit much for a cookbook but does add to the credibility of the authors and personal touch from the show. The sharing of "Neely Knowledge" they give the 411 on how to establish a successful restaurant while helping the everyday cook know what to keep in your cupboards. The book is full of secrets recipes from Neely BBQ rub to their BBQ sauce, along with nearly 120 other recipes. Please note that there are several typos in the book making several of the recipes inedible (make sure you consult the website for accuracy of the measurements).

The recipes are written with love which is expressed by their touching stories, family photos and delectable pictures of the dishes that will make you drool. The directions are easy to follow while most ingredients are easy to find in a well stocked kitchen. The tips and antidotes will get the newest cook ready to present a scrumptious meal in no time. Pat and Gina draw you in; teach you in some down home soul food dishes making you laugh all at the same time.

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Reviewing for Real Page Turners

This is a great southern cookbook to immediately start cooking from! I started with the cornerstone recipes from the book - dry rub, barbecue sauce, slow-cooked baby back ribs, and pickled shrimp just to change things up. I had never slow-cooked ribs before, and the Neelys 3 1/2 hour recipe worked perfectly on my gas grill, resulting in low, slow tender, delicious baby backs. These ribs, with their BBQ sauce, were so good my wife even picked them up with her fingers for the first time. The book's format is folksy, warm and inviting, with nice dialogue between Pat and Gina, and attractive pictures.

If you're looking for a southern cookbook for your collection, I can't imagine being disappointed with this one.

Before giving an opinion on the contents, I have to qualify this by saying that I met the Neely's at our downtown bookstore for their signing of their first foray into publishing. This incredible couple is truly the REAL deal...........you wanted them to come by your house and visit. They made you feel that you were the only one there; they were so kind, gracious, and sincere; THANK YOU! What you see on TV is exactly that same warm and welcoming embrace that you receive in person. You just can't picture them apart because God knew them for each other.

This book is a concrete affirmation of the love of marriage and the bond of family. It isn't just a cookbook; it is a proud weaving of the Neely family, both as a couple and as a restaurant business. You are welcomed into the humble and touching story of William and Lorine Neely; their struggles and challenges in life and how they instilled the work ethic into their five young sons and daughter. Those very same work ethics would become the basis for building the business and food empire that we have come to know and love and appreciate as Neely's. How Pat and Gina came to be completes the story circle.

After a most gracious and heartfelt introduction from another great Southern gal who we all know and love, and whose sons discovered this great family, Paula Deen, we are given two versions of the wonderful story of love and life, each by Gina and Pat themselves. You'll feel the warmth and love as you read the tale of how two young kids, kindred spirits since highschool, came into their own, and finally got married. Photos are many and scattered about so that you can place the names and faces and dates together as you visually "read" their story.

There are over 272 pages in this book; needless to say, the sharing of recipes are great and gastronomical so here is the table of contents with a glimpse into each section. Remember, there are a whole bunch more recipes in each part that will make your tastebuds do the happy dance.....................

PAULA DEEN'S FOREWARD

GINA'S INTRODUCTION

PAT'S INTRODUCTION

THE REUNION: Pat & Gina's story of love and marriage after several years

NEELY KNOWLEDGE (The basics of true Southern cooking but also the Neely secrets like BBQ Seasoning, BBQ sauce, Mom Lorine's Brown Gravy, Gina's Perfect Rice, and Crusty Cornbread: you're not in the South if this isn't on your plate!)

HOG WILD: MEMPHIS STYLE BBQ (A mini history of this BBQ style)

TONY'S TIPS (Brother Tony's guide to grilling, woodchips, grilling temperatures, and how to purchase the perfect meat)

GETTING A NEELY-STYLE PARTY STARTED (Caribbean Rum Nut, Warm Artichoke and Collard Greens Dip, Pimento Cheese Melts and the GREAT story in Madrid, dipping sauce, and shrimp)

SOUTHERN SOUPS AND STEWS (Chowder, gumbo, chili, and stews)

REFRESHING SALADS (Spinach Salad with Bcaon, Blue Cheese, Pecans, and Cranberries, a Neely must-have: Sweet and Spicy Slaw, Potato Salad, and Bean Salad)

STICK-TO-YOUR-RIBS SIDE DISHES (Corn, Okra, Kale, Fried Green Tomatoes, Collard Greens, Ham Hocks, and Sweet Potatoes)

DIG IN: SOULFUL ENTREES (The foods that are a visual and gastronomic tale of Pat's childhood, and like all of us, bring back warm and happy feelings and memories that nothing else can..................BBQ Potatoes, BBQ Spaghetti, Fish, Ham, Pork Chops, and Chicken: oooh.....which way to make it?!)

SHOW-STEALING SANDWICHES (Veggie, Pork, Catfish, Hamburgers)

DESSERTS (Brownies, Cookies, Pies, Fruit Desserts, Pudding, Bars, Cakes)

SLEEP LATE BREAKFAST (Oh the biscuits!! Doughnuts, Pecan Rolls, Muffins, Eggs, Waffles, Hashbrowns)

SOUTHERN LIBATIONS (Lemonades, Margaritas, Sangria, Juleps)

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS (One of the best parts of this book)

INDEX of RECIPES

I noted that another reviewer caught a possible error in a recipe; I haven't gotten to that recipe yet but one of the great avenues of modern times is the Internet. I think I'll send an email to find out or I might just give one of their restaurants a jingle. I'm sure they would be able to find someone to clarify this for us; I'll add an addendum when I find out.

This is a cookbook and labor of love in which much heart and soul has been put into the effort. Stuff happens. Enjoy the purpose and joy of this tome; be well; be happy! Peace!

Addendum (June 18): Blessings to all!! I finally got my act together and got the "Sock It To Me" cake recipe question answered; I used 2 email sites to ask for some clarification, but I wasn't able to get an answer so I called their corporate office and the woman who answered was most kind, gracious, and helpful. The cookbook recipe does call for 2-1/4 cups of cake flour, not just the 1/4 cup as listed in the book. I also purchased the first season DVD of "Down Home with the Neely's" cooking show from their website (the store doesn't carry it) and the recipe ingredients/measurements for many of the dishes prepared on TV are different than the way they are listed in the cookbook. My opinion on this difference is that I am assuming that because of time constraints, production schedules, etc that the TV recipes are altered a bit to fit the timeclock. BUT..........regardless of how you make the recipes, they all are VERY deelish! My opinion is that making the "Sock It To Me Cake" per the TV recipe version was a bit tastier in that it calls for a box of Golden Yellow Cake mix (there is a cute story about this particular ingredient that Pat talks about on the show), whereas the cookbook uses cake flour. Either way, it was delicious, but the TV version made my tastebuds dance just a wee-bit longer. So there you go. Peace!

I just love the book although unfortunately it does contain some typos. Anyone using it should probably double check the recipe on the foodnetwork.com website just to make sure it's correct. I love their family stories. A really good Southern cookbook.

The recipes in this are great...however be careful...there are some serious printing issues. For the famouse sock it to me cake it only calls for 1/4 cup of flour (I did some searching on foodtv.com and it is suppose to be 2 1/4 cup of flour. Also for the glaze it only calls for 1/2 a cup of sugar which is way off and the glaze is VERY runny....I have not tried other recipes yet. So BE CAREFUL!!

I thoroughly enjoy the Neelys cooking show on the food channel. I was overjoyed to hear that they created a cookbook. I have already begun to prepare receipes in the book and they have come out perfectly. It is a great book to have.