WestCoast Peaches

A few Thanksgiving recipes

2010-11-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to share a few recipes with the ladies at Immanuel. It was such an honor for me to be asked to do this and I had an awesome time. I thought I would pass along some of those recipes to you! Today, I'll start with one of my favorites that makes every holiday meal special. I will have more to share as the holiday season rolls on. I'm gonna be busy this week decorating for Christmas, and I can't wait! I'm so excited about it!! (And no, I'm not crazy ;)
I love baking and trying new things for the holidays so I'll be sure to pass along the good ones!

Cornbread Dressing and Gravy

1 recipe of cornbread (store bought or your favorite recipe) crumbled
6-7 slices of bread, toasted and torn into piece/ or about 5-6 leftover biscuits
1 sleeve of saltiness crackers, crushed
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery coup
5 eggs, beaten
2 large cartons of low sodium chicken broth (For the dressing I use store bought broth and use the homemade broth for the gravy-recipe following)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble your cornbread, toast, and saltiness in a large bowl and mix well. Sauté onions and celery in 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add to corn bread mixture. Add your soups, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and about 1 1/2 cartons of broth and mix well. Taste at this point to see if it needs more salt, pepper, or herbs. Then add your beaten eggs, shredded chicken (2 of the chicken breasts used to make the stock in the recipe following) and more broth if needed. Pour into a large, greased baking dish and bake, covered for about 1 1/2 hours. I like to stir the dressing after the first 45 minutes (to pull the crispy edges into the dressing) and continue to do this about every 15-20 minutes until it's done. Leave the foil off for the last 15-20 minutes.

Chicken Stock:
4 chicken breasts
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

For the stock, place chicken breasts, place all ingredients in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 40-45 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard. Shred chicken breasts, adding 2 to the dressing and the other 2 back to the broth.

Gravy:
4 boiled eggs
Cornstarch
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Chicken broth (strained)
2 shredded chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the gravy, bring the broth back to a boil and add the bouillon cubes; stir to dissolve. Then add the chopped, boiled eggs. Put about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl and add about 2-3 tablespoons of cold water; stir to combine. Stir cornstarch mixture into the boiling broth and cook about 5 minutes over medium high heat. If your gravy isn't as thick as you like after 5 minutes, repeat the step with the cornstarch. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Trying new things

2010-10-08T16:34:00.001-07:00

Well, I've always wanted to try my hand at fondant and I finally did it! I'd gotten myself all worked up about it (just nervous) but I figured if I didn't just jump in and do it I never would. It was so much fun! Here's my first batch of fondant. I was so proud of it I just had to take a picture :)

This is the finished product. It's not perfect, but not too bad for my first attempt. It's for a friend of mine's daughter for her 16th birthday. I hope she likes it!

Get a Little Taste of WestCoast Peaches

2010-06-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

I am currently doing some gourmet baking to help raise money to send my kids to church summer camp. These are not your typical tasty little cupcakes. These are homemade, gourmet treats from the kitchen of WestCoast Peaches. A friend of mine generously asked me to make the goodies for her daughter's luau party. Pictured here are the cookies and cupcakes I made. The cupcakes are homemade chocolate cake with a super-yummy-original-secret-chocolate frosting recipe (I wanted to just eat it right out of the bowl!) and red velvet cake with a vanilla buttercream frosting sprinkled with "pe-cans" of course :-)

If you know of someone, or you yourself are in need of some yummy goodies for birthdays, graduations, special events, Fathers' Day Family Dinner, or that little sweet tooth of yours, I'm ready for baking-to-order.

The most AWESOME Cinnamon Rolls!

2010-05-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've been experimenting with cinnamon roll recipes, trying to find a really good one and I think I've found a winner. These are really not difficult to make and are absolutely amazing! I hope you'll give these a try because you'll be so happy with them. You could take these to any get-together with friends and you'll be a hit for sure.

Cinnamon Rolls:
1 (1/4 oz) pkg dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (just heat in microwave for about 1-1/2 minutes)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour

Filling:
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, room temp
2 Tbsp flour

Dissolve yeast in warm milk in large bowl or mixer bowl.
Add sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour and mix well.
Knead the dough into a large ball using hands lightly dusted with flour. (I use the dough hook of my mixer and it only takes about a minute or two)
Put in a bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise for about 1 hour or until dough is double in size. (I heat my oven to about 100 degrees, turn it off, then place the covered bowl in and it helps the rising process)
Roll out dough until approximately 21 inches long and 16 inches wide. (About the size of a big cutting board) It should be about 1/4 inch thick.
Mix the filling ingredients together minus the butter. Spread the butter over the dough, then sprinkle evenly with filling mix. Press down lightly.
Roll the dough up starting with the long side. Cut into 12 pieces. (I cut the uneven ends off, then mark the center. You should then mark for six rolls on each side and then cut the rolls. If you mark it off first, you'll always end up with uniform rolls.)
Place in greased 9x13 dish, cover, and put back in oven and let rise until double in size again.
Take dish out of oven, and preheat to 400 degrees. Bake rolls for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Cool slightly and then spread with icing. (recipe to follow)

*TIP: You can make these ahead of time, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature, slice and place in baking dish and let rise until double in size. Follow directions as above.

