Shepard's Pie

Ham and Potato Casserole

Meatballs

Chicken and Biscuits

Today I'm sharing with you some good old wholesome, home cooked comfort food.  Chicken and biscuits were always a special treat in our house.  (Click here to read the story.) And it's still a favorite now that I'm all grown up.  This meal is best made with homemade chicken stock - it really is worth the extra time.  We always had it with the basic chicken and gravy, but if you wanted to you could add some diced carrots, green beans, peas, and corn to the broth before making the gravy for additional flavor and nutrition.  Hope you enjoy it as much as my family always did!

Salmon Patties

In my kitchen, I try to make the right choices for healthy meals and snacks, but as I strive for "perfection" I realize that my efforts are limited by time and knowledge.  I've developed a good better, best scale which also includes special treats and those items that will never be found in my house.  The special treats include chocolate chip cookies and ice cream.  The forbidden items include margarine and store bought eggs.  The salmon patties featured in this post are a great example of how to use the good, better, best scale.  A good choice would be canned wild salmon, better would be fresh, wild salmon that you cook yourself, best would be going fishing in a salmon stream in the Pacific Northwest (my personal favorite for multiple reasons). The forbidden choice would be processed salmon cakes that you find in the frozen food aisle.  Another quick example: good - butter, better - organic butter, best - buy a cow and milk it, and make your own butter.  Never in my house - margarine.

Give it a try, one thing at a time, and do your best and as my friend Jane said... without driving yourself crazy.

Cookie Dough Dip

Sometimes we just need to splurge.  There are many things that would not fall under the "health food" category, yet we eat them anyway.  Ice cream, pie, brownies, and this latest recipe fall into that category.  Sometimes we just have to satisfy that craving for something sweet, and let me tell you this will do the trick.  Welcome to the world of cookie dough dip.  All the wonderful flavor of cookie dough without the raw eggs.  (Although I never hesitate to sample some cookie dough before I make the cookies.) Enjoy this indulgence with vanilla wafers, graham crackers or pretzels.  Or just go for it with a spoon.

Homemade Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

Here continues the saga of my bread making adventures.  I have mastered the basic recipe, and have moved on to whole grains.  Let’s just say that I wasn’t as successful with the whole grains.  But I’m not giving up… I just think I’ll stay away from pure whole wheat flour for a while.  The basic recipe on the other hand, is absolutely delicious, and like all the recipes require little preparation and few ingredients.  What takes the time is the rising, but if you plan ahead, and take the 5 minutes to shape the loaf and set it on the counter when you get home from work, you will have warm, delicious bread ready for dinner. It goes perfectly with a bowl of soup, or toasted for garlic bread.  And as the dough ages in the refrigerator, it sours slightly, and makes the most delicious sourdough bread.  It is wonderful as toast, a sandwich or a Panini.  Try it, and while you work on the basic recipe, I will work on the whole grain recipes.

Tortellini Soup

Tonight was Sunday soup for supper.  And Tortellini Soup was on the menu.  This is a great soup for a cozy winter meal.  It's so quick to throw together, and I'm sure you have most of the ingredients on hand, you'll have a weeknight dinner on the table in no time.  Topped with grated Parmesan cheese and a side of crusty bread, this soup is hard to beat.  Speaking of bread, my resolution to learn to make bread is going very well.  I will be working on the post this week, so stay tuned.  Learn how to make bread this way, and you'll never have to buy it at the store again. It has changed my life (dramatic, but true, at least in the bread department).

Roasted Carrots with Honey and Thyme

Have I mentioned that I'm addicted to roasted vegetables?  Well, I am.  And roasted carrots are at the top of my list right now.  Yummy! The roasting brings out their natural sweetness, and the addition of honey and thyme makes this the perfect side dish to any meal.  We had them Saturday night with brisket (click here to view recipe) and PW's roasted garlic mashed potatoes (click here to view recipe).

Maple Pretzel Chicken and Roasted Potato Salad

The sweet of the chicken and the tang of the salad makes a quick and delicious week night meal.  It takes a few minutes to roast the potatoes for the salad, but it can always be done the night before and then mixed with the greens when you're ready to serve.  For the chicken, make sure the pretzel pieces are finely crushed.  The smaller the pieces the easier it will be to coat the chicken.

