Wow. Time to update this page. The last time I did was in 2011.
Well, a lot has happened since then. I became a widow. And then retired. And now I am in my sixth decade of life. 60 is the new forty. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I have time now to piddle around on the property and try to fix whatever needs fixing. I still have the two horses. And they were joined by a donkey, Gomez. He was the herd guardian for a neighbor’s cows that were on my pastures. When my neighbor gathered the cows back to his own property. Gomez just stayed. He’s been here for 10 years now. At one point in time I was feeding 12 dogs. Most were strays that wandered up to the house. I am enjoying my gardens more than ever.
From 2011 – What can I say about me? I’m starting my 5th decade of life. I guess 50 is the new 29 because it didn’t bother me a bit when I turned the big 5-O. I love cooking and I love to feed people. My college roommate can’t believe I am the same cook who had a bad experience baking Christmas cookies in college! We couldn’t even feed them to the birds because it would have been cruel and unusual punishment.
I am a recent transplant to Oklahoma. It’s confession time. My fiancée (who became my husband) was moving me from that un-specified North East state in the summer of 2005. We had just crossed the Mason Dixon Line and needed to stop for lunch. He suggested “Chicken Fried Steak” at the Flying J truck stop. I replied, “I’m not in the mood for chicken right now”. After he stopped laughing, he explained what it was. Yup, that was my first introduction to Southern cooking. If I have to put a name to my style of cooking it would be eclectic. I like filling and economical home cooking with traces of different global regions. I must have spent too much time in a hot Middle East country because I still have cravings for a good Chicken Tikka or Beef Biryani. My recipes for them will soon make an appearance.
My cowboy husband and I share our place with 5 dogs, 2 horses and a number of cows. More livestock will follow, I’m sure. We live a mile down a dirt road with the closest neighbors a mile away. It is a 40 mile round trip to get to closest town with a Wal-Mart. And it’s not even a Super Wal-Mart! A Super Wal-Mart trip is 100 miles round trip. Because of this, I keep a well-stocked pantry with store bought items, home canned and dehydrated. During the winter storms and bad weather I feel more at ease because I know I have all we need to have very nice dinners.
Oh and that’s another difference, I learned out here that the meals are breakfast, dinner and supper. LOL!! And all my life I thought they were breakfast, lunch and dinner. My husband and I have had several lively discussions on this topic.
I have had a couple of questions about “Red Dirt”. Some of my readers from other parts of the country may not know that Oklahoma is famous for the rich red iron dirt. There is a Red Dirt Music Festival and even Official Red Dirt t-shirt company that uses red dirt to dye their shirts.
Oklahoma has become home to many different nationalities and that is reflected in the various recipes that I enjoy to cook.
reddirtcooking 
Ok, Linda, am going to try the Cold Tuna and Bean Salad tonight. I love chickpeas. I only have used them to make hummas but am sure they will be good w/ tuna too. I like the “no cooking” part w/ temps reaching 110 at 7:00 p.m. last nite and is supposed to be even hotter today! My son, Blake, is in Kuwait and he posted a pic of the thermometer there pegged at 140 degrees! I guess I shouldn’t complain but just gotta!!!! Can’t wait to eat this tuna salad tonite! Thanks!
By the way, Mike just finished eating the last of the Cowhand Soup last nite. I kept adding more cumin or more cayenne pepper every time we warmed it up to kind of change it a bit! Good receipe too!
Hey Em, I’m really glad that you are enjoying the recipes! That’s my goal. It really makes me happy when people like my cooking. It was 108 here yesterday. I thought I left this type of heat back in Iraq/Dubai when I left. It feels like a blow dryer in your face. Several of my Old Army friends are back in Kuwait. I hope Blake stays safe and hurries home!
Linda, What a inspiration these recipes have become. I want to try them ALL at once. After living in Far East Countries & Africa I have developed an eclectic taste as well. This may possibly explain why my eyes quickly go for anything with “curry” in the recipe. I tried to take a cooking class in every country, but all of the chopping, dicing, marinating for long hours become far to time-consuming. Your recipes require very little time to put it all together for the delight it brings to taste buds later on. I will be sharing your “blog” on my facebook page.
Gerene, thank you so much. I apprecaite your comments and the sharing on FB. I realize that many people don’t have alot of time after work to spend on fussy cooking. I believe most the ingredients for the dishes I like and like to cook can be found in the kitchen, freezer or pantry. Good tasting cooking doesn’t have to be time consiming or expensive. I’m really enjoying taste testing all of them. 🙂 And Mike isn’t complaining either! LOL!
I love your “okieranchwife” name! I’ll have to try some of these recipes. They sound yummy!
Thank you, Melinda for sharing the website! I’m going to put more recipes on the blog this weekend. I haven’t been posting as much as I should with Mike’s health issues.