Soft PretzelsThese soft pretzels are super tasty and shaping them is a family affair. We always do a pretzel with the first letter of everyone's name, then everyone has free reign to make whatever they desire. The kids have a blast making and eating their creations.
How to Cook a Frozen RoastEven less expensive cuts of meat can come out moist and tender when cooked properly. You can save time by cooking the roast right out of the freezer.
Preventing Mold on BreadIt isn't any fun to be making a sandwich and discover that your bread is moldy. There are a number of ways to prevent your bread from molding. This is a page about preventing mold on bread.
Side Dishes That Go With Quiche?Finding the best complements to your main dish will make for a great meal. This page is about side dishes that go with quiche.
Recipes Using Canned Venison?Canned venison can be used for a variety of dishes, especially stews. This page contains recipes using canned venison.
Leprechaun Trap CakeThis is a page about making a leprechaun trap cake. Many of our children have made leprechaun traps at school to catch the wily little guy and get his stash of gold. Improve upon that idea and make a delicious St. Patrick's Day leprechaun trap cake.
Leftover Mashed Potato SoupTry making this delicious soup using those leftover mashed potatoes. It is a certain family pleaser. This is a page about leftover mashed potato soup.
Eating a Cupcake With Less MessA while back I brought cupcakes to my friend. She did the strangest thing before eating one. She broke the bottom off of the cupcake and plopped it on top of the frosting, like a lid.
Using Frozen Raw PotatoesWhen raw potatoes have been frozen, they are soft when thawed. They can be cooked right away and used in some dishes without a change in flavor or texture.
How to Cook Freezer Burned MeatFreezer burned meat can be safely eaten, as long as it was properly frozen and defrosted. If possible, trimming off the burned portions will help prevent the taste that develops in freezer burned meats. This is a page about how to cook freezer burned meat.
Pineapple Orange Banana Smoothie...Make a refreshing multi fruit flavored smoothie for breakfast or any time. This page has a refreshing Pineapple Orange Banana Smoothie Recipe.
Heart Shaped Mini Ice Cream CakesThese mini heart shaped ice cream cakes are a tasty treat you can make for people you care about this Valentine's Day. This page shows you how to make them.
Limoncello CakeI made these delicious lemon flavored cake loaves as a gift for Christmas. They would be a treat any time of the year and are made from a basic box of cake mix with some additions.
Easy Cookie Sheet SlidersWhen feeding a large group, this is an easy way to make a lot of burger sandwiches. This is a page about easy cookie sheet sliders.
How to Fix Grainy FudgeThis is a page about fixing grainy fudge. Grainy fudge is a common issue. Some recipes are more finicky, while others are more fool proof. Here are some suggestions if your fudge has turned out grainy.
Freezing PiesThis is a page about freezing pies. Whether they are leftover from a get together or big day of baking, save your extra pies for later by freezing them.
Old Fashioned Soda Fountain TreatsClose your eyes and come with me, a trip down memory lane to the place where red and white checked dreams come true. Many of us from the older generation can remember going to the local soda fountain for a burger and a shake or to have an egg cream or homemade French fries.
Easy Fudge RecipesMaking fudge for the holidays is a family tradition in many families. This is a page contains easy fudge recipes.
Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookie...The addition of cream cheese to the batter makes these thumbprint cookies even better. This page contain a cream cheese thumbprint cookie recipe.
Making a Pecan Marshmallow LogThis is a page about making a pecan marshmallow log.
Stuffed Pasta ShellsStuffed pasta shells are a warm, hearty meal that is great for the winter.
Fudge is Too SoftIf you have made fudge that is not setting up, you may be able to fix it. Making fudge that is too soft can be frustrating but there are some options to improve your fudge.
Storing CeleryStoring celery and keeping it crisp is possible. This is a page about storing celery.
