These are a few of my favorite things...

Well, cooking related things at least. When I first got married, I wasn't much of a cook. We mostly ate frozen dinners and pre-packaged pasta dishes. So I was able to get by with my few pots and pans and thought I'd never need anything else. The more I got into cooking, the more I realized how much I needed more tools and the right tools to create wonderful meals. As I have acquired some of these tools, I have discovered just how much easier and more fun cooking can be. These are my favorite cooking related things of 2007.


First and foremost, my Kitchen Aid mixer. I use it at least 3 times per week to bake, make waffles/pancakes, mash potatoes or anything else that needs mixing.


My husband got me this reversible cast iron grill pan for my birthday last year. It's great for grilling chicken or pork chops when the weather isn't nice enough to grill outside. The flat side is wonderful for making pancakes or cooking peppers and onions for fajitas.

For Christmas this year, my husband and I decided to pick out our own gifts for the most part. I had several things on my list but in the end decided I wanted a whole new set of cookware more than anything. I finally decided on this 10 piece Emerilware set. It's made by All Clad and is really good quality for the price. I love it because it cooks so evenly and can go straight from the stove top to the oven. Plus, it's so pretty and shiny. ; )

The perfect companion to my new stainless cookware set is Bar Keepers Friend. I had never bought this product before I had my new cookware but it is so great! It really keeps my cookware shiny and also my kitchen sink.

Another product I have really come to love is my Pampered Chef round baking stone. It's not just for making pizza. It's great for baking cookies, reheating breads and rolls and my favorite thing, baking fries or roasted potatoes. It makes them crispy on both sides!


So these are some things that have made cooking more fun and a lot easier for me in 2007. Here are a few things I'd like to get in 2008.

Henckels Twin Cuisine 8 pce set

Le Creuset Dutch Oven

Extra bowl for my Kitchen Aid Mixer

A microplane

A Yummy Find at Williams-Sonoma

I got a few gift cards this year for Christmas, which I love because then I can go after the holidays are over, shop, and it's like Christmas all over again. Among the gift cards I got this year, were two to Williams-Sonoma. One of my favorite places to browse, but not always purchase from because they tend to be a bit pricey. I often drool over certain items online but can never justify spending so much money on some of the items. Well the good thing about gift cards is you can buy the items you've been drooling over without the guilt because it's not your money you're spending. : )

So I went to Williams-Sonoma with my husband a few days ago, gift cards in hand, prepared to buy something, anything, but exactly what I didn't know. See, that's the problem with gift cards. It gives you endless options which can make for a tough decision. I told my husband not to rush me because I wanted to decide on the perfect gift for myself. Well, he was in the store five minutes and had already found something he wanted. This caramel apple waffle and pancake mix. And, it was on sale. I'm guessing it might be a seasonal item so I told him I'd go ahead and buy it for him with my gift card. ; )

We actually decided to have these waffles for dinner tonight. They were very delicious, a wise purchase by my husband. They have a caramely, cinnamony flavor and little chunks of apple throughout the mix. I had mine with warm syrup and pecans on top. Yummy!


In case you're wondering, I decided on this 8 qt multi pot with pasta insert and steamer basket. I figured it was something I could use for many different things and also something I most likely wouldn't go out and buy for myself. Yes, a very practical gift. : P

Best of 2007

Ok, so I'll jump on the bandwagon here and do a best of post. Maybe it will help spark some new ideas for people looking for new recipes, and it might even help me remember some dishes I loved and need to make again. So here goes, what I think is the best food that I made in 2007.

January-April

Not yet blogging

May

Chewy Cocoa Brownies

June

Meatballs

Chicken Stir Fry

Beef Stew

Feta Stuffed Chicken

Banana Bread

Peanut Butter Cookies

July

Easy Peach Cobbler

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The Infamous Best, Big, Fat, Chewy, Chocolate Chip Cookie

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

August

Crock Pot Meatloaf

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

September

Ham, Spinach, and Sun-Dried Tomato Calzones

Three Cheese Ravioli with Chicken and Spinach

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Crock Pot BBQ Pork and Macaroni and Cheese

Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza with Feta

Pumpkin Scones

October

Crock Pot Chili

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Gravy

Baked Pumpkin Bread

Solid Gold Carrot Cake

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Chicken and Rice Soup

November

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Parmesan

December

Spinach Quiche

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin, Puppies, and a PSA

I woke up to a beautiful, sunny Fall day here in Alabama this morning. There was a slight chill and breeze in the air. The perfect day for taking a walk, making a pot of coffee, and of course baking. I have been wanting to make my first pumpkin baked good of the season and figured today was as good a day as any to do that. There's a recipe for pumpkin scones that I've seen floating around several blogs lately that I thought looked really great. I had never made scones, so decided I'd give that a shot. Of course I had my two best helpers in the kitchen with me this morning; my dogs, Tag and Riley. And while they don't really help, they love to be wherever I am and are great company. They love to watch while I'm cooking or baking in hopes that they'll get a little taste. : )

I have to say, this recipe was really easy. So don't be afraid to try this if you've never made scones before. They turned out so tasty, too!



Pumpkin Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup white chocolate chips (optional) (I omitted these)
1/3 cup buttermilk (I didn't have any so used 1/3 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice)
½ cup pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the egg wash:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk or cream


Preheat the oven to 400° and place a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped white chocolate. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla, and then add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round. Cut the circle into six equal triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash.

Place the baking sheet inside another baking sheet to prevent the bottoms of the scones from over browning. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes 6 scones.

*I made 8 scones from this recipe

Original Source: The Joy of Baking


I thought I'd add this in here too as a PSA. Last night my best friend and I were out and about and stopped at Target. I found these on sale 2 for $1 in the dollar bins and bought six. At my store they had cream and a rust color. If you're in need of some ramekins, check out your local Target.

Celebrating our anniversary

Today is our 3 year wedding anniversary! Last night we went out to celebrate since we were both off work yesterday. When my husband asked me where I wanted to go I immediately thought of Buckhead Grill. It's about 45 minutes from where we live, but the food is so worth the drive! So that's where we ended up going.

Buckhead Grill is a locally owned restaurant with a lodge-like atmosphere. A dark wood bar and rustic hardwood floors are the first things you see when you walk in. The dining areas are very cozy with large stone fire places, carved wooden chandeliers, and low lighting. On one side of the dining area that we were in, were full glass french doors that opened up onto a deck, surrounded by trees, with small iron tables and chairs for outdoor dining. Even with all it's rustic charm, it's still very elegant.

The food was phenomenal. My husband and I both got steak, which they are known for. I had a sirloin with sauteed mushrooms and onions, a delicious cheesy bacon and chive stuffed potato, and steamed vegetables. My husband had a sirloin with spicy cajun shrimp. For dessert, we couldn't resist the warm pecan pie with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce. It was absolutely to die for! All we could say was "mmm...mmm" all throughout dinner.

Buckhead Grill is definitely one of my favorite restaurants both for the food and the atmosphere. If you're ever in the Columbus, Ga area definitely give it a try. They have great food that's not at all over priced. You will not be disappointed!

Happy Early Anniversary to Me!

Yes, it's real! I really have one now! I couldn't believe it either. I have been wanting one for so long and now I finally have it! My wonderful husband got me this as an early anniversary present yesterday. We typically don't do much for our anniversaries so I was shocked to find out that I was getting a KitchenAid mixer. I think he must be the best husband ever...that or either he wants me to bake more so he can eat more sweets. ; P Anyway, I'm very excited to finally have my mixer. Now, what to make first?

Ahh vacation!

My husband and I took a little weekend vacation to Destin, FL this past weekend. We needed some time to just get away and relax for a couple days. We did a little shopping, went to the beach, and did a lot of eating! When we're out of town we really enjoy trying out the local places in whatever town we're in. It gives you a feel for the area and often times you find the best food!

Our first stop on our trip was brunch at the original Donut Hole in Destin. It's known for what else, donuts! But besides some awesome donuts they offer a wonderful breakfast and lunch menu. They serve everything from belgian waffles and omelets to cheeseburgers and taco salad. On most any day of the week there is a long line out the door of this local favorite. We were lucky that there wasn't a long line that day and decided to order off the menu and take our time before a long day of shopping. I ordered the sweet potato pancakes with a warm pecan praline sauce and a side of thick cut bacon. I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing those pancakes were with that thick, sweet praline sauce on top. It was pure heaven on a plate. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me to take a picture of my sinfully delicious brunch but I promise, it is as good as it sounds.



After a long day of shopping at the outlets in Destin, we decided to check out a seafood restaurant right on the beach. Pompano Joes is an open air dining restaurant specializing in fresh seafood. I decided after such a heavy brunch I should order something a little lighter for dinner so I got the jerk shrimp salad with mango. It was served with warm crusty bread and a garlic vinaigrette. I did manage to get a picture of this!




