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Peanut Butter Pinecone Bird Feeders
A fun project to make with kids, these backyard-friendly bird treats double as a thoughtful, practical gift for them to give over the holidays This is a fun project that my kids and I have been making for years. Not only is it a thoughtful holiday gift and perfect for a winter birthday, it’s…
Parmesan Mushroom Polenta
A former White House chef shares his recipe for a versatile side dish, which can be easily transformed into a winning meal. A must make! Early in my marriage, my husband was amused by how I could read a cookbook as though it were a best-selling novel. Well, I recently discovered a cookbook that…
Toasted Cheeseburger Wrap (with a “neat” vegetarian option)
The daily task of getting dinner on the table can often be a grind for even those who truly enjoy cooking. Dinnertime is so often the busiest time of the day, with people getting home from work and school activities and then dashing back out for meetings and sports practices. And, of course, sometimes we…
Old Fashioned Gingerbread with Citrus Glaze
This is one of those recipes that I have made over and over again, tweaking many times until I arrived at an end result that my family loves. It is moist and full of flavor, and I get requests for it often. The citrus glaze is a delightful addition. When I first made a glaze…
Wild Rice and Sausage Casserole (or Stuffing/Dressing)
Initially created as a side to poultry, we enjoy this hearty recipe throughout the year as a main dish. It’s equally delightful paired with a green vegetable or salad. It’s hard to believe that my year of delving into the Top 10 Food Trends as a Sargento Flavor Journey Correspondent is winding…
Fried Garlic
Whole cloves of garlic become golden and buttery and create a flavor-infused oil that can be used in so many ways. In recent months, I have posted several recipes that mention avocado oil as an option to olive oil. I have received many questions about where to buy and comments indicating an interest about…
Slow Cooker Gingerbread Steel Cut Oats (with easy day before method)
Easy prep-ahead method and slow cooker tip results in ready-to-eat oats with toothsome texture and easy cleanup. The classic spice combination is holiday worthy! The best part of this recipe? Lift the bowl of perfectly cooked oatmeal out of the slow cooker, cover and refrigerate for a wholesome breakfast at-the-ready. Done! As…
Holiday Crafts
So many fun craft ideas for the holidays! Button snowmen and beaded candy canes make fun present toppers, stocking stuffers, and thoughtful gifts for kids to give to their friends. A fun project and great for hand-eye coordination too! Growing up, my mom came up her fair share of clever craft ideas. The projects…
Roasted Winter Squash
This seasonal family favorite is so easy and so good. For added ease, I like to use Kabocha, Delicata, or another variety of winter squash that doesn’t require peeling. Without the intent of overselling this simple, seasonal side dish, I will mention that my husband recently purchased some winter squash so that I would…
Apple Almond Baked Quinoa
Sometimes, I prepare a recipe many, many times, allowing for one adjustment at a time in efforts to achieve the precise texture and taste I envision. I always learn a lot from these little challenges. Occasionally, I end up with several worthy variations of the same recipe, never publishing the recipe because I have made…
Farmhouse Roasted Chestnuts
Lightly salted, these chestnuts are delicious served warm and straight from the shell. They’re perfect for Thanksgiving stuffing and soups too! Autumn is the time of year when the American Chestnut Trees in the northeast drop the nuts from their prickly burrs. As an interesting bit of trivia, there are typically three chestnuts per…
Slow Cooker Maple Applesauce
A small amount of maple syrup is the key to a wholesome applesauce that allows the natural sweetness and flavor of the apples to truly shine. My grandmother was known for her amazing applesauce. She used transparent or “early” apples－the varieties that appear in our local farmers markets in mid-July. Their appearance never fails to…
