Everyone loves my Mom’s potato salad—even when I make it! I have been making my mom’s potato salad for several years, mostly for large gatherings. I’ve made it for 4th of July parties, potlucks, and even a wedding with hundreds of people. This is one …
When invited to someone’s house for dinner, or a party, my Mom taught me to always ask if there was anything I could bring. So, when my husband and I were invited to an impromptu barbeque at a friend’s house, and asked what we could bring, …
One Friday night after a long week at work, I ordered something “new” at a Mexican restaurant called Pollo Nevado. My college education was substantial enough to clue me in this translates as “snow chicken.” I’ve eaten at this restaurant several times since, but now, …
When my husband and I have a busy in our lives we have a tendency to not think about what we eat. We derail from a health lifestyle – and throw all dietary guidelines out the window, eating whatever we want whenever we want. When …
I used to be intimidated to make a whole side of salmon. Not anymore! Making seafood has been a learning curve and it takes practice. This is a salmon preparation that I now serve to guests! Broiled Wild Salmon1 large fillet (about 2 pounds)3 tablespoons …
If you are trying to reduce the amount of your sugar intake in your daily diet be sure to check the ingredient list of your salad dressing. I’ve read the back of a few bottles of dressing, and not recognized an ingredient or two. Now, …
I love steak. My Dad does too and I remember eating it quite often growing up. However, I grew up in the low-fat craze of the 80’s and I spent many years being fat phobic. In high school I probably would have thought ribeyes were …
This Steakhouse Baked Potato with Salt Jacket is something that my husband taught me how to make while we were dating! I added the “salt jacket” part, and it is still the best baked potato I’ve ever tasted. It’s better than all the restaurant potatoes …
Walking through Whole Foods the other day I noticed a giant display of gorgeous Swiss chard. I bought a bunch thinking that at the very least I could wilt them in olive oil with garlic, salt and pepper. In reality, when it came time to …
Cauliflower Gratin is one of my favorite cauliflower recipes. Although my “Smashed-cauliflower Potatoes” are a close second, I have literally made this cauliflower gratin dozens of times. I love that I can have a large portion of it if I’m especially hungry. It’s a delicious …
When I lived near a Trader Joe’s, I would sometimes buy a carton of spicy Cuban black bean soup that they carried. I thought it was reasonably healthy for being so convenient. The only listed ingredient that bothered me was cane juice. The soup didn’t …
A few weeks ago I happened to catch Food Network show with Giada. One of the dishes she made really stuck in my mind. So much so, that the next time I went grocery shopping I bought fingerling potatoes. As Giada was cooking the potato …
I have made this recipe a several times now. I usually triple or quadruple the recipe, put it in my crock pot and then chili is waiting for us when we come home with guests. What makes this special is all the optional fixings. It …
Using a slow cooker is very useful for making sure Thanksgiving day (or any special dinner with guests) goes smoothly. After all, there are so many dishes to make sure we get to the table hot – why not take an opportunity to make it …
I never heard of making a turkey in an electric roaster until I saw my mother-in-law make her turkey this way. Of course, after I saw this method I had to get an electric roaster myself! If this is the turkey my husband grew up …
Several years ago I worked at a camp and conference center. We had a full time chef that prepared some pretty amazing meals for groups of 50 to groups of 300 plus. One morning I saw how he made the breakfast bacon on large sheet …
I have made this recipe several times now, and it just keeps getting better and better. I used to try to put all sorts of spices on top of the chicken, stuffed inside of the chicken, stuffed in between the skin and the chicken (not …
This Quick Red Wine Tomato Sauce recipe is easy to make, less expensive than store-bought sauces, plus there is no extra sugar or preservatives. This is one of those recipes that was given to me word of mouth from an American born Italian mom. Sure, …
The other day I was walking through Whole Foods admiring their salad bar area (I often cruise by to get ideas) and I saw the biggest station of roasted garlic cloves that I had ever seen—hundreds of little cloves in a light amount of olive …
A couple of weeks ago I was given the gift of a grocery bag full of garden-grown basil and I knew I was going to make homemade pesto which I had been craving for months. The plan was to freeze most of it so that …
