People often ask me when I became so interested in baking and cooking. I usually say “pretty much since I was tall enough to see over the counter.” But that’s not entirely true, because I used to love to pull a stool up to the counter in the kitchen to help my mom with whatever she was baking.
No one, I said NO one, can make cornbread like a good ol’ southern boy. And I’m a pretty lucky gal because I’m MARRIED to one! No matter whose house we’re going to, no matter what event we are attending, everyone gets my husband to make the cornbread. It is the best (and only) food a southern bachelor learns to make, and my husband has mastered the art. Crispy crust on top, fluffy buttery center, and perfectly balanced flavor. He says the secret lies in his grandmother’s well-seasoned cast iron that he inherited. I say he puts LOVE in it!
For every season of the TV show 24, my parents have invited all of the kids plus a few of their friends over every Monday evening for a viewing party. We all eat dinner together. Then, when the show starts, all the boys (plus me) go downstairs to watch 24 while all the ladies stay upstairs and drink tea and talk.
We invited some friends over for a fondue party on Saturday night. I looooove fondue – it’s fun and interactive and festive! Here are some tips and a recipe for classic swiss fondue that has been adapted from Fondue: Great Food to Dip, Dunk, Savor, and Swirl by Rick Rodgers.
I wanted to make a lighter supper for hubby and me since we’re hosting a fondue party at our house tomorrow night (don’t worry – I’ll blog the fondue too!). Shrimp was on sale at the grocery store, and I actually found some really nice looking tomatoes, so we decided to “wing it” from there. We ended up with a fantastic, light, delicious dinner.
So since it’s January and a lot of us are struggling to keep our New Year’s resolutions up – or just to get ready for bathing suit season – I’ve been trying to include some healthier items here on VV. My main temptation is snacking – usually something salty and crunchy with a nice creamy or cheesy dip on the side. So here’s what I’ve got to satisfy that craving without quite so much of the guilty aftertaste.
This is a recipe that was invented by my wonderful mother – a combination of a Dutch Chocolate Chip Cake that my Auntie Gladys used to made and a Pecan Oatmeal Cake that my mom found in the Congressional Cookbook that she got as a wedding gift over 35 years ago. The marriage of these two recipes has created a cake that is a long-time favorite in our family.
This recipe is very versatile and is a great one for using up leftover chicken or turkey. It’s also a pretty lean and nutritious meal that could easily be frozen so that you can have it ready to heat up on a busy winter evening! My dad is absolutely in love with this stuff.
Here is a festive side to serve – it’s beautiful and fresh with bright colors. The tiny bit of a lemon zing brightens the flavor of these wonderful veggies! This is a great recipe to make the spring, when asparagus is at its best. Roasting asparagus and tomatoes together really brings out the depth and sweet flavor of these vitamin-rich vegetables.
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