Hey Friends, pour, relax and sip on your morning brew while I introduce you to my next Kitchen Keeping friend, Tamela at Haute on Design!


Have you guys checked out my YouTube channel? I sure hope so because I’m making movies and having lots of fun sharing tips and ideas on creating a personalized lifestyle on a budget. When I decided to take my brand to the big screen, I looked for the pro’s and that’s how I met Tamela. I love her soothing southern voice and the absolutely fabulous styles she creates for her interior design clients. I was tickled pink brown to find that Tamela lives right down the lane from me. Well, that’s stretching the truth but she does live in my neck of the woods.

Tamela and I haven’t physically met but this is what’s so amazing about blogging, I meet beautifully talented people all over the world who love sharing their passion. Even though Tamela is a native Okie, she and her hubby claim Texas as their home and with one child out and another on the way, they will soon be empty nesters. When I asked Tamela to drop in for a few tips and laughs, she said “YESSS! I love to cook and bake,” so you can imagine how thrilled I am that she is joining us today. Tamela, what’s going on in your world?

Hi there, I’m really excited to be here today and share my tips for the “hub” of the home. I love creating timeless and approachable interior spaces but my love for southern cooking runs deep. Hey, I am from the south and we wrote the book on comfort food and good times. I try to make my recipes just as creative and colorful as the spaces I design and decorate.

Good tip! There’s nothing like a beautifully plated dish of yum!


If you could remodel your kitchen what would you change and why?

It’s funny that you asked because I am in the process of getting ready to remodel my kitchen this summer. I am replacing the granite countertops with a beautiful quartz along with adding a complimentary subway tile backsplash. The cabinets will be stained an exotic expresso color with the addition of satin nickel handles and pulls. I will be installing three pendant lights over the bar area and removing the bar top to enlarge the sink area. This will make dining at the island more inclusive for everyone especially when I’m entertaining.

Wow! Your current kitchen looks amazing and these ideas will add to your cooks dream kitchen.

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.

One of my cooking “oops” moment was my attempt at making the famous “Neiman Marcus Dip.” I added too much mayonnaise to the mixture and the end result was a big ole’ mayonnaise ball…LOL! Thank The Lord, one of my special friends who just happens to be a professional chef, arrived early and saved the day. I cannot tell you what she did to the mixture but her magic corrected the problem and not one of my guest could tell that they were eating a modified mayonnaise ball…LOL! It turned out to be the best Neiman Marcus Dip I ever made.

Hahaha! We won’t let the cat outta the bag…oops,  it was delicious, right? giggles!

What is your signature recipe to prepare for your family and why?

My signature recipe is my famous “black eyed pea casserole”. This scrumptious side dish can feed up to 20 guest and it can be made into a health conscious version…but we’re talking southern comfort food! This casserole makes a great leftover dish once the seasonings kiss each other…LOL!

This looks so good and what southerner doesn’t love black eyed peas???

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

Spearmint chewing gum (don’t judge me), Northland Cranberry Juice, and Gingersnap cookies.

Congratulations, you have just won a $500 gift card to spend at Sur la Table and you have 60 seconds to shop. What will go in your basket?

Shopping is my third profession! I’d grab anything sweet, salty, spicy and a royal purple,  Kitchen Aid stand mixer…LOL!
I can’t leave you guys without sharing my Black Eyed Pea Casserole recipe. I hope you will try this twist on a southern favorite.  Enjoy!

Marsha, thank you for inviting me to join your Kitchen Keeping family. I’ve had a blast!
God bless you all.

Thanks, Tamela for chatting with us today and for this delicious recipe. Be sure to visit Tamela at Haute On Design and all her social media platforms. You will love her style. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube

Black Eyed Pea Casserole

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Ingredients

• 1 lb of ground beef (if you want it to be leaner, use ground turkey)
• 4 15 oz.cans of jalapeno black-eyed peas
• 1 8 oz. bag of shredded cheddar cheese (2 bags if you want it cheesier)
• 1 stick of butter (salted)
• 1 cup of cooked instant white rice (healthy version: brown rice)
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 2 cans of Rotel (extra hot)

Instructions

1. Brown meat in a skillet until completely done. Drain
2. In a separate pot, cook the jalapeno black-eyed peas (do not pour the juice off the peas,you will need it later)
3. In a separate pot, boil the white rice until done
4. Assemble the casserole
5. In a large casserole dish, add meat, peas (without the juice) and butter. Mix until butter melts. Add Rotel, rice and onion. Continue stirring until all ingredients are mixed together. The consistency will be a little dry. Add the juice from the peas until it is creamy (not soupy) Evenly smooth out the casserole. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the mixture. Place uncovered in the oven on 350 degrees. Bake until cheese is melted. Serve hot with tortilla chips or make it a soul food side dish with other vegetables.
6. Enjoy!
7. Bowie/Sutton Family Recipe

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