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, …

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 …

These Easy Oven-Roasted Asparagus are crispy yet tender from end to end because part of the stalk is peeled. They are quick and easy enough to make for a week night dinner, and elegant enough to serve to guests. Sometimes you can find tender thin …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

I scored the family recipe for Prime Rib Roast. This may well be the best Christmas gift they could have given me. This family recipe is a fairly recent development, perfected after I was married and out of the house. The only problem is that …

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 …

Tired of the same old side dish vegetables? This is good enough to turn into a meal by adding some protein. I was doing some shopping in my new favorite health-food market Jimbos, and in the vegetable section they had about a pound of asparagus, …

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.

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 …

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 …

Ratatouille is a classic french vegetable stew cooked low and slow for 2 hours. This version uses canned tomatoes making prep easier. I made this stew for the first time after reading the book French Women Don’t Get Fat.  By the way, after I read …