Deliciously fresh and seductively smoky, the flavor and varied textures in this phenomenal Southern Black Eyed Pea Salad recipe will wow your taste buds! Quick and easy to make, serve it as a side or enjoy it as a salsa with chips! The South has a tradition that goes … Continue reading →
Greek Meatballs
This Greek Meatballs recipe captures the exquisite flavors of sun-kissed Greece! Incredibly rich in flavor, these delicious meatballs will have you coming back for seconds! Our family loves meatballs.  For many of us they're linked to childhood memories of comfort … Continue reading →
BEST Instant Pot Chili
This Instant Pot Chili recipe is a favorite in our home. A delicious blend of beef, beans, tomatoes, a variety of fragrant spices, and a "secret ingredient" all come together to create a tummy-warming, soul-satisfying chili that is out of this world delicious! Have … Continue reading →
Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad
Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad Enjoy your favorite pizza toppings in this pasta salad! Easy to assemble and made in advance, bring this to your next family picnic, BBQ, or potluck! You just can't have too many pasta salad recipes.  They're the perfect accompaniment to … Continue reading →
Curried Lentil Soup
Packed with flavor and nutrients, this Curried Lentil Soup is a recipe you'll want to double because it also freezes well and makes for the perfect quick and ready meal! I've partnered with Aneto to bring you this recipe. This Curried Lentil Soup recipe packs in a TON … Continue reading →
How To Save Tomato Seeds
Learn how to save tomato seeds - it's so easy! - and watch as your tomato plants improve year after year! And stored properly they will last you for several years to come! We have a large vegetable garden, berry patch and fruit orchard that we keep going every year … Continue reading →
Greek Einkorn (Wheat Berry) Salad
This Greek Einkorn Wheat Berry Salad is not only visually beautiful and nutritious, it's a total flavor explosion! I'm a big fan of grain salads. They're not only nutritious but I find they keep me satiated without having to consume large servings. And they're great … Continue reading →
Italian Barley Salad
This colorful and flavorful Italian Barley Salad is a great make-ahead dish and is perfect for your next potluck, picnic, BBQ or any other occasion! I did something I never thought I'd do. I never, ever thought I'd replicate, or even want to replicate, airplane … Continue reading →
Simmered in Tradition, RAGÚ Turns 80
Thank you to RAGÚ for sponsoring this post. It all began in 1914 when a young woman named Assunta Cantisano left Italy in a ship bound for America.  She took few possessions with her but among them was her family's cherished pasta sauce recipe. Then the Great … Continue reading →
Southern Sorghum & Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Sorghum is an interesting grain with a rich heritage and unique flavor. Â Plus it's something of a superhero crop because it's one of the most efficient crops in conversion of solar energy, is environmentally friendly, requires less water than other grain crops and is … Continue reading →
Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup
This wonderfully creamy and flavor-packed tortellini soup is super easy to make and is sure to become a family favorite! It's been a crazy week and I'm ready for the weekend, how about you? Â I've been nursing a case of strep throat with accompanying fever while still … Continue reading →
Cast Iron Skillet Mexican-Style Deep Dish Pizza
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 →
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 →
Pressure Canner Chili Con Carne
I've been canning for several years, but only using the water-bath method. Â 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. Â For most other things you have to have a pressure … Continue reading →
10-Minute Margherita Flatbread Pizzas
Thank you to La Brea Bakery for sponsoring this post! Pizza is pure bliss, don't you think? Â There's just something about that crispy-chewy bread crust topped with sauce, oozing cheese and any variety of toppings that speaks universal comfort. I enjoy all kinds of … Continue reading →
German Tomato Salad (Tomatensalat)
This is a fresh and vibrantly flavorful Summer tomato salad that is typical of the ones I know and love from Germany. Â Simple, quick and as easy as 1, 2, 3, all you have to do is cut up the tomatoes, onions, and herbs, prepare the vinaigrette, and pour the vinaigrette over … Continue reading →
Stuffed Mexican Cornbread
Here's the perfect dish to take on your next family picnic or potluck! … Continue reading →
Balti Chicken with Tomatoes and Coconut
Here is an Indian dish I developed several years ago, have perfected over time, and it's been one of my favorite Indian dishes since.  My family loves it and it's always a hit with our dinner guests.  The flavor is out of this world delicious. Multiple layers of flavor … Continue reading →
Greek Grilled Asparagus Salad with Tomatoes and Feta
This salad is so fresh and vibrant and the flavor of the grilled asparagus is out of this world! I stopped at a favorite international grocery store in Seattle a couple of days ago to pick up some fresh Feta cheese. Â When I asked for some domestic Feta the man behind the … Continue reading →
Spaghetti with Roasted Sweet Corn and Cherry Tomatoes
The weather has been gorgeous here. Â My appetite for large meals often wanes on hot days and I find myself craving something lighter and fresher. Â Something more "seasonal." Â What could be more synonymous with Summer than fresh garden herbs, tomatoes, and sweet corn on the … Continue reading →
Grilled Chicken and Roasted Cherry Tomato Salad with Herbed Champagne Dijon Vinaigrette
This past Friday was the first official day of Summer! Â Salads are one of my favorite things to eat on hot days. Â Not that the weather's been hot here in WA, in fact right now it's pouring rain, but it was a beautiful weekend for the most part and that called for a yummy … Continue reading →
Creamy Pasta with Chicken and Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Pasta is often my go-to food when I'm in a hurry and need to churn out something quickly. Â Like "10-15 minutes" quickly. Â Pasta is one of those things that requires very little effort to make taste good. Â Take my Lemon-Garlic Shrimp Scampi, for example. Â Within 10 minutes … Continue reading →
Pizza Margherita
Pizza. Fresh. Crispy. Chewy. Cheesy. Make pizza like a pro in your own kitchen. You don't need a lot of ingredients, just some basics like flour, yeast, cheese, basil and tomatoes. Experience why this vegetarian pizza is a beloved classic even among the most avid … Continue reading →
Pasta Milano Soup
Any Romano's Macaroni Grill restaurant fans out there? One of my favorites on their menu is the Pasta Milano. Bow-tie pasta topped with a creamy sauce of grilled chicken, roasted garlic, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. As I was thinking about what to cook today (food … Continue reading →
Andalusian Gypsy Stew
Andalusia is the southernmost part of Spain. Although economically the poorest region in Spain, it is arguably the richer in culture and cultural identity. Bullfighting, flamenco, and Moorish-influenced architectural styles, to name a few, are all of Andalusian origin. It … Continue reading →