Andy Bedwell

By Andy Bedwell Ward off winter’s chill with one of these delicious soups. Chicken Wild Rice Soup 5-2/3 cups water 1 package (4.3oz.) long grain and wild rice 1 envelope Lipton Chicken Noodle soup mix 1 celery rib, chopped 1 medium carrot, chopped ½ cup onion, chopped 2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted 1

By Andy Bedwell Don’t get stuck like Old Mother Hubbard with a cupboard that’s bare. At this time of year when holidays are over, you could make just one big shopping trip to stock up your pantry so that you’re always ready for those everyday meals. Weather permitting, I am going today and restock my

By Andy Bedwell Let’s wind down from the hustle and bustle of the holidays with some quick breads and delicious muffins. Banana Muffins 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup pecans, chopped 3 large bananas, mashed 1 ¼ cup Crisco oil 3 eggs, beaten

By Andy Bedwell Bring on the New Year with some delicious appetizers! Pecan Shrimp Dip 1 8-ounce carton sour cream 1 8-ounce cream cheese, softened ½ cup chopped celery ½ cup chopped onion ½ cup roasted pecan pieces salt and pepper red pepper to taste juice of 1 lemon 4 ½ ounce cans of shrimp

By Andy Bedwell “I bring you good news that will be of great joy for all the people. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:10-11 Homestyle Beef Casserole 1 pound ground chuck 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and

By Andy Bedwell It’s holiday baking season! Baking in my kitchen has always been such a significant part of my holiday season. I love the smell of fresh cookies cooling on a rack or seeing the steam escape from a pie just out of the oven. But most of all, I love discussing recipes which

By Andy Bedwell Why not deck the cookies and candies with boughs of holly? Christmas time inspires us to entertain. Whether you’re hosting an open house, luncheon, or potluck at the church, every occasion deserves a special ending. When I was baking for friends, my most frequently requested Southern dessert was my mother’s Hummingbird Cake.

By Andy Bedwell Chunks of beef, cubed potatoes, chopped onions and sliced chunks of carrots are in this well-seasoned stew. It has been a family favorite for years. Served with warm cornbread. It’s one of our comfort foods in the cold winter days. Southern Beef Stew 2 pounds beef stew meat 4 potatoes, cubed 2

By Andy Bedwell In the South, and especially in Alabama, food is an important part of celebrating the holiday season. We begin with Halloween candy and the huge spreads during Thanksgiving and Christmas and into the New Year. It’s a variety of yummy treats and a series of parties and family gatherings. Cindy Brewer’s Meatballs

My family enjoys a good meal, but we all save room for dessert when these sweets are part of the menu. Mother’s Pecan Pies 6 eggs, beaten 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 ½ cups sugar 1 ½ cups white Karo syrup 1 stick margarine 2 cups pecans, chopped 1 tablespoon vanilla 2

By Andy Bedwell “We thank you, God, for all that You give: The lives we live, the food we eat, and for our loved ones. Lord, help us all to live our days with thankful hearts and loving ways.” – Ephesians 5:20  (NIV) Cherished recipes usually come out at the holidays. Here are a few of my favorites. Mary Virginia’s Chicken and

By Andy Bedwell I love homemade soups during the winter and I am always willing to experiment with what I have on hand. Soup recipes are so different from most because the exact measurements are not needed as much as the ingredients. I like to tweak recipes to my own specifications by trying this and

By Andy Bedwell Some of my favorite memories as a child were the weekend visits to my Grandmother Icy’s house. I would awaken to a sense of light coming from the kitchen. The smells and noises of pots and pans would draw me to the kitchen to spend some precious time alone with my grandmother

By Andy Bedwell Do you want to start a conversation? Read a cookbook in public. That’s what happens to me all of the time. I always have a cookbook with me. “What are you cooking?” the young lady who sat beside me asked as she peeped over my shoulder. “Just checking out a recipe I

By Andy Bedwell Let’s warm up the season with some tried-and-true favorite soup recipes from some of our supporters. They showcase a wide range of flavors and textures. We guarantee you that they will make your dinner delightful. Brunswick Stew 1 3.5 pound Pork Butt 1 4-pound whole chicken 3 gallons water 2 cups diced

