Hey I'm Deb Clark and I'm the owner of Bowl Me Over! We live in the sleepy little town Scappoose, just north of Portland, Oregon. Are you looking to chat? Email me at debra@bowl-me-over.com.
How I cook (and connect)
Welcome to the culinary wonderland that is my corner of the internet! Get ready for recipes so easy that even your pet goldfish could whip them up! Because I like quick, easy and delicious recipes!
My kitchen philosophy
When it comes to the recipes I share, I want you to know one thing: they're the real deal. Every single dish is developed, tested (twice… okay, usually three times), and taste-approved in my own kitchen before it ever hits the blog.
These aren't AI-generated guesses or Pinterest copycats-I pour my heart (and often a whole lot of cheese) into making sure the recipes actually work and taste great for real families. I want you to feel confident that when you try one of my recipes, it'll turn out just the way it does on the blog!
Real talk from me to you
And when you comment on a post, send an email, or leave a question on Facebook, it's me you're hearing back from. Not a virtual assistant or a chatbot. I'm right there-messy grey hair in my eyes, apron on, probably chasing a timer-reading every message and doing my best to respond with the same care I put into my recipes.
Because this blog isn't just a website, it's a conversation with folks like you who show up here every day!
Why I do what I do
My goal is to keep things simple. No fancy gadgets, no wild goose chases for ingredients you've never heard of. Just approachable recipes with everyday ingredients so you can get a home-cooked meal on the table without the drama.
That's what I believe in-and I'm so glad you're here!!!
Hey.... that's me! I wear a lot of hats. I'm the owner, creator, recipe developer and photographer here at Bowl Me Over.
If you ever have any questions pop me a note, I'd love to hear from you! You can catch me here debra@bowl-me-over.com.
Let me tell you a little bit about me! I'm Deb and I am a foodie! For years, I've catered for weddings and anniversary parties. In the summer, I help make mountains of food for our family reunions.
Oftentimes things I create end up in a bowl and so that's where I came up with the name Bowl Me Over! I love the play on words. 🤪
Some of my best recipes started with an empty bowl and whatever odds and ends I had in the kitchen at that moment.
Don't have an avocado for the recipe you just found and no time to run to the store? Try using up those canned artichoke hearts instead.
Not enough leftover meat and potatoes for another meal? Add that with a few veggies to some broth and you've just made a delicious soup for tomorrow night by cleaning up the kitchen!
Leftover cilantro from taco night? Throw it, .... guess where? In a bowl, of course, tossed in with tonight's dinner salad! I'll bet you'll have people asking why your salad tastes so amazing and fresh.
If this sounds good to you, be sure to sign up for the blog. It's FREE and you'll receive daily inspiration, with yummy recipes and an occasional funny story here and there! Click here and enter your email address. You'll be the first to know when new recipes drop!
Find me on YouTube with my bff
Now that we live in Oregon I do a lot of recipe testing with my Mom and we have so much fun together! Mom started joining me on the Bowl Me Over YouTube Channel and just like that, blogging became even more fun!
Like the blog, on YouTube we keep the recipes super easy and always tasty! You'll see just how simple they are to make. You'll also see a few bloopers, hear some dogs barking and loads of laughter, because we always have fun!
Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You'll be notified each time we share a new video!
A bit more about me
I love photography, reading and cooking (surprise!). 😂 I'm married to a wonderful man who is loving, kind and supportive. I'm an avid football fan and Sundays (and Monday night and Thursday nights) are spent with me camped in my chair watching the games. I root for the Green Bay Packers.
I enjoy running and became passionate about this sport several years ago. I've ran countless half marathons and three full marathons - that's 26.2 miles!
I have lived all over the United States, moving 11 times in 22 years. Seven of those moves were across the country. I am an expert in packing and unpacking. I can have the entire house unpacked in 48 hours.
What does this mean for you? Between moving and traveling, I have sampled dozens of cuisines. I share these flavors, experiences and recipes with you!
I moved to California from Minnesota looking for a warmer climate and a hot market for my direct mail agency, which I founded in Folsom, CA. There, along with a small team we built the largest privately owned direct mail marketing company west of the Mississippi!
I was the "junk mail" queen! That business continued to thrive and flourish until the market crashed in 2010. Then it was time to pivot!
Life changed completely and in the end, it was all for the better!
Now married, I live in Scappoose, OR with Dan. We've been married 11 years!
Dan and I met on eharmony. Both of us came to our marriage with dogs; Dan had 3, I did also along with Steve the cat. (think Brady Bunch but with pets, LOL!)
