Foodie

I am a self diagnosed Foodie. I get ridiculously excited about a good dish or recipe. I follow more foodie twitterers than news agencies. Any given time of the day, you might find me looking up recipes on-line or just sitting in a chair reading a cookbook. I get excited when I try something new...I always call my sister. She too is a foodie, but she's also a chef.

I collect cookbooks. My favs are small town church collections. The little country church I grew up in has published a few books and I'm proud to say that the binders on each of them are falling apart because they've been used so much. From coconut cakes, lemon icebox pies to casseroles...I have gone back to those cookbooks numerous times to revisit old favorites.

I come from a family of amazing cooks. Both of my grandmothers had their own signature dishes. My grandmother Billie makes mouth-watering fried chicken. She can throw together a strawberry cobbler that will melt in your mouth. She makes it look like she's just throwing something in a bowl and it ends up perfect. Not to mention her Tamale Pie! Who knew hamburger, corn and beans all thrown together would melt in your mouth with a big piece of cornbread?

My grandmother Virginia made mash potatoes that I have tried and tried to replicate....pet milk, butter, whole milk, salt and pepper...she died with the master recipe and I've yet to find someone who could make it. Her Man's Favorite Casserole is always made in bulk and frozen to pull out on a cold day. The combination of ground beef, bell peppers, egg noodles and all kinds of soups and cheese make a heavenly mix that freezes well and pleases my very picky husband.

My mother, although she won't admit, is also a great cook. We grew up with her working a lot and rarely had dinner together when I was a teenager, but when she did break down and cook for us, it was always good. Her peppered steak and taco salad are my favs. I don't ever remember a church potluck where her taco salad wasn't requested. It's a concoction she threw together full of stewed tomatoes, chili hot beans, black olives and then...Catalina dressing with nacho cheese Doritoes...those on top of the usual taco salad ingredients. Oh My.

Let's not move on without mentioning my sister. Master of cuisine in the kitchen. lol. She went to culinary school to master cakes and pastries, but her true talents are in savory dishes. She makes these stuffed roma tomatoes with mushrooms and onions that are to die for. When we visit, I always ask for them and I want her roasted chicken with gravy. I have no qualms about using a roll to grab the last bit of gravy in the pan. It's totally worth it.

I am no chef, but I can hold my own. My poor husband is so tolerant of me trying new recipes. There have been some major successes and some terrible disasters. I do love to cook for friends. I am fortunate to have a nice group of ladies who also love to get together and eat. When we find an excuse, we each bring a dish to share. My most requested is spinach salad with strawberry balsalmic dressing and grape salad.

My love for food goes way beyond Food Network. I do enjoy endless hours of watching the Food channel and now the new Cooking Channel. My favorites are the usual, Paula Deen is eternally my favorite. I've cooked my way through most of her cookbooks, with the exception of the seafood recipes. (We are just not seafood eaters, with the exception of catfish...does that even fall into that category? Ha!) I also enjoy Giada, her cookbook is pretty good too. Bobby Flay, Emeril, Tyler Florence and even Sandra Lee. I admire Rachel Ray, although most of the things I've made from her cookbooks are just mediocre. There's also the enternal Julia Child. I so love watching old episodes of her show on the Cooking Channel. I've read and re-read her cookbooks and get so motivated after reading them every time.

And now it's moved on to something even more exciting in my world of food...blogs! The Pioneer Woman, oh how I love your recipes and pictures. You have motivated me to make your husband's favorite sandwich, spaghetti and meatballs, pot roast.... and the list goes on. Your Butter Chicken is in my frig and waiting for the stove this week. Thank you, thank you for publishing a cookbook that makes me smile and my mouth water. I have given it as gifts to my food friends. The corners of my favs from the book stay turned down because I return to them over and over again.

Tonight it's swiss steak in the crock pot, tomorrow it's butter chicken.

Today I'll share my most requested salad. It's an adapted version from a Paula Deen Quick & Easy Meals Magazine.

Green Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
1 10 oun. pkg of frozen sliced strawberries, in syrup, thawed
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c. vegetable oil

fresh spinach
sliced strawberries, madarin oranges and sliced almonds

Put all of the dressing ingredients in a blender except oil, then stream in oil once the other ingredients are blended. Cover and chill. Serve dressing with spinach, strawberries, oranges and almonds.

Makes 1 3/4 servings