About Me: Hey there! Welcome to you and thanks for dropping
by today. I’m Jamie, just a regular lady
cooking meals and treats for my family. I have five great kids and one fabulous
husband. I grew up in Murray Utah, earned a degree in Choral Music Education at the University of Utah and have been a stay at home mom ever since. I love food and cooking, meal planning, recipe
searching, food storage collecting and….eating.
When I got married some 17 odd years ago….I couldn’t cook anything.
(Except Pioneer Taffy. It’s pretty hard
to make that into a meal more than once a week. :)
My dear mother did her best to teach me to cook, but I wasn’t interested at
that point in time. I learned a lot about food preparation when I worked at The
Lion House when I was in college. However, most of what I know about food and
cooking I have learned just by practicing in my own kitchen. Someone asked me recently what my hobbies are!
Boy, that was a good joke wasn’t it! I
just chuckled and reminded them that I am a full time mother by day and a fearless
food blogger by night. My exceptionally
interesting hobbies include doing
TheBlessedDishes, folding TheBelovedLaundry, driving TheCarpoolOfWonder and WorkingOnThisBlog. Although dish doing and laundry folding aren’t
some of my favorite things…….
....these fine people happen to be front runners on my favorite
things list. This food blog of mine is pretty high on the list as well. I feel
extremely blessed to have two wonderful
jobs that I love.
PS…..in the coming
years when I don’t have as many dishes to do I’m going to sew at least 500
quilts, read a million good books and shave my legs more than once a month. (We all have our dreams you know, might as
well dream big.)
About The Blog: This little old blog of mine has been up and
running since October of 2009. I post new recipes 2-4 times a week. All recipes include
photos as well as step by step instructions. Each post also comes with a little
commentary about the recipe. My goal is
to help regular folks cook fabulous food. Everyone can learn to be a great
cook! It just takes a little instruction, a great recipe and some time to
practice.
About The Recipes: I’m often asked how I come up with the
recipes I put on this blog. Some are recipes passed on to me from friends or
relatives. Others I find in cookbooks or online. Many are my own creation. When I’m considering a recipe for this blog it
has to meet two very simple criteria. First, it has to taste REALLY, REALLY
good. Second, the ingredients have to be easy to come by. I serve my trial
recipes to my family or friends and if
MOST of them agree to the dish being
wonderful, on the blog it goes. No
reason to waste time posting recipes that aren’t fabulous.
I hope you enjoy my site! And more importantly, I hope you
find some fabulous food that you and your family will love for years to come.
I just found you on deals to meals, WOW!! I can' wait to dig in!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing all you do!
You're killing me with all the recipes! In a good way that is. You have managed to make me hungry, happy, and eager to try these recipes all at once. Thanks for sharing a part of your life with us!
ReplyDeleteI found you on foodgawker. OMG! Your recipes are great and I can't wait to start cooking and baking some. Thanks for sharing and BTW, you have a beautiful family.:)
ReplyDeleteI've been trying your recipes for the past week and they are fabulous!! I love the pictures you take of the food. Please share how you do that so well. I noticed on your profile that you worked at the Lion House. I did too, as well as many of my sisters. When did you work there?
ReplyDeleteDavis Family,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad the recipes are turning out well for you! Thanks for letting me know. I worked at The Lion House from 1992-1997. My maiden name was Willahan. How about you? When did you all work there?
As for the pictures....I am a real novice and am trying to learn as I go. Thanks for the kind compliment. I have a Sony Camera (don't even know the model) I inherited from my father in law. It seems to be a great one, though it is pretty old! I'm super grateful for it. I've read a lot about food photography on The Pioneer Woman's site as well as other sites I've found through google. I take about 40 pictures for each post, and then cross my fingers that a couple of them will turn out.
Have a great night!
~Jamie
I worked at the Lion House from 1998-2000, then served a mission to Brazil and then worked from 2001-2002. You probably worked with one of my older sisters, Brooke Barlow or Allison Barlow Nelson. Do those names ring a bell?
ReplyDeleteDavis Family,
ReplyDeleteThose names sound familiar. I bet we did work together. You gotta love the good old Lion House, pretty fun place to work!
~Jamie
These recipes all look SO delish! However, my husband is Type II Diabetic - so I guess I won't be able to try them. Too bad! You probably don't do any kind of "low-fat" "low-sugar" recipes.....
ReplyDeleteLDS Texan
Hi Jamie,
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful family! I just discovered your site and can't wait to try your recipes they look delicious. I recently started decorating and selling cakes...still looking for that perfect cake recipe from scratch:)
Maria (niagara Canada)
Oh my - your food looks delicious. Would you consider adopting me? Looking forward to finding some new treats. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDo you have to bake the pumpkin bread the same day you mix it up?