We spent most of the next day at the beach soaking up the sun and enjoying the ocean. Later that night we went to dinner at The Back Porch. My husband used to eat at the Back Porch with his friends in Gulf Shores, AL when they would go on deep sea fishing trips. I had been hearing about this restaurant for years now and how good it was. So we just had to eat at the one in Destin. It's another open air dining restaurant right on the beach. I ordered the surf and turf; a new york strip steak with fresh gulf shrimp. This also came with a wonderful mushroom rice pilaf and fresh grilled corn on the cob. It was entirely too much food for me to eat by myself but I enjoyed trying!
I couldn't get a picture of my dinner due to the low lighting but I did manage to get a picture of the sunset over the ocean which was the view from our table. It was a very romantic dinner by candlelight with the breeze coming in off the ocean.


So now we're back home from vacation a few pounds heavier and a little sunburned but very relaxed. If you ever get a chance, you should visit Destin, FL. It has some of the most beautiful beaches and some great local food to enjoy.

Baked Ziti and something new for my kitchen!!

Last week while watching tv I saw Robin Miller making baked ziti on the Food Network. That's what started my craving. I decided we'd have that for dinner one night but I didn't copy her recipe. I sort of made up my own. I had a little help by using jarred sauce but added a few fresh ingredients. Oh gosh I just realized I sounded like Sandra Lee on Semi-Homemade. A reference to Robin Miller and Sandra Lee all in the same paragraph! Ahh! What's gotten into me? Sorry, I really don't care for their style of cooking. Well anyway, it turned out pretty good if I do say so. We had this tonight with a garden salad. I can't wait to eat the leftovers!


Baked Ziti

1/2 lb ziti
1 jar Bertolli Five Cheese Pasta Sauce
1/4 large white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large tomato, roughly chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Cook ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink. Drain. Saute the onion and garlic in the pan for about 5 min. Add the ground beef back to the pan. Add sauce and chopped tomato. Cover and simmer while preparing the pasta. Boil the water for the pasta and cook the pasta until done, about 8-10 min. Drain. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Add a layer of sauce in the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of ziti. Add another layer of sauce and then 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of ziti and another layer of sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 min. Then remove foil and bake an additional 15 min, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.



My husband and I were both off work today and decided to stop by a local antique mall. We like to go and browse the aisles when we have some time to kill. It's one of those places where people have booths set up to sell all their old junk as well as valuable antiques. While we were looking around I spotted a baker's rack that I really liked. I have been looking for one for a couple years now. Well I couldn't believe it when I saw it was only $35. I told my husband I had to get it!! We brought it home and it's the perfect place to store my cookbooks, aprons and other knick-knacks. I just love it! It fit perfectly in my kitchen.

Life gets in the way

As you can see, I haven't posted anything exciting in a while. Life just seems to be getting in the way lately. I have been *trying* to cook out of the pantry and use up things we already have on hand. Anyone who has ever done this knows it can go one of two ways--either you come up with something really spectacular OR you find you have a random mix of things and end up eating an odd concoction of foods for dinner. Well I'm experiencing more of the latter. So nothing blog worthy going on in my kitchen lately.

To top it off we are having people over twice this week to grill out. I made some great chicken kabobs on the grill last night, but was too embarrassed to take pics since my in-laws were over. I don't think they would "get" the whole blog thing. Oh well. So hopefully next week I will be inspired to cook something fabulous and will post it on my blog. Until then, picture me eating grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup for dinner. : P

Tag I'm It!

I was tagged by Cara!

Each player starts with seven random facts or habits about himself or herself. A tagged player then writes a blog entry with the seven things, as well as these rules. Then the player tags seven others and lists their names on his or her blog. Remember to leave a comment for your newly tagged players, letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog!

So here are my 7 facts...

1. I can fit my whole hand in my mouth!

2. Hominy and cilantro make me gag!

3. I love Auburn University football! War Eagle!

4. I don't really like cats. I have only ever met 1 cat that I really liked.

5. When I met my husband, I was his boss.

6. I have lived in 2 states, Georgia and Alabama but have lived in 4 different cities.

7. My husband and I are in the process of remodeling our 1967 ranch style house.

Now, I am tagging Amber, Mary Ellen, Elly, Joelen, Deborah, Delilah, and Julie.

Happy birthday to me!

