The Pioneer Woman Tasty Kitchen
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Meet Tina

Posted by in Meet the Member!

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Tina of Mommy's Kitchen.

 
We’ve got another lovely southern lady to introduce to you and although she hasn’t lived in the South her whole life, she’s a country girl through and through. Let’s all give a warm welcome to Tina, known to us here as Mommy’s Kitchen!

Tina, who has this wonderful blog called Mommy’s Kitchen, lives in Texas with her husband and three children, “I’m a stay-at-home home,” she says, “but consider myself a Domestic Engineer only because it sounds so much more professional.” Although she’s lived in Texas for 20 years, she grew up in different places around the world. Thanks to the Air Force, she was born in France, then moved to California, then lived in Hawaii for quite some time, where she developed a love for Filipino, Korean, and Asian cuisine in general.

Her heritage is quite international, too. Her mother is German and her father was born and raised in Alabama. “My mother learned to prepare all my favorite southern classics from my grandmother,” she explains. Growing up, she was exposed to quite a variety of foods, but she considers herself a country girl with a love for all things southern, especially when it comes to food. “My favorite is southern comfort food and old fashioned classics, dishes that hold a special place in my heart,” she says. “I enjoy canning my own jams, jellies, pickles and fruits. I also still hang my clothes out to dry on the clothes line from time to time. There is just something about the old-fashioned ways that I love so much.”

We’re glad about that too, Tina, because you’ve got some really great southern classics in your recipe box and your blog.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Tina of Mommy's Kitchen.Clockwise from top left: Southern Cream Peas, Southern Style Sun Tea, Southern Pimento Cheese, Skillet Buttermilk Biscuits, Southern Apple Pie, and Southern Hummingbird Cake.

 
 
 
Tina learned to cook from her mother, saying that, “I grew up always under my mother’s feet and I loved being in the kitchen just watching her cook.” She proudly declares that her mom could cook anything. It gives her great pleasure now to have three children who have that same love of cooking as she did when she was a child. “I try my best to get them involved in the kitchen as much as possible,” she says. Her children help in the garden and cook and bake with her in the kitchen. In their family, it’s a big deal to eat together at the table family style, and she enjoys showing her children how food and family can really come together.

Something tells me that with great food like the dishes below, you won’t have to call out “Dinner’s ready!” more than once.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Tina of Mommy's Kitchen.Clockwise from top left: Easy Peasy Chicken Legs, Pig Candy a.k.a. Brown Sugar Bacon, Hoe Down BBQ Chuck Roast, Weekend Company Breakfast Casserole, Homemade Corn Dogs, and Spaghetti Carbonara.

 
 
 
Tina mentioned at the start that baking was also one of her passions, and in fact, when asked what ingredient shortage makes her panic, she unhesitatingly answered, “Butter!” Tina loves cooking and baking with butter, and admits that she tends to freak out a bit if she finds herself running low or without a stick. “To me,” she confesses, “butter is like a bar of gold.”

I’ll send you a few bars of gold if you’ll send me back a couple of these, Tina. Deal?

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Tina of Mommy's Kitchen.Clockwise from top left: Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Cheesecake, Fudge Puddles a.k.a. Puddles of Yum, Homemade Oreos, Dulce De Leche Ice Cream with Toasted Pecans, Healthy Peanut Butter Balls, and Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie.

 
 
 
Now of course, since we’re on a southern roll here, you know I’m going to show you some pie. But not without sharing one of Tina’s memorable kitchen disasters first. You see, about 23 years ago, Tina decided to make apple pie from scratch for some friends she was having over. “I thought I was going so well,” she says, “but I guess you learn that you can’t make and bake a pie from scratch in 30 minutes.” So when they sat down at the table and cut into the pie, to her horror, the bottom crust wasn’t cooked. It wasn’t even just half-cooked—it was still raw. When the first slice was lifted, the crust just stretched. And stretched.

