#kitchenkeeping #holidaycoffeestation
Welcome back to another Kitchen Keeping fireside chat with Heather from Totally Tailgates.
(a big thanks to Paper Mart, the proud sponsor for this gorgeous ribbon. Affiliate link included for your convenience. All opinions are my own.)
totallytailgateslogohc-e1441482978301
The name alone should indicate this hubby and wife duo have the inside scoop when it comes to commentating from the parking lot to the sidelines on their obsession with sports.

Growing up in Bama, marrying her southern college gent and then being transported to Florida, didn’t sever the ties to her love of football or any sport for that matter. I get it! I’m a Texan and we don’t play when it comes to balling, of any kind. I met Heather and her hubby Copa at Blog Life University and we instantly became southern buddies. I was so excited when Heather accepted the invite to drop by for a chat. Heather and Copa love to cook simple yet mouthwatering dishes that travel well because now that they are empty nesters, they are wild and crazy…again! Grab yourself a cup of cocoa and let’s welcome Heather with a stadium wave. Warning: This crazy woman is funny as all get out!!!
Heather, welcome to Kitchen Keeping, what have you and Copa been up to lately?
#totallytailgates
Hi everyone! My name is Heather from Totally Tailgates. I was thrilled when Marsha invited me to stop by M Jones Style and share one of my holiday recipes with you. Marsha was one of my first blogger friends; we met at Blog Life University last summer. I am honored to be here with you today for her Kitchen Keeping series!
At Christmastime, I gravitate towards recipes that fill my home with the fragrant aromas of the season. The lingering smells of a breakfast casserole, pumpkin pie or a stuffed turkey roasting seems to bring everyone into the kitchen. I lean towards the traditional “tried & true” recipes passed down to me by mother and grandmother during this special time of year.
#bourbonwassail #totallytailgates
I know, It’s those aromas that take you back to a time when life was simple.

Heather, what is the one thing you love about your kitchen and why?

Oh, hands down, my favorite parts of my kitchen are the people who share it with me! Our kitchen is the hub of our home; it’s where we begin and end each day. Having everyone together assembling a meal or baking with my daughter are treasured moments. She’s a fabulous baker!

I’m sure you and Cee Cee will be hanging out in the kitchen this holiday season baking up some yum!

Tell us about one of your cooking “oops” you know like when you added salt instead of sugar and how you created a mess into a masterpiece.

First things first, you absolutely must know that my husband LOVES hamburgers. For that matter, he loves meals prepared with ground sirloin. He is a really good cook, and probably should write a book called 1000 Recipes for Hamburger Meat! Well, when we were newlyweds, I set out to knock his socks off with a supper showcasing- you guessed it– hamburger meat! My entrée of choice: Hamburger Helper’s Beef Stroganoff. I was twenty-three years old, and was out to IMPRESS. But, back then, I did not like to follow recipe instructions. Instructions seemed so time consuming and elementary; how hard could it be to make Hamburger Helper?
My skillet was hot and my patience was short.

I dumped EVERYTHING in the skillet at once! The raw meat, noodles, spice pack, sour cream and whatever else was needed. What ensued was a gross, inedible glob of YUCK! My sweet husband walked in the door to his young wife crying that she “couldn’t even cook Hamburger Helper!” How could this be? I came from an impressive heritage of Southern cooks! Well, over time I learned a few things in the kitchen, mainly how to follow step by step instructions. Now that I am a food blogger, my husband likes to brag “when I met her, she couldn’t even cook Hamburger Helper!”

LOL! Too funny!

What is your signature recipe to prepare and why?

Hamburger Helper. Just kidding! The signature dish I make for my family when we aren’t tailgating is affectionately known to us as “Chicken Ranch”. It is true comfort food! When my daughter comes home from college, this is the dish that she requests for her first night home! Chicken Ranch is a flavorful, creamy chicken casserole entrée served over a bed of hot egg noodles. The best part is that it cooks all day in the slow cooker while you do other things. I need to get this up on the blog! However, I’ve never written down the ingredient measurements, and each time I make it my family devours it before I can snap pictures!

Girlfriend, you are hilarious!

What are three yums you can’t live without in your fridge or pantry?

As a family, we ALWAYS have fresh torn lettuce, ketchup (hey, we are a hamburger family!) and cheese on hand. During football season & the holidays, we go through POUNDS of cheese blocks. You will rarely find pre-shredded cheese packages in my refrigerator. Even though I value convenience, I cherish the taste that freshly grated cheese lends to recipes. Nothing beats freshly shredded Colby Jack!

Heather, are you sure you are not a comedian by night???

We’d love to know what your last supper request would be.

Really? Just one meal? Okay. I can do this! Southern heritage kicks in when I want a truly “no calories count” main course meal. I’d start off with …. chicken wings, stuffed potato skins, and hot spinach/artichoke dip. (Don’t act surprised….#TotallyTailgates…appetizers are just my thing. I can eat these three things as MEAL …and have on occasion!) The main course would be fried chicken (I’ll take the drumsticks!), my grandmother’s fried okra, squash casserole, my husband’s biscuits & gravy (because why not?), sweet tea and/or chardonnay, and for dessert….one of my daughter’s brownie Sundays!
#boutbonwassail #totallytailgates
Before I bid you farewell, I’m sharing my recipe for a steaming mug of wassail. I love this version of wassail because it can be made for the little ones (sans bourbon) or for the grownups (pour on the bourbon!). I adapted this from a recipe featured in the 1986 Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook. It is perfect for serving a crowd for Christmas Bunco, bowl games, or casual evenings by the fireplace with your family.
The recipe calls for your spices to be gathered & secured in a cheesecloth sack prior to immersion into the liquid. My kitchen was fresh out of cheesecloth (major seasonal faux pas!) so I improvised. I used a coffee filter and strainer; the spice mixture was submerged into the liquid and worked like a charm!
That said, if I had cheesecloth back in my inventory, that would be my first choice simply for convenience sake. You don’t have to babysit the spices knowing they are secured in the cheesecloth sack. Either way, you will have MAGNIFICENT wassail!

My kitchen smelled SO good while the wassail warmed on the stove. Our whole home came alive with the fragrance of Christmas!
#boutbonwassail #totallytailgates
#bourbonwassail #totallytailgates

Thanks Heather for chatting and showering us with giggle moments. Be sure to stop by and see Heather over at Totally Tailgates where the focus is on Southern Sideline Hospitality. She would love to have you tailgate with her!

Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

Yields 1 gallon

Bourbon-Wassail
Save RecipeSave Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons grated orange rind
  • 2 tablespoons whole cloves
  • 2 tablespoons all spice
  • 2 (2 inch) whole cinnamon sticks
  • 1 gallon apple cider
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup good bourbon

Instructions

  1. Combine orange rind and spices in a cheese cloth bag; set aside. Combine apple cider and orange juice in a large Dutch oven; add spice bag. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Discard spice bag. Add bourbon to cider mixture. Serve hot. Yield: 1 gallon.
  2. Note: Recipe adapted from Southern Living’s 1986 Annual Recipes.
7.8.1.2
27
http://www.mjonesstyle.com/?p=8835


signature