Now into December, the “pumpkin spice” lattes and bagels (and more) have mostly been replaced in coffee shops and Trader Jo’s with wintry peppermint treats. Still, today I was in the mood for the warm and cozy fragrances I remember from my mother’s kitchen on gray fall and winter days like the weather we’ve been…
Molasses Popcorn Balls
Sometimes every rule needs an exception. A basic “rule” for this blog is to never post a recipe that I haven’t tested–very recently–at least once, if not more. I have also been trying to include photos on every entry, even if my camera skills are pretty basic. This entry, however, is going to be an…
Apple Brownies
A kitchen well supplied with apples. A request for cookies for a community event. Not a lot of time. What better combination of ingredients to try out some apple bar cookies. Why specifically bar cookies? Almost every bar cookie recipe is quicker to make than any other kind. Mix up the batter, pour it in…
Notes to Mom
I just copied and pasted your last post, and it saved some of your old formatting, so I thought I’d make a clean post so you could see what it looked like if I typed it just like you would. Here’s a sample photo, with caption: please check Darcie’s spelling… Here is a recipe: Darcie’s…
Green Beans and Tofu
Our summer has been one of frequent rains and lots of warmth. Add in pails and pails of compost to build up my garden soil, and I have lavish bean vines that are taking over several of the planting beds that are supposed to be providing peppers and chard and lots of other things too….
No Bake Yogurt Cheesecake
This summer has been one of the warmest we have had in years up here in Minnesota, not the kind of weather that encourages much use of the oven. Still, there are occasions when a special dessert might be called for. With blueberries having been featured at attractive prices for the past several weeks, I…
Savory Corn Pudding
One sign that we are well into summer is the appearance of pick up trucks full of fat ears of corn at familiar corners around town. Sweet corn season has arrived! So we buy the first dozen, grilling them to perfection. Then we buy some more because that first dozen was so good. Now…
No Pectin Cherry Jam
(Reader alert: This is a blog entry with lots of memories before getting to the recipe. If you are just looking for how to make cherry jam, scroll to the bottom of the post.) I grew up in the upper Midwest where the climate was too cold for sweet cherries but where “pie cherries”–a kinder…
Green Chile Pork Enchiladas…and Pulled Pork Sandwiches Too?
I first learned to prepare pork with green chiles back in Arizona, and I still associate this combination with warm summer days. Back then, I would cook the meat to the falling apart stage and then use it as a kind of pulled pork filling for good hard rolls. While that still is an option,…
Fourth of July “Cheesecake”
Looking for a dessert for this holiday weekend, I wanted something light, relatively quick, with little oven time, and using some of the many fresh fruits on special this week. A recipe I’ve made for years fit all these requirements (although I did pre-bake the Cheerios crust to be sure it held together a little…