Now Tina can make a mean homemade apple pie. Or peanut butter pie. Coconut cream. Strawberry. You name it, I’m pretty sure she can make it. But she does admit that she’s still a little hesitant and worried when she cuts into that first piece. She still gets flashbacks of her first apple pie.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Tina of Mommy's Kitchen (Pies)Clockwise from top left: Summertime Strawberry Pie, Diner Style Peanut Butter Custard Pie, Apple Pie Filling in a Jar, and Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie, Oh My!.

 
 
 
Wasn’t that a nice story? I know you’d like to hear more, so let’s bring Tina in to answer some questions. In the meantime, I’ll go off to a corner and find myself a slice of pie.

 
 
Q: What do you enjoy most about cooking?
A: First and foremost, I love cooking! Most people view cooking as a chore, but not me. Cooking and baking are my passion so it doesn’t seem like work at all. I also love teaching other people how to cook. I was lucky enough to have a mother show me how to cook, so I want to do the same for others who were not as fortunate as I was. I never realized the impact my site had on other people. Well, that is until I received an email one day. It was a random email, sort of out of the blue. I get all teary-eyed still to this day every time I tell the story. It was from a young lady that made one of my recipes—a simple recipe but not simple to her. You see, this particular young lady has a learning disability and she is unable to read.



She says she can read bits and pieces but not much. She was sending me an email to thank me for including step-by-step photos with my recipes. She told me that she cooked a dish from scratch for her husband for the first time since they have been married. She kept thanking me and told me without the photos she could not have done it. She said by looking at all the ingredients in the picture and then following along with the step-by-step photos she was able to understand how to make that particular dish. She was so excited and her excitement got me excited and then I cried. It was at that moment that I knew what I was doing was all worth it. Just the satisfaction of knowing I had helped just one person cook for the very first time. Goodness, I still get goose bumps every time I think of her. This is why I blog, she is why I blog.   

 
Q: Who inspires you?
A: Well, I would have to say my elders. What I mean by that is that I just love sitting and listening to older folks speak of cooking for their families long ago. The stories of how they hardly had any food or ingredients but yet they could turn out a full course meal on the table. Biscuits with homemade pan gravy, cream peas with bacon, a fruit pie and a cheap cut of meat that was transformed into something that would melt in your mouth. Those are the folks that inspire me. Just take a little of this and a little of that and you can make just about anything. From them I have learned that you don’t need a bunch of fancy schmancy ingredients to make a meal that will impress.

 
Q: What is your go-to dish or meal?
A: Pot Roast Chicken! There is nothing better than a good old oven-roasted chicken. Pair it with carrots, potatoes and homemade pan gravy. Goodness, it just screams comfort food. Add some homemade yeast rolls and it’s pure heaven.

 
Q: Any strange foods or food combinations that you really enjoy?
A: Rice or pasta with scrambled eggs. Sometimes I toss in some soy sauce. I know it sounds weird and maybe even gross but let me explain. When I was pregnant with my firstborn child I had horrible morning sickness. Really, it was all-day sickness. The only thing I could keep down was cream of wheat, plain pasta, plain rice and scrambled eggs. You eventually learn to mix things up a bit. Surprisingly it stayed down. So that was my diet for 9 months. I still eat it today when no one’s around. When my oldest son who is 16 sees it he says, “Mom, that is so gross.” I always tell him it’s his fault I love it so much.

 
Q: What ingredient or kitchen technique gives you the most trouble?
A: Candy making. I either don’t boil the mixture long enough or I boil it too long. I can never get it quite right.

 
Q: What is your favorite kitchen tool?
A: Well, I am not sure if you would consider this a kitchen tool or not, but my cast iron skillet. You know, the ones that your grandma used to cook with. I can cook just about anything in my iron skillet. Apple crisp, cobbler, buttermilk biscuits, pizza, a chicken dinner and even a skillet cookie. I don’t know what I would do without it. So I guess you could say I have a serious love affair with my iron skillet.

