I am happy to be introducing you to my cousin (through marriage) – Kerry Blondheim.  I first discovered what an amazing baker/cook/canner (hence – Queen of the Kitchen) she is when I was collecting recipe’s for our cookbook – Farm Fresh Recipes.  She sent me TONS of fantastic recipes that helped fill our cookbook with a great variety.

Recently we were chatting and I asked Kerry to be a guest blogger for the orchard.  She’s going to share with us her recipe’s and experience creating dishes that use anything that we grow at the orchard.  I think you’ll be happy to see the variety she shares with us all!

Before I post her first recipe – here’s some questions she answered for me:

When did you start creating in the kitchen?

I "helped" my mom in the kitchen from an early age. She was wonderful about encouraging my interests without worrying about the messes I'm sure I created. The first cake I made and decorated was an igloo-shaped cake, not a simple sheet cake. I was probably 7 years old at the time.

How did you learn to cook?

My mom encouraged me to follow recipes, and she let me practice making things on my own.That resulted in a few learning experiences, like the time I used granulated sugar to make frosting for my dad's birthday cake. I hadn't realized that confectioner's sugar was powdered sugar. Those type of lessons stick with you.

What is your favorite thing to make?

This is a tough question because I enjoy both cooking and baking. My favorite creations are probably cupcakes and bread. I have a tremendous sweet tooth, and there's something extremely satisfying about making bread that's far more delicious and healthier than most loaves in the store.

What is the biggest lesson you've learned in the kitchen?

In addition to learning about confectioner's sugar, I've had a few other mishaps. I learned to make sure I knew my sugar container from my salt container when I made a very salty blueberry cobbler. And I learned to double check that I added all the ingredients when I made banana bread without flour, of all things. Fortunately, I covered those basic lessons when I was younger than 10, and my family forgave me for all of them.

Do you have any 'tricks' for cooking?

It's not really a trick, but don't be afraid to experiment or go outside your comfort zone whether it's trying a new technique or a food that you don't usually use. The trick I'm working on mastering now is learning how to bake and cook with a 3-month old!

Who is your favorite 'taste tester'?

My husband David is the only captive audience I have as a taste tester, so he wins this category. I've taken things into work as well and shared with other family members, but David is the one who tries everything. He's a really good sport, probably because there's more treats like Tequila Sunrise Cupcakes than soups where I sneak in ingredients he thinks he doesn't like, such as squash.

What do you do with all that food!?

Most of my breads go into the freezer until we're able to get to them. Treats with shorter shelf lives like cupcakes or the pumpkin flan that's baking right now become our treats for the week or get shared with others. And the fullness of our freezer is really what inspired me to start canning, which has become another hobby. This summer, fall and winter, we've canned 287 3/4 pints. That's a record I'm going to attempt to break next year! A lot of our canned goods become Christmas presents for co-workers and family members. I'd love to start selling some of my canned goods, breads or cupcakes, but I'm not there ... yet.

Anything else you'd like to share with my readers about your kitchen life feel free to include!

I use my blog as my virtual recipe box, so I can find favorite recipes and share recipes with others. You can follow my kitchen adventures online at www.nonesuchexists.blogspot.com.

  Kerry, my cousin David, and their son, AJ

Stay tuned for the first recipe Kerry’s sharing with us:  Vanilla Pear Jam

I’m crossing my fingers that Kerry’s going to find a jar to share with me ;)