Cinnamon Roll Icing:
2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp
8 oz block of cream cheese, room temp
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer until combined. Slowly add all the powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Beat the mixture for 12 minutes. (I know it sounds like a long time, but it really does make a huge difference) Scrape down periodically to make sure it's all mixed well. When almost done, add in juice and vanilla.
*I think this is even better if you make the icing earlier and refrigerate for a while before using.

Trying something new!

2010-03-19T00:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm gonna be trying something new soon and I'll let you know how it goes. I love to watch the cake challenges on Food Network and I feel inspired to try one myself. I'm going to make a basic 2-tiered round cake and make marshmallow fondant (for the first time ever) and decorate it! I'll never figure out how if I never try right? We'll see how it goes! I'll post a pic either way. I may discover cake decorating isn't my thing and should stick with cupcakes. Fingers crossed.....

Fresh Strawberry Pie

2010-03-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

I was in the grocery store the other day passing by the strawberries and I could almost taste a homemade strawberry pie, just like we would eat during the summer when I was a kid. When I got married I went back to cheating completely on this pie; buying the glaze in the grocery store. It really is so easy to make your own and tastes SO much better. In this particular video I did use a pre-made roll out crust. Of course, homemade crust is delicious also, but I think the bought crusts are really close and work if you're in a hurry.

1 pie crust, baked and cooled
8 cups of fresh strawberries, quartered
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch

In a blender, blend 1 cup of strawberries with 2/3 cup water. Pour into a small saucepan and add sugar and cornstarch. Mix well. Cook over medium heat just until boiling, then continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let sit without stirring for 10 minutes. Let the glaze cool. Put a little glaze in the bottom of the baked, cooled pie crust. Place a layer of strawberries in next. Add more glaze over this layer. Add more strawberries and another layer of glaze. Finish with your prettiest cuts of strawberries and finish off with the rest of the glaze, making sure you coat all of the strawberries. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but even longer is better if you have time. I finish my pie off with homemade whipped cream. Tip: If you are not going to be eating the entire pie, I would put whipped cream on each individual piece as it's served. The whipped cream can separate and get runny otherwise if it's stored on the pie.

Margherita Pizza

2010-02-27T17:49:00.000-08:00

This is a quick, easy pizza that's also really pretty and great for entertaining. Oh yeah, it tastes really good too! :)

1 pizza dough (the kind you find at the grocery store near the canned biscuits works or you can make your own)
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, sliced
fresh mozzarella cheese
fresh basil, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
3 tbsp pizza sauce
olive oil
salt and pepper

Place pizza dough on stone and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. Spread pizza sauce very sparingly over pizza. (This step is not necessary if you don't have any) Sprinkle garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella evenly over pizza dough. You can use small mozzarella pearls like I used or you can use slices, whatever you like and the look you're going for. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Bake for around 10 minutes at 400 degrees. When the pizza comes out of the oven, add basil, sliced or left whole and drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy!!

Skillet Chocolate Lava Cake

2010-02-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

It's great to get back to one of my favorite things.....COOKING!! It's been 3 weeks since our little Ava Drew arrived and things are finally starting to get back to normal. She is such a good, sweet baby. (Thank you Lord) :) Our church family blessed us tremendously by bringing us meals every evening and we are so thankful. It was such a huge help and I also got to try out other people's dishes, which I always enjoy. One fun Friday night, about 2 weeks in, I decided to make this dessert for the family. I picked this recipe because the ingredients are usually always in the pantry AND it's really simple to put together. Most importantly, it's absolutely delicious! It's one, giant chocolate lava cake! Who wouldn't enjoy that?!

Skillet Chocolate Lava Cake

1 package fudge brownie mix
4 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used closer to 1 cup)
2 cups water
1 jar chocolate fudge ice cream topping (original recipe calls for 12 oz, but I like the results better with the 16 oz jar)
1/2 tsp vanilla

- Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Spread batter over the bottom of a large skillet (around 12 inch). Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over batter.
- Put ice cream topping and water in a bowl and whisk until combined. Microwave on high 5-6 minutes or until boiling. Whisk again and add vanilla. (This mixture will be very thin.) Pour ice cream/water mixture over brownie batter in skillet.
- Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. The top of the brownie will be very saucy but it will thicken as it cools off. Place on a cooling rack to cool.
- Spoon into bowls and top with vanilla ice cream. Top ice cream with Magic Shell or I like to melt bittersweet chocolate chips in the microwave for around 45 seconds then drizzle over the ice cream. It will harden up like Magic Shell does, but it's much yummier! You could also top with your favorite toasted nuts , or dress it up with some fresh mint.

Back in the Swing of Things

2010-02-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

Baby Ava Drew will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. Can you believe it? I am feeling much better an am about to get back to cooking. I have missed it so much. I have a little recipe for a lava cake that I will post soon. I shot the video about a week ago but haven't been able to post it yet for one reason or another.

I will be getting to some of your requests over the next couple of weeks and we'll get back to enjoying our time together in the kitchen. Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. Now, get ready for some great dishes from the kitchen at WestCoast Peaches.

Having a Brunch?

2010-02-01T19:47:00.001-08:00

Here is a simple recipe that I came up with to make your next brunch a success.

Jody's Chicken and Broccoli Quiche
1 cup Cooked Chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup cooked broccoli
Salt and Pepper
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 pie crust

Roast a chicken breast with olive oil, salt and pepper at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cook onions and mushrooms in 2 tbsp of butter until tender. Add broccoli, chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk 4 eggs with milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add vegetable mixture, cheddar cheese, and mix well. Bake pie crust at 350 degrees for 5 mins. Raise temp to 400 degrees. Fill crust with egg/vegetable mixture and bake 15 mins. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake until set at edges and slightly loose in center (around 30 - 40 minutes). Let cool and set.