 
Q: Give us one of your favorite kitchen tips that you wish you’d always known.
A: Patience and love! Just have a little patience and you can make just about anything. Remember if it doesn’t turn out, well then just pick yourself up and try again. Secondly, always remember to cook from your heart. If you love what you’re doing and who your cooking for, it will always show through in whatever dish you make. It’s not about what you cook, but how you cook it.

_______________________________________

 
Amen to that, Tina!

 
Tina’s recipe box here is just chock-full of down-to-earth goodness. Go check it out! For even more of her recipes, head to her blog, Mommy’s Kitchen. She says it’s where family meals and memories are made, and you know, she’s right. Mommies have a way of always being right.

 

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Nutella and Banana Wontons

Posted by in Step-by-Step Recipes

Our good friend Alice of Sweet Savory Life is back with another fun recipe, this time from Tasty Kitchen member Miss Mischief. She also patiently shows us how to properly fill, seal and fry wontons, so you can take this idea and run with it! But please listen to Alice and don’t run where there’s a pot of hot oil. Take it away, Alice!

 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

 
I love the versatility of wonton wrappers. Most commonly used in Chinese cuisine, wontons are often filled with a savory pork and cabbage filling then boiled as part of a delicious soup or deep fried as an appetizer. However, I’m seeing wonton wrappers being creatively used as an alternative to traditional ravioli pasta dough or fried in strips to use as crunchy croutons on tops of salads. This time, we’re going to fill them as a sweet bite-sized treat. Today I’m happy to share with you an easy chocolate-hazelnut-filled dessert everyone will love.

If you’ve ever been to a crepe bar/restaurant, one of the most popular fillings is Nutella and bananas. There is something irresistible about a chocolaty hazelnut spread as smooth as creamy peanut butter but as decadent as chocolate ganache. Now imagine this filling paired with the wonderful flavor of banana then deep fried in a paper thin shell. What you have is a crispy golden brown morsel filled with heavenly goodness.

This recipe by TK member Miss Mischief (Meredith) for Nutella Banana Wontons is so easy and yet it is a crowd pleaser guaranteed to disappear quickly! So let’s get started!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Here is what you’ll need: wonton wrappers, canola oil or peanut oil, Nutella hazelnut spread, bananas, egg, cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar.

This recipe works best if you streamline each step.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Line a few cookie sheets with wonton wrappers.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Lay them side by side in single file rows.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Thinly slice bananas so each banana makes approximately 24 pieces. The best way to do this is by scoring the tops of each banana but making dent marks with your knife. Keep dividing and marking the banana in successively smaller halves, repeating the process until you have 24 pieces. After you’ve scored each one, cut along your marks. The picture above shows I’ve scored 12 pieces on each banana which were approximately ¼” thick. But I found these were too big and realized I should have cut them even smaller. Ideally, each slice should be about 1/8″ thick (.3 cm).

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Open up a ziplock bag and fold the top over itself.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Place the bag in a cup with the edges overlapping the rim of your mug. Spoon approximately ½ cup of Nutella into the mug.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Tip: To remove as much Nutella as possible from the spoon, place your fingertips on the outside of the bag and use them to scrape off as much spread as you can against the spoon as you lift it up and out of the bag.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Snip one of the bottom corners of the ziplock bag. This will become a make-shift pastry bag. Seal the top edge. Point the bag with the cut tip facing down and twist the top of the bag so most of the Nutella is pushed downward until the spread meets the opening (think toothpaste).

