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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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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.

 
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.

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.

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.

 
 
 
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.

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.”

  Having this lovely lady at Tasty Kitchen gives us real street cred and it means we get some pretty amazing recipes like the one you see above. She’s multi-talented, a world traveler, and we’re happy to introduce her to you today. Say hello to fujimama! Rachael is fairly new to food blogging, though it […]