TIP: Don't forget to cover your pie crust edges with foil if they are browning too quickly.

This is great served with your favorite salad. It's sure to make a great brunch treat for you and your guests.

Cauliflower Casserole

2010-01-25T08:36:00.000-08:00

Now, at first glance, you are probably thinking "what?!" And, I know some of you may not be fans of cauliflower. We all have different tastes. But, let me challenge you to just watch this video blog. Even if you are not cauliflower's biggest fan, it may still give you ideas of how to dress up some of your foods to add variety to your meals. This casserole was a family favorite at reunions and the holidays when I was growing up in middle Georgia. Try it out and see if it might become a new favorite for your next family gathering.

1 head of Cauliflower
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup of mustard
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese
Salt

Remove green leafs and hard core from Cauliflower
Rinse Cauliflower well
Cut cauliflower into individual stalks OR leave whole - which ever way you prefer works!
Place cauliflower in boiling salted water and cook until fork tender
Drain cauliflower well and place in baking dish
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and mustard
Spread mixture over cauliflower evenly
Cover with cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges (approx. 20 mins)

Ava Drew's First Day

2010-01-23T15:22:00.000-08:00

I have taken a few days off from cooking to have my fourth little baby, Ava Drew. God has blessed us tremendously in so many ways, and we want to share His miraculous blessings with all of you. So, below is our self-edited video of Ava Drew's First Day. Enjoy, and check back soon for a guest blog from my mother. We're not going to miss a beat here at WestCoast Peaches. You gotta eat...why not make it good!

Response to A Question

2010-01-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

Jenny in Georgia wrote and said:

Jody- love this blog! I feel inspired to start cooking like this- you make it look so easy. And it is good, Southern food that those of us in Georgia love-

I'd love to hear your input on what types of kitchen tools, utensils, pans, etc. you find best to cook with as well as storage containers (like for flour,etc) when you do your blogs. Also what doesn't work well. Also, will you include in your blogs (like with the creamed corn) how to tell when it is "done"? Does it matter what type corn you use-sweet vs. field corn, white or yellow, etc etc.

Thanks so much- hope all goes well with your new arrival!

Thanks for following my blog, Jenny! I am so glad that so many people are interested, and THANKS for your questions and suggestions.

My kitchen "tools" and utensils vary. I love Pampered Chef items, but I have a wide variety of things. I'll try to feature some of these items in a future blog. My sweet husband bought me Emiril's Cookware this past Christmas and it is WONDERFUL. Lovin' it!

As far as storage, I have 3 big glass jars on my counter. They are for flour, sugar, and rice, and you can write the name of each item with chalk on the front of them. I got mine at World Market, but you can probably find them elsewhere, as well. When doing a video blog, I have some items in bowls. I use measuring cups on occasion, so I might have used one for flour.

With the creamed corn, I cook it for 20 mins because it seems to help it become creamier. It would probably be "done" within 10, but you can taste it to see if it's tender. Whatever corn you prefer will work. I used yellow in the video blog.

Thanks for all of your questions. That's the part that makes it so much fun! Keep 'em coming!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-01-21T11:01:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year. Though cooler weather is always welcomed with much excitement at our home, unfortunately, sickness seems to accompany our wintry friend far too often. My kids and husband have been sick with colds and flu already. In each situation, the common request in our home has been for this recipe. It is great on a cold winter day. It is perfect for that little pick-me-up when someone is not feeling their best. I would eat it in a box with a fox any day of the year :) What ever excuse you can come up with, this meal is going to be a treat! This is just one of those little recipes you can keep in your back pocket to pull out for any occasion.

5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
half an onion, peeled
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cups egg noodles
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 white wine (it's good with Sherry too)
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Put chicken breasts, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, bouillon cubes, and lemon zest in a large pot and fill with water 3/4 full. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, onion, and bay leaves and set aside. Chop chicken and save to add at the end. Add chopped celery and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Then add your sliced carrots and cook another 5-8 minutes. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package (usually around 5 minutes is what I do so they do not overcook throughout the rest of the process). Slowly add your chopped chicken in, and then add the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, white wine, and fresh parsley. Heat through for about 1 minute then turn off heat. Enjoy your yummy soup with a loaf of warm, crusty bread!

FOLLOW ME

2010-01-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

Follow me on TWITTER by clicking on the icon on the right hand side of this page. Also, help me get the word out about this blog by posting a link on your Facebook page by clicking on the "share" icon on the right hand side of this page. You can also join the group "WestCoast Peaches" on Facebook. By joining, you can post comments, pictures, questions, and make requests. Feel free to email me at westcoastpeaches@gmail.com. Thanks for being a part of the joy of cooking with me at WestCoast Peaches!

Recipes and Video Posts

2010-01-18T17:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks for your input. I've had some comments from viewers that would like to have the typed out recipe along with the video blog. No problem. I've begun typing that out starting with the Chicken with Almonds. You can simply highlight it, copy it, and add it into any word document program you like. Then, print it out. Hopefully, this will make our time together at WestCoast Peaches even more productive. Thanks again for your comments and input, and for hanging out with me at WestCoastPeaches.blogspot.com!