The furry family members above have crossed the rainbow bridge, but will always remain in our hearts. We currently have a moody corgi and a teenage poodle (who thinks he's a corgi)! 🤪
I love to laugh, experience and enjoy life! My family and friends both near and far are dear to my heart.
Volunteering in the Community
I enjoy giving back to the community and served as a board member at the CCHAT Center in Sacramento. The CCHAT Center is an amazing school that helps profoundly deaf children learn to listen and speak.
My favorite contribution was when my brother and I collaborated and launched an annual wine-tasting fundraising event for the school. We were tasked with raising $5,000 and instead raised over $12,000 that first year!
In addition to chairing the event, of course I was in charge of making sure we had FABULOUS food! Thanks to generous donors and volunteers, the event continues to raise thousands of dollars to help educate deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
In Fresno, I volunteered for Cake4Kids, a program in which volunteers bake and deliver custom birthday cakes, cookies, and cupcakes for children in the foster system.
We aim to raise these children's self-esteem and confidence with this seemingly simple gift on their special day.
It may just be a cake, but the children we bake for know somebody took the time and effort to do something special just for them.
Want to get involved? Click here to see if there's a Cake4Kids chapter near you!
Now in Oregon, I run our community website. It's an easy way to volunteer in my community and I appreciate the opportunity to give back!
How Bowl Me Over got started!
Honestly, it first got started because I was pretty sure family and friends had grown tired of looking at the food photos I shared online. 🤣
All of my recipes are tried and true. Tested and retested to ensure they will work for you at home. Many have been handed down by generations of cooks.
Both of my Grandma's were amazing cooks, my Dad was a cook in the Army and of course Mom who continues to be an inspiration both in my cooking and daily life.
As I dove into married life, I quickly decided rather than just take pictures of food and write stories, I wanted to take this blogging thing seriously!
I work hard to develop recipes that are easy to make and delicious.
Don't worry, my recipes aren't complicated in the least.
Random Facts about me:
- My favorite color is orange, I've loved it since I can remember and you'll see a lot of it on the blog.
- I love a great murder mystery, whether that's a movie, on television or a book!
- My favorite drink is a great glass of chardonnay, closely followed by a Whiskey Old Fashioned - sour of course!
- I'm from St. Helens, Oregon. Does that sound familiar? Well when Mount St. Helens blew, I was playing softball and standing on second base!
- My favorite singer is Elton John.
- When I was a little girl I told my folks I wanted a piano. They told me if I earned enough money and bought my own piano they would pay for lessons. (I was in the 3rd grade) That summer I picked strawberries to make enough money to buy a piano. My folks paid for piano lessons for 10 years after that!
- I love to travel, but once I get there I'm in a hurry to get back home - can anyone else relate to that?
- My happy place is the ocean, not the turquoise beauty of a tropical island but the beautiful raw beauty of the Oregon coast. I could sit and watch the waves all day long.
- The most important thing in life for me is love, peace and security,
Press
- American Express Essentials - Unusual Jams, Marmalades and Preserves
- Bing - Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Blentec - Black Bean Soup Recipe
- Chowhouse
- CNET
- Food Republic
- FresYes
- Fresno State Sweet Corn
- Award-Winning Cheeseburger Soup
- Roasted Grape Crostini
- Gardening Channel - Best Ways to use Fresh Tomatoes
- Homes and Garden - How to Clean your Air Fryer Splatter Guard
- Mashed - 15 Ways to Upgrade Store-Bought Fish Sticks
- MSN
- Niche Pursuits - How Debra Clark used an accountability partner to grow her blog to six figures.
- Parade
- Samsung Food App
- Star Fine Food - Slow Cooker Paella
- Tasting Table
- The Kitchn - When to use Parchment Paper in the Oven
- Valley Fig - Fig Ice Cream Recipe
- Wewalka - Homemade Cheese Danish
- Woman & Home - The Difference Between a Bowl Lift and a Tilt Head Stand Mixer
- Yahoo Life
- Your Central Valley/KSEE 24 morning show
- Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Four Ingredient or Less Cookies
- Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
- Yummly - Easy Potato Soup Recipe
My blog is about food, family, a little bit of travel and all things that I think you will love. I have successes and sometimes....failures. I try to keep it real - so let's do this together!
Don't ever be afraid to pop me a note or ask a question to clarify a recipe or hear a little more about me! Because I wouldn't be here without YOU!
My email is debra@bowl-me-over.com and I'd love to hear from you!