American Cuisine Recipes

Cookies, Desserts, Snacks

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie

A happy fusion of a fudgy brownie and the perfect peanut butter cookie, this grain-free dessert can be dairy-free with the use of dairy-free chocolate chips.    When I purchase a new product, I often look to see if there’s a recipe on the package. Until I started The Fountain Avenue Kitchen, I never thought…

Main Dishes, Stir Fry

Cauliflower Fried Rice

If only a photo could convey flavor! At first glance, this hearty and healthy meal may not seem particularly fabulous. That said, I’ve served it many times for family and friends (and have even used it for several school cooking demonstrations), and it’s always a major crowdpleaser!       As a child, cauliflower was…

Pastas

Spooky Spaghetti Stuffed Peppers

A kid-friendly meal that adults love too. Carving the bell peppers can be part of the fun! It’s dinnertime. You have leftover spaghetti but not enough to feed the family. What to do? In mid-October, “spooky” spaghetti stuffed peppers are sure to delight. I saw this silly idea years ago but forgot about it as…

Breads and Baked Goods, Condiments

Homemade Bisquick Mix

My husband loves to make pancakes, and he’s a Bisquick kind of a guy.  We really enjoy the 100% whole wheat and almond flour versions I often make, but I have to agree.  His Bisquick pancakes hit the spot. Sometimes, there’s good reason to make a do-it-yourself version of a favorite store-bought product. Better price,…

Breakfast, Desserts, Pies

Gladys Langford’s Apple Cake

On occasion in this space, I have mentioned the inspiration for The Fountain Avenue Kitchen–my maternal grandmother, Gladys Langford. Amazing aromas continuously wafted from her narrow kitchen, but it was her spunk and zest for life that made people want to sit down in that cozy space and stay a while. Day in and day…

Cookies, Desserts, Snacks

Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

The addition of pumpkin supplies moisture and enhances the spices in this otherwise traditional (and utterly delicious!) ginger-molasses cookie. A few weeks ago, I bumped into a friend and walked away with a bag of egg replacer in my hands.  If this sounds a little strange, read on… Phil Lapp and his wife, Laura, are…

Breakfast, Casseroles

Whole-Can-of-Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Last fall, a friend mentioned that when she uses part of a can of pumpkin, the leftover portion always seems to go bad before she gets a chance to finish it.  To avoid this problem, feel free to click on the link to my Pumpkin Roundup, below.  But also consider giving the following recipe a…

Appetizers, Snacks

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

I’m a snacker.  Though I never miss a meal, I still get hungry between those meals.  Like many, I’m most prone to absent-minded grazing in the hour or two before dinner, when salty or savory high-carb snacks seem irresistible. Baked Mozzarella Sticks are a pre-dinner nibble I love for several reasons.  First, the protein in…

Cakes, Desserts, Snacks

Carrot Cake with Almond Flour

Perfectly spiced with a tender crumb, this carrot cake is a family favorite for birthdays, Easter, and just because. Naturally sweetened and gluten-free too.   Among my stockpile of much-loved recipes, there are a few I “save.”  I wasn’t sure exactly what I was saving this special recipe for–maybe fall when carrots are officially seasonal or…

Breads and Baked Goods, Main Dishes, Sandwiches

“The Shifter”… plus a showdown and a slice of history

On the heels of Lititz winning the coveted title of America’s Coolest Small Town in an online contest conducted by Budget Travel in 2013, Columbia was designated as one of the 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2014 by Smithsonian magazine. I have long considered Lancaster County to be a pretty great place to…

Main Dishes

Bourbon & Coca Cola Steaks

Typically, we keep steak preparation simple in our house. A sprinkle of spice rub is often as fancy as it gets. This clever steak marinade, compliments of Michaela Martin Kenkel (who has a delightful blog called An Affair from the Heart), earned points for originality. Until seeing her recipe, I thought of bourbon and Coke as…

Condiments, Snacks

Old-Fashioned Horseradish Pickles

Make crisp, tangy pickles just like your grandmother used to make them with these step-by-step instructions for naturally fermented pickles. It’s a truly simple process and you can taste and adjust as you go.    What is the difference between pickling and fermentation? Pickling involves soaking food in an acidic liquid – usually vinegar-based –…

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