ReplyDeleteOH my goodness, I stumbled onto your blog from Wendy Bell's wonderful papercrafting and I am NOW in food heaven, you should have your own SHOW on the Food Network! With your wit and humor you'd be an instant HIT!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your hard work trying out and testing recipes and then sharing them with us! I have you as one of my HOME pages~
God Bless you and your beautiful family
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe I would bake it the same day it is mixed. I'm not sure how the ingredients would hold up all meshed together without being baked. Good Luck!
~Jamie
Linda,
Thanks for your kind words! I hope you find something your family will enjoy!
~Jamie
Jamie, thank you so much for all the good recipes. The photos and instructions help a lot! I wish you could put them all in a book. I worked at the Lion House from 1983-1984 - it was a great place to work.
ReplyDeleteI just have to say you have a Bee- YOU- t- full family!!! I love your Blog!! Can't wait to try some new eats!! Kandy
ReplyDeleteJust came across your blog after reading Mommy's Kitchen. I printed off two recipes to try: Brushcetta Chicken and the BarBQ Pulled Pork Recipe. They both look great. Looking forward to being part of your readership!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it took me this long to find you. I came from another blog--I copied her roll and cinnamon honey butter recipe and then came here when I read the words "LION HOUSE." I know I will enjoy reading, drooling over and trying your recipes. Thanks for what looks like a fabulous blog.
ReplyDeleteOH, Yummy, I just bookmarked you. You have a beautiful blog and great recipes. I'll be coming back here more often!
ReplyDeleteThis is the greatest food blog I have come by. You might have saved my marriage! My husband told me I was an awful cook and now that I have been cooking your easy recipes I am a great cook! Thank you!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie! I too am a mother of twins - mine are 9 month old twin girls. I come from a family of amazing cooks - yet I am totally lost in the kitchen department. Now that I have the girls, I'm really trying to get into the whole cooking thing. I want my kids to grow up eating healthy, well balanced home cooked meals, so I've really been trying to brush up on my skills here lately, in preparation for them moving on to "real people foods" very soon. I stumbled across your blog on pinterest - and i've fallen in love! You make all your recipes seem fairly simple and fuss-free, and I love that! Last night I made your Crispy Chicken with Creamy Italian Sauce and Bowtie Pasta - except I used angel hair rather than bowtie and I added grape tomatoes and a couple bell peppers to the sauce. It was a huge hit with both my husband, and I. Thank you SO much for sharing all of your fantastic ideas - it is much appreciated and it really has helped me become more enthusiastic in my attempts at cooking! I can't wait to try another one of your dishes! Keep 'em coming!
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie! Just wanted to say I love your blog. This a a great site.
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog by way of Pinterest. Wow! I wish I had discovered it a long time ago. As a former choral music teacher myself, we have a lot in common. I'm just older (not necessarily wiser). 4 kids, 10 grandkids and all love it when I cook. I will be a frequent visitor to your site. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteSo happy I found your blog.I found you through the pioneer woman. I am making some of your cookies, fudge for Christmas. I can't wait to try the cranberry cream cheese spread!!! I will be coming back regularly!
ReplyDeletemy sister Deborah, from Taste n Tell, introduced me to your amazing cranberry dip and now I'm hooked on your blog! Thanks for all your hard work...I love the style of your blog! Gonna be spending alot of time here :)
ReplyDeleteOMG and where did you come from???
ReplyDeleteYou aae amazing!
>SOMEONE PLEASE WRITE TO THE FOOD NETWORK/DISCOVERY CHANEL AND GET THIS LADY ON TV!!!!!
This is the nicest blog I have seen! I found your blog on Pinterest...what a blessing...I have already bought ingredients for a couple dishes already! Thank you for sharing your gift with others!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of cookies are in your header?
ReplyDeleteHi Trimble,
DeleteThe cookies in the header are White Chocolate Coconut Cookies. Here is a link.
http://jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/2010/05/white-chocolate-coconut-cookies.html
Hope you enjoy them!
~Jamie
Found your blog via Pinterest and love your wit and humor. The recipes look fabulous too. Can't wait to try some. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteHI!!I found you on Pinterest!! Love your recipes! Thank you so much for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! It's everything I like and more :) Do you have a button for your site that I could put on my blog? I would love to have it.
ReplyDelete~Caprice
Hi Caprice,
DeleteThanks for your kind words. I do have a button, but not installed with an HTML code for readers to pick up. (Still working on that part) If you would like to email me I can send it to you to add to your blog as a picture link.
jamiecooksfor7@gmail.com
Thanks!
