German Steam Pot with Special Sauce

An authentic recipe from a German friend, a steam pot is one of the easiest, most flexible dinners – and the special sauce bumps it up an extra level!   What, you may ask, is a steam pot? I first learned about this rustic yet satisfying meal through Marga, a former neighbor and self-described war-child…

Build-Your-Own Veggie and Grain Salad

It’s January.  The weather is cold (at least it is here!) and the holiday festivities are behind us. Eating well can be a challenge when the mercury plummets, colds and flus rear their ugly heads, and warm sunshine and flip flops seem a long way off. Of course, all of this makes heavy comfort foods…

Easy Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

When I began my little Fountain Avenue Kitchen adventure four years ago, I hadn’t the slightest idea where it would take me. I had never posted anything on social media, didn’t own a real camera, and didn’t follow a single blog. In fact, I was reluctant to call my website a blog because, to me,…

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

This hands-off slow cooker meal brings great flavor to the table with tremendous ease. The recipe is also flexible, allowing for several complementary substitutions and additions. For many years, I owned a slow cooker that I hardly used.  It was my grandmother’s old Crock Pot, and it had a small crack down the side of…

Greek Pastitsio

My make-at-home version of this classic Greek dish, which is often compared to lasagna, is lighter than the traditional recipe yet still packed with flavor. A family favorite for sure. November is bookended by two incredible feasts. Thanksgiving is the obvious end-of-month celebration, but if you live in my hometown of Lancaster, you may very…

Rio Grande Skillet Dinner

This easy, all-in-one meal is healthy, economical and so family friendly!       When I open my cupboard, I see more than enough food to sustain my family for a week, and likely much longer. For too many people, this is not the case. This problem isn’t limited to some far-flung locale. It’s an…

Smoked Kielbasa, Kale and Cider Quinoa Skillet

A unique, one-pan meal you’ll come to crave all season long. This is wholesome comfort food at its best!       Of all the recipes available in books, magazines, and online, only a small handful grab our attention enough to make it to the dinner table. What makes those stand out? The clincher might…

Crispy Black Bean Skillet Tacos

Pantry and fridge staples come together in a flash for these crispy meatless tacos that are deliciously filling and economical too.   You know the feeling.  You get home late from work, a meeting, or kids’ sporting events. Everyone is hungry, no food has been prepared, and you just want to eat…five minutes ago. As…

Baked Horseradish Carrots

Thanks to the easy horseradish sauce and crisp topping, even those who don’t love cooked carrots have gone back for seconds of this colorful dish.    Recently, I conducted an informal poll, asking a dozen or so people what comes to mind when they think of carrots.  Bunnies and celery were often mentioned, but so…

Sausage Soup with Tortellini (and/or Beans)

  In a world where monumental decisions are made every day, choosing which recipes to include on this blog and in my weekly newspaper column ranks pretty low on the relevance scale.  Yet I deliberate long and hard on this! What will she want to eat?  Which recipes might he not merely read, but also…

Greek-Style Grilled Chicken Dinner Salad

Last year, I shared a story about a friend of mine, Sarah Lanphier, whose successful college fundraiser led to a thriving granola company.  Nuts About Granola produces a variety of uniquely delicious flavors–think carrot cake and PB&J–as well as a grain-free Forager line. Recently, Sarah launched a line of savory granolas, fittingly named Sarah’s Savory…

Easy Chicken Burrito Bowls

DIY burrito bowls are wholesome, loaded with fresh flavor, and easy to customize to taste!   There’s a well-known restaurant that is famous for its burrito bowls, and I can see why. The flavorful all-in-one meal offers a high degree of customization and it’s sort of fun. It’s viewed as a healthier option than many…

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