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Pipe a small Hershey Kiss sized dollop in the center of each wonton wrapper.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Place a banana slice over each dollop and press down slightly.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Prepare the egg mixture by beating the egg. This will be the glue which will hold the wrapper together.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Place a filled wonton in the palm of your least-used (non-writing) hand. With your other hand, dip your pointer or middle finger in the egg mixture and use it like a paint brush to wet two adjoining sides of the wrapper.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Fold the wet sides over the dry ones to form a triangle. Using both hands, pointer fingers, and thumbs, glue the wonton sides together by placing the edges between your fingers and pressing down along the seams to seal them.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Place completed wontons back on a cookie sheet.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Pour oil in a medium-large, non-reactive frying pan, skillet, or pot and set burner to high heat. To check if your oil is ready to use, carefully flick a drop of water in the pan. If it starts sizzling upon contact, your oil is ready.

Using a metal spatula or a large spoon, place as many wontons into the hot oil as your pan will fit without them overlapping. Fry each side until golden brown. It only took me about 15 seconds per side so be sure to not leave your pan unattended. Because we’re not cooking raw meat like a traditional wonton, what you’re really looking for is a golden crispy color when frying these. Your cooking times will vary and it’s best to eyeball your wontons by color as a time measure.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

When wontons are done frying, carefully remove them and place them on a cooking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat the frying process until all the wontons are cooked.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

To finish these wontons off, coat them in cinnamon sugar. The best way to do this is by placing cinnamon sugar in a small bowl with tall sides. Place each wonton inside the bowl and give it a gentle shake back and forth. Turn the wonton over and repeat.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Or you can sprinkle powdered sugar over the tops of each wonton for a beautiful effect on one side.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Pretty!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Allow wontons to slightly cool for a few minutes before serving them.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Didn’t I tell you you’d have a crispy golden brown morsel filled with heavenly goodness?

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Just for fun, place one wonton in a bowl of ice cream for a fancy treat.

 
A few tips and suggestions:

1. When deep frying anything, be sure to use a cooking oil such as peanut, canola, or safflower which can handle high heat and has a high smoking point.

2. Do not use too much Nutella or thick banana slices. It’s difficult to fold the wrapper over itself and seal the edges if there is too much filling.

3. Always attend the stove while deep frying. These wontons cook very fast (under 30 seconds each side) and will burn if left unattended.

4. Never use wet utensils when frying. If water droplets come into contact with hot oil, it will splatter and you may get burned or your clothes may become oil-stained.

5. Recipe makes 48 pieces. Serving suggestion is 2 wontons per person. Realistically, a person could easily eat between 3-5 of these, so plan accordingly.

6. Coating these with powdered sugar looks better but the cinnamon-sugar mix tastes better.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Nutella and Banana Wontons. Guest post by Alice Currah of Savory Sweet Life, recipe submitted by TK member Miss Mischief (merediths757).

Many thanks to Tasty Kitchen member Miss Mischief for this fabulous recipe!

 
 

Printable Recipe

Nutella and Banana Wontons

5.00 Mitt(s) 8 Rating(s)8 votes, average: 5.00 out of 58 votes, average: 5.00 out of 58 votes, average: 5.00 out of 58 votes, average: 5.00 out of 58 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

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Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 20

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Description

I made these the other day for a party and they were a HUGE hit with both the kids and adults!

Ingredients

  • 1 package (12 Oz. Package) Wonton Wrappers
  • 2 cups Canola Oil
  • 1 jar (13 Oz. Jar) Nutella Hazelnut Spread
  • 2 whole Bananas, Cut Into Pieces
  • 1 whole Egg, Beaten
  • 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Defrost wonton wrappers in the refrigerator at least a day in advance. Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a small fry pan (just big enough for 1 wonton at a time). I had about 3/4 of an inch of oil in my pan, just enough to suspend the wonton while frying. Make an assembly line with the Nutella, bananas, and egg wash. Place about 1 teaspoon of Nutella in the center of a wonton wrapper then put a banana on top. Wet all four edges of the wrapper with the egg wash and seal into a triangle shape. Fry until golden brown on each side, remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle each side with cinnamon sugar. Recipe makes about 40 wontons.

