I have been thinking lately of how some foods come back into fashion only when they have been given more “presentable” names. In earlier posts, I mentioned my mother’s simple “fried apples” were virtually identical to “Tarte Tatin.” I discovered some time ago that the onions, celery, and carrots that I have often browned lightly…

A friend who bakes prodigiously, and then shares all the tantalizing results on Facebook, recently shared her recipe for Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bars. I guess I was speed reading when I saw her praises for the cookies, as I had thought they were chocolate chocolate chip bars, something I promised another friend I’d bring to…

We were blessed to have a little rain over the weekend after a prolonged dry spell. Nothing like so many parts of the country, of course, but we had been spoiled by plenty of moisture well into August, so having to water the garden (and the raspberries–always the raspberries!) was something we hadn’t had to…

A favorite first board game for my kids over the years has been Hi Ho the Cherry-O, wherein little cherries are painstakingly put into holes in the cardboard game board and then a spinner gives each player the opportunity to “pick” one, two, or three cherries and put them in his or her basket. The…

Here’s a dish that could work as a dip (similar to refried beans) with chips or as a vegetarian main dish (even vegan if you skip any dairy trims) with rice. Gluten free too–a dish for many different dietary needs/wants–and it tastes good too! While you could make this without zucchini, why not grate in…

McDonald’s and Starbucks have nothing on us! Both of these chains have been promoting “frozen strawberry lemonade” this summer and, though they are pitched as being healthy options, both are heavy on the calories and light on any nutrition other than some Vitamin C. Add in the cost of both drinks, and you can guess…

I came across the sage advice again today: Under no circumstances should I get soap or detergent anywhere near my cast iron skillet nor should I use anything at all abrasive on it. Treat it as gently as nonstick cookware was the comparison. LOL. My grandmothers and generations of women before them would have found…