For the last couple of years in preparation for November’s Thanksgiving feast I have made two half turkey breast roasts, or one whole turkey breast roast. Really? You may be wondering why. Answer: homemade turkey broth for Thanksgiving day stuffing—of course! While turkey broth might …
Friends of mine have a bountiful garden, and I’m grateful that they have shared their abundance with me. They gave me spring onions, Japanese eggplant, zucchini, carrots, turnips and basil. Also, my neighbor gave me some yellow squash. So, almost everything in this salad is …
While I was grocery shopping in the produce section, I noticed that the pico de gallo was $3.99 for an 8 oz tub. Now, it is not beyond me to pay for something chopped up and ready made once in a while for a quick …
Yesterday, I found organic strawberries on sale—three pints for $6.00 and I couldn’t pass that up. While at the grocery store my husband and I decided to invite some friends over for a casual dinner and a movie. With our usual dinner-for-two bumped up to …
Years ago I read an article about how the taste of homemade mayonnaise is worth the extra effort. I filed that away in the back of my mind on the “to-do-someday” list. Years later I ran across a recipe. I tried it. I crashed and …
Mom’s salmon patties were an ingenious method for her to get us kids to eat more fish, I’m sure. We always ate them without complaint, albeit with ketchup. I imagine my mom used this as fast weeknight dinner she could make with ingredients she kept …
Pan-Seared Talapia with Clarified-Butter Lemon Sauce is a good beginner’s recipe for fish. Most of us know fish is good for us because it is full of heart healthy Omega 3s. And, because it is so good for us we know we should eat more …
Here is one way to take away some of the winter chill. Make some Glühwein (a.k.a. Gluhwein, Gluvine or Hot Mulled Spiced Wine). The first time I tasted Glühwein was at a German Christmas market in Esslingen, Germany. Yep, I had the real deal, and …
Our family recipe for rotisserie prime rib roast made with a Ronco Showtime Rotisserie. The key to this recipe is the amazing dry rub. Every time my husband and I visit my parents we get at least one or two amazing meals made from this …
This is a super easy recipe as it consists of 2 ingredients: tea and milk. I first had this beverage back in 1987 on my first night in Spain with my host family. In all honesty, it was the only thing she offered that I …
The idea for French Chicken in a Crock Pot came about because I wanted to be able to have the moist, tender, and flavorful dish without heating up the house, and I wanted to be able to leave the house and come back to a …
I love Trader Joe’s. The perfect example — they sell almond meal. If you are trying to cut back on gluten or white processed flour, this is a fabulous substitute. And, Trader Joe’s has it ground and packaged for convenience. One way I thought about …
Quick Asparagus and Vegetable Sauté is a fresh way to break out of the same old vegetable sides using simple ingredients to create a bold, clean flavor. It comes together quickly, uses simple ingredients, and works as a side dish or a base for meals …
Herb-Stuffed Chicken Breasts is an easy way to use fresh herbs you might have on the counter or in your fridge. I have been buying more fresh herbs lately. Sometimes I feel like those fresh herbs are like a ticking time bomb in the fridge, …
You have heard of wilted spinach, right? Well, here is another version of a wilted green, and it is oh so good for us. According to Wikipedia “Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory. Kale is …
I love sweet potatoes! I didn’t know this until last week. Until now, I have confused sweet potatoes with yams. I didn’t realize that there was a difference until I went to a grocery store that had both and were clearly marked! Yams are the …
This Easy Lemony Chicken Piccata is made healthier by using a combination of butter and olive oil and nutrient-dense homemade chicken stock.
This is one of my all-time favorite frittata recipes. I have made this dozens of times and it always tastes great. This recipe comes from the very first cookbook I ever bought called, Reader’s Digest Great Recipes for Good Health, published in 1988 back when …
I love to cook, but nobody that I know likes to cook complicated meals every night of the week (unless maybe it is your full time job to do so). Some of my favorite meals to cook when I don’t feel like cooking a “major …
This recipe has made its way to an Easter tradition in our home, and has been served as a brunch item, and used as an appetizer on occasion. If there are any left over (and that is a big “if”) I love to chop them …
I have had many versions of potato pancakes, after all, they come in many shapes and sizes. When I was a kid my mom made a version from leftover mashed potatoes which we all loved. I have made them from box mixes. I have ordered …
