Cooking from scratch: healthier, cheaper, and a great creative outlet
I love cornbread. And since it's made with a lot of whole grain, it's not unhealthy for those of us watching simple carbs. But the sugar in in can be unhealthy. I have found I can use golden monk fruit to replace half the brown sugar in it without altering the taste or consistency. I … Continue reading A new Sweet Southern Cornbread
It's a late fall day in the Northeast. Cold, even a few snow flurries are present. Which makes me think of big pots of warm deliciousness on the stove top, making the whole house smell good. And my 3 Chile Chili fits the bill perfectly. I learned to make chili from my mother in law. … Continue reading How to Make the Ultimate Secret 3 Chile Chili
I love pasta - it's a comfort food. And I love the Italian view of food and cooking. It's my own ideal. Cooking and food is love. I cook with purpose to give my family and friends something special to show how much I care. Bolognese sauce takes hours to make it a traditional way, … Continue reading How to Make a Lovely Bolognese Sauce
Soup is just a great food. Easy to heat up for a quick meal. Usually easy to make. Uses up left overs and transforms them into a wonderful new meal. And a perfect fall food. I made a large corned beef this past week. We've eaten all the chicken noodle soup form last week. So … Continue reading The Easiest Beef Barley Soup
Rainy and fall is approaching now in earnest. Time for a childhood comfort food - Mom's Apple Sauce Cake. It's one of those kitchen smells that takes me right back to the farm house I grew up in. And remembering that we all wanted the middle pieces, not a crusty edge or corner. It's a … Continue reading The Best Cake – Making Mom’s Awesome Applesauce Cake
I watch all kinds of cooking shows on TV. My So Yummy channel (YUM for short) has a program recently called How to Cook like an Italian with Silvia Colloca. I've become fascinated with this show even though it was on only a couple seasons. Today one episode had 'Pasta e ceci con cavolo nero' … Continue reading How to Make Tuscan Chickpea Soup with Kale and Pasta
Switzel - I've seen it mentioned in several magazine articles lately. What is it? It's an old time drink from the1600's made with water, vinegar, usually ginger, and in this case, also with honey. All things I always have in my house. And if you add a little seltzer before drinking it does resemble soda … Continue reading How to Make Honey Ginger Switzel
Need an easy but fancy dessert? Tiramisu! And this version needs to be made a day ahead, and refrigerated overnight. So easy to whip up - and then grab and go! Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert - a refrigerator dessert with no baking involved! This version starts off classic with ladyfinger cookies, which by … Continue reading How to Do an Easy Make Ahead Tiramisu
Summer is always so busy, and now above and beyond my real job, I have a big garden to start eating and preserving. More on the latter in the future. I always grow green beans, and usually wax beans, but since I still have canned green beans from last year, I planted a much smaller … Continue reading The Best Super Easy Cheesy Green Beans
Shepherd's Pie, made with ground beef or lamb, gravy and vegetables smothered in mashed potatoes - what could be easier? And a big casserole of it feeds quite a few people. So when I started wondering this morning about what to make for dinner with the pound of ground beef I had in the fridge, … Continue reading How to Make An Easy Beef & Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie Recipe