No-Cook

Prepared shredded coleslaw mix is one of our favorite items in the produce aisle because it’s so easy to toss in a bowl—all the work’s already done. You can bring this slaw to a potluck supper and get raves, and it takes less than ten minutes to put together. It’s no surprise that this is also terrific with Sweet and Spicy Pork (page 128), and kids will love it with Mini Macaroni Pies (page 168).

When Jamie craves salad (believe it or not, he does!), this is what he’s after: something you can chow down on. Hearty, crunchy romaine is perfect for that. We also love it with Mama’s Tasty Baked Beans and Sausage Soup (page 126) and Sautéed Ravioli with Cheese and Bread Crumbs (page 166).

This is Brooke’s favorite kind of salad—nutty and sweet (just like her dear husband maybe?). It’s a light, tasty side that goes with just about anything, but especially with a rich dish, like Sautéed Ravioli with Cheese and Bread Crumbs (page 166) or Buttery Chicken “Scampi” Pasta (page 106).

When we were kids, just a little older than Jack is now, we used to run over to Granny Paul’s house to pick the baby lettuce in her spring garden. Now we can find bagged conveniently baby lettuce in our supermarket. We like to make this salad to accompany and lighten up all kinds of heartier fare, like Creamy Chicken Alfredo Bake (page 32). If you can’t get baby lettuce, you can make this recipe with any kind of lettuce you’ve got in the fridge.

Who doesn’t love this combo? You can pay twenty bucks to eat it all nicely stacked up at a five-star restaurant, or you can make it at home for a lot less, and it’ll be just as good. Try it with any Italian-accented dish, like Braised Chicken with Peppers and Mushrooms (page 129) or Creamy, Spicy Sausage Pasta (page 105).

This salad looks almost too pretty to eat! Try it with other Asian-inspired dishes like Broiled Tuna with Pineapple-Chipotle Salsa (page 57) or Bobby’s Favorite Beef Teriyaki Stir-fry with Broccoli and Peppers (page 18).

You can transform this perfect crisp side salad into a main-course salad by slicing up any meat you like and tossing it on top. Or try it alongside Grilled Caesar Pork Tenderloin (page 89) or Down-Home Pinto Beans and Ham Hocks (page 127).

We don’t use much sesame oil in our cooking, but we love how a little bit gives your whole dish a nice nutty flavor. We were playing around with trying to re-create an Asian salad dressing we had in a restaurant when we struck gold with this combo. But don’t limit it to when you’re cooking up Asian-inspired food. It’s also great with tangy dishes like Double Orange Pork Chops (page 24) and Broiled Tuna with Pineapple-Chipotle Salsa (page 57).

We came up with this salad, inspired by traditional burger fixin’s, to eat alongside cheeseburger casserole. It’s a match made in heaven. Try it with Turkey and Black Bean Burgers with Corny Salsa (page 44) or our Grilled Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Sub Sandwich (page 84).

Our Aunt Peggy doesn’t serve a meal without this delicious salad. She sometimes makes a variation with banana peppers or bell peppers added in. It’s such a simple, healthy side, and all you need to get dirty is your cutting board and one bowl. Its fresh garden flavor is a terrific complement to the spicy rice or just about any main course in the book, but we especially love it with Honey Mustard Baked Chicken (page 33) and any kind of pork chop (pages 22, 23 and 24).

Brooke is a Georgia girl, so during peach season, she just loves to eat as many peaches as she can. We came up with this pretty, layered dessert for her. Just like Brooke, it’s light, lovely, and as Southern as it comes.

We always know the holidays are just around the corner when Mama breaks out her ambrosia balls. Our version features marmalade, wafer cookies, and coconut all balled up. Plus, our snowballs are no-bake, so you can fix these festive treats fast and invite the kids to help.

As a kid, whenever he got the chance, Bobby ate those store-bought oatmeal pies. These are his “grown-up” version.

It has been successfully argued that these soda fountain favorites are a good source of protein—after all, they’re full of milk and peanut butter. We try to drink them regularly for that reason alone.

This is an easy-to-assemble pie that really takes us back to our childhoods. Blackberries grow wild all over Georgia, and coming from a family of great pie bakers, we were always motivated to pick them.

When we were traveling around the country shooting episodes of our Food Network show, Road Tasted, we ate lots of fried, barbecued, and sugary food (Hey, it’s a tough job but somebody has to do it). Wherever we were, Bobby would seek out a salad for lunch or dinner to add a little balance to his diet. The night he discovered chopped salad, it was love at first sight. He developed this easy week-night recipe as soon as we were back home. It’s a salad that accommodates almost any ingredient—feel free to add your own personal favorites into the mix.

I use this rib spritz on spareribs and baby back ribs. It’s easy to make, and it will change the way your ribs look and taste. You can make it up to a day in advance and store it in the spray bottle, unrefrigerated. Since I can’t do that at a contest, I prepare it right after I put my ribs in the smoker. After the ribs have smoked for about 45 minutes, I start spritzing the meat at 15-minute intervals.

Pimiento cheese is the bright orange spread that Southerners are crazy for because it’s comforting and delicious and traditional. It’s most often served as a dip or spread, but it’s also good in a sandwich all by itself or as a topping on burgers. I like to make up a big batch for family gatherings and barbecues, and if I have some left over, I’ll eat it in a sandwich the next day. I’m going to give you a big recipe, too, so you can do the same.