Kim Samuels

I have several signature dishes. My daughter likes my chicken stew, soups, and gumbo. My son likes my banana pudding. My grandchildren love my chicken and dumplings and peach cobbler. (See my photos for a screenshot of a text from my daughter about the peach cobbler in Atlanta!) The entire family likes my pork chops, pork loins, pasta dishes and casseroles. At church fellowship meals, my desserts are always a big hit.

Gordan Ramsey got me hooked on cooking competitions. I made many of his dishes my own by using what I learned from him. Bobby Flay taught me about flavor and texture and how to make never fail homemade biscuits, and introduced me to Michael Symon and Carla Hall. Carla cooks “real” food, like southerners eat and I use her biscuit recipe, too. I love everything about Michael Symon! For everyday food, Ree Drummond and Brenda Gantt are awesome. Then, of course, there’s ICAG!

First, I would make a donation to my church. Then I’d donate to Kruzn for a Cure, a nonprofit that supports medical research for SIOD, a rare fatal form of dwarfism. I’d also make a donation to The Goode Foundation, which assists those with ALS while raising awareness of this horrible disease. Then I would take two trips…one to Italy and the other to Cabo San Lucas where I’d dive into their cultures and learn to cook my favorite cuisines…authentically!