WestCoast Peaches' Homemade Peach Cobbler

2010-01-18T16:34:00.000-08:00

In response to a request by Darlene of California for a cobbler recipe, here is a great PEACH COBBLER recipe that is sure to get your taste buds tingling. This cobbler is so simple to make, which is a very good thing. Because, once people taste it, you are going to be getting requests to make it often. As always, have fun in the kitchen!

PEACH COBBLER

1 stick of unsalted butter
2 29 oz cans of sliced peaches in syrup
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. sugar dusting over top of cobbler after cooking

Melt butter and place in dish
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with whisk
Add in milk and mix well
Pour over butter in 9 1/2 x 11 baking dish
Distribute peaches evenly over batter using slotted spoon
Pour 1 can (approx. 1 cup) of peach juice evenly over the peaches
Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350 degrees
As soon as cobbler is removed from oven, dust the top of it with 1 Tbsp. of sugar

For a Fresh Peach Cobbler
Combine 4 cups of pealed, sliced peaches with 3/4 - 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Lower temperature and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Chicken with Almonds

2010-01-16T22:48:00.001-08:00

This is a great little dish that is a favorite at my home. My mom gets the credit for this one and I was enjoying it at an early age. Now that I have a family of my own, it has become a favorite once again. If you are not a fan of almonds, simply don't add them to the dish. It will still be amazing.

6-8 chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of diced onion
3 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup Sherry
2 tsp. dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
1cup sour cream
4 Tbsp. slivered almonds (opt)

Salt and pepper chicken
Brown chicken in oil and remove
Saute onions in same pan
Stir in flour
Slowly add sherry and chicken broth
When liquid begins to simmer, remove chicken to skillet
Add tarragon, salt and pepper
Cook covered on low for approximately 45 minutes
Stir in sour cream and heat; do not boil
Garnish with slivered almonds

I like to serve this with white rice

Comments, Questions, and Requests Are Welcome

2010-01-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

I've been blown away by the response to WestCoast Peaches so far. I never would have imagined so many people would follow and enjoy watching and hearing about me in my kitchen. I can't thank you enough for making this so much fun. I've also loved hearing from so many of you via facebook, email, and blog posts. Keep the comments coming. Also, feel free to ask questions, make suggestions, and let me hear about how those dishes are turning out.

Also, if you have a problem with any of the dishes, please let me know what the issue was and I may be able to advise you on what went wrong and how to fix it. This blog is designed to be interactive. My goal is to one day be to a place where we can do a live video post with viewers asking questions and making comments as we go. I just need to get a baby girl here and get my life back together first!

Speaking of little baby Ava Drew, her scheduled arrival is Friday, January 22, 2010. Stay tuned! I will be posting some video of her right here at WestCoast Peaches!

And, speaking of peaches, I am planning on posting a great recipe for Peach Cobbler. This is in response to Darlene Propp's request for a cobbler recipe. Thanks Darlene, for the comment. If you like peaches, you are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE this cobbler.

There will soon be a post for one of my favorite Italian dishes, too. It will rival anything you can get in a restaurant, yet it is so simple you will amaze your friends and family at your next get together.

Thanks for hanging out with me in the kitchen at WestCoast Peaches!

Flavorful Food

2010-01-14T18:31:00.000-08:00

One thing many people forget to do is to season their food along the way. NEVER wait until the dish is done (or almost done) before you start adding your seasonings and salt. To salt your food in the beginning and throughout brings the flavor out of the food as it cooks. If you wait too late, you will just have salty, bland food. But, how do you keep your food from becoming too salty?

The answer to that question is simple: Don't ever serve something to others that you haven't tasted throughout the cooking process. Salt and season properly at the start of your dish. Then, taste it throughout. If it needs a little more, add it. If this is not something you are currently doing, you will instantly see the taste of your food go from 1 star to 4 stars.

Southern Creamed Corn

2010-01-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

I have said it all my life; "Life is not lived out of a Can!" So, why should your vegetables come out of one? Check out the following video blog for one of my favorite side dishes. I want to give a little credit to my Dad and 9 year old son, Caleb. They each shared in the filming of this one. It's a family affair at WestCoastPeaches! I'll have a new main dish or dessert on an upcoming blog. But for now, check out another Southern Side and enjoy your little taste of the South!

Fried Okra

2010-01-09T23:39:00.000-08:00

Southern Food is definitely near and dear to my heart. After all, I was raised in Georgia. Today, I want to show you how to make a side dish that is sure to complement a variety of meals. Last night, we had lemon-peppered pork chops, with broccoli casserole and FRIED OKRA! Check out my video blog to see just how simple this side dish is to prepare. And, enjoy your little taste of the south.

West Coast Peaches Returns

2010-01-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been close to 2 years since my last blog. I won't even begin to attempt to play catch up with all that's happened in those two years, but I will mention a couple of really awesome things. First of all, our oldest son Caleb and our oldest daughter Abby both accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. I can't begin to express how excited that makes Jeff and I and how exceedingly grateful we are to the Lord for calling them to Himself. They are truly amazing kids and I can't wait to see what the Lord has planned for their lives.

Secondly, we are expecting our 4th child (3rd daughter) in just 2 weeks! We are all so excited and can't wait to meet her. I feel like I get to hold her every day, but I can't wait to hold her in my arms and kiss her sweet face.

