I usually end the year with a recap of my favorite Christmas recipes and start the new year with my goals, word of the year, or intentions. The last few months though have been unusual and had me off track.

Around the beginning of December, I started experiencing intense pain behind my right ear. Things escalated and a week after my first doctor’s visit, I was in the ER with the right side of my face not moving. The diagnosis was Bell’s Palsy which I knew nothing about. I won’t go into all of the recovery and illness details except to say that I am doing much better now. However, I did zero baking and cooking save for a hashbrown casserole. I also couldn’t eat much except soft foods since part of my mouth wasn’t behaving normally. Even morning coffee by the tree wasn’t enjoyable.

So I have no recipe recaps for you this time. But Lord willing, Christmas 2025 will be epic!

For 2025, my biggest focus is on getting well and maintaining my health. It’s a big year of change for my whole family, with lots of excitement on the horizon. I’m still collecting recipes and cookbooks and am excited to bring you more content in the new year.

I wish all of you the best as we head into the new year!

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

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As I’ve written before, Cheeseball shows up at all sorts of occasions in these parts. Happy occasion? Sad occasion? A cheeseball will help.

This is what I would call a traditional cheeseball and is probably one of the more popular variations I’ve encountered. I like to use ham but there is a strong contingent of people who prefer to use dried canned beef. I have used the beef many times as well but it’s super salty and I prefer ham. I do avoid any type of “honey” ham and go for the Black Forest or just plain old cooked ham.

Cheeseball

To make this cheeseball you’ll need:

2 8oz boxes of cream cheese, room temperature

6oz thin sliced deli ham

3 to 4 green onions, washed and trimmed

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Wash your hands and roll up your sleeves because the best way to do this is by hand. You’ll also be washing your hands a lot in between steps.

In a medium sized bowl, unwrap your softened cream cheese and give it a little squeeze to mix all into one loose ball. Then chop up your ham. I like to keep a little bit of ham out to put on the top of the cheeseball when I’m finished but that’s optional.

Add your ham over into the bowl with your cheese and chop up your green onions. If you’re not familiar with using green onions, you’ll want to trim them by chopping a bit off each end. You don’t want to use the little roots at the end and I also don’t like to use the tip end of the green. So give each end a trim, dispose of those parts, and get chopping. Add those over to your bowl along with your W sauce.

Now here’s the messy part, mix all of this up by hand and shape it a ball or loaf. If you held a little bit of ham out to put on top, go ahead and add that on once you have it the shape you want. Wrap it up in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for 4 hours or so. I actually like to make mine the day before I plan to serve.

Cheeseball will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days but it’s doubtful that much of it will stick around that long because it’s just too good not to eat! I like Ritz or Townhouse crackers with mine.

You should also check out my sister-in-law’s recipe Aunt T’s 3 Cheese Cheeseball . For the taste of this cheeseball without the cream cheese and the messy mixing, check out my Cheeseball Dip.

*Be sure to follow me @mindascooking on Facebook and Instagram*

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

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My word for the year was “simple” and I’ve made efforts the last six months or so to focus on those simple things and seek out opportunities to enjoy them. Saturday, I attended an outdoor yoga class. It was the first group fitness class that I’ve participated in since before the pandemic. And while I do some short yoga classes via Peloton occasionally, it was the first real yoga class I’d attended since probably 2018.

I tend to treat yoga like a good stretch and somewhat shut off that whole mind/body connection thing. The classes that I used to take at our campus recreation center were never peaceful no matter how hard the instructors tried. The fitness studio backed up to the basketball court and lay underneath the weight area. The soft yoga music could not overcome any of that. I never enjoyed full concentration even in the classes that I took in an actual dedicated yoga studio, too focused on if I was doing the poses correctly, if my shirt was riding up, and a variety of other thoughts.