Simple Whole Wheat Bread Machine RecipeMaking fresh, delicious whole grain bread at home can be easily done with the use of a bread machine. This recipe contains lots of healthy ingredients to this like flax seeds, whole oats, raw sugar, extra virgin olive oil. Plus it's considerably cheaper than a "high quality" wheat bread from the store shelves.
Muffin Tin Spinach FrittatasThis page contains muffin tin spinach frittata recipes. These single serving frittatas are a delicious breakfast or dinner main dish or serve them at a party along with your other dishes.
Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaf RecipeThe best meatloaf is wrapped in bacon! This bacon wrapped mini meatloaf recipe is delicious and is the perfect dish to take to any party.
How Can I Tenderize Beef Brisket?This is a page about how can I tenderize beef brisket? Low temperature and wrapping your brisket for slow cooking, can help make it moist and tender.
Pressure Cooker RecipesThe pressure cooker is back and is a faster alternative to using your slow cooker. This page contains pressure cooker recipes.
Easy Chicken Egg RollsAn easy alternative to takeout Chinese food that is waistline friendly!
Bisquick DumplingsUse Bisquick to drop some tasty little dumplings into your next stew or soup. Bisquick dumplings are easy to make and add substance to any soup.
Storing Applesauce in Ziplock Freezer Bags?If you have made applesauce and have extra to store, freezing it is a great way to preserve the applesauce for later use. Here are some ideas about storing applesauce in ziplock freezer bags.
Lemon Jell-O Pound CakeI pulled out some old recipes and stared cooking more foods that are not gluten free. I don't get to enjoy them myself, but my family does.
Light Corn Syrup Substitute RecipeSometimes when getting ready to prepare a recipe you may find that your are missing a specific ingredient and need to find a substitute. This is a page about light corn syrup substitute recipe.
Cream Cheese Sweetheart Cake RecipeA sweetheart cake is more like a brownie or cookie in texture. This particular recipe includes the addition of a delicious cream cheese based glaze. This page contains a cream cheese sweetheart cake recipe.
Freezing Mashed BananasHere is the perfect thing to do with bananas that ripen too soon. Mash them up and freeze them for a future batch of banana bread or pancakes, or just to add to a morning smoothie.
Foods I Can Eat After Having My Teeth PulledAfter having your teeth pulled, you may have a very restricted diet until your gums heal. This is a page about foods I can eat after having my teeth pulled.
Using Overripe BananasThis is a page about using overripe bananas. Even when they get too ripe to eat there are still many recipes that call for overripe bananas.
How to Roast a Cheap Cut of BeefLess expensive cuts of roast can be tender and delicious, when cooked at a low temperature. This is a page about how to roast a cheap cut of beef.
Baking BreadThis is a page about baking bread. Baking fresh bread at home is wonderful, whether you use a bread machine or not.
Freezing MeatThis is a page about freezing meat. Meat of all types can be frozen for later use, but there are some considerations to keep in mind.
Ginger Turmeric Apple Wellness ShotsHere is a simple and quick 5 ingredient recipe my husband and I make for the week. Wellness shots are so expensive (they average $4 each and for 2 people a week that would be $56).
Zucchini GratinDo you want a delicious, balanced and not expensive dish? Zucchini gratin is just such a dish. This is a fancy side dish out of everyday vegetables. There are many variations on cooking zucchini gratin. I am sharing my French friend's recipe.
Pho Bò (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)This delicious soup is a favorite at my local Vietnamese restaurant. I thought it would be fun to try to make it at home. I made it from scratch, including the beef broth. I also made crispy fried shallots (hành phi). Store bought broth and crispy shallots or onions would be just as delicious.
Bulgarian MesenitzaI have a friend who taught me how to cook the very popular Bulgarian national dish Mesenitza, it's also called Tutmanik. It is bread stuffed with cheese. This is a very tasty and cheap meal. The recipe varies, but the basic ingredients are flour, yeast, oil, milk, butter, eggs, yogurt and cheese. Bulgarian cheese is called sirenje or sirene, it can be replaced with Greek feta.
