I deviated from my menu plan on the first day. I didn’t change it too much, but I decided the flavors of Green Beans with Garlic and Garlic and Rosemary Red Potatoes were too similar, so I decided to change up the potatoes a bit. I wanted the flavor of the potatoes to compliment theRead More
Savory Hashbrowns
My favorite breakfast food is hash-browns. I can resist pancakes, waffles and muffins, but I will succumb to the temptation of hashbrowns every single time! I like hash-browns made just about anyway, but when I make them I add lots of onion and garlic and make a savory side dish. Hash-brown Tips: For crispy hash-browns,Read More
Garlic and Rosemary Red Potatoes
This quick and easy garlic and rosemary red potatoes recipe is made on the stovetop instead of in the oven. I was craving potatoes the other day, but I wasn’t sure I had enough time to make them with our dinner. So instead of baking potatoes or roasting them, I decided to boil quartered redRead More
Purple Mashed Potatoes
This is a fun twist on traditional mashed potatoes. I have found blue potatoes to be quite hardy and enjoy growing them in my garden. Whenever I share them with my friends they ask what blue potatoes taste like. Blue potatoes taste like potatoes, only a little more so. If you usually eat bland russet potatoes, youRead More
Basmati Rice with Onion and Garlic
This easy Basmati Rice with Onion and Garlic is made on the stovetop. I often buy Basmati Rice Medley at Trader Joe’s. In addition to aged Indian basmati rice, it contains wild rice and some dehydrated vegetables. I think it makes a lovely base when I make a stir-fry. My oldest son doesn’t mind eatingRead More
Sautéed Broccoli
I often wonder if I should share such easy recipes. Everybody knows how to sauté vegetables right? I didn’t until I was in my early twenties. While my mother did serve fresh salads with dinner, she usually just heated canned vegetables. So I was under the impression that I wasn’t very fond of vegetables. TheRead More
Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts
Dinner time has been unusually hectic the last couple of months. My oldest two children have many late afternoon and evening activities. Three nights out of the school week I arrive home at 6:50. I don’t have time to cook dinner, but I definitely don’t want my kids eating fast foods. I apply some ofRead More
Twice Baked Potatoes
Twice Baked Potatoes are an easy, yet elegant side dish. They can be prepared in advance making them an ideal dish for a busy holiday dinner. My mother-in-law calls her version Stuffed Baked Potatoes and while I can not bring myself to call them that, I do employ some of the techniques I’ve learned fromRead More
Chili Stuffed Baked Potatoes
This Chili Stuffed Baked Potatoes Recipe is a delicious way to serve chili! I know most of you are enjoying lovely weather, but it is rather cold at my place. After we come in from blanketing horses, draining hoses, and covering plants to protect them from the freezing temperatures, we need something hearty to warm usRead More
Mexican Rice
I have been craving Mexican food and flavors lately. Fortunately, my whole family loves Mexican food, so I have not received any complaints about the frequency with which it is showing up on our table. I don’t know if I should admit this, but Mexican rice (with the green chili peppers omitted) mixed with blackRead More
Roasted Vegetables
My husband is on leave and we are enjoying a staycation. And although I have lots of extra help with my daily chores, I keep finding myself taking short cuts on even the simplest tasks. For example, when my family wanted a pumpkin pie and I didn’t feel like making a crust, I made aRead More
Chai Spiced Sweet Potatoes
No, I did not marinate my sweet potatoes in tea. Did you realize that the overpriced tea you are buying from coffee shops is actually just black tea with spices, sugar, and milk added? You probably have most of the spices in the cupboard…and you could be making your own tea…or you could use thoseRead More
Wild Rice Stuffing and How to Make Croutons
Like many other people, I will be sharing Thanksgiving with people with varying dietary needs. Sitting at my Thanksgiving table will be 3 people who are gluten intolerant, 1 vegetarian, 1 person who is lactose intolerant, and 2 people with high cholesterol. Since I create a Thanksgiving buffet, I can easily make several dishes thatRead More
Roasted Root Vegetables
When I shared my Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower recipe, Alison at A Prairie Story left a comment saying that she liked combining sweet potatoes with beets. I did not think I could get away with serving my kids sweet potatoes with beets, so I decided to add a little camouflage, call it roasted rootRead More
Quinoa Salad
Last month I saw several delicious salads that used quinoa as a main ingredient. I did not have the exact ingredients for any of the recipes, so I decided to experiment and ended up creating a new family favorite. This recipe is very flexible! I have made several variations depending on what ingredients I haveRead More
Mashed Red Potatoes
I love being able to walk out to the garden and dig up some potatoes for dinner! Today I am making my mashed red potatoes recipe which is a favorite with my kids. Have you ever eaten a potato that is so fresh the skin is still paper thin and fragile? New potatoes need toRead More
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower
This Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower recipe has a savory blend of spices making it a delicious side dish any time of year! This recipe was created out of my desire to use up some vegetables before they turned. I like roasted sweet potatoes and I like roasted cauliflower, so I decided to combine the two. MyRead More
Green Beans with Garlic
The green beans have only come in dribs and drabs for most of the summer. However, I am finally harvesting them fast enough to serve green beans as a side dish, rather than merely using them as an ingredient in soup. I prefer to eat my veggies with just enough seasoning to highlight their naturalRead More
Herb Roasted New Potatoes
After digging up potatoes and onions this afternoon, I decided I could not wait until the weekend to roast the new potatoes. If you grow your own herbs this recipe can be made almost entirely from the garden. I don’t grow my own olives, so I used store bought olive oil. I intended to serveRead More
Roasted Potatoes and Dry Onion Soup Mix Substitute
I love, love, love roasted potatoes made with onion soup mix. The problem is store bought onion soup mix contains gluten. I had to give up my beloved roasted potatoes until I started exploring the possibilities of making substitutes for some of my favorite items from scratch. I actually have come to enjoy making myRead More