Recipes

Welcome to Queen City Kitchen!

I’m Andria, and I’m a cook, baker, and author. I live in my kitchen, and when people visit my house they don’t want to leave. Read more…

 

Bucatini with Vodka Cream Sauce Makes 4 servings 1 pound bucatini pasta 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ medium onion,
Dirty Rice Makes 6 servings 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pound ground pork 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 medium
Red Beans and Rice Soup Makes 8 servings 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch
Pork Chops with Roasted Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Hash Makes 4 servings 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon
Watermelon “Steak” Salad Makes 4 servings Dressing ½ cup light olive oil ¼ cup canola oil ¼ cup white balsamic
Roasted Salmon with Peach Arugula Salad Makes 6 servings Salmon 2 pounds whole salmon fillet, skin-on 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Spicy Orange BeefMakes 4 servings Marinade1 tablespoon soy sauce1 teaspoon sesame oil1 teaspoon cornstarch1 teaspoon baking soda1½ pounds New York
Grilled Salmon Tacos with Avocado CreamMakes 6 servings1½ to 2 pounds side of salmon filet, skin on1 tablespoons fresh lime
Pickled JalapenosMakes about 1 cups½ cup white wine vinegar½ cup water1 tablespoon sugar 1½ teaspoon kosher salt1 garlic clove, smashed5
Pickled Onions Makes about 1½ cups 1 tablespoon sugar1 teaspoon kosher salt½ cup white wine vinegar¼ cup rice vinegar1 garlic
Covid-19 is more than just the name of a virus. It's a testament to how much weight I've gained (and
I love being a vendor at the Matthews Community Farmers Market. Not only do I have the best customers on
Just when I thought Shepherd's pie couldn't get any better, I discovered that shepherd's pie made with short ribs is
This soup is a hearty spin on classic chicken noodle soup. The recipe comes together quickly using rotisserie chicken and
This chocolate mousse cake is decadent and super easy to make. This recipe elevates a simple box brownie mix to
Last year I was so busy. On top of baking for the Matthews Farmers Market and cooking for clients, I
This is my Food Network winning recipe! It smells and tastes just like Christmas! This bread pudding is hard to
I had such big plans for my Thanksgiving dinner this year, and then my husband offered to take care of
Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall vegetables. The nutrient-dense vegetable is a comforting addition to any meal. It's
Pimento cheese elevates basic potato skins to the perfect indoor tailgate party food. Let me know when you make this
October 29th was National Coffee Day, and instead of just jazzing up my regular morning cup of Joe for a
Now that North Carolina's second summer is finally coming to an end, I can begin to enjoy all the comforting
October is National Chili Month, and my contribution to this 31-day food holiday is my famous Three-Bean Turkey and Pork
Salmon is the most popular fish in my house. It's loaded with a ton of flavor and nutrients that taste
With summer winding down, now is the time to use up all that seasonal zucchini readily available. Whether from the
Pasta salad was one of the best ways I got vegetables into my kids when they were little. Throw any
My mom used to make the best peach cobbler on the planet, and to this day, I have yet to
Live television is not for the faint of heart. Everything happens once. No retakes allowed. It's imperative that you have
As the mother of two teenage boys, I feel like I live in the grocery store. All they do is
Bangers and mash is classic pub grub popular in England and Ireland. It's a super easy dish that marries delicious
As a woman of a certain age, my hormones have become a little discombobulated, so last month I decided to
With two boys active in school sports, some nights we don't get home until after 8 o'clock. By the time
When my kids were little guys, my husband and I would take them up to the mountains to pick apples.
I don't really plan a menu for Thanksgiving dinner because my family expects the same meal every year. Thanksgiving is
Most of us, no matter how diligent we are about our meals, have a soft spot for fast food. There's just
When my kids were little guys, we planted an herb container garden on the deck every spring. They were in
This past week, I've been listening to Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, and my desire to visit Italy has been
Like many American families, the Gaskins clan eats a lot of chicken.  And why not? It's inexpensive, versatile, and most
When I decided to sell baked goods at the Matthews Community Farmers Market, I had no idea the impact being
There is no rhyme or reason to the recipes I select for my cooking segments on Charlotte Today. Inspiration can come
Last week I got a text asking me to sum up my cooking style in one sentence. I never really
My boys started spring ball, and life is going to get crazy. For the next twelve weeks, two nights a
A few weeks ago, my mother gave me a bag of blood oranges that were sent to her in error
By no means am I a Patriots fan. But it only seems fair that I include something on my Super
It's Super Bowl weekend! And I have to make something to celebrate the occasion. As a South Jersey girl who
We're finally getting a taste of real winter in North Carolina. A couple of weeks back, the local news even
Sometimes it seems like I make the same thing for dinner every week. Roast chicken, tacos, spaghetti and meatballs, and
For New Years Eve, we had a few friends and their kids over for dinner and Spades. It had been
