Andy Bedwell

By Andy Bedwell Long before we knew anything about watching cholesterol, counting calories, cutting back on sodium,  there were always sweets that would bring us running home from school. Nothing satisfied us more than a glass of cold milk and a big ole fat chocolate chip cookie. It really didn’t matter what kind of cookie,

Andy’s Homemade Chili, Easy White Chili and Mother’s Coconut Pie Pumpkins piled high in roadside stands and supermarkets signal the coming of fall in the South. Summer may be over but you can still have a taste of the season. My mind floods with the beauty of the vegetables that I have in my freezer

By Andy Bedwell Southern Taco Soup 2 pounds ground chuck 1 large onion, chopped 1 can Rotel tomatoes 2 large cans of tomatoes 1 can white shoe peg corn, drained 1 can yellow whole corn, drained 1 can chili beans 1 can pinto beans 1 package taco mix 1 package Hidden Valley ranch dressing 3

By Andy Bedwell I have always enjoyed a brunch, both as a hostess and a guest. One reason I particularly enjoy having a brunch is that you can serve almost any food you prefer, from an egg and cheese dish to a tenderloin. When I begin thinking about which of my favorite dishes I usually

By Andy Bedwell This week I am continuing some great apple desserts. About the best call to breakfast on Sunday morning, or any day, is the spicy aroma of an apple coffee cake drifting through the house. Cinnamon and nutmeg are two of my favorite spices especially during the fall. Apple Pudding Cake 3 1/2

Old-Fashioned Apple Sugar-Free Pie and Million Dollar Apple Bars There is so much to enjoy about the fall in Alabama. We go from lazy days of summer to busy days filled with my favorite activities and foods. Football games, craft festivals, picking up pecans, filling jars with muscadine jelly, the DeKalb County Fair in Fort

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

Today’s Menu Meat Loaf Plate Mashed Potatoes Turnip Greens Corn Bread Chili Hot Dogs and Burger Drinks: Cokes, Pepsi, Tea, Coffee, Beer I saw this sign in front of a little café on our way to the beach a few years ago. Only in a Southern small town would you ever see this kind of menu.

Crock Pot Dressing, Whipped Sweet Potato Bake and Pineapple Fluff Cake My sister and I grew up with a  mother who enjoyed cooking and was a wonderful cook. She taught us the importance of presentation and taste. During our school years, we entered our home daily with something on the stove simmering or a new

Chicken Salad, Vegetable Salad and Fluffy Pink Salad There are so many foods that are unique to our region of the country. Sweet tea, pimento cheese, deviled eggs, fried chicken, fried catfish and tomato sandwiches are all wonderful staples in the South.  I always evaluate a new restaurant by the quality of the sweet tea!

Corn Casserole, Tomato Broccoli Casserole and Chocolate Pudding I have decided that I have an appetite for the South and all of its Southern food. When my garden begins to produce, my mind immediately craves a casserole of sunny, yellow squash topped with cheese, ripe red tomatoes, pearly ears of corn and Mexican cornbread with

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, 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 my heart.

Peach Parfait Pie, Chocolate Crust Lime Pie and Lemon Velvet Pie Let them eat pie! Me? I prefer pies. One does not have to worry about them rising (or falling) or trying to get the icing to just the right consistency. It is sin-fully easy to buy a ready-to-fill pie shell right off the grocer’s

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 other ingredients, mix

By Andy Bedwell I just discovered a few days ago that a covered dish gathering is a whole different thing from potluck. A potluck get-together leaves the possibility of folks bringing store-bought food. Covered dish is something you make at home, pour into your casserole dish and stick a cover on top. The covered dish

Southern Potato Salad 5 pounds red potatoes, chopped medium size, boiled and cooled, (salt potatoes really well while they are boiling) 1 large onion, chopped small, green onions also 5 eggs, boiled, chopped small 3/4 cup sweet salad cubes, (if you want them like a relish, use the food processor) 1 teaspoon mustard (just enough

By Andy Bedwell Let’s do some recipes of the 1980s! My favorite recipes are from the 1980s and 1990s. They are oldies but goodies. Cheese Crisps 1 cup margarine, melted 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated 2 cups Rice Krispies 1/4 teaspoon red pepper 2 cups self-rising flour, sifted Combine all dry ingredients; mix well.