~Jamie
Jamie!! Are you a Willahan? :) I'm friends/went to high school with Alli (love her to pieces). If you aren't a Willahan then just disregard all of that, lol! :) Just found your blog today via Pinterest and am loving it! Going to make the roasted broccoli w/ balsamic tonight for dinner. Thanks for the recipe! :) Have a great day. xoxo Brooke (Margetts) Kemp
ReplyDeleteHi Brooke,
DeleteI'm totally a Willahan. I will tell Alli that I heard from you. Hope you enjoy the recipes!
~Jamie
Just found your site via a friend. Great looking recipes! Can't wait to try some of them! Thanks for all the work you put into it!
ReplyDeletei stumbled across ur chines cabbage salad recipe on pinterest,so glad i did. i copied alot of recipes off. glad you made it so easy 2 print.luv the idea of picture or no pic! cant wait 2 try these recipes off. put u on facebook so i could share u w/ all my fb friends. ur famil looks beautiful. i love 2 cook and find new recipes.look forward 2 more new recipes from you!
ReplyDeleteHey Jamie,
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I have been looking at your blog since you posted the "Olive Garden breadsticks." I have tried a few other things (and kept myself from making some things just so I don't eat the entire thing myself) and they are wonderful! But, how funny, it took until a couple days ago to see your picture and go, "Oh my heck! The Jamie of Jamie cooks it up is Jamie Willahan. Awesome!" So, you may not remember me, but I grew up with your sister Jenny. We were pretty good buds, and I remember your whole family, and I adore you all! How awesome of you to start this blog and to have so many awesome recipes! And, I love your pictures!!! Hope you're doing well and say hi to your fam for me. -Jenny Dodge Murphy
Hey there Jenny Dodge,
DeleteSo nice to hear from you. What a small world. I'm so glad the recipes are turning out well for you. Thanks for dropping me a line and saying "Hi". I will tell my family hello for you. Have a great day!
~Jamie
Hey there from VA!! I just found you blog and pins!! The recipes look and sound scrumpous. Can't wait to try 'em. Not much of a cook, so maybe this will help. : ) Thanks for sharing!!!!
ReplyDeleteI found your website through Pinterest (my new addiction). Wow, what a wonderful blog you have here. Of course it is 3 am an I am working the graveyard shift and starving now that I have looked at all these wonderful recipes!!! My weekend consists of 5 days off this week and you bet I am going to be trying out some of these fabulous creations of yours. Keep up the good work and I look forward to all the new and exciting recipes you have in store for us!!!
ReplyDeleteI just heard about your blog and I am excited to get some recipes from it! Thanks for taking the time to help us with great food ideas!
ReplyDeleteWOW! I think I'm in love with your website. I just came across it by accident, I'm soooo glad I did. All the recipes look great. Thanks
ReplyDeleteWow! What a great blog! I have 3 boys and a husband and I do not know how to cook. I can make up a few pretty tasty recipes but it is the same ole stuff and I want to provide my family with a good healthly meal every night for dinner. These recipes look delicious and easy and I am excited to start making them!
ReplyDeleteYummy, yummy!! Everything looks so good. Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna Rolls is my next new recipe to try. Happy eating. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled upon your blog from Pinterest and I noticed you said Herriman. So upon checked out your about section. I grew up in Murray too. Small world! I'm curious if you greduated from Murray and if so what year?
ReplyDeleteHey there,
DeleteI did indeed go to MHS. Loved it, no better school around in my opinion. I graduated in 92, Willahan is my maiden name. How about you?
~Jamie
Love your recipes...how do I follow your blog?
ReplyDeleteHi Sandi,
DeleteThere are several ways to follow, depending your preference. I always pin each new recipe to pinterest, as well as add a link to my facebook page. You can also subscribe through an RSS feed, or simply though your email account. Here is a link that will lead you to subscribe in any of these ways.
http://jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/p/rss-feed.html
Good luck!
~Jamie
Hi.. Love this blog! Came on here to find a pizza dough recipe and now I'm hooked on your blog, trying tons of new recipes and lots of baking haha! :)
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog yesterday via pinterest and have to say I fell in love. Each and every recipe has a perfect picture and instructions go follow and you make everything seem easy to do. My mom never cooked when I was a young kid so I do not have the foundation to even know where to begin. The little I do know I have taught myself and as a recent college grad looking for a job and a boyfriend that is always hungry, I decided I might as well start cooking more often! Trying out my first recipe from here tonight, so excited!! Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you!!
ReplyDelete