I wanted a dessert for my New Year's Eve party to be nostalgic and tasty. Something special that reminded me
Shrimp and grits is a staple on the menu of many Southern restaurants. Each restaurant offers its own spin on
I recently posted a picture of some red velvet shortbread cookies in a food group on Facebook and received several
I have been too busy these past few months that I totally forgot to post a recipe I prepared on
My dad was an MP in the Air Force, and one of the carry-overs he brought to his civilian life
I'm the official Thanksgiving cook in my family. I'm also forbidden to go outside of the Thanksgiving dinner guidelines as
It's taken a while for the weather to change this year. We have yet to feel the crisp air associated
I will be turning 47-years-old in about three weeks, and lately I've been nostalgic about the food I enjoyed in
As someone who cooks for a living, I spend most of my time in the kitchen. Each day I do
 A crostata is an Italian baked tart. It's a rustic dessert made with seasonal fruit wrapped in a simple pastry
I was born and raised in South Jersey. And whenever I feel nostalgic for my home state, I crave Italian
I learned how to make marinara sauce back in high school. I was studying at a friend's house, and his
Recipe re-post from April 4, 2013. Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate in comfort food. Homemade macaroni and cheese has
I think the eclipse threw me off my game last week. Looking at the shadowed sun through those 3D glasses
When I was a kid, my mom took my sister and me to different farms to pick all kinds of
On Saturday, August 12, 2017, Queen City Kitchen will be a vendor at the Love Desserts Charlotte dessert festival. This
I used to be a volunteer cook for Wednesday night supper at my church. Every week for several years, I
Fresh homemade croutons are the best way to add a crispy texture to a fresh salad. Unlike their store-bought counterparts,
Thirteen years ago, I started my culinary journey at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market. I had no clue what I
Whenever I get the opportunity to cook on Charlotte Today, a local lifestyle and entertainment morning show in Charlotte, North Carolina,
I am really particular about potato salad. Growing up, there were only three people's potato salad that I would eat,
I make this rice whenever Tex-Mex is on the menu at my house. It's my version of the tomato based
Last week I was flipping through a bunch of food magazines in search of inspiration for a recipe I needed
I can't believe it's already May! I feel like I just took down my Christmas tree, and it's already Cinco
I'd been putting off cleaning out my freezer for months.  It's not one of my favorite things to do, and
Spring is here! And along with it comes crops of amazing seasonal vegetables, my favorite being sugar snap peas. I
I made baked spaghetti the other night, and it was so good that I just had to share. I typically
This post is sponsored by Ms. C's Soppin' Good BBQ Sauce. Since the 1800s there's been an ongoing feud between Eastern Carolina
This week really got away from me. I am currently in the process of writing my second novel and my
When I think about a romantic dinner for two, my mind immediately drifts to that famous Bella Notte scene in Lady
I remember the first time I ever had a carmelita bar. It was when I made my inaugural visit to
Last February, I had the opportunity to present a workshop at the first annual When The Heart Dreams conference in
Yesterday was my last day on the Daniel Fast, and I feel so much better. After consuming an obscene amount
When I think about oatmeal, I think about the bowl of sweet, creamy goodness my Nana used to serve me
I’m one week into the Daniel Fast, and I have to say that it hasn’t been that bad. It’s actually
I think my husband was the only kid in the state of Ohio who loved Brussels sprouts. He couldn't get
Fra diavolo translates to "brother devil."  It's an old-school Italian sauce that didn't originate in Italy. It was actually created
After consuming all that rich, heavy food on Thanksgiving, followed by consuming several days of holiday leftovers, I am pretty
I've really embraced the whole pumpkin spice thing this year. I've made everything from pumpkin spice bread to pumpkin spice
Risotto has a reputation for being fussy and time-consuming. It requires patience and about 30 minutes standing at the stove,
It's pumpkin spice season, and I have jumped on the bandwagon. This past weekend my kids wanted to make some
Much of my life can be chronicled by food. I fell in love with Big Daddy over a pan of
My mom and her sister, Evelyn—aka Aunt Frankie—are the best cooks I know. They both have their specialties, but no
I love it when I learn how to make something new. I started baking my own apple chips about five
It's apple season! And ever since my boys were little, we have made the two-and-a-half hour road trip up to
Friday is potluck night at my house. I pretty much cook dinner every night, and there is always a little
Two weeks ago, I came across an email from my sister while cleaning out my inbox. She'd sent it earlier
My mom is a pretty cool lady, and everyone who meets Mae Belle—that’s what we call her—falls in love with
Every year I anxiously wait for watermelon season to roll around. Watermelon is one of the few fruits I won’t
Last week, my cousin passed away after a long battle with lung disease. This post is in honor of her
With Father’s Day coming up soon, I thought it would be fun to dedicate my first blog post on the