I was blessed with a mother who loved to cook and taught me at an early age value and skill that I've used throughout my life when preparing meals for my family and friends. Now, I want to pass this on to you as we share together our love and passion for cooking. Here's what this blog is going to look like:

- original and family recipes

- cooking tips

- pictures of selected dishes

- categorizing of main courses, sides, etc.

- and a section called "cooking common sense" In this section I will address those little quick tips that most cookbooks never mention. Those little things that the "experts" assume we all know but when executed make the biggest difference in presentation and taste.

From time to time I will be featuring your recipes as well. So, let me hear from you! I want to answer your questions, help you be creative, and hear your thoughts and ideas as well.

Father's Day

2008-06-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

It was a fun father's day this year. We had a great time of worship at church and then my good friend Gretchen and I went to her house to get lunch cooked for the guys. We had steak, roasted potatoes, corn on the cob, and cheesecake parfaits for dessert. That's not even mentioning all of the yummy appetizers we had. The best part of the day was after the meal. We didn't have evening services, so we just sat around all afternoon watching golf and talking. It was great. Then we went to see Kung Fu Panda. It was by far one of the funniest cartoons I've ever seen in my life. (except for Shrek; I still love me some Shrek) It'll definitely be one to add to our home collection.

Rocker Chick

2008-05-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

I thought everyone would enjoy just a little glimpse into the performance we saw Sunday night. Our middle child, Abby, and the choir were singing for us for Mother's Day. They all looked so sweet and cute. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Abby saw herself on the screen and it all went downhill from there. She went from singing in the wrong place and giggling about it through an entire verse, to striking the rocker chick pose at the end of the song. It was funny, but also very, very embarrassing. Ahhh, children.....ya gotta love 'em.

It's been a while....again

2008-04-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I know it's been a while.....again. To sum up the past few months, the kids are doing great. Caleb is doing well in 2nd grade and Abby absolutely loves kindergarten. She seriously goes into fits if she can't go to school. Ella turned 2 in March and is growing like a weed. She talks all of the time now and has a really cute personality coming out. Abby has signed with a new talent agency that will hopefully result in some modeling ads. We'll see. Caleb is taking mixed martial arts. I told Jeff in a few years Caleb will be able to beat him up in the daily home wrestling match.
My family is coming out this summer and we'll be heading over to Yosemite. I'm excited and anxious about this trip. Excited about the family coming out part (I can't wait to see them), but very anxious about the camping in a cabin with bears part of the trip. I believe it's going to be a trip we'll talk about for years after, and the kids will love it. And I know it's going to be absolutely beautiful there.

One of those days....

2007-10-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

Well, today started off pretty good. The weather was nice and cool with a great breeze coming through and I got the kids off to school. Ella and I stopped by my friend Gretchen's house to look at some things and then we went to try to get some early Christmas shopping done. I did get two presents bought which brings our total to 7 family members being bought for. I'm pretty happy with that considering I usually don't get anything accomplished until after Thanksgiving. We're planning an awesome trip to Keystone, CO for our 10 year anniversary. The place has skiing, snowmobiling, ice-skating on the frozen lake!, sleigh rides, and lots more. It's gonna be so much fun! And we're flying home to Georgia for Christmas so needless to say, we're really trying to watch our $$$. Well, my sweet Caleb came home today so excited b/c he had gotten to go to the treasure box at school for being the best table last week. For those of you who know Caleb, that's something we really celebrate around here. So all is well and then, of course, I notice something strange about Caleb's "cool, new, one of his nicest, shirts". It's got a huge hole in the front and in the back. I asked him what happened and he says "an accident". Then he proceeds to tell me it was the type of accident where his mind forgot to tell his hands not to put the scissors to his clothes and cut away. At what age does this get better? I probably wouldn't have gotten so upset except that we're watching the moo-lah and I can't just go out and buy another shirt. Oh, well; one of those wonderful childhood moments that I'm sure I'll have many more of. Oh, and this is not the first time this has happened, just the most scissor damage. Any advice mothers out there?

Forever!

2007-10-11T14:33:00.001-07:00

Okay, so it's been forever since I've posted anything on here. I would play catch-up but that would take forever. So to sum it all up, it was a crazy busy summer, but a great one. I thoroughly loved having my parents out to visit (of course it went by too fast) and I enjoyed having the kids home with me. We went to the pool alot! We had out air go out during a heat wave (nice timing) and that was about the end of the summer. The kids are back in school; Caleb in 2nd grade and Abby in kindergarten. They have great teachers and they are really enjoying it.
I absolutely love this time of year. I get into the baking mood and unfortunately, the shopping mood. When it's cool outside, I just can't wait to get out in it. I've actually done really well so far getting some Christmas shopping out of the way. And the kids haven't found anything! Caleb usually comes across all the surprises, but not this year! I tried a new dark chocolate truffle recipe yesterday and it was "delicioso". I'll post a couple of new recipes when I've tried some more new things.

2007-06-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

We finally got Abby's zed cards today. She had a photo shoot back in September in Memphis, TN and with our big move, and settling in, we just got around to getting to the next step. We'll be able to hand out the zed cards at any auditions she has and send them in to any agencies. Abby loved the photo shoot and wants "to be in a magazine". If something does come of it, it would be great to pay for college.If nothing comes of this, we sure did get some great pictures out of it and we're happy with that. Abby will probably have moved on to wanting to be a ballerina again and would be okay too. I'll try to upload some of her pictures taken at the photo shoot.
Caleb had a little fall today at school. He tends to get ahead of himself and today that resulted in tripping over someones foot on the way out. I guess he was really excited about getting home.
They said he landed right on his tooth. That's not funny, really, but I've tried to picture what that would look like. (I'm not a terrible mother. You know that's funny.) Anyway, his tooth looks fine and he was acting like normal by the time we got home (all of 30 seconds later) so I think he'll be okay.
Have I mentioned lately that I'm excited about my parents coming to visit?! 4 days and counting! Please pray they'll have a safe trip out and that we'll have a safe trip to San Antonio.
Thanks!

