"This has gotta be the good life..." : getting (back) into the kitchen...

For those of you following who don't know my background but so well, my Granny played, and plays a very huge role in my upbringing and life. My parents divorced when I was 3 years old, and my Granny stepped in as my 'second parent'. I spent much of my week with her as a young child, and Mom and I eventually moved in with her permanently until Mom remarried years later.
My Granny and Papa were the stable role models in my life, both in such a loving, devoted, lifelong marriage, and such caring and special grandparents. I really benefited from such a good environment and it helped me with my issues from my parent's divorce, my Granny helped me with my self confidence, and their marriage really showed me what I wanted my family to be like. Their values, their love of each other and their children and grandchildren, and the running of their household helped shape who I am today, and has aided me in building the foundation for a happy family and marriage.
ALSO........ My Granny just so happened to be the most AMAZING cook on the planet, and you can take that to the bank. Guess who was standing right beside her all those years, apron on, first on a chair, then on a stool, and then shoulder to shoulder... yours truly. I don't even pretend to be 1/10th of the culinary genius she was, (she is still living at 96 years young, bless her, she no longer cooks) but I like to believe I picked up a trick or three. After Cooper was born, and as I've mentioned previously in other posts, the sense of family has become so strengthened for both Scott and me that we have now started eating dinner every night, no matter what, at the dinner table with the TV off, just like Granny would insist, and I have stopped serving sub-par meals (protein, starch, vegetable basics). Every night I cook, and when I say I cook, I mean I cook "GRANNY STYLE"!! Sure I still provide the staples in every meal, protein, starch, veggie, but now it's done right. I've decided to post a few of the things I had the most success with, and am most proud of for anyone out there seeing anything you like, I'd be happy to pass on a GRANNY RECIPE for you. Yes, she was a 'southern' cook, but didn't just stick to that genre as you will see below. She also cooked with real butter, salt, and crisco (and may I remind you yet again, she's 96 with a heart healthier than most), but I have altered her recipes for some slightly healthier alternative ingredients. I really don't think the incredible flavors of these recipes have suffered from the ingredient changes.
I will also have you all know that these recipes are from the most frugal woman that ever lived, and therefore each and every one are extremely economical. For example: The London Broil with dipping sauce and roasted potatoes, by far the most INCREDIBLE thing we both agreed that we have put in our mouths, let alone that I've cooked, that slab of meat was $9 folks, and Granny's recipe made it taste like a million bucks. It lasted 2 dinner's and a lunch, and every inexpensive bite was savored. I would have ordered this at an extremely fancy restaurant and it still would have blown me away if made by a professional chef. We are definitely on a budget in this household, but eat like kings.
Though, it will NEVER taste quite like Granny, the following have come as close as I can hope to get. Bon Apetit.