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Mama Harris' Kitchen

Bringing you tasty, family-style recipes with fresh local ingredients!

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about me introduction

The Intro

Hello!! Welcome to The Kitchen of Mama Harris.

Let me tell you a little about myself and what brings me to the blogosphere.
You can call me Mama Harris, but I’m not as old as that sounds, I promise! I have a very dear friend who loves to recipe trade with me and coined the term because she always describes my food as comforting. Her words meant a lot so I decided to keep the name.

I am a 30-something stay at home mom with an amazing husband and 5 children under one roof.
We have 4 boys, and our middle child is a girl, they range in age with the eldest being 17 and the youngest is 1.

A few years back I was laid off of work, and shortly after that is when we found out we were having our now 3 year old. Shortly after our 3 year old was born my husband was laid off of work and was out of work for quite a while.
This is when I discovered my passion for cooking. Something about having such a tiny budget to feed so many off of forced me to get creative with simple ingredients. I scour the internet for recipes as well as cooking tips. I love to use a recipe as a skeleton and add to it, or substitute this or that and make it my own. I have literally dozens of food magazines scattered throughout my home and garage, I have index cards and word documents on my computer of recipes I’ve created as well as recipe cut outs from coupon inserts and tops and backs of boxes and cans.
It’s almost an obsession!
I’ve always liked to cook, but never really had the time to delve into it the way I wanted since I was a working mother and wife. 

I remember back when I was 10 or 11 years old my parents bought me a kid’s microwave cookbook. One of the first things I learned how to make was scrambled eggs in the microwave. I learned at a young age that I really quite liked most of the things I created!
I also recall in home ec class a few years later I had a final to bake something from scratch at home. I made raisin bread, yeast and all. It was so delicious! As I got older my focus was mainly on baking, and I’ve always made a great breakfast.

Many of my happy memories as a child are focused around the dinner table. My parents and I sitting at the dinner table every night eating together. My dad was good with the BBQ and the meats. My mom made casseroles and sides. I also remember the delicious breakfasts every Sunday. Coffee cakes and crepes.
Oh! And every holiday we would all get together at my aunt’s house, where she would make elaborate meals, complete with fancy dinnerware and beautiful centerpieces and place settings. Every 3 day weekend was the same, we would go to my aunt’s and BBQ.
By no means did I have a perfect childhood, but my fondest memories involve our family gathering together with good food. So with my own family I’ve tried to create those very same memories. We eat at the dinner table every night and I put a lot of love into my meals. We have a big family so it’s not always feasible to go out to eat, but that doesn’t mean we can’t eat well!!

Now that my husband is back to working after that rough period I still keep a budget for our food shopping. I don’t buy much that’s precooked. I like to make my own sauces, and I love to make a lot of things from scratch. This doesn’t mean I won’t use a premade sauce or rub, just something about creating something yourself…I love it.
I do buy our food on sale and the average meats we eat usually consist of ground turkey, boneless chicken breast, boneless pork chops, boneless pork roast, tilapia, whole rotisserie chicken, etc. Sometimes I get fancy with other meats and roasts, but those are the typical weekly groceries. I also coupon, and shop at multiple stores based on what’s on special. Sometimes even 5 or 6 different stores in a week.

Lately I am also focusing more on healthy meals, but to me if I’m going to make Macaroni and cheese I’m not skimping just to cut a few calories. Same goes with my baking. I love to make cookies, cakes, muffins, cupcakes, fruit crisps etc. I use real butter and real sugar and real flour. Sometimes I say I’ll make it healthy but I never actually do. I enjoy those “bad foods” in very small increments though, but still make them for my family. So I promise to have a variety of healthy fare as well as good ol’ comfort food.

I don’t use complicated ingredients. Most of my recipes include ingredients that I normally have in my pantry, refrigerator, or freezer. Occasionally there’s the peanut oil or coconut milk that I’d have to make a run to the store for, but overall nothing too complicated. I don’t feel to eat healthy you have to skimp on taste and I have a broad range of people my food needs to appeal to. My husband has a big, healthy appetite, my 17 year old has the fastest metabolism I’ve ever seen, I have a picky 13 year old that’s finally trying new things, my adventurous 12 year old will try anything once, my 3 year old is infatuated with peanut butter and jelly and spicy food as well as cookies and my one year old loves anything he can eat with his hands.
They are my biggest critics and fans.

Welcome to my kitchen!! 

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Read ALL about me here or you can email me at dawn@mamaharriskitchen.com
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[Sponsored]: Summertime is coming and will be here before we know it! You all know that I love easy meals during the warmer months, and I also love a good meal in a bowl. It’s also Vidalia Onion season 🧅 so I paired this seasonal favorite with pan-seared shrimp and veggies as a light rice bowl using your choice of grains.☺️This meal is an absolute delight!

Get the recipe and all the Vidalia Onion details by clicking the link in my profile or desktop users can click here for the recipe >> https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2021/06/pan-seared-shrimp-veggie-rice-bowl-vidalia-onions/ .

Also make sure to grab some Vidalia Onions from your local grocer before they are out of season in late August/early September.☀️
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This time of year I love warm, comforting recipes that are super easy and delish. This ridiculously easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is a one pot meal, ready in under 30 minutes and uses already prepared rotisserie chicken for maximum flavor (and ease)! With a tasty blend of flavors and textures, it’s like a bowl full of comfort. 