Ukrainian Hand Pies (Prizhky) With ApplesI want to share with you a recipe of my family's favorite meal. These Ukrainian hand pies are called pyrizhky or pirozhki or piroshky. They are made from yeast dough, stuffed with apples and fried to golden color. The pyrizhky also can have other fillings, such as mashed potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, ground meat, jam, and others.
Hibiscus GumpasteEverybody wants to have the best looking cake. Since it's summer season in my country, I get a few demands of tropical or summer themed cakes. Today I'm gonna show you how to make realistic hibiscus flower gumpaste, beginner level.
Gedempte ChickenGedempte means "well-cooked." It is a flavorful, braised chicken that is economical and great for the winter. The chicken, potatoes and onions were all on sale. Use one potato and one piece of chicken for each serving
Reindeer Rice Krispie TreatsThis is a simple way to decorate Rice Krispie treats for Christmas. These cute reindeer treats are sure to bring anyone some holiday cheer.
Caprese Salad with CucumbersCaprese salad is one of my favorite summertime dishes but it can be a refreshing side for fall or winter dinner. I marinated cucumbers to give it some more crunch and substance. It was well received when I brought it to a pasta dinner recently.
Duck à l'OrangeI want to share with you a recipe for one of my favorite dishes, which is a gastronomic culinary specialty of French cuisine - Duck à l'orange. This dish not only looks very appetizing, but also really delicious, it is with crisp skin, succulent meat, and a velvety citrus sauce. Duck à l'orange is perfect for weekend meals or during the holidays.
Curried Apple BisqueGreat recipe for the coming Fall season! Apples bring in a sweet taste to a warming soup.
E-Z Refrigerator BeetsThis simple recipe makes great use of all the beets from the garden and provides lots of great vitamins (like IRON!) too!
Making Stir Fry at HomeMy son recently moved away from home and has been asking me for cooking tips for some of his favorite foods. I have made stir fry about once a week for my family for many years. It's a great way to use up excess veggies. I figured that I would share my tips with you all.
Poulet au Pastis (Chicken with Anise Liqueur)Once again, here is a recipe from the south east of France. I know this one is going to be complex to make for non French, but it has two important culinary elements from my region:
Moldovan Placinte with Three FillingsI want to share with you a recipe for a dish that I think many of you will hear for the first time, perhaps as well as about the homeland of this recipe. Placinte (in singular Placinta) is the traditional dish of Moldova (officially the Republic of Moldova). The word placinta comes from Latin placenta, which means "cake", from the Greek plakount - "flat cake". Placinte are really very tasty, especially when they are still warm.
Instant Pot Lemongrass Chicken (Ga Kho Sa)This is one of my family's favorite recipes. The meat comes out tender and fragrant. As a note, I use heaping tablespoon measurements for the garlic, shallots and lemongrass. My husband loves chicken with bones and my kids like boneless so I do half and half for this recipe. If you don't add bones, I would add a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon chicken broth.
Coq au Vin (Rooster in Red Wine)Coq au vin is a real star of traditional French recipes, known internationally as one of the best examples of French gastronomy. This dish combines two symbols of France - rooster and wine!
Make Cake Pops From Leftover Cake (April Fools)I got this great idea after my kid's birthday party when I noticed all the half-eaten cake left on all the kids' plates. I thought to myself, "What a waste!" So I came up with this tip, you can make cake pops from those leftovers! I know what you are thinking right now, I am a genius, right? Why have I never thought of this before? This way you can make some little cake pops and your kids will be so excited.
Beef Bone BrothMy friend won the meat from an entire cow at a school raffle. She gave me about 6 pounds of beef bones to make broth and had another 4 pounds for herself. I made this recipe with her and then made it again at home. This nutritious broth can be used to make all sorts of soups: French onion, beef barley or even pho.
Pancake DoughnutsIf you're craving doughnuts but are too lazy to mix and wait for your batter to rise, try this pancake mix-doughnut hack. Just mix and pipe then you'll have an easy and delicious doughnut snack!
