One of spring's great classics is a steaming bowl of asparagus soup. This is the recipe I've followed for many years, in part because it's so simple, in part because I change the recipe, just slightly, to move from an everyday and almost rustic asparagus soup to a richer, smoother, more refined and elegant soup made to impress. This one's a keeper! Budget-Friendly. Fresh & Seasonal, a Spring Classic. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Weight Watchers Friendly. Low Carb. Naturally Gluten Free. Great for Meal Prep.

The famous Russian steak draped in sour cream sauce, here turned into a weeknight skillet casserole with ground beef plus the usual mushrooms and sour cream plus a simple secret ingredient that makes all the difference. (Think pickles!) Good news, the recipe easily converts to chicken, Greek yogurt and brown rice, a "stroganoff-ish" combination that's just as good and Weight Watchers friendly! Real Food, Fresh & Flexible. Budget-Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Weight Watchers Friendly. High Protein.

Hey all, is cooking driving you crazy or keeping you sane? It just might depend on the day, eh? If some spring-y recipe suggestions plus more tips and ideas in and out of the kitchen will help, well ... here you go.

Shhh! This simple banana bread is so good, let's not tell that it's low-fat! And the thing is? No one's going to notice, it's got the right taste, the right texture, the right banana richness, just like other recipes with much more fat and many more calories. Real Food, Fresh & Flexible. A Year-Round Classic. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Weight Watchers Friendly.

Happy Easter, All ...

Mini Tiikerikakku (Marble Pound Cake) Oh friends, it's been decades since I've made this old Finnish recipe, a pound cake with iconic chocolate stripes, just like tiger stripes. But isn't it just fun? (And oh, can't we use a little fun right now?) It's easy to make on a whim, in fact, definitely simple enough to share mixing and baking with kids. And ... for those of us who are in small households, my version is a small cake specially scaled for a half-size Bundt pan. If you only have a big Bundt pan? Just double the recipe and freeze cake slices for later. Fun for Kids. Budget-Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Freezes Well.

A collection of recipe and ideas in and out of the kitchen during yet another week of physical isolation, a Holy Week like no other, while preparing for Easter, Passover and soon, Ramadan.

Our house bread recipe, My Easy Everyday Bread Recipe , now adapted here for the stand mixer. The bread is made with a good measure of whole wheat flour and studded with oatmeal, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, whatever you've got. The crust is soft and easy to cut through while the bread itself has that even crumb that makes it work so well for sandwiches, toast and you know, a heel at a time ... still warm from the oven, with a smidgen of butter. Ready to bake bread now? I thought so. Real Food, Fresh & Flexible. Weight Watchers Friendly. Great for Meal Prep, Keeps for Days & Freezes Well.

Which is better, kneading bread dough by hand or kneading it with a stand mixer? Here you'll see the pros and cons for each method, the reasons why a stand mixer does a better job but also why kneading bread by hand remains the better option . The obvious conclusion? It depends. Here you'll also learn how to mix and knead dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook and even how to convert your own favorite hand-kneaded yeast bread to mixing and kneading with your mixer. C'mon, bread bakers, let's get floured up! A Practical Look at Kneading Bread Dough with a Stand Mixer.

Where were you on the Leap Year, February 29th, a month ago today? It seems like an age or twenty ago, doesn't it? Or maybe, like Leap Year, just four years ago.