Rhubarb and lilac and tree buds and all those other harbingers of spring are late here in Minnesota this year, so my three plants still had only a few still short stalks ready when I wanted to pick some for a coffee dessert today. No strawberries in the house to fall back on the many…

Way back when every housewife’s Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens Cookbooks had no listings for anything as “exotic” as cumin or basil, this recipe became one I could always expect to be complimented for, with the follow up question of “but what is that special flavor?” Now, our tastes have all been much…

Fresh strawberries have been reasonably priced this month, and our Easter breakfast potluck at church showed the result of this, with bowls and bowls of the brilliant berries lined up, sometimes mixed with cantaloupe and grapes, but even more often unadorned and beautiful. That is probably the very best way to enjoy strawberries, but the…

When eggs are on special (as they often are around Easter), buy a couple of extra dozen and put them in the refrigerator for use over the next several weeks. (If you are worried about keeping eggs so long, go to http://www.agr.state.il.us/programs/consumer/egg/eggconsguide.html for verification that eggs can be kept for an extended time if properly…

Egg salad sandwiches. Hard boiled eggs with toast. More egg salad sandwiches…. Not ready with a lot of options for all those eggs you are spending today decorating and hunting tomorrow? Here are a few ideas for using them up. (Of course, you did keep them refrigerated except for the hour or so–at most–that you…

While I usually make soups in vat-sized quantities, this one is so quick to fix that the single meal size recipe is well worth trying. As this picture suggests, it is truly a good to the last drop meal! Curried Cauliflower Soup 2 t canola oil3 oz chopped onion (half a medium onion)2 1/2 oz…

Hot cross buns are a family tradition for us in Lent and especially during Holy Week. Thick with a basic powdered sugar icing, these are great for breakfast but go well at any other time of day as well. As my family knows, I rarely measure my yeast breads but the following recipe was tested…

Long ago and far away, there lived a working mother who wanted to serve her children well-balanced meals, on a tight food budget and an even tighter schedule. Over the years, she developed a lot of ideas and techniques that helped her kids learn to really like vegetables, to come to expect more meatless days…

Those who know me are aware that I find most recipes pretty confining and use them more as guides or idea starters than as an ironclad chart to be followed. In fact, this blog has been a real challenge, since I now very carefully weigh or measure far more than I ever have in the…

Here’s a quick and inexpensive way to prepare crisp tortillas for use in dipping or as a side “bread” for Mexican dishes. Corn tortillas are a great staple to keep on hand, since they store well in the refrigerator and many can be kept at room temperature for a few days when space inside the…