This class was held at a forestry center adjacent to a popular hiking spot in our area. A summer shower had passed though earlier in the morning and due to the grass being wet, the instructor moved us to the porch of the center. The building is a beautiful log structure and the porch faces the hills and an old log farmhouse. Once we settled in and began class, the only sounds we heard was rain dripping off the forestry center’s roof and the sounds of bird calls. There was a breeze blowing in from the hills with a fresh post-rain scent that no candle maker or fabric softener manufacturer can copy no matter how hard they might try. Eventually we began to hear the sounds of tires on gravel as a few hikers began to trickle into the parking lot. But even that was a peaceful throwback to my upbringing.

I was reminded of the scripture “I will cast my eyes upon the hills from whence cometh my help”-Psalm 121. Being from the hills, I found such solace and peace in a yoga practice there. The instructor told us that it wasn’t unusual to have an emotional reaction after a practice like we’d done. I admit I side eyed that a bit but I couldn’t deny leaving the class feeling an enormous load had been lifted. Later in the day, I did feel emotional. Not slamming the cabinets or crying but maybe what Blanche Devereaux called feeling “magenta”.

“Magenta. That’s what I call it when I get that way. All kinds of feelings tumbling all over themselves. Well, you know, you’re not quite blue because you’re not really sad, and although you’re a little jealous, you wouldn’t say you’re green with envy. And every now and then, you realize you’re kinda scared, but you’d hardly call yourself yellow.”

As the day went on, the magenta faded and I was back to that relaxed feeling. I had the best night’s sleep I’ve had in months.

This post title is a bit of a riff on “The Art of Racing in the Rain”, a wonderful book by Garth Stein. It’s the story of Enzo, a dog who lives with a race car driver, and picks up all sort of life lessons from him. One of those “Your car goes where your eyes go” has always been a favorite of mine, and I used to tell my first year college students that frequently. Keep your eyes on the prize, stay focused, you are going to go where your eyes are looking.

With so much STUFF going on in the world, it’s easy for eyes to get distracted. Too many shiny objects to reel us in and off track, away from the finish line, away from where we really want to get.

Taking a morning to reconnect with my roots through yoga was an amazing reminder of the beauty of simplicity. A reminder to find what feeds your soul and cast your eyes there for a few moments. A reminder to put away the phones and gadgets and listen to the world around you.

I encourage you to do that soon. Maybe it’s a lake, a beach, a mountain, a bright city skyline…find the places that strengthen you and cast your eyes there.

Namaste y’all.

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

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It’s been holding steady in the 90s here in Kentucky so I decided that this Boat Dip might be the perfect thing to take to my book club. It was simple, quick, and packs a lot of flavor. I have no idea why it’s called Boat Dip…maybe because it would be easy to make on a boat?

There’s different variations online and you can definitely add to this one and make it your own.

Boat Dip

16 oz container of sour cream

1 packet taco seasoning

2 cups of shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

1 can diced tomatoes with chiles (Rotel) , drained

Drain your tomatoes (this is important because you don’t want your dip to be watery!). Mix everything together in a bowl and let it chill.

Serve with your choice of chips. I went with Fritos Scoops!

You can fancy it up with some jalapeno slices on top or some chopped tomatoes. A little cilantro if you’re not opposed to it would make a nice garnish too!

You could absolutely make this a bit healthier by using nonfat Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream and swapping in some reduced fat cheese.

Doesn’t that look divine?

Make yourself a big bowl of Boat Dip and dive in!

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

*Be sure to follow @mindascooking on Facebook and Instagram!

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Losing people-either permanently or temporarily-is never easy. I’ve reflected a lot in the past few weeks about the lasting impacts that we leave on people and that they leave on us. As a foodie, many of my fond memories of people relate back to food in some way. When I look around my kitchen, I’m surrounded by memories of those who cared enough at one time to add something to my little haven: dishes, cookbooks, handwritten recipes, utensils, pans, spices…Food is my love language and all those items reflect those in my life who understood that and loved me back even if only for a brief moment in time. 

