Here we are, almost to December in the upper Midwest, and I am just finishing the last of the greens from my garden. Little warms a gardener’s heart than to be able to serve food fresh from the back yard for months and months. Even if you are not a gardener, however, now is the…
Month: November 2012
Leftover Mashed Potatoes = Potato Soup
Putting away all the leftovers from a Thanksgiving feast can be one of the biggest challenges of the day, and it sometimes is tempting to just toss foods that you aren’t sure would work well a second time around. Mashed potatoes may fall into that category for some of you. After reheating them once with…
Onions, Onions, Onions
After putting up the post about French-fried onions, I realized that many of my friends find preparing onions something to be avoided at all costs. Isn’t it inevitable that you will end up with smelly fingers and burning, teary eyes? Not necessarily! There are of course lots of suggestions out there for avoiding the tears,…
Homemade “French-fried Onions,” Cream of Mushroom Sauce, and Classic Green Bean Casserole
It’s that time of year again. For many, Thanksgiving is synonymous with roast turkey and stuffing, with lots of pies to follow. For others, the really mandatory dish at the Thanksgiving day feast is Green Bean Casserole…and please don’t try to make any adjustments to the tradition. Since I have been given the task of…
Slow Cooker Italian Pasta
We had a “CrockPotLuck” at church today, with everyone asked to bring a favorite dish made in a slow cooker. Our wonderful kitchen committee would provide all the homemade desserts, as well as biscuits, corn, bread, rolls and vegetable and fruit trays. Truly a feast to be thankful for. Though the weather has been warm…
The Last Beets from the Garden–a Fall Salad
On a late fall visit to Sekapp’s Orchard just outside of town, I couldn’t help but envy the baskets of beets, some of which were as big as baseballs. The beets from my garden were, as usual, very small and not very plentiful. In fact, almost the entire crop fit on the roasting pan when…
Marinating Chicken Breasts for Future Stir-Fries
Never be afraid to consider those marked down meats and produce at your favorite store. Check the appearance of the food and how far from the “use by” or “good until” date, but then take advantage of the great bargains to be had. That is advice I heeded last week when I found a package…