 
 
_______________________________________

Alice Currah is the force behind Sweet Savory Life and Everyday Alice. She and her husband Rob are the proud parents of three children: Abbi, Mimi, and Elli. Alice is the winner of Saveur’s Cover Contest and is on the Forbes.com list of Eight of The Very Best Food Bloggers. She’s the best-est.

 

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The Theme Is … Peaches!

Posted by in The Theme Is...

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peaches! (Peach Cups from TK member jillskitchen)

 
August is National Peach Month (Happy Peach Month!). So today’s theme post is dedicated to this classic summer fruit that brings with it such memories as homemade peach ice cream, getting sticky all over from biting into a juicy ripe peach, or the scent of crates or bushels of peaches perfuming the kitchen, bringing with it the promise of warm peach cobbler before the day’s end.

Speaking of cobblers, why don’t we start there? Many peach recipes involve cobblers or crisps in some form, and we’ve got our share of those treats here. There’s something about the sweet, soft fruit paired with perfectly baked batter or the contrasting texture of crunchy topping that just tastes like they were made for each other. (Of course, throw in some of Ree’s Maple Cream Sauce, and no one had better try to put that match asunder.)

 

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peaches! (Cobblers and Crisps)Clockwise from top left: Peach Cobbler from mrsbmw09, Peach Cobbler from ThreeManyCooks, Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce from Ree, Peach Crunch Cake from Bakerella, Gluten Free Peach Cobbler from whatlifedishesout, and Peach Crisp (Revised) from elanaspantry.

 
 
 
If you’d rather have something cold instead, then fight the heat of this summer with some frozen peach treats. I had a wonderful friend named Ruth who would tell me stories of the time she and her husband lived next to a peach orchard. Every summer, they would buy fresh peaches that were so sweet and juicy that one bite sent juice streaming down their shirts. All they had to do was mix them with cream—no sugar needed—to make the most incredible peach ice cream ever. “By the end of the summer, you had to roll us out the doors after all the ice cream we’d been eating,” she said.

 
According to her, the best way to pick a peach is to simply smell it. Also check the area around the stem; you want to see it with a creamy yellow color. If it looks green, it was picked too early, and if the skin looks wrinkled, it was picked too long ago. When you do find the right peach, oh what a delight it is when made into ice cream. Or sorbet. Or frozen yogurt. And every time I have a scoop, I think of dear old Ruthie with peach juice running down her chin.

 

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peaches! (Frozen Treats)Clockwise from top left: Peach Sorbet from bunkycooks, White Peach Ice Cream from daydreamerdesserts, and Brown Sugar and Peach Frozen Yogurt from tallmisto, and Peach Sour Cream Ice Creamfrom oneordinaryday.

 
 
 
Peaches also lend their wonderful flavor well to savory dishes and fruit salsas. The combination of slight tartness and natural sweetness can really enhance main course recipes. It’s okay if you have canned peaches and not fresh ones. The peaches that are canned are processed within 24 hours of being picked, and so they still retain their nutritional value.

 

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peaches! (Savory and Salsas)Clockwise from top left: “Can-Time” Pork from daniellawilson, Peach Noodle Kugel from Ree, Mango and Peach Salsa from soyonb, and Peachy Sweet and Sour Tofu Stir-Fry from lizzygoesdutch.

 
 
 
Another way to enjoy the flavor of peaches is in drinks. Peach iced tea is one of my favorite flavors of iced tea, and it’s a great drink component especially in cases where the recipe calls for passionfruit and you don’t have any on hand. Of course, it’s so much more than just a stand-in. Just take a look at Jaden’s Peach, Passionfruit and Prosecco below, or that Sunshine Nectar from goodlifeeats and maybe you too will be tempted to plan a meal tonight that will give you an excuse to make these drinks.

 

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peaches! (Drinks)

 
 
 
For all its versatility, there is no denying that peaches are really most popular in desserts. Not just as cobblers and crisps as we highlighted at the beginning of this post, but in so many other ways. Whether in muffins or tarts, cakes or pies, or even just sliced in half, grilled and then dressed up, you can always count on peaches to give a dish that extra summery feel.

