What's Your Cooking Style?

Barbara at Stray Thoughts had an interesting post about cooking and cooking styles and I thought I would do it here on my blog. You are welcome to join in and tell us about your style of cooking on your blog if you like! And with the cooler fall weather here, I get newly inspired to cook and bake and have been doing more of both!!! I have a huge stack of cookbooks and magazines on my side of the dining table and I have been browsing through them the past couple of weeks in search of new recipes to try. Anywayyyy....here's a little more about me:

So what kind of cook are you? Meat-and-potatoes? Gourmet? Or somewhere in between?
I am definitely a meat and potatoes cook because that is the kind of food that Ed and Daniel (when he was still at home and now when he and Erin come for dinner) like. I do experiment once in a while, though. I will probably never be what you would call a "gourmet" cook. I love homestyle cooking. That is what I grew up eating and cooking.

What’s your favorite cookbook/cooking magazine?
Here is a picture of my favorite cookbook. Our home economics teacher offered these to us for $2.95 when I was a sophomore. $2.95!!! As you can see, it is well-worn from much use, believe me! I learned to make bread and rolls from this cookbook. It also had wonderful recipes for brownies, pie crust, meatloaf and noodles. Yes, I learned so much from this cookbook. Here are a few pictures of the most-used pages! Oh and this was before they made brownie mixes in a box. You had to use the chocolate squares.




Now, I mostly buy church cookbooks. I also check out issues of Quick-cooking, Cooking for Two, and Taste of Home magazines from the library. I also like Cooks Illustrated magazine because they have such great culinary tips.

What is usually in your pantry, your staple ingredients that you can’t do without?
Besides the essential shortening, oils, sugars and spices, I keep canned meats, vegetables, fruits, soups, beans, noodles, cake mixes and frostings, pie fillings. I also keep a variety of dried pastas, rice and rice mixes. I always have something I can fix a meal with. I guess this is something I learned from my mother and also learned over the years in taking care of my family.

What is your favorite type of dish to cook: main dish, sides, breads, desserts?
I would have to say main dishes. I am not a big dessert person. I can do without dessert, but not Ed. He is the sweet tooth. He HAS to have something sweet around. Right now it is a yellow cake with chocolate frosting, which is his favorite. Mine is carrot cake, if I'm going to eat cake! *smile*

Do you have a signature recipe, one that everyone knows you for?
If it is summertime and we are having a family gathering, I am always asked to bring my baked beans. Everyone loves them! If it is in the winter, say Christmas, and we are having our family get-together, I am asked to bring rolls, dressing and sometimes noodles. Oh, and especially oyster dressing! You either love it or hate it! *smile* Daniel, Erin and Brian loooooove the Dutch Potatoes that I fix and that is what they ask for everytime they come for dinner, no matter the season.

What’s your favorite appliance or gadget that you couldn’t get along without?
Without a doubt, the microwave!!! I don't know what I would do without it!

And finally, what is your husband’s favorite recipe that you fix? You know, the one that says “I love you - this is especially for you!”
Would you believe Smoked Sausage and fried potatoes sometimes accompanied by eggs? If I should ask him what he would like to have to eat, this is what he almost always asks for. His second choice might be Creole Vegetables with Smoked Sausage and cornbread. In the heat of summertime, though, he often asks for a chef salad, loaded with boiled eggs, bacon and usually grilled chicken breasts.

If you would like any of the recipes that I mentioned in this post, just let me know and I'll gladly send them to you!!!