Two weeks ago, my friend Candace and I met our former boss for lunch at a local tea room. We chose the location and were excited to introduce her to it. She hosted us for a Christmas tea years ago at her home and it is a core memory for us. We reminisced about that tea at lunch. None of us quite remember what exactly was served but we remembered the atmosphere, the joyous occasion, and being with friends. On our way out to our cars, she mentioned the “garden party” we threw for her when she retired. She always does. Yet another occasion and memory that we cherish that was built around food. And again, it wasn’t necessarily the food that made that day special (though this chocolate cake does rock) but the people we shared it with that day.

A couple of days after that lunch, my husband’s family experienced a tremendous loss with the passing of his Aunt Peggy.  She was the family matriarch, the host of their holiday meals and Sunday dinners, and as his cousin wrote “the glue that held the family together”. Some of my fondest memories were being in the kitchen with her when they visited us. We’d made breakfast for everyone and I’d usually hand the spoon over to her to make the gravy. She made a wonderful potato salad and they all loved her chili. You don’t always know when the last meal that you share with someone is the last meal you’ll share with them. 

My sister in law made a beautiful photo montage for the funeral services that ended with lyrics written by Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal and made famous by Billie Holiday: 

“I’ll be seeing you, 

In all the old familiar places, 

That this heart of mine embraces, 

All day through”. 

Food and cooking are my most favorite familiar places and that’s where I see so many of those I care for. It’s a cup of Earl Grey tea, a fruit dip recipe. Covering up the biscuits with a clean dish towel to keep them warm. The right way to cut an avocado and make guacamole with it. The family punch recipe. A good cream pie with a homemade crust. The cast iron skillet that makes the best cornbread.  A cheesy pizza. A fried baloney sandwich. A slab of meatloaf. A cup of coffee with just the right amount of half and half. Chicken nuggets with a side of grapes. A homemade cheesecake. A big pot of chicken and dumplings. Some peanut butter roll candy.  I could go on and on…

I see those I love in the foods I’ve loved with them. I hope they have felt that love coming back from my kitchen

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

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I found this Strawberry Cake recipe a few years back when I was on the hunt for “what to do with strawberries” after a very generous distribution of them from the CSA that I was doing at the time. This cake was a huge hit with my friends at work but I haven’t made it as many times as I should (just ask them). I was pleasantly surprised to find this recipe again in the vintage cookbook that I picked up while thrifting a few months back. The addition of Jell-O is a definite throwback to the 1970s and gives the cake its beautiful color. But the fresh strawberries kick things up a notch and folks might be surprised to know that it started with a box mix.

The recipe in my vintage book uses a homemade strawberry buttercream but I prefer a homemade cream cheese frosting. I really like the one from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Strawberry Cake

1 box vanilla, white or yellow cake (I recommend vanilla or white)
1 3oz box of strawberry Jell-O
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup crushed fresh strawberries*

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine cake mix and Jell-O and stir until combined. Stir in oil, eggs and water. I used an electric mixer to get everything mixed up well. Then, stir in the strawberries. Gently mix in with a spoon until strawberries are mixed throughout batter.

Pour into pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes until done. Test for doneness by using a toothpick; if it comes out clean, your cake is done. Let cake cool completely before frosting. Keep cake refrigerated when not eating it.

*To obtain a cup of crushed strawberries, you will need about a pint of fresh strawberries. Wash them, pat dry, cut off the stems, and slice in half, then put them in a heavy Ziploc bag. You can then crush them with a rolling pin or with your hands.

For fun, here’s a picture of the vintage recipe. I noticed they use a little more water than my recipe.

I hope you enjoy this yummy Strawberry Cake!

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

*Be sure to follow @mindascooking on Facebook and Instagram!

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These Peanut Butter Cookies have been on my radar since I first acquired this cookbook. The ingredients are fairly simple, the directions are straightforward, and I happen to like peanut butter cookies. I planned to make these during the holiday season but I never got around to it since I was baking so much other stuff.