Herb Butter Lamb ChopsIt's easy to make your lamb chops super elegant with this quick and easy method. All you need to do is pan sear the lamb, then use its juices to make a pan butter with sizzling herbs. I used mint and parsley here.
Roasted Carrots with Carrot-Top PestoThis is a beautiful side dish with vibrant flavours. Use the carrots' own greens to make a pesto to serve with it. I added a bit of mint and lemon to really make it pop. I used pine nuts, but you can use cashews or something similar, too.
Tuna Triangle MeltsThese savory melts are a fun lunch or even appetizer.
Chocolate Chunk Banana Protein MuffinsI love making these little protein muffins. They are wonderful as a post-workout snack. I also like to have one for dessert as they keep me from waking up in the middle of the night from hunger pangs. When you have them warm out the oven, the chocolate chunks are super gooey and lovely. You can achieve this later on by popping one in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Pork Noodle Soup with KaleHere's a tasty and easy lunch or dinner meal for 2 - that is also fairly inexpensive to make. Or, this could be served as a side soup for a family of 4-6.
Wrap Banana Stems in PlasticCover the top of your banana bunch in plastic wrap will make them last a lot longer. The reason this helps is because most of the natural ethylene gas bananas use to ripen themselves is in the stem.
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)The addition of the egg and lemon makes a basic chicken soup into the ultimate comfort food. The finished dish is tangy and savory, with flavors reminiscent of egg drop soup. Best of all, it is easy to put together for a quick weeknight dinner.
Sour Gummy BrowniesI decided to make sour gummy brownies because my sour gummy cookies were such a hit. This ended up disappearing from the kitchen way faster than the cookies. The texture of the gummy candy turns into some kind of luxurious heaven when baked in the gooey chocolate brownies. The rainbow cuteness on top is also very pleasing to the eye. We love these!
Using Up A Surplus of FoodI had an interesting problem recently in regards to food. In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Oregon closed all bars and restaurants in mid March. They could still provide take-out or delivery but many places shut down for the duration. Because this was relatively unexpected, the businesses had a great deal of produce and refrigerated food to get rid of before it went bad.
Yes Virginia, You Can Freeze MilkA few years back, I house shared with a gal who froze milk. She would bring it in, uncap it and take a little out to allow for expansion. Then, recap and in the freezer it would go. I had never seen it and was dubious at best. It was a funky color and well, I doubted it would taste the same. I was young and foolish!
Mini Pizza CalzoneWith a few simple ingredients, you can make these easy mini pizza calzones. If you're home with your kids during this time and have little ones this could also be a great opportunity to bake/cook together, sort of like a home economics lesson.
Sweet Potato ToastThese are healthier substitute for bread! They are thinly sliced sweet potatoes that you can use as a toast under eggs or as a base for any food. They are also great as a snack! You may use one or more sweet potatoes but I find I need to make many more just to have some by the time we are ready to sit down and eat! Delicious!
Spicy Orange Garlic ChickenThis is an easy-to-make orange chicken that's packed with a spicy punch. Marinating it ahead of time really makes it zesty and tender. I used half a chicken for this recipe. It is easy to double for a whole chicken.
Sticky Rice ShumaiShumai is a delicate and delicious Asian dumpling, traditionally formed with a thin flour-based wonton style wrapper. You can forego using the wrappers and roll them in sticky mochi rice before steaming. I love the textures of these more than traditional shumai!
3 Ingredient TrufflesThese beautiful little truffles will blow you away. They are creamy and decadent, yet so easy to make. You just need a pack of Oreo cookies, a block of cream cheese, and a bag of chocolate chips. Sprinkles are totally optional. I only used them to make them pop for my Valentine!