Andy’s Favorite Cheese Ball, Yummy Enchiladas and Lemon Dump Cake Anyone who entertains knows that the purpose of serving appetizers is to have your family and guests linger by the food, chatting, sharing stories and generally having some sort of human contact. When my sister Mary has us over for Christmas, she always has a

Andy’s Favorite Popcorn, Peanut Butter Popcorn, Ice Box Nut Cookies and White Chocolate Party Mix By Andy Bedwell Let’s have a snack party! Popcorn is one of the oldest snacks in the world and is now the trendiest. Many of us remember shaking a pot full of kernels on top of the stove just waiting

By Andy Bedwell What would we do without chicken? Actually, the better question would be how do we give chicken a distinctive flavor? Dress up that everyday bird in an easy sauce that usually consist of some kind of cream soup. This is one of the few recipes that is easy, and everyone will think

By Andy Bedwell I do not know if church homecomings happen outside of the South, but if you get a chance to go to one, go! We always tried to hold these events in the summer at our little Eastside Presbyterian Church in East Gadsden. Our service would focus on the families who had come

Strawberry Tarts, Strawberry Crescent Bars and Strawberry Cookies Strawberries! Strawberries! Strawberries! Why can’t I forget about Norris Farm and those wonderful, sweet strawberries? I promise, this will be my last strawberry recipe for a while. I have received so many wonderful recipes. I know Alabama has some of the best cooks in the world simply

Lemonade Pie and Chicken Meal-in-One You know those trays the waiters bring around at the end of a good meal with a slice of triple chocolate mousse, a slice of a lemon tart sprinkled with grated lemon zest (this would always be my pick) and a mocha torte with toffee drizzled over the top are?

Apple Snicker Salad, Squash Casserole and Easy White Cake Rejoice! He will reign forever and ever! May the joy of Easter reign in your heart forever, Wishing you a beautiful and blessed Easter! Let’s do some quick and easy dishes for Easter! Apple Snicker Salad 6-8 Granny Smith apples, cut into chunks (peeled or not)

Lettuce and Pea Salad, Cornbread Skillet Casserole and Quick and Easy Banana Pudding I grew up around women who recognized that there was no greater art form on earth than a lovingly prepared meal. As a matter of fact, there is nothing more rewarding to a Southern woman than to hear someone say, “My gosh,

Strawberry Pie, Strawberry Bread, Strawberry Ice Box Dessert and Strawberry Pizza Crust The strawberry, red in all of its glory, is one of nature’s sweetest offerings. It can be eaten straight off the vine and can be barely sprinkled with sugar or salt. The peak season for strawberries is April to June, so now is

24 Hour Salad, Three Bean Salad and Hot Chicken Salad Let’s do some salads this week! 24 Hour Salad 1 can Eagle Brand Milk 1/3 cup lemon juice 1 large Cool Whip 1 large can crushed pineapple 1 large can fruit cocktail 1 cup pecans, chopped 1/2 cup cherries, chopped 1 1/2 cups coconut 1

Strawberry Angel Pie, Lemon Meringue Pie  and Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie Spring is here! I think one of the big reasons people do not cook anymore is the notion that it takes too long and it’s just too hard. I hope you learn from my recipes that good home-cooked food can be quick, easy

El Grando, Barbecue Pork Chops and Banana Cobbler Words always seem to fail me when I try to describe the fun that Mary and I always have when we are at Cottontail’s Village in Birmingham. After being with the vendors for three days, they instantly become family. As we were talking to a group of

By Andy Bedwell More yummy recipes! Pineapple Congealed Salad 1 small lime Jello 1 cup boiling water 1 (4 oz. ) cream cheese 1 cup small marshmallows 1 small can crushed pineapple 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 cup diced pineapple 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 cup chopped pecans Combine Jello, water, cream