Secrets of Southern Cooking

I've mastered southern cooking, or atleast the fundamentals behind it. Lots of meat deep fried or babecued, rice and anything else mushy and tasteless on the side (collards, black eyed peas, cream corn, potatoes, beans) and then layer everything in salt and pepper. Oh, and smother it in butter.
Seriously, has no one around here heard of cholesterol or seasoning? You can start simpple with some oregano or cilantro. And ovens are good for more than cakes and pies, I promise!