I don’t think any of us need the government to tell us groceries are expensive. We know it when we stand in the meat aisle and lower our standards real fast from 90% lean to 80% lean hamburger meat.
Still, the numbers are interesting.
According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report, grocery prices in July were 2.7% higher than they were a year ago. Beef is where things really hurt. Beef prices were up 9.4% from last July, and uncooked ground beef was up 9%.
Chicken, on the other hand, was actually down 2.7% over the same period, which makes it one of the better bargains in the meat case right now.
The BLS average-price survey puts a pound of ground chuck at $6.85 in July. Two years ago, in July 2024, that same national average was $5.47.
So maybe it is time to resurrect something our mothers and grandmothers understood very well.

Read the full On the Table feature in the Sept. 17 Bowie News.

Big-Pan Chicken Spaghetti

A pound of diced chicken can disappear beautifully through an entire pan of pasta.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless chicken, diced
• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can Rotel-style tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Cook spaghetti just until tender and drain.

Meanwhile, sauté diced chicken and onion until chicken is cooked through.

Mix spaghetti, chicken, soups, tomatoes, broth, garlic powder and 1 cup cheese. Spread into a greased 13×9 pan.

Top with remaining cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Have half a bag of frozen peas, broccoli or mixed vegetables lingering in the freezer? Throw them in. This is a forgiving recipe.

Serves 8 to 10.

A few years ago, if someone had suggested that I would be brewing tea from orange peels, fig leaves, and the assortment of wild plants flourishing in my yard, I would have giggled in disbelief. My perception of tea was limited to the neatly packaged bags sold at the store, each little bag a promise of convenience.
I still vividly recall a few memorable trips to Great Britain, where I savored the robust flavor of a PG Tips tea bag—moments like that felt exquisitely sophisticated to me! The British, with their ritual approach and passion for creating the perfect cuppa, truly have mastered the art of tea.

Read the full On The Table column in your Thursday Bowie News.

Food is supposed to bring people together.
It sits at the center of our holidays, church potlucks, birthday parties, first dates, family reunions and late-night kitchen conversations. In Texas especially, I feel like feeding people is one of the purest forms of love we know. We celebrate with casseroles, comfort with pies, and gather around smoked meats and shared desserts.
Food is hospitality. Food is belonging.
But for some people, food is also calculation.
Before the appetizers even arrive, some of us are already scanning ingredients, evaluating risk, rehearsing questions, and trying to determine whether asking those questions is about to make everyone at the table uncomfortable.

Read the full feature in On The Table in your Thursday Bowie News.