Get the recipe by clicking the link in profile at @mamaharriskitchen or just google “Mama Harris Kitchen Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup” 🍲 Enjoy!
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(AD) There has been a lot of cooking going on this year, so I’ve tried to make life a bit easier by getting creative with my leftovers. These pulled pork totchos are a great example of leftovers with a few key ingredients to create something new to keep our meals exciting. Adding a few key ingredients like @lamorenausa adobo peppers and jalapeños and carrots definitely livens up something simple. La Morena peppers are hand selected, using only the highest quality peppers to bring you authentic home style flavors of Mexico. I purchased my La Morena items from my local Safeway, but you can find them at your favorite grocery store in the international food section. #PayItForwardwithLM #VivaLaMorena #WeCanWithLaMorena 
 
INGREDIENTS:
- 32 oz tater tots
- 2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend + Pepper Jack)
- 2 cups prepared bbq pulled pork (check my pulled pork sliders recipe!)
- 1/2 can La Morena Adobo Peppers & Sauce
- 2 tablespoons sour cream 
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
- 1 cup pico de Gallo
- 1/2 cup guacamole
- 3 chopped green onions 
- 3-4 La Morena jalapeños and carrots, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare tater tots as instructed, in air fryer or oven. Heat oven to 450°. 
Cover the bottom of a large cast iron skillet with the cooked tater tots. 
Top with 1 1/2 cup of cheese. 
Combine the chopped adobo peppers and sauce with the prepared bbq pulled pork. Spread the pulled pork mixture on top of the tater tots, then top with the remaining cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.
Top with sour cream, ranch, pico de Gallo, guacamole, green onions, and sliced jalapeños and carrots.

Enjoy!! 😋
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✨Growth✨
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Happy December, all!! 🎄Since it’s basically Christmas now, it’s time to share ALL the holiday cookies! 

Every year I join my friend @natashanicholes as she heads up her #HousefulofCookies virtual cookie swap, where many of us share some sweet treats for the holiday season. 

This year I’ve created Cranberry Pistachio Citrus Cookies to share as my contribution. 🍪 I know that a lot of things have turned “virtual” throughout this year, but a little virtual bake-off is a fun way to connect with some of your favorite people!

For this recipe and many more, click the link in my profile at @mamaharriskitchen ❤️
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🚨This recipe is always popular after Thanksgiving! 🍗 
To find out how to make these delicious savory crêpes filled with sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese and leftover shredded Turkey click the link in profile at @mamaharriskitchen 😋
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So Thanksgiving is next week and we’re well into soup season, but I’m not willing to give up my Taco Tuesdays. 🌮 At this point we are choosing whatever makes us happy to get through the weeks, am I right? ❤️

If you’re looking for a quick dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes, on taco Tuesday or any other day really, try my baked Turkey tacos with black beans plus all the toppings that your heart desires! 😘
Click the link in bio at @mamaharriskitchen for the recipe!
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Hello Instagram fam! 💖 There’s some new faces around here and it’s been a while since I showed mine!

I’m Dawn, creator of Mama Harris’ Kitchen, and I’m so glad you’re here with me! In this space I share my family-friendly recipes for all occasions, whether it be a 30-minute meal for those busy weeknight dinners or a full spread for entertaining a crowd - and everything in between.

Mama Harris’ Kitchen began back in 2012, in fact it’s 8 years this month! 🥳  What started as a way to document my newfound cooking hobby while managing my “new” life as a stay-at-home wife and mom to a 1 and 3 year along with teens and preteens, and it quickly grew into what it is now - a recipe resource for busy families like mine that enjoy flavorful and comforting home-cooking using pantry staples along with fresh and local ingredients as often as possible. 

🍿Five fun facts about me:
1. I LOVE elephants! 🐘 I collect a lot of elephant items, whether it’s trinkets or  artwork, notepads etc. I love what elephants symbolize and I truly love anything elephant related.
2. I’m a total plant lady! 🌱 I have about 35 houseplants, give or take, and there’s still more on the list of wants. Plants have become such a peaceful outlet for me, and I feel that they really center me within my space. I love the element plants bring to your space and the feel of your home with them in it, and new leaves are so exciting!
3. I have seven tattoos and I have plans for about eight more. 💉 Those that know me aren’t surprised, but those that follow me here tend to find it a bit surprising. 🙃
4. I’ve been a mother for a long time, over half my life! I’ve also been a lot of different “types” of mom - teen mom, single mom, working mom, stepmom, stay at home mom, PROUD mom, military mom, mother in law - the list goes on. No matter what, motherhood looks different for everyone and there’s unique challenges and experiences each mother faces. Please be gentle with yourself! ❤️At the end of the day we’re all just trying our best!
5. I’m a bit of an introvert, and often struggle with the “social” aspect of social media. I tend to go silent sometimes, but I’m working on it.

☀️Thank you for joining me here!
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Did you know that the third Sunday of July is considered National Ice Cream Day? 🍦Not that we need an excuse to enjoy our favorite treat! You can make any day one to celebrate with my Birthday Cake Ice Cream! Full of rich creamy flavor, colorful sprinkles and maraschino cherries. 🍒 No “official” birthday needed to treat yourself!

Get the recipe now! Click the link in my profile at @mamaharriskitchen ✨
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