By Andy Bedwell What could be better than a warm and comforting, creamy soup on a cold day? Cheering on a big game,  applauding a good movie or just catching up with family and friends are all great reasons to host a get-together with a variety of yummy soups. Whatever the occasion, you are sure

By Andy Bedwell My favorite football menu is the following: Cheese Dip to Die For 1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup mayonnaise 1 bundle chopped green onions ½ cup bacon bits 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 12 Ritz crackers, crumbled Mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, onions, one-half of the bacon bits, and

By Andy Bedwell Let’s do some quick, easy and good recipes! We Southerners love our comfort foods, and so many restaurants these days present “frilly” foods on fancy plates with swirling sauces for decoration that they are almost too pretty to eat. My goal is to serve straightforward, good food in a fairly glamorous way.

By Andy Bedwell Fall is the season for comfort food, and I can hardly wait to try some new recipes. Let’s climb out of our recipe rut with a few of my favorites. Sloppy Joes 2 pounds ground chuck 1 large onion, chopped ½ cup bell pepper, chopped ½ cup brown sugar 2 cups ketchup

By Andy Bedwell Do you want to start a conversation? Read a cook-book in public. That’s what happens to me all of the time. I always have a cookbook with me.  “What are you cooking?” the young lady who sat beside me asked as she peeped over my shoulder. “Just checking out a recipe I

By Andy Bedwell Let’s cool off on hot days with some more homemade ice cream recipes! Nesquik Chocolate Ice Cream 2 cups sugar 1 ¾ cups Nesquik 1 large can Pet evaporated milk Finish filling can with regular milk Andy’s Note: In this recipe, Carol uses the Nestle’s Nesquik (no sugar added). This is delicious!

By Andy Bedwell Since August is one of the hottest months of the year in the South, I sent out a request to my friends and family to send me their favorite homemade ice cream recipe. Let’s get out our ice cream freezers! The following are a few of the fabulous recipes that I received.

By Andy Bedwell One-dish wonders can save time and money by serving hot and hearty all-in-one meals. Basically, what I love to do is take my Southern food roots and kind of combine them with local ingredients and put a different twist on them. Mexican Pizza 1 package crescent rolls 1 teaspoon garlic 1 tablespoon

By Andy Bedwell My heart is so thankful for being raised in the South. I am also thankful for all the life lessons my precious family and my God has taught me. Have you ever heard the expressions, “Eat it and hush” or “Lord, what is this?” My chicken pot pie dish was one of

By Andy Bedwell This week, let’s just bake some “goodies galore.” I want to begin with the Best Chocolate Brownie Recipe Ever! The Best Chocolate Brownie EVER! 1 ½ cups self-rising flour 2 cups sugar 1 cup Crisco oil 4 eggs, beaten 8 tablespoons cocoa 1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring 1 cup chopped pecans Sift flour,

By Andy Bedwell When I mentioned to my friends and family that I was working my way through my cookbook and what fun I was having doing it, someone would proudly chime in with a comment about their momma’s, aunt’s or grandmother’s recipe being included. This was just music to my ears, and definitely to

By Andy Bedwell You know sometimes you just want to save time and money by serving an all-in-one meal. Add a few delicious sides and presto, your dinner is done! Chicken Cacciatore 4 large boneless chicken breasts, cut in half 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup of flour ¼ cup Crisco oil

By Andy Bedwell During the summer season, I love to pull out recipes that are centered around our fresh fruits. This has been an excellent year for fresh blueberries and strawberries. Pies, tarts and cobblers bring back so many memories of my mother’s kitchen. I hope that some of my pies and cobblers that you

By Andy Bedwell More recipes from the garden! Mrs. Fielder’s Cornbread Salad 2 packages of Mexican cornbread mix 1 large bell pepper 2 fresh garden tomatoes, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 pint mayonnaise Mix cornbread as directed on the package. Bake, cool and crumble into small pieces. Add

By Andy Bedwell Sunday family dinners at houses in the South were a nourishing part of childhood years. We gathered at my mother’s home, where we were surrounded with the aroma of Southern cooking at its best. It was also a time for us to share in each other’s lives and reconnect with the people