Thank you to Lindsay® for sponsoring this post! Have you ever tried making pizza in a cast iron skillet? If not, you're in for a real treat. The crust on this pizza is simply awesome. You're also in for a real flavor explosion with this Mexican-inspired deep dish … Continue reading →
Slow Cooker Chinese Fried Rice
Fuss-free, hands-off, one-pot, now you can enjoy a Chinese take-out favorite and let your slow cooker do everything for you - try our Slow Cooker "Fried" Rice recipe! Chinese fried rice has always been a favorite of mine, but it's a long process to get it right, to … Continue reading →
How To Create a Cheese & Charcuterie Board
Thank you to New Seasons Market for sponsoring this post! I can't think of anything classier than a cheese & charcuterie board for entertaining or to enjoy for a couple's night in. Todd and I have a tradition where a few evenings a month, after the kids are in bed … Continue reading →
Spanish Deviled Eggs
Thank you to Lindsay® for sponsoring this post! Spaniards are masters of appetizers, which they call “tapas.” For them it's an art form and every restaurant and bar features its own carefully crafted selection of tapas. In Spain when you go out for dinner it's … Continue reading →
Risalamande (Danish Rice Pudding)
The most popular Danish Christmas dessert, Risalamande is a wonderfully creamy almond rice pudding that is served topped with a delicious cherry sauce! Be sure to also try our traditional Aebleskiver, another favorite Danish treat enjoyed throughout the … Continue reading →
Mandelhörnchen (German Almond Horns)
Popular throughout Germany, these German Almond Horns feature the delicious flavor of almonds and marzipan and a wonderfully chewy texture. This traditional Mandelhörnchen recipe is sure to become a favorite! What are Mandelhörnchen? Mandelhörnchen, German for almond … Continue reading →
Traditional Spotted Dick (English Steamed Pudding)
Traditional Spotted Dick Recipe A quintessential British dessert, Spotted Dick represents everything that is delicious about traditional English cooking. Tender steamed pudding dotted with succulent currants is drizzled with a luxuriously rich and creamy vanilla custard. … Continue reading →
Vanilla Custard (Crème Anglaise)
This classic English vanilla custard recipe, Creme Anglaise, is very simple and quick to make and the result is absolutely delicious served with dessert! Irresistibly creamy and smooth and infused with vanilla! Custard serves two basic culinary purposes: Either as a … Continue reading →
Kinderpunsch (German Christmas Punch)
The flavorful and heavenly smelling mulled Christmas punch (non-alcoholic) you know and love from the German Christmas markets! Kinderpunsch incorporates fruit tea, fruit juices, citrus, and a variety of spices for an unforgettable fragrance and flavor! There is … Continue reading →
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Bacon & Balsamic Reduction
Few dishes spark more intense feelings at the Thanksgiving and Christmas table than Brussels sprouts. A close runner up is probably sweet potato casserole - you know, the stuff with the brown sugar and marshmallows on top? I've always hated that stuff. But my parents and … Continue reading →
Best Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies Same great flavor and terrific texture but without the gluten! I've been cutting back on our family's gluten intake the past few months and so have been experimenting with more gluten free baking. During the Christmas season it's … Continue reading →
Mozzarella-Stuffed Crispy Portobello Burgers (“One to Five” Cookbook Review + Giveaway!)
