My (amateur) “Foodie” Background
Besides writing/blogging and crafting/creating my other favorite hobby passion is cooking and baking. I spend a sizable amount of time in the kitchen. For those that don’t know me well, I don’t eat out a lot – and my kids don’t get much fast food.
A Family Affair
Food was a huge deal in the house when I was growing up. Mom and Dad were both raised during the Great Depression; when you had no choice but to make do with what you had and stretch every last red cent…and then some.
Mom and Dad were both accomplished in the kitchen. While I considered Mom to be the resident baker, they could both cook and cook well. It wasn’t until the last couple years of Mom’s life when I decided to try her homemade sweet relish and their amazing turkey stuffing made with homemade crepes. Holidays were always a gastronomic delight and our daily meals were equally “delish” and her homemade, “scratch” chocolate cake was unforgettable.
The Curiosity Factor
More than a decade went by until I started venturing into the kitchen and decided to try my hand at family food prep. It wasn’t hard to find motivation. Back then, Food Network was already off the ground and the huge hit back then was Emeril Live with Emeril Lagasse. My other favorites were Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray and of course Gale Gand’s Sweet Dreams.
So, into the kitchen I went. Things were a bit bumpy. I’d kind of gotten used to eating out and fast food over the years and doing so was much easier than cooking for one. But I knew being in the kitchen: cooking and baking ought to be a good thing. The kitchen was designed to be the center of the home.
So, my first kitchen test was Jelly. I made homemade strawberry jelly. That was an exercise in futility. Not that anything went wrong but talk about creating a huge mess with dishes. I guess you have to start somewhere, right?
A Taste of Gourmet
Then I committed to taking a class at a winery in the region. Thornton makes a great champagne and they were offering a demonstration cooking class. It was a brilliant idea and I’m still so glad I went to this. It was more for observation on my part than anything but the “program” taught me that
- Cooking food can be fun
- Food should bring comfort
- Making your own food is best
- Knowing how to “work” a kitchen is the key
- A good recipe is worth a LOT!
After the class was over I really wanted to learn more…but taking a class at a winery can add up – no matter how much you benefit. So, I became really good friends with Food Network. Course, I didn’t even have a “dvr” at the time. So, it was watch it once and if I needed more…I had to go online. Man, did I do a lot of “recipe printing” back in those days!
A New Generation
Then I found myself thrust into motherhood. Definitely not something for the weak of heart or mind! Yes, I am blessed beyond measure but when push comes to shove SOMEONE still has to “cook” the food we all get to eat.
So now, I have two or three BINDERs full of recipes I work from (most of which I’ve never tried) and create a collection of the tried and true selection we’ve all come to appreciate. A few have fallen by the wayside….but not many!
My goal here is to list recipes that I love, that my kids love and that we use regularly. Cause frankly, there’s no point in sharing something if it’s not a favorite. That doesn’t mean YOU will like it. So, please…cut me some slack if that is the case (Lol!)
Sharing is fun
Food is a common thread for all of us. We eat to survive, thrive, socialize, engage, meet others and explore new tastes. Since I’ve been asked often enough for some of the recipes I’ve made…I’m going to start collecting them here. Hopefully having them virtually stored online on this blog will make it easier in the long run. I can’t count how many times I’ve been looking through my binders for a favorite and I’ve spent 4x’s as long doing that as it would to get it mixed and in the oven!
So, stay tuned and if you’re so inclined, subscribe to the mailing list so you know when I “post” my first “recipe expedition.”
Thanks for stopping by and remember to keep “shining your light,”
-Kenzel
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
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