I suppose you could call these "half yeast roll and half savory muffin". But really, that doesn't quite convey their special magic: imagine the alluring taste of soft yeast rolls but the baking convenience of muffins, no rise time, no wait, no fussy roll formation. REVIEWS "... they are good, aren’t they?" ~ Carole "These were a big hit, 15-year-old boys love them!" ~ The Sister Moms and dads are known for magical powers. Just think of the owies and ouchies that vanish with a quick kiss and a warm hug, how a child’s excitement flourishes with words of encouragement and praise. But how do busy parents transform soups and salads from weeknight same-old to weeknight special? It’s no illusion. Straight from the oven, hot rolls are a magic of their own sort. But after work and errands, before homework and bedtime rituals, what busy parent has time to wave a wand for rolls? You do, that’s who. These rolls require no kneading and n

Introducing the new "power food", a raw broccoli salad made sweet with fruit and nuts and tossed in a simple vinaigrette. It's a favorite with kids and grownups alike, light and fresh and fruity. COMPLIMENTS! "We took this salad to a potluck - it was a real hit!" ~ Doris "...it was delicious!" ~ Tziiki Parents know that kids really do say the darndest things. One night, friends from the next town over nvited me to join them for supper, Mom, Dad and sons Andrew and Nate. We sat down to chicken, rice and a big platter of steamy-green broccoli. I asked if the boys’ play toys included Power Rangers. “Sure!” exclaimed detail-happy Andrew and listed off Power Ranger guys. I conjured a dramatic voice. “Do you know,” I began, pausing for effect, “that broccoli is a power food?” Gregarious Nate looked impressed, as if glad to learn something so important. “No, I didn’t know that!” And hence our table conversation turned to power

Welcome to a special edition of Kitchen Parade, an introduction to Iowa 'pioneers' who are raising pork for Niman Ranch with new-but-old practices. If you like, skip straight to this week's featured recipe for Thick Chops with Mustard Crust , a 2003 column published online today for the first time. Otherwise, prepare to meet some happy pigs ... If there is a single place from which this country emits a steady heartbeat, it’s the swells and dales of Iowa, the state that means ‘beautiful land’ in the language of one its native tribes, the Ioway. Lub-dub, lub-dub. The more urban our country, the further the separation from our agrarian roots. And thus we must travel farther — or stretch deeper like trees reaching for water during drought — to seek out and understand the sources of our nourishment. Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub. In early September, Elise Bauer and I joined a group of chefs and other passionate food people in Iowa as the guests of Niman Ranch , the m