I received a copy of Chef Ryan's cookbook for review and all opinions are entirely my own. If you like easy, quick, affordable, and crowd-pleasing dishes (I do!) then you should check out this new cookbook from Chef Ryan Scott which has been endorsed by celebrated chefs … Continue reading →
Salmon with Cranberry Ginger Mustard Sauce
Tender and moist salmon topped with a luscious cranberry ginger mustard sauce. It's delicious and it couldn't be easier! I've teamed up with Hamilton Beach to bring you this delicious post! Last week I found an incredible deal on fresh cranberries at a roadside produce … Continue reading →
Cranberry Ginger Mustard Sauce
Cranberry sauce. Whether you love it or hate it, Thanksgiving and Christmas simply aren't the same without it. As a kid and teenager I used to avoid the stuff. You know, that thick gelatinous stuff that retains the shape of the can after it's unceremoniously dumped onto … Continue reading →
Maximizer Fruit & Apple Cider Press Review + How To Bottle & Preserve Fresh Apple Juice
I received this cider press from Pleasant Hill grain without any obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. We purchased our dream home last December - a 104 year old historic home on nearly 8 acres, complete with a barn, stone greenhouse and … Continue reading →
Bavarian Sweet Mustard (Bayerischer Süßer Senf)
A thoroughly authentic sweet German mustard recipe, this Bavarian sweet mustard is the kind served at the Munich Oktoberfest! Delicious and easy to make! My mom is from Bavaria from a small town south of Munich on the Austrian border, and though I grew up in … Continue reading →
Caramel Pear Butter
If you're an apple butter fan you've got to try this with pears. A fuss-free recipe utilizing the slow cooker, simply dump in the ingredients and let the slow cooker work its magic. The result is a wonderfully deep, caramelized flavor that comes from slow cooking the pears … Continue reading →
Kitchen Basics: How To Roast Red Peppers
Instead of paying a premium for store-bought, learn how to roast red peppers yourself! It's easy and there are SO many delicious ways to use your roasted peppers! Jarred roasted red peppers are one of those things I often don't have on hand when I need them. Can you … Continue reading →
How To Make Fruit Leather
Making a wholesome, no added sugar treat for yourself and your family couldn't be easier! Too many food items you find in the store are full of ingredients that belong in a toxic waste depository rather than in a food item that's consumed by kids or grownups. Fruit … Continue reading →
Plum Butter
This Plum Butter recipe is made in the slow cooker for an incredibly deep, rich, caramelized flavor. It's easy to make and if canned properly will keep for up to a year. It's delicious on bread, muffins, scones, waffles, pancakes, added to cakes and pastries, and even … Continue reading →
How To Can Peaches (Without Sugar, With Syrup or Honey)
Learn how to can peaches with syrup, honey or without any sugar at all and then sit back and enjoy your labor of love all year long! Canning is such a great way of preserving food to enjoy over the long haul. Buy your produce locally when it's in season, can it and … Continue reading →
Pickled Turnips
Pickling is a method of preservation that dates back to Neolithic times around 7000 BC. During this anaerobic fermentation process strange and wonderful things happen that transform the original product into something quite different. And very healthy with all those … Continue reading →
Burmese Yellow Split Pea Fritters (Baya Kyaw)
If yellow split peas aren't something you use very often, get ready for a fabulous way to put them to use! Crispy, spicy and flavorful, these Burmese yellow split pea fritters can be served as appetizers or the main course with your favorite dipping sauce. They can also … Continue reading →
How To Can Cherries, Dehydrate Them & Use The Pits
It's cherry season! And that means bounteous harvests of gorgeous, plump, juicy globes of sweetness. We picked up two bulk loads of Washington cherries, a combination of Rainier and Bing, 80 pounds total! I've been preparing them several ways: Canning, dehydrating, … Continue reading →
Gluten Free Crepes
I think I could eat crepes all day if I let myself. (It's a good thing I don't.) But it sure would be easy to. Have you ever had crepes filled with Nutella and and spread with some whipped cream? Or simply filled with strawberry jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar? … Continue reading →
Sicilian-Style Grilled Tuna Steaks
A mouthwatering Sicilian-style grilled tuna steaks recipe! Grilled to perfection and topped with the flavors of sun-kissed Sicily. It's easy and delicious! A special thank you to Lindsay for sponsoring this post From my early childhood trips to Italy's beaches to … Continue reading →
