Winter Recipes
Shortcut Beef Vegetable Soup
Everything for this hearty soup can be kept in your pantry or freezer for a speedy, well-rounded meal whenever needed. Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent hours rolling dough for homemade dog biscuits, decorating gingerbread houses, and figuring out how to make homemade lotion. These activities are all lots of fun, but none will…
Birdseed Ornaments
It’s hard to come up with the perfect gift for parents, teachers, neighbors, aunt and uncles, and family friends. Birdseed ornaments are fun to make and economical, too — and your feathered friends will thank you! 🐦 At first glance, a recipe featuring birdseed might suggest that I’m dishing up unappetizing diet fare as punishment…
Sparkling Cranberries
Two ingredients come together with ease for a stunning holiday dessert decoration or cheese plate garnish. The leftover syrup is delicious in cocktails, mocktails, and lemonade! What holiday spread wouldn’t be perked up by something colorful and sparkly? These sweet-tart jewels are simple to make and can be used to decorate cakes and pies,…
A-Plus Swiss Steak
A saucy, slow cooker favorite that’s delicious over pasta, polenta, potatoes, or with a crusty roll for mopping up every last drop. And don’t miss the quick and easy way to transform leftovers into a new meal! Ratios, conversions, measuring, multiplying: there’s a lot of math in cooking. Every so often, I even use…
Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage Soup
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 (with freezer bag option)
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…
Easy Egg Roll Stir Fry
The classic takeout appetizer is reinvented as a complete, one pan meal that comes together quickly with ground beef, pork, or your favorite plant-based alternative. For several years when her children were young, one of my good friends hosted an annual Chinese New Year’s party. Her youngest child was adopted from China, and the yearly…
Snow Cream
Snow Cream is a thing…and it’s delicious! All the kids in your life (and the kids at heart) will enjoy this sweet treat on a snowy day. For those who are checking the calendar: No, it’s not April 1st, and yes, “snow cream” is really a thing! Even if you don’t love the cold,…
Tuscan Lentil Soup
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…
Caramel Eggnog Creamer
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…
Magical Reindeer Food
Magical Reindeer Food is a fun activity to do with your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews and brings out the wonder of the season. Perfect for kids to give to their friends or use themselves on Christmas Eve. Printable gift tags included! Years ago, when the kids and I still peered towards the moon in…
5-Can Weeknight Chili
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.…
