Apple-Cranberry Panko Crisp

I arrived home after a long day of activities to be greeted by a package on my doorstep. The box, measuring 24”X24”, contained a wide assortment of products from my friends at Kikkoman. We had such a blast last year hosting a Tasty Turkey Party and they asked if I was interested in testing a [...]

Blue Cheese Ranch Dip with Fresh Vegetables

The keys to potluck success I’ve learned over the years are to keep the food simple for transportation purposes and serve familiar favorites with my own twist to add interest. I reviewed my calendar recently and realized I had 6 potluck parties to attend in December! That’s a lot of Crockpot fare in my very [...]

Harvest Broccoli Salad

An entire bookshelf in my tiny home office is filled with spiral-bound cookbooks. These aren’t just any kind of cookbooks. They were assembled by local community organizations in the hopes of raising funds for an assorted list of causes. Two books in particular were produced as fundraisers for the local senior center in my hometown [...]

Friendsgiving Blessings

Off I go…over the river and through the woods with a picnic basket in tow. With our families scattered throughout the country, a small group of friends decided to host our own Friendsgiving festivities this year. The menu reads like a who’s who list of traditional Thanksgiving fare with each friend contributing a dish or [...]

Cheesy Alexia Fries & Giveaway

The picture above is my favorite way to eat French fries – grilled chicken, smothered in melted cheese and a dollop or two of sour cream for good measure. I had the opportunity dive deep into the world of fries with Alexia Foods “Reinvent a Classic” contest over the summer. For an entire month, my [...]

Steamed Mussels in White Wine Sauce

There will always be a special place in my heart for a steaming bowl of fresh mussels with crusty bread for dipping. While living in Chicago, mussels at HopLeaf became a perfect excuse for impromptu gatherings with friends. Even in my current city of Pittsburgh, there are times when my cravings for curry and coconut [...]

Spiced Rum Vanilla Extract

Baking cookies has always been a guilty pleasure for me. The first recipe I ever created was a monstrous cookie adapted from three distinct recipes. Even as an adult, I have a well-practiced system that ensures perfection each and every time. However, there is one special ingredient that makes my cookies even more unique than [...]

Baked Kale Chips

I had the opportunity to attend an interesting lecture by Chef Ann Cooper in a high school gymnasium filled with parents recently. Known as the “Renegade Lunch Lady,” Chef Cooper discussed the current state of school lunch programs and how we should improve them. The information outlined in her presentation was thought-provoking and insightful. In [...]

Homemade Granola with Dried Cranberries

I have to admit. I’m feeling a little guilty about not posting as frequently as usual. I’m certainly not short on stories or recipes to share. With the fall semester of graduate school kicked into high gear, I’m finding there are too many stories with too little time to write. Thankfully, once I get back [...]

Tomato Salad with Farmer’s Cheese

Riding high on my new farmer’s cheese making abilities, I decided to toss together an easy salad for a small gathering of friends. This simple treasure is not only lovely to eat, but wonderfully beautiful at the same time. Be sure to take advantage of all the tasty tomato varieties at the farmers market. Before [...]

« Previous Page — Next Page »