Potato Bread

Happy new year everyone!  At least those of you who still visit this blog occasionally.  I have two resolutions this year.   The first is to blog more often, at least once a week.  The hustle and bustle of the holidays kept me away, but I am back and have lots of good recipes to share.  The second resolution is to learn how to make bread.  I've tried and been less than successful in the past.  But this is a new year, and I'm going to give it another try.  I might even try some gluten free recipes, we'll see.  First up is potato bread, courtesy of my sister, Ruth.

White Chicken Chili

Last weekend white chicken chili was our Sunday Soup Supper.  This is a slow cooker recipe, so with a little planning ahead, you will have a delicious meal waiting for you when you get home at the end of the day.  The recipe starts with cooked chicken and chicken stock.  If you really plan ahead, you can make your own chicken stock, and have the chicken ready for the soup at the same time.  Click here for directions on how to make your own chicken stock.

 

Pumpkin Bars

Last Saturday was all about Grandma Warren.  In the morning I went to my first ever basket making class. For those of you who never had the chance to meet her, Grandma was a extraordinary lady who loved her family, was a great cook, and she made amazing baskets.  It was so special to learn the basics of her craft, and hopefully be able to continue the tradition.  On Saturday I also decided to make her famous pumpkin bars.  When my sisters and I were younger, without fail, Grandma would come to church with two pans of pumpkin bars.  And every Sunday, they would all be gone within an hour of coming home.  Back then it was all about how yummy they were, but thinking about it now, it was more about the time and thought that she put into making them for us.  I hope that you enjoy them as much as we always did.

Baked Potato Soup

We're starting a new tradition at our house.  Every Sunday that we are home, and our schedule allows, we will be having soup for supper.  Not a crazy revelation, but it will allow us to enjoy some old favorites and try some new recipes.  This one for example, Baked Potato Soup, is a new addition to the soup section of my cookbook binder.  Delicious!

 

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

So I had a dilemma... I love Chinese food, but I hate the way the food from the Chinese buffet makes me feel.  I decided to take matters into my own hands, and learn how to make some of these delicious treats.  First up, is sweet and sour chicken stir fry.  Take the time to make your own Chinese, and you'll never go back to the buffets.  Okay, so maybe you'll go back once in a while, but you'll regret it later.

Blueberry Pie Bars

So, I know I just posted a blueberry recipe a little while ago, but when you love blueberries, you find new recipes to try with them... especially when you have 23 quarts of them in your freezer.  Don't have time to make a pie from scratch? Cheat a little and whip up these tasty blueberry pie bars.  You'll be glad you did.

Cauliflower Soup

Nothing says fall better than a big bowl of soup.  Here's a delicious one I borrowed from Pioneer Woman.  Even if you're not a big fan of cauliflower, this one is worth a try.  Quick and easy to throw together, and don't forget the sour cream at the end, it brings it all together.

Blueberry Pudding Cake

This recipe was shared with me over 10 years ago by the camp host at Tuttle Campground.  She and her husband became very good friends while I worked summers at the park, and I think of her every time I make this recipe.  In my recipe binder, I made a note "The Best Ever" with 4 stars.  The method of assembly is a little different for this cake, but follow the directions and you will have a sweet, light cake on top of a smooth blueberry pudding when you're done. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Grandpa's Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes

Last week, we had one of the best meals ever.  If you ask Mr. Wonderful, he might say that, yes it was good, but not the best ever.  After all, if was meatloaf.  But for this meal, you have to look beyond the delicious flavor, and appreciate where all the food in the meal came from... that's what makes it so special.  We had steamed green beans, fresh from the garden, roasted fingerling potatoes, fresh from the garden, and Grandpa's Meatloaf made with homegrown grass-fed beef, and topped with homemade ketchup.  Not every meal is so close to home, but I try and do my best to as cook as local as possible.  Your local farm stands will be open for a few more weeks.  What are you waiting for, make you and your family a local meal.

Eggplant Parmesan

Summer is winding down, and we are all making the final harvests from our gardens.  Here is a quick and delicious recipe for eggplant, if you were brave enough to plant any, let alone eat it.  The typical response when I mention eggplant is an not a positive one, but unless you've tried it, please don't judge.  And if you didn't grow any eggplant this year, pick one up at the local farmer's market or farm stand, and give this recipe a try.