As with other Paul Hollywood recipes that I’ve made, I watched his YouTube video for this recipe before preparing. He described these cookies as “moreish”. This was not a word I was familiar with but after looking it up and finding that it means “having a very pleasant taste and making you want to eat more”, I have to agree it describes them perfectly.

These cookies look a bit different than their American cousins. Most peanut butter cookies that I have experienced are made by dropping a scoop of dough onto the cookie sheet then doing a crisscross pattern with a fork to flatten them out. Paul’s instructions are to form the dough into a roll, chill, and then slice the dough into cookies. It makes for a larger, thicker cookie than what I usually make. In the video, Paul says you can divide the dough into two rolls for smaller cookies and I think that’s what I will do in the future.

The cookies are soft and have a yummy peanut butter taste. I definitely recommend!

My review:

Difficulty: I’m calling this one easy. The most technical piece if you can call it that is rolling the dough into a log shaped loaf to chill. I pulled out a ruler to try to get the dimensions that Paul suggested.

Ingredients: Except for chopped peanuts, I had everything already in my kitchen to make these.

Equipment needed: Nothing special needed here really. I always suggest having a food scale like this one for Paul’s recipes because everything is measured in grams. You’ll need parchment paper or cling wrap to wrap your dough in while it chills.

To watch Paul make these on YouTube, go here.

For Paul’s book, go here.

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram @mindascooking

*As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn small commission on items purchased through my links at no additional cost to you.

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However, I might have added more clutter to my cookbook shelf by picking up this vintage cookbook from 1976. “What’s Cookin’ In Jackson County?” is a fundraiser cookbook that was distributed to support a local child development initiative. I’ve always enjoyed browsing through these locally produced cookbooks (often referred to as “church cookbooks”). While many of recipes can be dated and the instructions and ingredients are often incomplete, you can often find some recipe gems in this vintage cookbooks.

Jackson County is near and dear to my heart. I grew up in Clay County, Kentucky which neighbors Jackson. I attended college in Madison County and have worked and lived there ever since. Jackson is also a neighbor of Madison County. So to travel back and forth to my home county, I drive through the entirety of Jackson County and have made this trip hundreds of times. It’s somewhat of a bridge to my childhood.

According to the copyright page of the book, the first printing of this book was in May 1975 where 501 copies were printed. A second printing of 200 books was done in August 1975, and a third printing in March 1976 of 200 more books which is where this book comes from. To me, that sounds like a popular book for a small town! The population of Jackson County was roughly 11,000 people in 1976. The most recent census shows the population of the county seat McKee as being 836 people.

This cookbook is relatively thin, less than 100 pages. It has the usual mix of appetizers, salads (many which contain Jell-O!) and sides, main courses, and the most robust section, desserts. Like many recipes of that era, measurements are given based on packaging without any details on actual ounces or grams. There’s several mentions of a “No 2 can”. Also, there’s a couple of dessert recipes that involve candy bars that instruct you to use the “15 cent bars” of Hershey’s.

There’s quite a few mentions of Dream Whip which I thought must be some sort of now defunct predecessor to Cool Whip but nope, it’s still around! And now that I know it still exists, I have to try some out in one of these recipes.

The thing about these cookbooks is that they have heart. The women who put them together brought in their best recipes, typed them on the old typewriters we saw at the antique mall yesterday, sent them away to Kansas for publication and then sold these books. And sold them well considering the reprints.

Some of them are a bit vague on the instructions. And I had to smile at one of the eggnog recipes that called for a quart of rum. Jackson County only recently made alcohol sales legal. I wonder if this recipe raised an eyebrow back then?

Food trends change and there’s quite a few things in this book and others like it that none of us will ever want to try. It’s easy to joke about some of these old recipes but remember, someday our culinary tastes will be judged by some of the messes trending on TikTok.

It’s not a stretch to imagine that many of the ladies that produced this book are no longer with us. But I’m willing to bet many of their recipes are remembered fondly by their loved ones. Someone misses a certain casserole at Thanksgiving. Someone has always wondered why Granny was so chipper after a cup of ‘nog.