Krautburgers (German Hot Pocket)I grew up in northern Colorado among many people of German descent. This was a popular dish served at my school cafeteria. Krautburgers are a traditional food eaten by people of German Russian descent. Germans who had emigrated to Russia from Germany and then, at the turn of the 20th century, emigrated to Colorado's sugar beet fields are the inventors of this German "hot pocket." Working hard all day in the fields meant lunch was eaten on the job, and the humble Krautburger wrapped up all the necessary food groups to keep a worker on his or her feet. It has become a family favorite!
Instant Pot Bone BrothWe have all been sick this winter, so we look for easy ways to make chicken soup. There is no easier way than this. Just throw it all in the instant pot. If you don't have an instant pot, you can achieve the same in a giant stew pot cooked for over 6 hours, or a crockpot.
Lemon Lime Soda BabycakesThese tiny cakes are incredible. I have to start with that because I've never had such a perfect, zesty cake in my life. I tweaked a poundcake recipe to use some lemon lime soda I had in the house. Now these are my family's favourite little cakes. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked to make them! They are so easy to make, and taste better than cupcakes from a pricey bakery. Please try these!
Tyre PuddingA "handed down" English main dish pudding recipe from my great grandmother Lydia Butcher Seager. I had my first bite of the pudding when I was about eight years old. I was hesitant because it didn't look very appetizing. But I was wrong! It was delicious. The salt pork crust is the secret to the recipe's great flavor.
Ube Buttercream FrostingUbe means purple in our dialect. It is also associated with a type of root crop that has an amazing purple color that blends in with any food you incorporate with it - the purple yam or simply ube as we call it. The best thing with ube (purple yam) is that it has a natural color blending component that you would not need to add an artificial food coloring anymore.
UFO Cow Abduction CakeThis UFO cake is just out of this world! The saucer and grassy ground area are two different cakes, so there is plenty for a big party. I saved a couple hundred dollars making this cake from scratch instead of calling up the local cake artistry. Plus, it was super fun. Here are the steps on how to make your own!
Hot Cocoa Mug CookiesThese mug shaped cookies can hold your beverage before you eat them up! Milk, hot cocoa, coffee, whatever you crave. Wintertime brings us plenty of hot cocoa mix and candy canes. Why not turn them into these adorable cookies? These are definite crowd pleasers, and super scrumptious!
New Year Meringue CookiesThese sweet colorful cookies are today's special craft. I made this for New Year's Eve and again made especially for the kids since we have plenty of kids at home to celebrate with us.
Apple ColeslawHere is an easy coleslaw you could whip up! This coleslaw can be eaten as a side dish, salad, in your sandwich or complete any meal you want to serve.
Frosted Eggnog CupcakesThese eggnog cakes are the perfect comforting dessert for the holidays. They're topped with a luscious spiced cream cheese frosting. Perfect with a cup of coffee!
S'mores CookiesHere's a recipe for delicious bite sized s'mores cookies! The holidays are around the corner. These would be perfect to make and enjoy with hot chocolate or put them in jars for homemade gifts!
Peanut Butter Stuffed CookiesThese cookies are for peanut butter lovers! They are peanut butter cookies, stuffed with a gooey peanut butter mixture, topped with peanut brittle M&M's. You can swap out the peanut butter cookie exterior with any type of cookie dough you like. I also like a chocolate chip cookie exterior variation. For this recipe, I used a cookie mix, made to its directions on the back. You can get creative with these. These cookies are pretty huge, so you can split one to share with a loved one and watch them ooze!
Cheese and Crackers Mini PiesThese little cheese and cracker appetizers are super delicious. They double up as great presentation as they imitate little slices of pumpkin pie. They are sure to bring many oohs and aahs to your parties!
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter MeringuesI originally made these for a friend who loves the taste of chocolate peanut butter cups but finds them too heavy. This is the perfect solution! They're so good, I now prefer these over peanut butter cups, myself. The peanut butter meringues are so crisp and light, even dipped in chocolate, they make you feel much less guilty.
