Cooking from scratch: healthier, cheaper, and a great creative outlet
I have a favorite way of starting many chicken dishes. It's a couple simple steps that will create a crispy piece of chicken that you can then go on and use in many recipes. We like our chicken well done. I usually cook low and slow, and often longer than in many recipes, to get … Continue reading One Easy Chicken Method Can Make Many Different Recipes
I love cheesecake. It's probably my all time favorite dessert, and what I will most often order when eating out, just to see how well the restaurant can make it (or defrost it anyway). However, I don't make a big cheesecake very often - it's too much for 2 of us to eat, and too … Continue reading A Surprising way to make Cheesecake – in a Pressure Cooker!
Spaghetti and meatballs - an iconic dish. But I really dislike trying to make and fry meatballs (I often just bake them or drop them straight into the sauce, which I do make). But a spaghetti pie, is so easy! It's a spaghetti casserole, part cheese like lasagna, and part meat sauce. And more cheese … Continue reading Cook up a Super Easy Spaghetti Casserole
We don't eat a lot of pasta based meals (to my chagrin) due to dietary restrictions, but stuffed shells and meatballs is one of our favorites, after spaghetti and meatballs. I tend to make a lot of stuffed shells at once, and then freeze a couple meals worth. This time around I had a bag … Continue reading How to Make Perfect 3 Cheese Stuffed Shells with Meatballs
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