I have a few of these in mind to try out in the future so be sure to stay tuned. Below, I leave you with a sample page to enjoy.

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

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So without further ado, let me introduce my word of the year:

SIMPLE

That’s it. That’s the word.

For me, 2023 was a good year. I know it wasn’t for everyone. NO YEAR is great for everyone. And no year is completely great for anyone. There were low points in 2023 for sure but overall, I enjoyed the year and look back on it fondly.

And when I think about my happiest moments, most were fairly simple in nature: getting more reading time thanks in part to joining a book club and regular trips to the library with my son, starting my first little container garden of vegetables, learning to can, making an effort to spend more time with friends and family, regular lunch dates with the husband, etc.

None of these were exciting to read about I’m sure but to me they were meaningful experiences that were good for the soul. And that’s what I want for 2024, more time with those I love, more books, more coffee, more good food, more flower pots, more papercraft, more getting back to my roots.

Simple but pure.

Come along with me.

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram @mindascooking

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If you’ve been around for awhile, you know I usually do an end of the holiday season review of recipes that I made or tried. I enjoy looking back at these and I know that some of you enjoy reading them as well. I’m running a little late on getting my 2023 edition out but better late than never, right?

Tis Better To Give Than To Eat It All Yourself

Food is my love language and I was able to gift some baked goodies to several people this season. I spent one Sunday making treats to take to work. Those included Brownie Cookies, Peanut Butter Fudge, and The Skinnyish Dish’s White Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Clusters which I will in the future call Fluffernutter Treats because that’s what they taste like.

I liked the Fluffernutter Treats so much I made another batch to take home to my parents house. I also made some Sugar Cookies because my mom really likes them. It made my heart smile when she’d text me after our visit and say she was sitting down with her morning coffee and a sugar cookie. My cookies aren’t fancy looking because I’m definitely NOT a cookie artist but they are tasty.

I also made a tray of peanut butter fudge and pumpkin bread (from a mix I bought at Costco) for my son’s school staff. They are incredible people and I wanted to do something for them. I was happy to see lots of other parents dropping off food during that last week before break. They deserved ALL the goodies!

Old Traditions Made New

My husband’s favorite homemade candy is Peanut Butter Roll. I asked his mom to help me make one and I had took pictures and notes. A few days before Christmas, my husband and I made another one on our own. Now, my husband doesn’t cook and we are not the kind of family that make gingerbread men in our matching flannel pajamas. But he took the lead on this and our son even joined in to help us roll out the candy. I’ll have the recipe up here soon.

We were proud of ourselves!

I also made my first ever Red Velvet Cake from my mom’s handwritten recipe.

I think I overbaked my cake slightly but the cream cheese frosting was to die for…

Time Spent with Others

My aunt hosted our family get together and I could have eaten all day. She made chicken and dressing and chicken and dumplings, two of my favorites. I brought home a hearty portion of leftovers.

My contribution was 7 Layer Salad which I put in my tree shaped pan.

At my husband’s family gathering, I had a good time giving my niece some cooking instructions and watching Cousin J made the Family Punch. Also, my sister in law, my niece and myself might have returned to his aunt’s house later to raid the fridge. In our pajamas.

Earlier in the season, my friend Kama hosted FriendsMas which included this beautiful cake. It was from a local bakery but she prettied it up with some berries and rosemary. It was a Pistachio Cake which I’d never had before but it was delish.

Cups of Joy

As usual, I did my coffee advent calendar! We bought a canister of Starbucks hot chocolate and then received more as a gift so we had many warm nights of cocoa. I also had an Earl Grey latte as part of my Christmas outing with my work buddies.

Yes friends, my heart and my tummy were full after this Christmas season. I daresay it was one of the best ever! I hope you and yours enjoyed it as well. Also, in case you missed it, do check out my essay on why those of us of a certain age really know how to Christmas

From the heart and from the holler,

Minda

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram @mindascooking

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