Caramel Apple Bread Pudding CupsI love the flavour of caramel apples but they can be a bit tough on the teeth. I thought it would be fun to bring their flavours to something soft and comforting like bread pudding. I baked them inside of muffin tins for presentation and portion control reasons. They're so delicious, they are making it to the tables of all my holiday feasts this year! I hope you try these.
Making a Mile High Apple PieI have always been the pie maker in the family! My favorite one to make is the 'Mile High Apple Pie'. It's my masterpiece! I will show you what I do with a few secret important things.
Honey Mustard Pork Loin with ApplesThe flavours of this roast pork loin smothered in apples is perfect for the fall season. Use the freshly roasted pork's juices, along with some honey and mustard, to make the perfect sauce to accompany it. The apples, once browned and cooked down, can be pressed down on with a fork to make an effortless applesauce for your dish. This is one of my favourite pork dishes, by far!
Almond or Pumpkin Seed Matcha MuffinsDo you enjoy matcha? You should try these delicious matcha muffins topped with your choice of topping. I used almond slices for half and the other half pumpkin seeds!
Orange Cardamom Spaghetti Squash CakeThe autumn season brings us many varieties of gourds. I've had plenty of spaghetti squash around lately, so I thought I'd do some experimenting. I made this lovely orange and cardamom infused cake using pureed spaghetti squash. I candied some strands of the squash to make a beautiful sweet topping. Sprinkled with some crushed rose petals, it was quite the luxurious offering! You'd never know there was squash inside this dessert, but it sure lends to its velvety composition and deep nutty flavour. I hope you give this one a shot!
Seasoned Pretzel TwistsHere is a light pretzel snack option seasoned with everything but bagel! Literally only 2 ingredients to make with your choice of sauce. My daughter enjoyed these pretzels with sour cream, but you can use any dip or eat alone.
Instant Pot Pot RoastThis recipe uses an Instant Pot to make a savory and tender pot roast in under 2 hours. This is a basic, simple recipe and the results are the same as slow cooking it in a crockpot all day.
Snickers-Stuffed Peanut Butter CookiesEvery year around Halloween, I like to come up with a sweet treat that uses candies from trick-or-treating events. Either you have kids that end up with lots of them, or you have loads leftover from handing them out. My favourite candy has always been Snickers, so these peanut butter cookies are stuffed with them. The outside is a lovely sandy, crumbly cookie, and the middle is gooey and chewy from the baked Snickers. I've had a dozen people ask me for this recipe after an event I made them for last week, so be ready to share if you make these, too!
Flaky Pastry and Cream TowerIf you look in the clearance sections of major grocery stores, you'll find they will place baked goods there for less than half price at the end of the day. Mine sells half a dozen large croissants for $2 after 5pm. They're great when toasted, but my secret trick is to roll them out, cut them into discs, and turn them into a flaky pastry dessert. This tower of delight tastes like the most elegant Palmier cookies layered with fresh fluffy whipped cream. You just would not guess these are old croissants. This is a crowd-pleasure, no doubt!
Watermelon SaladA very nice, refreshing salad that pairs perfectly with a meat entree or at a BBQ party! Feel free to alter this recipe with your preferred tomatoes, greens, herbs, choice of cheese.
Spanish Style Shrimp and RiceThis is a twist on traditional Spanish rice made with shrimp. It's almost like a Paella, but with several steps pulled out, making it a very easy to put together meal. I love to make this when I have cooked rice to use up.
Cheesy Egg Drop SoupWe all want to prepare healthy food for the family. The recipe I'm cooking this morning is simply made of eggs and freshly picked vegetables from our very own veggie plots. It's so easy, but very healthy.
Cornflake Crusted Cinnamon French ToastCoating your French toast in lightly crushed cornflakes before cooking them is wonderful! You get a soft custardy inside and an exterior that has a lovely crunch with a fabulous nutty flavour. These go great with any number of toppings: fruit, syrups, honey, whipped cream, or powdered sugar. These don't have to be a morning treat as they actually make a superb dessert, as well!
