A delightful summer soup with a stunning color and a hint of optional heat. Yellow tomatoes are also a lower acid tomato with lots of natural sweetness. The mere description of this soup inspired me to plant yellow tomatoes in our backyard garden. The first year, I think I got three. The second…
Essentially a crustless pie, the unique ingredients in this seasonal favorite create a crusty base that’s loaded with flavor and fabulous texture. (For those who need it, there’s an excellent gluten-free option in the recipe notes.) Soft foods like mashed potatoes, soup, Jell-O, and ice cream are normally on the menu the day someone…
Sweet, salty, and crunchy, this traditional Passover treat will be a crowdpleaser any time of year! Good recipes have roots in the most unexpected places. Standing on the sidelines of a lacrosse game last year, the grandmother of my son’s good buddy and teammate mentioned a seasonal recipe she likes to make for family…
All the flavor of the classic Irish dish in soul-warming soup form. Easy, satisfying, and leftovers are a treat! I was jinxed! The very same day a friend asked me if I had ever made something that flat-out flopped, it happened. Usually, my kitchen disasters hinge on my general clumsiness, like dropped salad bowls…
Crock Pot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is classic comfort food that’s wholesome and easy to make. Freezer bag option provides added convenience. We all have days that don’t go as planned. Computers crash, kids get sick, or the car doesn’t start, but we still have to eat. An easy recipe is especially welcome…
A takeout favorite meets wholesome veggie in this all-in-one dinner the whole family will enjoy. It even comes with its own bowl! If you were to teach a cooking seminar to nearly 40 middle school girls and boys, what would you make? As you ponder that question, I will mention that Janice Estabrook has…
A hint of sausage supplies smoky, savory flavor in this one-pot soup, which is packed with plant-based protein, colorful veggies and satiating appeal. Wholesome comfort food at its best-and a customer favorite at a regional restaurant chain! It never fails. When one of my sons issues a last-minute request for a friend to stay for…
Are you ready? I certainly have a calendar, but every year the holidays seem to sneak up on me. As I count the items on my mental to-do list and the stress level creeps upward, I remind myself how important it is to simply slow down and savor the true meaning of the season. One…
A great bowl of chili is just minutes away thanks to a handful of economical pantry ingredients. Top with a simple sprinkle of cheese or load it up with chopped avocado, crushed tortilla chips, minced onions, etc. The wee hours of Christmas morning last year found my extended family in an airport.…
Apple Crisp Baked Oatmeal is a super-satisfying breakfast, and this seasonal spin can be prepped and enjoyed over several days. Or serve it for a wholesome holiday brunch. Genetics are a funny thing. When my dad drove me to a recent appointment for outpatient eye surgery, he commented apologetically that I had him to…
A cup of jewel-like pomegranate seeds and an orange-enhancing splash of triple sec take classic cranberry relish to new heights! When I was growing up, my family spent every Thanksgiving at my maternal grandparents’ house. My grandmother graciously opened her home to family, and any friends with no family. She put all the extra…
I was 13 years old when the blockbuster movie Witness was filmed in Lancaster. Without a doubt, it was a very big deal to have Hollywood heartthrob Harrison Ford come to our town. A good bit of the production took place in the vicinity of my childhood home. My friends and I tried to catch…