Cooking from scratch: healthier, cheaper, and a great creative outlet
I love different kinds of apple cake. This apple cake is so simple to mix, either with a hand or stand mixer, that you'll have it in the oven in 10 minutes or less. Apples are so plentiful in the autumn season and so good for you...well, maybe not in cake, but we'll make an … Continue reading A Fall Apple Cake So Easy You’ll Be Astonished
Pot roast is a comfort food, and super easy when using a slow cooker/crock pot. Autumn - cool days, and even cooler nights, which means it's time to make pot roast again! A few spices, pantry items and 15 minutes is all it takes. Then the kitchen smells so good as it simmers away all … Continue reading How to Make My Super Easy Pot Roast
Fresh pasta at home sounds so complicated, but it's not. Homemade pasta is so easy! Recently, I made a pound of pasta dough and then turned it into spaghetti one night and enough ravioli for another whole meal. The ravioli went into the freezer for one of those nights when I was too tired to … Continue reading Make Pasta at Home – So easy!
Fall means cooler weather, and a fabulous Beef Barley Soup is perfect for lunch or light dinner. It's a hearty soup full of beef bits and whole-grain barley that can make an entire meal with a side salad and some crusty bread. A bit creamy and thick, it's an authentic stick-to-your-ribs soup—and nutrient-rich. I had … Continue reading Why Make a Fabulous Beef Barley Soup for Fall
I came up with this Fox Pines Homestead sausage potato chowder out of necessity one afternoon. It was dreary, cold and damp, and I wanted a soup other than chicken noodle. Something creamy and thick and satisfying. The best sausage potato chowder I could make. I had taken a package of Argentinean Bombon (chorizo) sausage … Continue reading The Best Sausage Potato Chowder I’ve Ever Made
Necessity is the mother of invention as a the old proverb goes, and my twist on a cheese steak sandwich was just that. I had long sandwich rolls (hot dog rolls really), I had the cheese, peppers and onions. I didn't have steak. I had ground beef. So hubby says, just brown up the hamburger … Continue reading Inventing a new Twist on Cheese steak Sandwiches
I live by this phrase in emergency work. Patient conditions can be critical and scary, and sometimes I doubt my own abilities. Life has been hectic lately. I am halfway through my advanced EMT course, doing ride time on ambulances and time on the floor in emergency rooms. So I have not had planning time … Continue reading Even When You Think You Can’t, You Have to.
Our winter weather started off this week with a foot of snow. I knew I needed to make a pot of soup for the week, but what kind? No family member gave me any ideas. I had half a head of cabbage left from making galumpki's. I found half a ring of kielbasa in the … Continue reading Using Leftovers for Soup – a New Life Lesson
Now that the holidays are over, and suddenly the weather is supposed to have a cold snap (finally! 45 degrees at the end of December in the northeast is crazy!), it's time for soup. Specifically a Ham, Cheese and Potato soup that can be lunch or dinner. It's a good hearty meal. Just add salad … Continue reading How to Make a Great Ham, Cheese & Potato Soup
There are certain things I must have in my kitchen to cook with. Maybe your twelve are different, but this list will get you started. I hate having an item that can only serve one purpose. It just takes up space, except for a couple of times a year when I might want it. And … Continue reading My Kitchen’s Most Valuable & Essential Appliances