 

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peaches! (Dessert)Clockwise from top left: Peach Cups from jillskitchen, Peach, Raspberry and Almond Cake from runningwithtweezers, Fresh Peach Pie from jlclawson, Grilled Peaches with Ricotta Cheese and Balsamic Reduction from savorysweetlife, Peach Tartlets from Cooking Ventures, and Rhubarb Ginger Peach Muffins from Tracy (sugarcrafter).

 
 
 
And that’s our nod to National Peach Month! How about you? Do you have any peachy stories to share? (Sorry, bad pun.) Any memories that make you feel all warm and … fuzzy? (Oh dear. Make me stop.)

 
I think I’ll sign off now before you start passing around a petition to have me impeached.

 
 

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Meet Calli

Posted by in Meet the Member!

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Calli Taylor of Make It Do.

 
Our featured member this week has a lot of skills under her belt. From cooking to sewing to beautiful crafts, there isn’t much that she can’t do. Let’s all say hello to the lovely Calli of callimakesdo!

Calli is a stay-at-home mom who loves spending time with her family, whether it be on the slopes or around a campfire. She has three children with ages ranging from 8 to 9. “No, that wasn’t a typo,” she explains. “I had three kids in 18 months, something I wouldn’t recommend to anyone who likes their sanity.” She loves the smell of baking bread, her garden, her camera, hiking shoes, and her sewing machine. She gets a kick out of being resourceful, and her blog Make It Do showcases her resourcefulness and hardworking nature.

Of course, we know her here from the wonderful recipes in her recipe box. Calli enjoys being creative when it comes to cooking, trying out new recipes and experimenting. “Cooking is also very aesthetic for me,” she adds. “I love the smells, colors, textures, and tastes of cooking.” She loves sitting down every night for dinner with her family, talking and enjoying each other, and she says good food makes it all better. Especially when even the bit player side dishes look good enough to be the main course.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Calli Taylor of Make It Do.Clockwise from top left: Buddy Loves Baked Beans, Easy Peasy Bread Sticks, and D’s Southwest Chicken Tortilla Soup.

 
 
 
When asked about her go-to meal, Calli’s answer is simple: salad. She rarely serves a meal without a salad, either as a side or as the main course. She loves main dish salads with grilled chicken, fish, or steak, and Calli tries to make her salads according to the season. “My kids don’t eat everything I serve,” she says, “but I serve it nonetheless.” As a result, her children have become quite daring eaters. Calli also offers that one way to get kids to eat salad is by always having buttermilk ranch dressing on hand.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Calli Taylor of Make It Do.Clockwise from top left: Chicken Milanese, Cabbage Rolls, Chicken Salad Sandwiches , Chicken Enchiladas, and Eggplant Parmesan.

 
 
 
Calli loves food with lots of flavor, preferably on the spicy side. She also loves anything sour and uses a lot of onion and garlic in her cooking. Her palate is ecclectic and runs the gamut, from Tortellini Soup to Chicken Tikka Masala to a Greek salad with chicken and Carnitas Dulce. We even see that kind of variety in her breakfast recipes, from Busy Day Bran Muffins to a delightful Mexican-style Green Chile Egg Casserole and a lovely Harvest Vegetable Quiche.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Calli Taylor of Make It Do.

 
 
 
Her snack of choice is popcorn with butter and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. “I love popcorn,” she admits. “I try really hard to limit myself to eating it once a week.” She confesses that she has most trouble in the kitchen when it comes to cookies. “I like to blame it on the altitude,” she explains. “If I don’t adjust my recipe, I often end up with pancake cookies.” Calli, from the looks of all your wonderful dessert recipes, I think you have that adjusting part down pat.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Meet Calli Taylor of Make It Do.Clockwise from top left: Famous Mint Brownies, Orange Poppy Seed Bread, Lovely Little Chocolate Bundtlettes, Eva’s Apple Pie, and Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.

