Things I Want to Master

Happy New Year y'all!! I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful (but quite chilly) Sunday morning.

As I sit at my breakfast table and look at the gazillion leaves in my backyard, my mind quickly turned to anything that didn't require manual labor outside. No, seriously, I can't address the leaves until they ALL fall off. What's the point of raking leaves several times when you can do it have someone do it just once? Anywho...now back to my distracted thoughts.

I'm a sucker for trying new things and I have absolutely no fear jumping in head first and excitedly awaiting the outcome. Well I began thinking about a few things I really want to master and oddly, they all involved food, so for good measure, I threw in a couple of okay, one non-food related to-do. These are in no particular order, but simply things I'd like to tackle.

1. Breadmaking (especially rolls)

I do an okay job in this area, but I want to do an OMG job with breads. Aunt Maxine continues to advise me that technique and patience are the key combinations, along with not overworking the dough. I'm going for that smooth-as-a-babies-bottom kinda finish and I'm definitely not there yet.

The lower left roll is what I'm aspiring for:

2. Making Madeleines

This one isn't so much as mastering, but just taking the time to make them in efforts to avoid driving all over Atlanta to purchase them and getting home to realize I've eaten waaaay too many on the drive back. Ridiculous I know, but I'd rather reserve my driving for more important things, like a lamb shank, a steak, perfume or shoes. ;-) I'm obsessed with these delicate beauties.

Love these!!

3. Piping Frosting

My great niece Briana is cupcake-obsessed and of course it's Aunt Sheila's duty to spoil her rotten by turning our play dates into cupcake baking sessions. Although she's impressed by anything I do, I'm not quite where I want to be with adorning her favorite treat. We've enjoyed creating quite a few things in her soon-to-be four years. At two, she made biscuits, at three, snickerdoodles & spaghetti sauce (her request), and she's been the official family "pancake flipping" coach for a couple of years, by yelling, "It's time to flip 'em!" She's already great in the kitchen and truly enjoys creating and experimenting.

I did this a few months ago:

4. Keeping Just One Plant Alive (longer than a week)

I simply have NOT managed to do this and I'm not so sure I really want to, other than to ease my conscience about killing so many beautiful living things. The routine is, buy it, bring it home, kill it, take it to my sister Riley, let her nurse it back to health, visit it often and wonder in amazement how she managed to make it beautiful again. *sigh* This is really going to be a tough one. I simply REFUSE to post a picture of a dead plant.

I'll make every effort to keep you posted, but I'm not so sure about my green thumb journey. I hope to have a grin as big as Briana's when my mastery is complete.

Stay tuned.

Sheila Denise

Look What I Found!!

I just HAD to share my latest find with y'all. It has to be the nifty-est pan EVER. It's a Lasagna Trio Pan by Chicago Metallic. Yes you read that correctly, THREE rows of lasagna and it comes equipped with it's very on spatula!! I'm envisioning the rows of lasagna as I type...traditional meat, vegetarian and seafood. I simply can't wait to use this pan, well, what I really mean is I can't wait to take it to my sister, Riley and ask BEG her to work her magic. Her lasagna and Aunt Maxine's lasagna taste waaaay better than mine (and mine is really good). There's something about a loved one creating a dish with you in mind that makes it extra awesome.

Oh, I almost forgot the best part, it scored this baby for $17.99. It's listed at $25.21 on Amazon. I'm a very happy woman tonight.

I'd love to hear your creative ideas to put this fabulous pan to good use.

Sheila Denise

White Dishes and Why Does This Always Happen To Me???

Okay...the good news first. I have more white dishes!!!! They are the KA-yutest little things. I have the mama sized version and the babies have joined the party. Thank you for allowing me to carry on about such nothingness, but I am one excited chicklette.
Just look at how tiny the little baby is.

Now for the rest of the story...

I've come to realize that I have a real knack for discovering food items and falling head over heels in love with them, only to have them discontinued. What gives?? My Aunt Maxine and I had this discussion a few days ago and we listed several items that have fallen along the wayside that I enjoyed tremendously.

