January means three things to me; it’s cold, I have a birthday, and it’s diet season. I always diet in January. It’s the easiest time of year to try to lose a few pounds because everyone else is also trying to get rid of the holiday love handles. This year is a little different because I actually started last month (because I love to torture myself and be surrounded ...
Dinner
Italian Braised Beef Shanks Recipe
I vividly remember saying to someone in conversation just a few months ago, “I hope we have a cold winter. We sure do need it.” We need it because it’s good for crops and bug suppression and because I love fruit and I want fresh, juicy local peaches come Summer. But I would be a big, fat, liar if I said that I am enjoying getting just what I asked for. January is shaping up to ...
Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Salmon
Even though Christmas is over, we all still have a little time left to celebrate friends and family. (Our family especially has reason to celebrate since I became a Great Aunt to beautiful baby girl.) But let’s be honest, by the time we all get through the hustle and bustle of Christmas we all want to be a little more relaxed to ring in the new year. That means celebratory ...
Ham Broccoli and Potato Chowder
The tree is up, even though it leans precariously to one side as if tempting one of the new kittens to bring it all down in a blaze of silver tinsel and glory. A small smattering of precisely wrapped and bowed packages are waiting patiently under the leaning tree tempting the children to wonder what could be in them. In the kitchen, the last vestiges of Thanksgiving dinner – ...
Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Chicken
Roasting a whole chicken is a great way to feed the family and boost your confidence at the same time. Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Chicken will make everyone feel full and loved. When I was a teenager in high school, I took art class as my elective. In one of those classes, we learned how to draw boxes in perspective. These simple boxes were the stepping stones to learning ...
Slow Cooker Peppered Pot Roast with Potatoes
Shake up your pot roast with sweet bell peppers and a savory tomatoey sauce! This Slow Cooker Peppered Pot Roast with Potatoes is a fabulous weeknight meal after a busy day! September is a busy time of year for anyone in the agriculture business. The early days of autumn bring in a flurry of activity in fields and pastures everywhere. The wine industry is particularly busy ...
Autumn Chicken and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Autumn Chicken and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner has chicken, italian sausage, brussels sprouts, red onion and sweet potatoes in a yummy marinade. This sheet pan dinner has something for everyone in it! Savory chicken, hearty sausage and perfectly roasted veggies make for a complete and fuss free family dinner option that works well for busy school nights, or anytime that ...
11 Quick Dinners for Two
Dinner for Two can be quick and easy to put together. Check out our list of 11 Quick & Easy Dinners for Two and save them for your next night in with your favorite person. Now that the kids are older, they spend a lot more time at other people's houses (Hooray for sleepovers!). But we still have to eat! So, that means a couple things for us: 1 - our dinner ...
Big Batch Turkey Meatballs
Everyone has a freezer. But the moment that you commit to a stand-alone deep freezer for your family home is the day that you open new doors of possibility!! With a deep freeze (or two) in your house you can take advantage of sales on meat, bread and butter. With a little extra frozen interior you can plan out and make meals more months in the future! You are only ...
Italian Stuffed Zucchini
As much as I don't want it to, the end of the Summer is here. Long lazy mornings have been replaced by 6:30AM wake up calls and a race to the door before the bus gets here. Late nights watching our favorite shows or movies have been over by showers and early bedtimes. Getting back on schedule is never fun or easy, but it is something we have to prepare for nonetheless. ...
Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Bake
Easy, cheesy and delicious this Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Bake is a great family weeknight meal. Even the leftovers are delicious. Grab a rotisserie chicken from the store to make this meal even faster! I find it ironic that, for me, stepping outside of my culinary comfort zone means making a casserole. As a child of the 80’s, I should be well-versed in the magic of the ...
Braised Herbed Turkey Legs in the Crock Pot
One of the most overlooked best buys in the grocery store has to be turkey legs. Turkey legs are usually only seen on the dinner table connected to the rest of the bird during the holidays, but they are available year round in the meat department. They are usually very cheap and are a wonderful change from chicken or beef. Braised Herbed Turkey Legs in the Crock Pot makes your ...
Feta Tomato Pie
Feta tomato pie is more a bread pudding than pie. It that comes out saucy and savory and utterly refreshing on a hot summer day. Everyone grows tomatoes. Ok, maybe that’s a bit of a generalization, but if people grow anything in the summer, there is usually at least one tomato plant sitting somewhere in a 5-gallon bucket. It’s completely understandable. A summer-time tomato ...
Easy DIY Foil Packet Salmon Dinner
Easy DIY Foil Packet Salmon Dinners are infinitely customizable and a delicious way to get the whole family involved with dinner. Pile in everyone's favorite veggies and top with a salmon fillet and a fresh compound butter and you've got a great dinner for the whole family. This would even be a great recipe for the#KidsMakeDinner Challenge! Every year we vacation at ...
Bacon Queso Stuffed Burgers
Bacon Queso Stuffed Burgers are a deliciously different variation on a the classic American burger. Fresh and creamy queso fresco and salty bacon are at the center of an all-beef patty that is just waiting to ooze at first bite. The all-American burger has really become part of the psyche of the country. Probably more American than apple pie and only slightly less ...