Weeknight Favorite Recipes
Coconut-Banana Bread Breakfast Cakes
Gone are the days when flour as we know it meant all-purpose flour. From almonds to garbanzo beans, rice, and oats, flour is made of almost anything these days. I recently made pancakes with banana flour (yes, really…and they were good!) and sampled chestnut flour crackers (we liked the pancakes better 😀). When used the…
Loaded Baked Potato Frittata
Fashioned after a favorite side dish, this frittata is deliciously satisfying unadorned, although the bell pepper “shamrocks” add a whimsical nod to St. Patrick’s Day. ☘️ Kids are sometimes faulted for playing with their food. Even as an adult, I can’t always resist the temptation. I haven’t conducted any scientific studies, but I’m pretty…
Mushroom Ground Beef (a clever trick that’s healthy and super delicious)
The use of mushrooms and a simple technique seamlessly adds nutrients and flavor to regular ground beef, making it an ideal way to incorporate more plant-based eating into our diets, even if we still enjoy meat. Ground beef that tastes “meatier” and is healthier, too? This kitchen hack tastes great and, at the same…
Checkerboard Potatoes
A few simple ingredients come together with ease in this visually appealing side dish that’s equal parts fun and delicious! Coming up with a crowd-pleasing entree every night of the week can be challenging. As a result, side dishes don’t always get the attention they deserve. After mixing a marinade for a side of…
Homemade Seasoned Salt
So often it’s the simple things made with run-of-the-mill pantry items that serve us best in the kitchen. Thanks to their ease, versatility, and great flavor, staples like classic balsamic vinaigrette, basic marinara, homemade Bisquick, and aptly-named “everything” sauce have found their way into many recipes in my kitchen and throughout this blog. An amped up salt fits nicely…
No-Bake Refrigerator Peanut Butter Oat Squares
A wholesome, no-bake recipe with peanut butter and chocolate (what’s not to love?), these chewy bars never last long! Since my kids were little, one of their favorite lunchbox treats has been a chewy peanut butter chocolate chip granola bar. What’s not to like? With their convenient portable packaging and ever-growing assortment of flavors,…
Not-Mushy Oatmeal (aka Chewy Granola)
This tasty, toasty twist on the usual bowl of stovetop oatmeal may be served hot or cold with your favorite milk. Or layer it with yogurt and fresh fruit for a satisfying breakfast parfait. Did you ever think a bowl of stovetop oatmeal could look like this? I mean, you can actually…
Beef Pot Roast
There’s something special about the aroma of a roast as it slowly cooks to fork-tender perfection. The savory smell is homey, comforting, and makes me want to curl up on the sofa with a good book. Curiously, I recently read that one’s sense of smell accounts for 75 to 95 percent of a food’s perceived…
Pan-Seared Heart Chicken
A few simple cuts of the knife transform a boneless, skinless chicken breast into a festive meal. Fun for Valentine’s Day…or any time! ❤️ Special occasion dinners can be memorable for many reasons. Perhaps the artistically plated tapas at a swanky new restaurant made an impression, or the view while cracking crabs by the bay…
Curried Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup
Red lentils add a hearty dose of protein and minerals to this much-loved seasonal soup, yet no one would ever know they’re there. This Curried Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup is kosher, gluten-free, easily made vegan, and so very satisfying! Many of us hardly know what we’re making for dinner next week, let…
Make-Ahead Pineapple Blueberry Breakfast Parfaits
These wholesome, prep-ahead jars are reminiscent of Bircher muesli with a tropical twist. In the morning, simply add milk to your desired consistency, give the jars a good stir, and dig in! Golden pineapples are a staple on my weekly grocery list throughout the winter. Their tropical sweetness seems almost summer-like at a time…
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…
