Cooks' Books by Lisa Messinger

"Down Home with the Neelys" by Patrick and Gina Neely (Knopf, $27.95)

Do you only prepare family recipes when they are from your own family? If so, that's a shame. Sometimes, the best way to please your own tribe is with the tried-and-true favorites of another clan.

A tasty place to start is with the treats in "Down Home with the Neelys" by Patrick and Gina Neely, owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis, Tenn., and Nashville, Tenn., and hosts of the Food Network series, which shares the same title as their first book.

The fact, though, that the Neelys have kept it all in the family does bode well for us. Pat operates the restaurants with his three brothers. They are disciples, they say, of their uncle, Jim Neely, who owned popular Memphis barbecue restaurants since 1978.

The charm of the Neelys' book is that it's a blend of what's worked best at their restaurants as well as at home in Memphis with their two daughters and the "scores of other kin" who live nearby.

That means you are in for a memorable blend of recipes from Southern creamed corn, to corn bread stuffing with oysters and andouille, to a "Memphis Monte Cristo" — white bread with hot pepper jelly, cured ham, smoked turkey, muenster cheese, hot sauce and confectioners' sugar — and "Barbecue" Spaghetti, which includes spaghetti and smoked meat swimming in homemade barbecue sauce and kissed by hot sauce.

Like all good Southern cooking, dedicating yourself to the easy techniques yields lasting results. When you prepare that tangy Barbecue Spaghetti, you'll also learn to prepare the Neelys' long-simmering barbecue sauce and their barbecue seasoning, both of which last for months and lend their flavor to countless additional family favorites.

The bubbly couple bequeath to you more than just the recipes. They also share their zest with a full chapter on down-home entertaining that's packed with recipes and tips.

There's little doubt the Neelys are knowledgeable on that topic.

"Pat and I have a little routine that goes something like this," Gina writes. "First, I ask him to bring home some food from the restaurant because I'm thinking of having a few people over. Then one thing leads to another, and by the time he gets home, our driveway is packed with cars and the living room is jamming with family and friends.

"Of course, Pat teases me about my habit of turning 'a few people' into a crowd, but he wouldn't have it any other way. After all, we are both happiest when our home is full of the people and the foods we love best."

Here's a taste:

BARBECUE SPAGHETTI

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup diced yellow onion

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce

2 pounds cooked spaghetti

2 pounds smoked pork, beef or chicken, coarsely chopped (see Note)

Hot sauce, to taste (optional)

Yields 8 to 10 servings.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add onion, bell pepper and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently to prevent from sticking, until the vegetables have softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the barbecue sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes, until slightly reduced.

When you're ready to serve the dish, add the spaghetti, smoked meat and hot sauce, if desired, and toss well to combine.

Note: You can also use grilled or roasted meat, although it won't deliver the same smoky flavor.

NEELY'S BARBECUE SAUCE

Barbecue seasoning:

1 1/2 cups paprika

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 3/4 tablespoons onion powder

Barbecue sauce:

2 cups ketchup

1 cup water

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Yields about 2 cups sauce.

To prepare barbecue seasoning: Stir together paprika, 3/4 cup sugar and 3 3/4 tablespoons onion powder in a small bowl. This makes about 2 1/2 cups of barbecue seasoning. Use 1 tablespoon for the barbecue sauce. Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, this seasoning will last for up to 6 months.

To prepare barbecue sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients, including the 1 tablespoon of barbecue seasoning, in a large pot or a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Reduce the temperature to very low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, cool, and use as needed.

Stored in a tightly sealed container, this sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After-Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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