I have exactly 3 hours to get to the store and make dinner before my husband gets home. Hmmmm, what will it be? Stay tuned to a computer terminal near you........

Ham- and cream Chesse-Stuffed chicken

This recipe wasn't anything special, It was just a recipe I got from the Deen Bros latest cook book, Y'all Come Eat. I love this book. Not because of the amazing recipes inside. Don't get me wrong the recipes are great, but I love the title of the book. It reminds me of my childhood and the many holidays spent in Oklahoma. Nothing warms my heart more than the memory of my Aunt Gayle uttering one simple phrase, " Y'all Come Eat".

Recipe #1 Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic with Garlic mash Potatoes Garlic mashed Potatoes

I know, I know, I thought that same thing you are thinking. Forty Cloves of garlic, wow that's a lot. But frankly, the garlic was the least of my worries with this recipe. The recipe called for Cognac and white wine. I want to give up now. I have never cooked with alcohol before and the fear quickly set in. Not being a drinker, I called my friend to see if she could help me find the Cognac and my Sister had some cooking wine in her pantry so I borrowed that too. I actually pealed 40 cloves of garlic...Yee Haw!

When I first smelled the Cognac, It made me feel sick. Gag, it was gross. I couldn't believe I was about to cook with this stuff. When It was time to add the Cognac and wine, the smell was nauseating, but I put it in. At this point I had no confidence that this was going to taste good at all. But I soldiered on and finished the recipe and even made some garlic mashed potatoes for a side dish.

I was hesitant to even taste this dish, but when I did I was shocked how good it was. The Cognac and wine had turned into the base for a thick gravy and the garlic cloves were all tender and sweet. I loved it and and my three year old son said, "this is delicious mom". My husband even like it too.

My Quest to be a better cook!

Several years ago, my husband Jd went on a business trip to Houston. Knowing that I love cook books, he brought me back a copy of, "BAREFOOT IN PARIS, Easy French Food You Can Make at Home," By Ina Garten. I loved it and spent hours looking through the pages imagining making and eating the delicious looking recipes inside. Well, about 4 years have gone by and I have yet to make one recipe in that book. Honestly, I have many cook books that have yet to be cooked from. I think a big reason for this failure was fear. Some recipes, for me, just seemed way over my head and the ingredients too unfamiliar to cook. Whatever the reason, I want to become a better cook. No, this is not the Julie&Julia Project yet again. There is no deadline or pressure. I just want to look at a recipe and say, "I can do that". I am not a writer and I promise there will be no movie or book deals. I am just going to cook, Why? Because I love it. So, I am just going to start cooking and see what happens.



Updates and pictures to come soon~~