Yesterday was my 25th birthday! It turned out to be a pretty good day even though I had to work. My husband sent me flowers to work. My favorite--gerbera daisies! When I got home he had bought me a cake. It was vanilla cake with vanilla cream in the center with buttercream frosting. So good! We also went to dinner with some close friends of ours. We ended up going to Bonefish Grill. I had never been there before but it was really good! I got the fontina chops. It was 2 thick cut pork chops topped with fontina cheese and a mushroom wine sauce. It was delicious with the au gratin potatoes. It was also my first experience with hearts of palm. I had it in my salad and it was ok I guess.


My husband also got me something else for my birthday that I have really been wanting. A reversible cast iron grill pan. I love being able to "grill" even when the weather isn't nice outside so this will be perfect for that as well as making pancakes on the flat side. Not everyone would be excited about receiving something to cook on for their birthday but I am! I love my grill pan! Overall it was a great birthday. Good food, good friends, and good gifts! I can't really complain. : )

A taste of my childhood...

When the weather gets hot, I am always reminded of the summers I spent at my grandma's house in southern Georgia. I think I was really lucky because all of my great-grandparents were still alive when I was a kid. They were all farmers in that area. So I spent a lot of time with them as well. Going to visit them meant I got to experience picking and eating fresh vegetables and fruits right from my own family's farms. Most kids these days will never experience anything like that. I think during those summers I ate some of the best but most simple foods I have eaten my whole life. These are some that remind me of my childhood.

Grits-

My Nana always made the best grits. She would make them for me every morning in the summer for breakfast. Always the right consistency and lots of cheese!

Tomato sandwiches-

Another thing my grandma would always make me was a tomato sandwich. And there is nothing better in the summer than fresh, ripe tomatoes. It's just a simple thing; bread, mayo, salt, pepper, and sliced tomatoes but she always made it taste so good. She even cut it into 4 tiny squares just the way I liked it.

Fried fish-

My dad's favorite hobby is fishing. He would do it every day if he didn't have to work I think. He and my grandfather would always go fishing in the summer and bring back tons of fish to eat. We would invite family and friends over and have a traditional southern fish fry with fried potatoes, hush puppies, coleslaw, and pickles. I don't eat fish now, but whenever I smell fried fish I always think of those fish fries. Watermelon-

Another of my favorite foods as a kid was fresh watermelon. We would pick them right out of the garden and bring them back to my grandma's house. She would set them by the air conditioner in her kitchen to get cool before we ate them. My sister and I would spend summer days swimming in the neighbor's pool and then come back to eat ice cold watermelon. It's better than any frozen, sugar-filled popsicle that kids eat nowadays.Cucumbers-

My mom and grandma loved to make their own pickles. So in the evenings when it was cool outside, we would drive out to the farm and pick cucumbers. Then they would spend days in the kitchen making pickles. But not just regular pickles, red cinnamon pickles. They were so good! I need to call my mom and get that recipe.

Peas-

I think the food that brings back the best memories for me is peas. I know that may seem silly, but it is one food that brought us all together. I remember many, many summer afternoons sitting on my great-grandma's swing shelling peas with my great-grandma, grandma, and mom. We would talk and laugh all afternoon while sitting there just shelling peas til our fingers were sore.

I never really appreciated getting to spend time with my family during those summers as a kid until now. I got to experience a way of life that most people never will. Even now, with my busy life and hectic schedule, thinking about those times makes me smile.

Photos from:
http://www.recipezaar.com/98724
http://www.fotosearch.com/BDX433/bxp163711/
http://www.google.com/

Lady and Sons

Well I can't think of anyone more similar to my grandma (Nana) than Paula Deen. Full of spunk, laughter, and the know how to create some delicious southern eats. This is why on our trip to Savannah, GA in April I told my husband we absolutely had to eat at Paula's Lady and Sons restaurant. I didn't care if we had to wait for hours, we were going to eat there.

Luckily we didn't have to wait for hours and we did get to go! It was everything I thought it would be. Warm, welcoming, and the food was fabulous! Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cheese biscuits, greens, corn casserole, peach cobbler and anything else traditionally southern and fattening was on the buffet. They also had a salad bar which I passed up. : )

But I didn't just take away a couple extra pounds from Lady and Sons. After reading about Paula Deen, I thought about what the restaurant must represent for her. She has become hugely successful, starting out with a small, home-based business doing what she loved to do. Her story reminded me of the strength of good southern ladies! It certainly makes me think of my Nana.

http://ladyandsons.com/