Category: RECIPES


  • A couple Friday’s ago Stephen brought home a pumpkin muffin with strussel topping. I was gracious for his thoughtfulness. Now, normally a pumpkin muffin would have sounded appetizing but I just was not that interested. You see last year I went pumpkin crazy. I finally found the much sought after Pumpkin Chip Cookie recipe. Then…

  • Wild rice pilaf evokes fall with the warmth of the pecans and mushrooms reminiscent of homemade Thanksgiving stuffing. I love the added protein from the garbanzo beans. They lend a chewy filler without the fat and extra calories associated with sausage. I like to boil the orzo in chicken broth to add more flavor. Wild…

  • I had a bake off this week in search of an easy yet tasty dinner roll recipe. I eliminated any recipe that called for evaporate or dry milk because dry milk is not a common pantry ingredient and is surprisingly expensive. The decision of which recipes to try was a difficult one for they all…

  • It is not very often our five year old volunteers to help cook. This morning he was eager to take position as my assistant chef.  He mashed the bananas, whisked the dry ingredients and then combined the two. This helpful streak of his has been going on all week. He has jumped in tackling tasks…

  • Apples and cranberries scream Autumn. Wrap the colorful goodness up in a pastry shell and you have got an apple and cranberry strudel. The warm aroma of cinnamon and apples permeate the house. Take a bite and taste the tart cranberries dancing on your taste buds. The last time I made a strudel was not…

  • A couple of years ago I bought a recipe book for kids. You know the one that shows you how to transform food into edible art? Supposedly kids will gobble down sandwiches in the shape of a caterpillar or a bowl of soup with a roll in the shape of a pig. Maybe my kids…

  • The Panko Crusted Grits are very time consuming but well worth the work, that is I suppose if you really like grits. For a faster substitution cook up a pot of polenta or grits according to the following directions for Panko Crusted Grits, stopping just after adding the Parmesan cheese. Pork Grillades can also be…

  • I cannot resist the crunch of a ripe hard juicy apple, it is so satisfying. Apples pair well with just about anything, my favorite a cube of cheddar cheese, mmm tasty. Oatmeal Apple Scones and Chicken Apple Chili are among my favorite uses for apples. The scones, unlike cake or muffins, are not to sweet…

  • A friend of ours from the Ukraine came to visit not long after we settled in California. As a treat he made dinner that night cooking up cabbage rolls (Holubtsi) among other delectables. Stephen is not so much into trying new things. You could call him a simpleton of sorts. But what he despises more…

  • It is that time again. It is time for Halloween dinner fun. Here are a few tantalizing ideas for this years Halloween Mystery Dinner Menu. Beverages: Boo Beverage Ghoulish Punch Appetizers: Worm Pizza Witch Hat Calzones Entrees: Roasted Ghoul Tongue Barbecue Worm Sandwiches Brains A La Fiesta Witches Caldron and Bread Stick Brooms Desserts: Graveyard…