Hi, my name is Terri. Welcome to “That’s Some Good Cookin'”. In 2008 I started a personal blog as a means to connect with family and friends and as a creative outlet. Part of that connection and creativity included developing and sharing recipes – after all, food is often central to our connections. I found that more and more I was enjoying food blogging and in 2010 I opened That’s Some Good Cookin’.
At first, blogging was just a fun hobby, but it grew into something more. Something that I truly enjoy, whether it is connecting with people on-line or developing a new recipe.
My cooking skills come from lots of years of practice, lots of reading, an array of classes, lots of trial and error and lots of happy faces at my house when I get things right.
How I Feel About Food Blogging
Looking back over the past eight years, I see how much I have grown personally and how much I have learned about the various aspects of my “hobby”. Food blogging goes far beyond making some food and taking a picture of it. It is an extraordinary experience involving knowledge of food, flavors, both technical and conversational writing, food styling, photography, and a whole bunch of behind-the-scenes computer stuff. I have learned volumes of things and need to learn volumes more.
When I review the photos from my first food blogging year, I cringe every single time. For the most part they are heinous. 🙂 Honestly, I think some of them look like throw-up on a plate. (Warning, I am frequently irreverent. Can’t help it.)
I had no clue about an appropriate way to write a recipe and sometimes when I look at those first recipes, I have to ask myself what in the heck I was talking about! My ability to write a recipe has improved greatly, but I have to tell you, writing a recipe it’s trickier than you may think. Developing a recipe is even trickier.
I love food blogging and I am resolute and determined to improve. I love to learn about and explore food, photography and writing. I feel happy when I have both a great recipe and great photos. I feel happier when people leave nice comments on my posts. I feel happiest when someone tries one of my recipes and takes the time to tell me how much they enjoyed it.
Eating the best Chinese food I have ever had! Goodness I wish I could drive back out to Oregon and buy some more of it.
If you’ve gotten this far into my About page, your crown of jewels is at the jewelers getting its finishing touches. While you wait, I have prepared some great reading material for you throughout this blog. Before you head off with your tapping and swiping finger poised for action, here’s a list of 20 questionably interesting things about me. Thanks for dropping by!
This is my family and me. I’m the one leaning against the big guy, a.k.a. my husband. He gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “pillar of support”. PS, I think my hair must have shrunk the day that this picture was taken – it looks really short.
Twenty Questionably Interesting Things About Me:
- In October of 1980 I asked John to marry me. He said ‘okay’ and we were married the following April. I’ll do the math for you: we have been married for 36 years.
- I have 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
- When my youngest child was in the ninth grade, I went back to college and became a nurse. I have never once looked back and asked myself, “Why?”. I love what I do.
- My favorite “outfit” is an old pair of green surgical scrubs. I do my best cooking when I’m wearing them.
- I watch sappy Hallmark Christmas movies (with my husband) November through January.
- My mother was from South Carolina and my father was from Michigan. I am conflicted.
- I got chicken pox when I was a junior in high school. Try surviving that social stigma!
- My father was a Civil Engineer who loved field work and hated office work. We moved every 9 months-2 years, following my father wherever his company sent him. I have lived in ten states: South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Delaware, New Jersey, Texas, and Utah; and have either visited, driven through, or flown over all of the others. Additionally, I have either lived in or visited 10 other countries.
- Once when I was skiing at Sundance, a man who was skiing just a little ahead of me stopped suddenly. I couldn’t maneuver fast enough around him and ended up skiing over his skies. He swore and as I looked back over my shoulder to apologize, I saw that it was Robert Redford. I turned around and skied away really fast…
- I took piano lessons for 10 years…and organ lessons for 3 months. I also used to play the clarinet; my grandfather’s cows really enjoyed it.
- I am learning Hebrew. It is absolutely fascinating!
- I have been and always will be accident prone. I had my first set of stitches when I was 9 months old…I had just learned to walk and fell flat on my face on some cement and ended up getting a laceration on my forehead. I was hit by a car when I was three years old…fractured skull, concussion, and a laceration 1/4″ from my left eye. (I’ve had lots of other injuries, but they are not really very notable ;). Wait, except for this one to the 5th finger of my left hand.) And three concussions…the afore mentioned car incident; a skiing mishap; aaaaaaaand a descending garage door. Good times. My cognitive future looks bright.
- I have flown around the world (not all in one trip) and was invited to sit in the cockpit of a 747 while flying from Bangkok to Manila. The captain and I talked about religion.
- I attended 12 different schools between 1st and 12th grades. See #7 above.
- When I was little I threw a bottle of baby oil against the fireplace, it broke, and I blamed the mess on my little brother. I got spanking…harder than the one he got.
- I am allergic to chocolate. True. The allergy started in December of 2009. Sigh.
- I hate spiders, as in arachnophobia, but like tarantulas – they remind me of kittens. I also loathe mice.
- I was a Cub Scout Den Leader for two years. I am brave. I am fearless. I have no sense left.
- My mother wouldn’t allow me to cook when I lived at home. When I would ask if I could help her out in the kitchen, her immediate response was always, “Set the table.” I broke that cycle with my own children; I at least gave them the opportunity to peel potatoes.
