Posts

Caper Chops with Curried Carrots

The Recipe: Oh if only every supper were so quick and tasty! Cook the carrots and then the pork chops in a single skillet, add a few pantry ingredients. Low Carb. High Protein. Gluten Free. Easy adjusted for supper for one or two. A total win! The joke in northern states is that the year has two seasons, winter and road construction. The joke among snowbirds wintering in warmer climes is that the weather is boring, one perfect 80 degree day after another. Here in the Mississippi flyway of eastern Missouri, we’re blessed by four such distinct seasons, how can one pick a favorite? Still, spring is wondrous! Its promise starts small with snowdrops, crocus and hyacinths then moves to showy pussy willow, witch hazel and forsythia. Soon daffodils line roadsides in thick drifts, reaching sunward first on south- and west-facing exposures, gradually crossing over. Then even as deciduous leaves stain green, the flowering trees burst with blossoms that parade for weeks, one afte

Vanilla Brownies

You know how everyone has a favorite brownie recipe? the go-to brownie recipe? the make-them-all-the-time brownie recipe? Well, this is "that" brownie recipe for me. When I first started making these vanilla-scented brownies, they evoked memories of drinking vanilla cokes at the soda fountain in my hometown's drugstore. Here's the story – and my recipe for Vanilla Brownies too. REVIEWS "These smelled so good baking ..." ~ kaoriz Growing up, my small town of 1700 people had a K-12 school, a movie theater, a hospital, a newspaper, a bank, a dairy, five dress shops, five car dealerships, four hardware stores and three grocery stores, two cafés and two drugstores with soda fountains. Both fountains served ‘pop’ and ‘coke’ but it was Curtis Drug where I was allowed to perch my preteen self on a stool after school, perhaps because my mom some times played bridge with Mrs. Curtis. Above the fountain was a scruffy stuffed albino deer bagged b

Meatball Soup with Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli, we know. But broccoli rabe? broccoli raab? Both are pronounced ‘rob’ and it’s also called ‘rapini’. Scientifically, broccoli and broccoli rabe belong to the same family of cabbages and by color, they might be twins. But broccoli rabe is all about its slightly bitter leaves not its tiny top-side sprouts, and thus is treated like spinach or chard. It’s found in Italian and Chinese cuisine and lucky for us, is also taking hold here. And it’s worth seeking out. I’ve seen it Kirkwood, Rock Hill and Webster Groves. If you don’t, ask your produce manager about a special order. I’m sure you’ll be greeted graciously. RAPINI PANINI If the name alone won’t make the kids clamor for greens, well, perhaps hot bread and cheese will. Broccoli raab makes a great stuffing for hot sandwiches. Just sauté a couple of chopped handsful per sandwich in olive oil with chopped garlic and, yes! two or three mashed anchovies. Tuck between bread slices with mozzarella or goat cheese, roast

Irish Beef Stew

A hearty stew with big chunks of beef sirloin, carrots and potatoes in a beer-rich gravy, authentic for St. Patrick's Day but a really good basic stew recipe all year round too. I especially like this stew because it needn't cook all day, it's ready in a couple of hours, the chunks of beef already tender, the carrots and potatoes firm and sweet , not mushy from long cooking. Home-style Beef Stew, Simple and Perfect. Hearty & Filling. Budget Friendly. One-Pot Meal. Potluck & Party Friendly. High Protein.

Homemade Mushroom Soup

For anyone who's only tasted canned mushroom soup before, this recipe for mushroom soup made from scratch will be a revelation. All you need are some everyday grocery-store mushrooms, milk and a little cream plus a splash of sherry and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Prepare to be astounded ... Homemade & Home Delicious. Real Food, Fresh & Family-Tested. Budget Friendly. Great for Meal Prep. Easy DIY. Low Carb. Vegetarian.

On-the-Run Breakfast Bars

The Recipe: Low-sugar oat bars studded with bacon and cheese, the Kellogg rendition of an old-old recipe from Quaker Oats called "Breakfast Takealongs". Are you here to learn about the old Finnish custom of planting grass in plates and bowls during Lent? That's story's been moved, please see Lenten Grass , it's such a good way to mark the season of Lent with children. Has anyone checked out the energy bar shelves at the grocery store? Whoa, they go on and on and on! And don't even talk to me about energy drinks. All this energy and we're still couch potatoes? Breakfast Bars were my mom's answer to energy bars back when I was in high school – maybe before. They're simple oat bars, studded with bacon bits and grated cheese. I remember loving these bars and when my family published a family cookback with family recipes way back in 2002, Breakfast Bars were one of my contributions. RECIPE HISTORY Since then, I've learned that what