Sleepless Nights

2007-06-05T00:41:00.001-07:00

Why am I up blogging past midnight? I just couldn't sleep tonight. Or..... could it be that I'm just being such a good pal hanging out with Alex the hamster while he runs on his little wheel? It's been a crazy few days. Ella has been sick; fever, runny nose, croupy cough, and now Caleb feels sick. My parents are flying in on Sunday morning and we're flying out Sunday afternoon for the convention. I'm so excited about them coming. I'm excited about the convention, but I'm also excited about getting back and spending time with mom & pops. I sure do miss my family. Just knowing we're so far away makes me really sad sometimes. But I know God has a plan for us and we want to be exactly where he wants us. I'm also thankful for all of the wonderful friends we've made in all of the places God's used us. Isn't it neat to think how God has this path for us and if we stay faithful and follow that path, he has amazing blessings for us? I've seen so many in our ministry so far and I can't wait to see what else he has in store for us. I mean, who would have thought we'd be living in southern California one day. I sure didn't.
Well, I guess I'll sign off and try to get some rest. I'll send some new recipes soon. Thanks again for reading!

Humidity

2007-05-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

I never realized just how big a part humidity played in the general outcome of a sunny day. The kids had soccer practice this evening and the sun was still high and bright in the sky. I debated just sitting in the car with the a/c on to watch them play. Then I felt like a bad mom, so I pulled out the stroller, baby Ella, and all of the cool drinks I could pack in. Of course, to my surprise (again), I was never hot. The breeze was nice and cool and even though the sun was beating down on me, I wasn't hot. The crazy thing is, if we had been there when the sun went down, we would've needed jackets. I don't know how long it will take me to get used to this. I'm not complaining though, it's much nicer than sweating. For those of you who know me well, you know how much I hate sweating.
On another note, my parents are coming out for a visit in a little over a week. I'm so excited! They've never been to this part of California, so we'll have lots to do and see. If ya'll are reading this, I love you and can't wait to see ya! Bring me some peaches!!! :)

The 66'ers

2007-05-30T18:07:00.000-07:00

We had a great time this past weekend. Our church went to the Inland Empire 66'ers game on Monday night. One of our choir members sang the national anthem (she did a really good job) and our Pastor threw out the first pitch. The weather was great, the snow cones and funnel cakes were delicious, and the kids loved it. I felt like a kid in one of those movies where they go to the baseball games together all of the time. Hopefully we'll go to another game soon.
Alex, the new pet hamster, is doing great. He's hilarious rolling around in his little ball on the floor. I'll try to get a picture up soon of him. He's a cutie!
*Also, a quick cooking tip while I'm thinking about it. If you're making mozzarella sticks,
don't use string cheese. I usually use regular mozzarella but I decided to try something different today. String cheese is mozzarella cheese so I thought it wouldn't make a difference, but it does. It will melt all out before it gets done. Not so tasty.
On another note, Jeff is still sick and could use any prayers you could send up for him. The convention is coming up soon and he really needs to be in full voice. Thanks for your prayers!

Alex

2007-05-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally did it. We got our first family pet. His name is Alex and he's adorable. He is a little black hamster. Right now, as I'm typing, I hear him running away in his little wheel.
Last night, after Alex was settled into his new house (and ready for a long night full of noisy activity) Jeff laughed and said, "We intentionally have a rat beast in our house." It's pretty funny because we've always said we'd never have any house pets. Oh well, it's amazing how you change your mind when your kids are begging for a pet. I guess a hamster is the easiest of them all.
If any of you have any advice or just interesting hamster stories, let me know. I look forward to hearing from you!

Spaghetti Squash with Moroccan Spices

2007-05-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe of my moms for spaghetti squash. For those of you who have never tried this vegetable, you're missing out. This is a good first recipe to try.

1 (31/2 -4 lb) spaghetti squash
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cayenne
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley, or cilantro

Pierce squash all over with a small sharp knife. Cook one of 2 ways: split in half and lay cut side down on cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 1/4 hours. OR cook in microwave oven on high power for 6-7 minutes. Turn over and cook until squash feels slightly soft when pressed, @8-10 minutes more. Cool squash for 5 min. Remove seeds and use fork to rake out the spaghetti.
Melt butter in small heavy saucepan over moderately high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, @ 1 min. Stir in spices and salt and remove from heat.
Toss with spaghetti squash and parsley.

*Spaghetti squash is also good with your favorite spaghetti sauce.

Hope you enjoy!

Whatever....