- I far prefer the sounds of Teva’s against the ground rather than high heels against tile or concrete. However, going barefoot trumps any shoe ever made.
You see this kid? He arrived on the planet 8 weeks early under some scary circumstances. I was there when he was born. I am a fully invested grandma.
This is Lexi. She’s 2 1/2. She is definitely a beloved member of the family and we laugh at her antics throughout the day.
I stumbled upon your blog while looking for a sugar cookie recipe, although I have a few, I thought I would check out pinterest. In the midst of my very busy day in which I seem to not be accomplishing much at all due to various distractions, I enjoyed stopping one more time to read your Amish Cookie entry. What a sweet little boy! I will surely try the cookies as they look delicious! I hope you are enjoying this wonderful holiday season! It is snowing here so It is a good day to start baking…
Hi Cynthia. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. We have snow on the ground and it is a cloudy day. I’d like it to snow today, but I may be the only one in the city who feels that way. 😉 I know what you mean about a busy day and distractions and that blasted Pinterest! It is a hoarder’s dream come true: you can collect all the stuff you want and it takes up no more space than your computer. Thanks for the well wishes for the Holidays and I hope that you, too, are enjoying the Season. ~Terri
I found your site through a search for crockpot steel cut oats with fruit. (I’m looking forward to trying your recipe with peaches and blueberries). Over an hour later, multiple recipes printed in hand, I navigated to this ‘about’ page, and I’m hooked. As a fellow holiday-lifetime-movie-marathoner, a some-of-the-world traveler, and once-upon-a-time-organ-player (until I could convince my mother it was the so not cool second cousin of the piano) – I quite enjoy your humor and your creativity. Thanks for sharing your passions and gratitudes with the rest of us. Cheers to you.
Hi Samantha. Welcome! I definitely feel your pain about the organ. My dad never did come to grips with the fact that I rejected the organ, despite the fact that he personally fawned over the piano far more than the organ. Yay for you over the movie marathons! Those have reached the rank of tradition in our house. What’s on your movie marathon list? Thank you for your kind comments and please come back by to let me know how the recipes have worked for you and any additions or changes that you made to them. Recipes are like living languages; they grow and evolve with use and differing perspectives. ~Terri
I came across your blog by way of tasty kitchen and pioneerwoman, I love both of them. so now I have added you to the favorites list. I like that you write simple and easy recipes. I will be using your blog a lot. thanks so much.
Thanks, Tanja, and welcome. It’s nice to meet you. ~Terri
Hi Terri,
Still my first day of ‘exploring’ your site after finding it….
Loved your ‘about’ page. 🙂
I had to laugh about your 3rd paragraph where you say you’ve probably lost 90% of those who read the 1st paragraph, NOT this reader!! 🙂
I couldn’t believe how many of your 21 interesting things about you that we have in common!!
#2-though I only have 2 children, I’m very happy to have 3 grandkids to spoil!!
#5- I LOVE the ‘sappy” Hallmark Christmas movies!! 🙂
#6- Your dad was from Michigan, that’s where I was raised!
#7-While my son was a junior (or maybe senior) in high school HE got chicken pox and gave them to ME!! Yikes, I was in my 30’s…not good.
#12- I refuse to use ANYTHING except the red & white label cream of soups. I do use the healthy request ones though 😉
#17-Ohhhh I WISH I were allergic to chocolate, that way I’d STAY AWAY from it!!
#19-I was a (co) Cub Scout den leader and loved it!!
#20-I didn’t get to help cook while young either…..only set the table 🙁
#21-Barefoot definitely trumps any shoe ever made!! I’d be barefoot year round if it weren’t for the snow!!
One more comment on your ‘about’ page…..what a great looking family! I really like the picture where all the adults are holding the little ones upside-down…very cute. 🙂
Kelly, it’s always nice to find connections with others. Where in Michigan were you raised? My dad was from Manistique, in the upper peninsula.
Wow he was way up there….I was raised in lower Michigan, just a couple miles from the Ohio line.
I have to ask why did your mom didn’t let you help her in the kitchen? Moms love if their kids show interest in learning to cook.
Not all moms are the same, David. Individuals come with own unique personalities. My mother’s personality did not allow for kids in the kitchen except for setting the table or doing the dishes.
Hello! First time visiting your site. I am excited to try a number of your recipes but especially the Swedish Almond Cake. When my husband and I were first married he taught at a small Lutheran College in Lindsborg, KS (Little Sweden, USA). I have many fond memories of the many Swedish delights that neighbors and the local bake shop would make.
Another connection I found, was your Pork Carnitas post about SC low country barbecue… I am a Charleston South Carolina native… where barbecue means PORK and Carolina Gold (mustard based) barbecue sauce. What part of Carolina did you live in?
So excited to poke around your site and try your recipes. Thanks for sharing your love of cooking!
Hi Catherine. I was born in Columbia and lived there and in Orangeburg. I had lots of family in Orangeburg. And you are right – let’s here it for PORK and Carolina Gold! I miss that kind of barbecue so much.