Here's a short list of gone but not forgottens:

1. Ruby Tuesday's bread sticks (some of y'all may be too young to remember these).
2. Bonnie shortbread cookies by Lance.
3. Lemon and Strawberry powdered sugar by Domino.
4. French Vanilla Creme coffee (the manufacturer escapes me - it's been almost 15 years and I STILL remember the oh so perfect taste of this coffee).
5. Cabot's Horseradish Cheddar. Mind you, I just discovered this in 2009 and could only find it in Publix stores in Macon. I was recently shattered to hear that it will no longer be available (per Mr. Publix Man).
6. Tostitos Sweet & Spicy Summer Salsa. I purchased a jar at Big Lots in Valdosta YESTERDAY only to do a little Googling tonight to find out that it's discontinued.

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY do bad things happen to good people??? Okay, I know I'm being bit dramatic, but I'm heartbroken once again. I'll enjoy this one little jar and will be on the lookout for it in every nook and cranny of ALL the Big Lots in the state of GA.

This stuff is tasty, tasty, tasty. If you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe this guy. From what I've read about him so far, he's quite the guru on all things hot and spicy and he is definitely right about this salsa.

I think I'll try it on blackened fish tacos this weekend. Stay tuned...


Sheila Denise

Hen & Dumplings By Curtis, My Brother

A true southerner knows not everyone can make Hen & Dumplngs, which leads me to declare that it should only be done by those who can do it successfully. The destruction of a perfectly good hen and dough, should be illegal.

Let me preface this by stating--my brother Curtis is a DAMN GOOD COOK. He is one of the best cooks/bakers I know, and given the fact that I've have years of "good-food-eating" experience, that says alot. Thankfully, we're all good cooks, which kinda sorta explains my need to lose a few pounds, but this post isn't about my butt, it's about the Hen & Dumplings.

Curt (we call him Curt), can cook/bake anything and does so on a very regular basis (unlike Riley, our sister who has to ensure the proper alignment of the stars, the stillness of the wind and who knows what else before she turns the cooktop/oven to the "on" position).

We all spent the weekend at Mother's (yes I call her Mother) to celebrate her 80th birthday. When I arrived on Friday evening, Curt was stewing the hen and I must say, it smelled divine. I was eager to taste this treat, as I haven't had real Hen & Dumplings in a few years. My Aunt Maxine's were the the last version I had eaten. Curt said this would be Sunday dinner. I wasn't going to be there for Sunday dinner so I planned to take a care package home for my Sunday pleasure.


Every time I go to Mother's for any type of shin-dig, I somehow eat nonstop during the entire visit, and this trip was no different. I shortchanged myself when I was putting my little Hen & Dumplings care package together. I was so stuffed, that I only took enough to feed a small child, a very, very small child--the biggest mistake I've made in recent history. As I reheated my tiny care package, I tried to pretend it was enough, but in fact it was simply a teaser. I had to search for one of my smallest bowls to serve it in. Lesson learned--no matter how stuffed you are, take enough Hen & Dumplings for at least two people or you'll regret it.

Curt called me on Sunday morning and advised that the dish needed pepper and I didn't need any coaxing to add pepper (and thyme). Oh the joy of comfort food.



Sheila Denise

My Favorite Chicken Salad

This is my favorite version of chicken salad, loaded with Granny Smith apples, currants, red grapes and pecans. Sweet, tart, crunchy, creamy and delicious!


For some time now, my Aunt Maxine's chicken salad was the standard by with all others were judged. As one of my cooking idols (okay she's one of my all around idols), I'm always trying to make dishes that taste almost as good a hers. I had a desire for chicken salad and I usually plan a trip to Macon to visit her (after mentioning how much I'd love to have some chicken salad) to quench my desire. This time, I decided I'd give Aunt Maxine a break, so I used her recipe to make what I consider to be one of my tastiest, easiest creations. Although my chicken salad is delicious, it can never replace Aunt Maxine's version--in this case it's about much, much more than the chicken salad--it's the love she puts into it and the time we share while enjoying it.

Sheila Denise