2007-05-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I've officially given up on American Idol. I have been an avid watcher since it's beginnings and it has continued to go downhill. The only true winners in my opinion (based on best singing ability) have been Kelly Clarkson and Carry Underwood. The show is not about the best singer or the best performer. It's about little tinny boppers voting for someone they think is cute or someone who has improved throughout the show but is still not the best singer. I also think the show uses subliminal messaging. I know that sounds silly, but they did it even last night. I believe Jordin will win because that's what the show and network is pushing. If you go back and watch the season, you'll see what I mean. They do it every year. I've said from the beginning that Jordin would win (not that I think she deserves it). If Blake wins I'll be surprised. Blake and Jordin are both great singers, I'll agree on that. They just weren't the best. Melinda was by far the best singer and performer they've ever had on the show. I know she'll do great in her career. Well, thanks for listening to my ranting and raving. I feel better now.

Chick-fil-a

2007-05-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight was an awesome night! We got invited by Jeff's ministry assistant to attend a dinner at the new Chick-fil-a opening here in Redlands. We all got to eat for free! Considering that we rarely eat for under $20 anywhere, much less free, I was really excited. We got more than I expected. We not only got the meal, they also had the little chick'n minis (breakfast stuff) for appetizers, dessert, and shakes. They had door prizes and the atmosphere was just really fun. And of course, the kids played in the play area and we got to eat in peace. It was just really nice. Afterwards, most of the worship staff that went came over to the house and we watched American Idol. It was nice to watch it with other people and get their opinions.
I think Blake will go home tomorrow, but a lot of people think Jordan will go. As long as Melinda doesn't go I'll be happy. All of you Idol fans let me know what you think will happen.
Oh....sorry it's been a while posting. Our computer's had some glitches.
Hope to hear from you soon! I'm trying a new recipe this week. If it turns out well, I'll post it. Send me some of your favorites!
Jody

The Haircut

2007-05-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, when Caleb was around 3 years old, Jeff took him to get his hair cut. It was not the first time Caleb had gotten a haircut; far from it. But it was the most memorable. The barber obviously was not accustomed to cutting children's hair and everyone who knows Caleb knows that he is not an ordinary child. So, as a result of clippers flying off in the wrong direction, Caleb came home with sort of a "skater dude" haircut. Oh, and the best part is that we had pictures the next day. I was very unhappy and we decided from that point on I would always take Caleb for his haircuts.
WELL......Jeff left last night to go get HIS hair trimmed and Caleb wanted to ride along. Jeff obviously forgot the rule from years before and Caleb came home with a haircut. Was it better this time you ask? Well, it's definitely not a skater haircut. In fact, Caleb hardly has any hair left at all. It's a buzz cut to the extreme. I can actually see his scalp!!
Oh well, at least he has a nicely shaped head.

It Pays To Prepare

2007-05-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

Like most busy moms, I've spent many evenings standing in front of the refrigerator and pantry trying to decide what to fix for supper. One good idea is to make those infamous casserole's and store them for later use. The only problem I have with that is that I don't want to trade my one free day with my family in the kitchen preparing food for the next week. So, I thought I'd share some of my quick easy ideas that help me through the week.
*First of all, obviously, we have to think about the week ahead. What nights do we need a really quick meal and which nights do we have a little more time?
*I don't know about you, but I use onions and garlic in almost everything. Well, early in the week, chop extra and bag it. Then it's ready for the next meal.
*If you're having chicken one night, cook a couple of extra pieces for a salad later in the week.
*Like most women, I love pasta. If you always have some on hand, cook up a little following the directions on bag. In a small skillet, heat up 1/4 cup chicken broth, 2 Tbsp. heavy cream, and 1/4 Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta and mix with sauce. Add some fresh, chopped parsley at the end. (This is also good with fresh basil) If you don't have the cream, omit the broth and just add olive oil and the herbs and it's still very good.
Here's one more quick recipe that's great for a quick night meal. This recipe is from my great friend Gretchen.

Easy Meatball Subs
Take a bag of your favorite frozen meatballs (this plays into the planning part of your week) and put in a crock pot with your favorite spaghetti sauce. You can also add sliced onions and bell peppers if you like. Leave on low temperature and go about your day. When you're ready for supper, put meatballs on sub rolls with sliced mozzarella cheese and heat to melt the cheese. This makes a quick, easy meal and makes very happy kids.
I hope some of this helps during your busy week. As always, let me know what you think!

The Best Chicken Salad

2007-04-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post a recipe today that has been tested over and over and is always a hit. I first had this chicken salad at a baby shower in Tennessee. I was pregnant at the time and had been on a chicken salad kick. I had tried several recipes on my own. They were all good but none were hitting the spot. The chicken salad at the shower was just what I had been looking for. My friend Kelly was gracious enough to pass along the recipe, so I thought I'd pass it along to you. Let me know what you think!

4 cooked chicken breasts, cubed; or 2 cans of all white meat chicken breast (@2 C. chicken)
1/2 C. celery (optional)
1/2 C. sweet pickles, chopped (I like to use bread and butter)
1/2 C. toasted almonds or pecans (sometimes I use both)
1 C. seedless grapes or apples, chopped up
1/2 C. mayonnaise
3/4 C. cool whip
salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken, celery(opt), pickles, nuts, grapes or apples, & s/p in a bowl and mix well. Mix the mayo and cool whip together. Add to the chicken and mix to coat evenly. Try to mix gently so that some of the chicken keeps its shape. Refrigerate and serve.
Tip: This can be served immediately, but the flavors are better when it sits in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
I like to serve the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce with croissants. This works well for a ladies get together with a green salad and your favorite soup served in a small decorative coffee cup or you could go with a fruit salad. I hope you enjoy!

What were they thinking?

