Happy New Year! Here’s a simple recipe to brighten your winter or make with the kids. 1-1/2 c. flour 2 t. baking powder 3/4 t. salt 1 c. sugar zest of 1 lemon 3/4 c. whole yogurt, lemon or plain 1/2 c. olive oil 2 eggs 1 t. vanilla Combine and spread in an oiled … more
Here is a soup that is easy, elegant, and cozy all at once, and great for the holiday season. (I really should have photographed it in something other than Corelle.) This is a regional dish here in our neck of the woods, and pretty much everyone likes it. You can make it from Chicken-in-a-Pot, or, … more
Hasn’t cooking gotten complicated in recent years? I blame the internet. Endless inspiration can be found there, but also endless competition. The simple meal has lost its dignity, and it is a shame. Fewer ingredients (which means less planning, shopping, money, storage, and management), less time, and less effort– how can that not benefit a … more
Crockpot oatmeal is one of the most important dishes in my recipe arsenal. It is super-easy and allows you to offer a hot breakfast to a group without any morning prep. I often serve it to overnight guests who need to leave early in the morning. Or at least, before I feel like getting moving. … more
In the homemaking life, meals are not my strong point. Despite coming from a family of chefs and loving good food, I dislike cooking and all the surrounding duties of meal planning, grocery shopping, and kitchen cleanup. If you have noticed a dearth of meal-related posts, it’s because I’m still figuring it out! But … more
Until recently, I would have considered that an oxymoron. I grew up in a family that was really into coffee and its attendant paraphernalia. My parents were ahead of their time and owned a restaurant coffee maker. When I was a teen, they obtained a commercial espresso machine. Later came a coffee bean roaster. As … more
I owned a copy of Nourishing Traditions before it became a popular lifestyle and have often fantasized of being a Real-Foodie. How I would love to have all that organic, home-grown, home-brewed, home-cooked food served at every meal. But alas, I despise the kitchen, and that does not bode well for a Nourishing Traditions menu. (It is a great … more
Everyone needs a good granola recipe. I spent years making fancy granolas with every embellishment conceivable. They were pretty and healthy, but expensive to make and appealed to a very small sampling of people who happened to like that particular blend of seeds, coconut, and dried fruit (i.e., not my kids). I was introduced to this granola … more
If you have tomatoes and don’t feel like canning, you must try this soup. Fresh tomato soup is unlike any tomato soup you’ve ever had. If you have an immersion blender, it’s a cinch to make. We get this treat only a couple times a year. It makes a perfect September supper with dipped bread, … more
As summer winds down, the garden is in its glory. Huge fuchsia zinnias are blooming their hearts out, little orange pumpkins are glowing under their vines, and the tired-looking tomato plants are finally yielding their heavy, luscious beefsteaks. Here in Wisconsin, we only get about a month of tomatoes before the frost claims the vines, … more