 
I’ll take one of each, please. And if you want to make it a double, I won’t complain.

I know you want to learn more about Calli, so let’s get right into the interview!

 
 
Q: Tell us more about yourself.
A: I once worked a summer in a fish cannery in Alaska … and I still love to eat fish. I am and love being a Cub Scout leader; 8-year-old boys are a kick to be around. One of my favorite movies is “Waking Ned Devine.” I hate coconut. Apparently, I hum in my sleep. And I always see the glass as half full.  

 
Q: Who inspires you?
A: My mom and dad. They are both wonderful cooks. And their home seems to always be full of hungry people. They have at least 25 people to Sunday dinner on a regular basis. They are never daunted cooking for a crowd and everything they make tastes amazing. I’ve learned from my mom how to find a few favorite recipes and work with them until they’re perfected.

 
Q: Any strange food preferences?
A: I usually eat pancakes without syrup. I scrape the frosting off of my cake if it’s too sweet and I never eat the center from an Oreo cookie … unless it’s mint. I also love mustard pickles. It’s a canned concoction of pickling cukes, pearl onions, red pepper and cauliflower in a mustard sauce. I love it on roast or ham. It’s an old-fashioned canning tradition and most people have never heard of it.

 
Q: Do you have a memorable kitchen disaster to share with us?
A: My husband’s grandmother was an amazing pie maker. Before she died, my husband went to her house to help her make her Thanksgiving pies. Luckily he wrote everything down, because her family-favorite apple pie didn’t have a recipe other than what was in her head. After she passed away, I took on the challenge of making pies for Thanksgiving. But the dinner wouldn’t be the same without her apple pie. The day before Thanksgiving, I made her recipe carefully, following my husband’s handwritten instructions to the letter. I baked off the pie scraps with cinnamon and sugar and to my delight the crust was flaky and delicious. Since, I wanted it to be fresh for Thanksgiving, I decided to bake the already filled pie the following morning. I covered the unbaked pie with plastic wrap and tossed it in the refrigerator. The next day I baked the pie as planned. It came out of the oven looking beautiful and smelling even better. But when it came time to serve it, I was in for a shock. The whole bottom crust was straight mush, absolutely horrible. My failure was made so much worse because it was Eva’s Apple Pie. I learned the hard way that an unbaked pie crust needs to be baked immediately after the filling goes in. You live and learn, don’t you? And I can laugh about it … now.

 
Q: Complete the sentence: “I panic when I realize that I’m out of …”
A: Olive oil. But maybe that’s because I recently did run out and I didn’t know how to make dinner without it.

 
Q: What is your favorite kitchen tool?
A: That is a hard one. I love my Universal Bosch for breadmaking, my santoku knife, and I love my 8-cup Pyrex measuring bowl. But if I have to pick my very favorite, it would have to be my Le Creuset cookware. They are the hardest working pans in my kitchen and I especially love my Dutch oven.

 
Q: What food item do you always make at home and never buy at the store anymore?
A: For years I was intimidated by making pie crust. I had tried here and there to make crusts with mixed results. I usually bought frozen crusts from the grocery store when it really mattered. Finally I got smart and called my mom to ask for a lesson. After making them with her and really watching her techniques I’ve became a lot more confident. I also made a small investment in an inexpensive fabric pastry frame, which I love. I love making pie and a homemade crust is so much better than a frozen store-bought crust. There are just some things in the kitchen that take practice.

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Thanks, Calli!

 
Check out more of Calli’s recipes in her Tasty Kitchen recipe box. For even more recipes and fun stuff like crafts, sewing projects and tutorials, cleaning tips and so much more, visit her blog Make It Do, where she shows us the many ways to “Make it. Do it.”

 

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Posted by in Step-by-Step Recipes

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