2007-04-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

Since I had a free minute, I thought I'd post another quick blog concerning something I'm sure all of us parents have dealt with at some point in time. Do you ever wonder what kids are thinking? My son, Caleb, did something yesterday that proves that kids really don't think things through sometimes. AT ALL!
When we moved here, we set up a section of our garage for the kids. It has a couch, toys, TV, board games, everything to keep them entertained while they're out there playing. So yesterday I obviously suspected nothing when Caleb continued to play for quite some time. I decided to go check and see if he wanted to play a board game or something with me. I instead got one of the biggest shocks he's ever given me (and that's saying a lot). Caleb, for whatever reason, decided he wanted the wall in the garage to be brown instead of white. He had gotten an old can of paint that hardly had anything left in it, a paint brush, and proceeded to paint the wall. Oddly enough, he was actually doing a pretty good job. Needless to say, I decided the best thing for him at that moment was to go to his room (and out of sight...) while I cooled down. On the positive side, I was glad it was the garage and not in the house. After a long talk, (although the look I gave him earlier probably sufficed) I don't think he'll ever be pulling that stunt again.
And of course, the first thing out of my husband's mouth when I told him about it was, "What was he thinking?" Will we ever have that answer? I don't think so.

Bow-tie pasta with Chicken and sun-dried tomatoes

2007-04-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

The recipe I thought I'd post today is one I discovered this past December. We were having a Christmas party here at the house and the plans were for a full spread. I had been on an Italian kick so I thought about things I had eaten in the past and kinda threw this together. It turned out to be a hit so I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

1/2 - 3/4 bag of bow-tie pasta
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; sliced across in 1-inch pieces
1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (packed in oil; this is very important)
basil
oregano
1 - 1 1/2 C. fresh Parmesan cheese
8 oz. heavy cream
fresh parsley
olive oil
kosher salt (I think the flavor is better than regular salt)
pepper

Heat water for pasta and cook according to package. Make sure you add salt to your water for the best flavor.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and herbs. Remember if you use fresh herbs, you will have to use more than the dried herbs. In a hot skillet, cook chicken in about 1 Tbsp of olive oil until browned. Remove the chicken and set aside.
In the same skillet, add about 1 more Tbsp of oil and saute onions, mushrooms, garlic and herbs. The mushrooms have a tendency to soak up the oil so keep a close watch in case you need to add more oil. When these are tender, add the heavy cream and sun-dried tomatoes and stir well. Slowly stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It is important to use freshly grated. I've made this with the already shredded and it doesn't taste the same. It is worth the effort to buy the block of cheese and grate it yourself. I promise it makes all the difference. This is also where you have some room to play around with this dish. If you want more sauce, add more cream and cheese. If you're watching your waistline, use some chicken broth and less cream.
Add the chicken back to the dish and heat through.
Stir in the cooked, drained pasta and heat in the skillet so the pasta will absorb the sauce. Plate and sprinkle with fresh parsley and a little more Parmesan cheese. Serves 6
This works well for a party, served with nice crusty bread, and a salad.
It also works for an easy dinner at home for the family. It's very quick and very delicious. My kids, who can be picky really like this one.
I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

"The Birds"

2007-04-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

Today started off as one of those really fun days. We didn't get to bed until late because Caleb was having a "tummy ache" and, of course, he thought he wasn't going to make it. I woke up after 8 a.m. (which is not usual) and remembered Ella had her 1 year check-up at 9 a.m. I know this gives me an hour, but considering Caleb was late for school and I had to get 3 children dressed, fed, and out the door I was in trouble. Everyone got where they needed to go and we were only 6 minutes late for our appointment. Needless to say, I was very proud of myself.

The appointment took a little while to get going (when does it not?) and we made it back in the room. The visit with the doctor went well. She's very average in weight and height. She's a whopping 20 lbs. now. Anyway, then it was time for her shots. I should have known things weren't going to go so well when Ella started screaming when I sat her down on the table. Remember, nothing is being done yet, just setting her down. So, even though it only took the nurse all of 10 seconds to give the shots, Ella was screaming for about 10 minutes. Okay, not that long, but close to it. She soon returned to her happy self so we decided to run a couple of errands with my friend Gretchen.

We stopped for lunch and ate at a table outside since it was such a pretty day. I tried sushi for the first time....not so bad. I would definitely have to acquire a taste for it. The really interesting part about the lunch was Abby reacting to the birds around us. I really think she thought she was in a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" even though there were only 3 I think . She was convinced they were going to attack her. So our meal was spent trying to calm her down enough to eat her food and me trying not to laugh at the people around us watching Abby like she was crazy.

My next blog is going to be a recipe that has had very good reviews so check back tommorow for a quick and easy meal that you've got to try.

It Has Begun

2007-04-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

Well, this is definitely a first for me. My husband, an avid blogger, talked me into having my own blog site. I thought it might be a way for everyone to keep up to date on what's going on in the Bumgardner household. The blog name is obviously due to the fact that we're from the great state of Georgia (known for it's peaches) and are now living on the opposite extreme in sunny (although yes, it does rain here) southern California.

Make sure you check back often and leave me comments from time to time. I'll be posting pics of the kids and neat places here. Also, I'd love to swap recipes with you and post them to the site for others to try. I know how easy it is to get stuck in our rut of weekly recipes. I'll also be posting news on great sales I've found and just random thoughts.

Let me know what you think about the site and I'll see you online!