Käsespätzle (German Cheese Spaetzle)
One of the most beloved of all Swabian dishes, Kasespatzle (German Cheese Spaetzle) is everything great comfort food should be! Chewy homemade Spätzle baked with gooey Swiss cheese and topped with caramelized onions, it's on my most favorite dishes! What is … Continue reading →
Roasted Sweet Potato Fettuccine Alfredo
Even though the holidays are long over, our consumption of sweet potatoes doesn't have to be - nor should it be! Find out more about the U.S.history of sweet potato consumption and why you should be eating them throughout the year in my post on Curried Sweet Potato Soup … Continue reading →
Valencian Paella Recipe
Thank you to Culinary Collective for sponsoring this post It's no wonder paella is the national dish of Spain because this delicious and drop-dead gorgeous dish is simply phenomenal! This Valencian paella recipe is a one-pot rice dish that's easy to make and perfect for … Continue reading →
Curried Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Tarragon
I love creamy soups. Their creamy texture and vibrant flavors all spell "comfort" to me. This deliciously rich and seductively silky soup showcases the sweet potato. An ancient tuber, sweet potatoes have been radiocarbon-dated in the Cook Islands to 1000 AD and are thought … Continue reading →
French Beef Stew with Old-Fashioned Vegetables
The French really know how to make great stews. Here is one of them and it uses a method similar to that of German Sauerbraten and corned beef to achieve both an exquisitely tangy flavor and a lusciously tender beef. Many of you have already been introduced to my French … Continue reading →
How To Make a Bouquet Garni
If you like French food and you want to cook like the French, you have to become acquainted with the Bouquet Garni. An indispensable part of French cuisine, the bouquet garni is quick and simple to put together and will do wonders for your food. Plus, I've got some great … Continue reading →
How To Make Homemade Canned Boston Baked Beans or Pork and Beans
Here's the thing, if I'm going to make the effort to can I like to make a huge batch to make my efforts worth it, because it doesn't take any longer to do so. But it does save me the time of making a second batch later. But, you need a really large stock pot. The best … Continue reading →
French Entertaining Part II: Nouvelle Cuisine (+ Alexian/Le Creuset Giveaway!)
I've teamed up with Alexian to bring you this post. Welcome back to Part II of French Entertaining! In our last post French guest cook Sandrine Vannson enlightened us on French entertaining "country style" with Duck Rillette and Pheasant & Rosemary … Continue reading →
Fettuccine Alfredo
Creamy, buttery, and irresistibly delicious, this Fettuccine Alfredo recipe is the ultimate comfort food! Quick and easy to prepare, it's equally perfect for a busy weeknight or for a romantic night in! Thank you to Bon Appetit for sponsoring this post! The best … Continue reading →
Chicken Barley Soup
Incredibly flavorful and packed with nutrients, this wonderful Chicken Barley Soup recipe is sure to become a family favorite! Make double batch while you're at it because it's great for leftovers or freezing! The weather here is crazy today! A total downpour of … Continue reading →
Salmon Risotto with Preserved Lemon
This dish is perfect for a family meal, a couple's night at home, or a dinner party. Risotto uses a special rice, most commonly arborio, and it cooks up into a deliciously creamy texture with the the perfect touch of chewiness. Risotto has a bit of an upscale image … Continue reading →
French Entertaining “Country Style” + Alexian/Le Creuset Giveaway!
I've teamed up with Alexian to bring you this delicious post! I recently had the opportunity to try some amazing products from ALEXIAN. Let me tell you a little about them. Alexian is America's premier producer of the finest pâtés and mousses all made with the finest, … Continue reading →
Lemon Lime Zucchini Cake with Lemon Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
Our garden yielded a ton of squash this Summer. A ton. And we've just harvested what is hopefully the last bunch. Fingers crossed. That said, this overabundance of squash enabled/forced me to get creative in finding news ways of using it. So as I dragged in the … Continue reading →
Pressure Canner Chili Con Carne
I've been canning for several years, but only using the water-bath method. So that means I've mostly been making jams, relishes, chutneys, pickles, salsas and other high-acidic foods that are safe for water-bath canning. For most other things you have to have a pressure … Continue reading →