Broccoli Slaw & Freschetta Artisan Crust Pizza

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreschEats #CollectiveBias I may feel like it sometimes, but I am not Superwoman. Like most Moms and Dads, my husband and I can multitask with the best of them. As busy parents, it is a…

College Pasta

Have you ever noticed that the dishes that grace your table are such a representation of your life that it is almost like a culinary scrapbook.  Let me explain… Years ago when I was in college (go figure), I lived in an old, yellow house just off campus.  The floor was so…

Mini Corn Muffins W/Bacon, Chives & Spicy Cream Cheese Whip

Sometimes, inspiration just strikes.  Like lightening.  Or in my case, like cream cheese and bacon. A few years ago I started adding bacon and chives to my regular Mini Corn Muffins.  I still make them plain all the time and usually serve them with chili, salads, or just as a snack to…

Caramel Apple Ginger Loaf Cake

Originally this recipe was classified as a quick bread.  I think that is hysterical and here are the reasons why: 1.) It is covered with a glaze that is thick and sweet and can only be described as pourable caramel frosting.  F-R-O-S-T-I-N-G.  Not a quick bread type of feature. 2.) I don’t…

Spinach & Feta Artichoke Dip

I owe my love of artichokes to my good friend, Dede. Actually, I owe quite a bit to her.  Not the least of which is the fact that she taught me how to devein shrimp, sneak food into a movie theater, and even hosted our wedding at her farm.  Years ago, when…

Simple Artichoke Dip

Ah.  Classic artichoke dip.  How I love thee… There are some things in this world that you just need to know how to make.  Bread, poached eggs, really good chocolate chip cookies, and if I may be so bold as to add to the list-artichoke dip.  Its classic.  Its simple.  Its familiar…

Honey Cardamom Snack Cake

A year or so ago, my friend Thea and her family stopped by to visit on the way through town.  Aside from the fact that I have know her more than 20 years and she remembers what I looked like in the mid 90’s, she is a professional baker.  She has been…

Instant Veggie Dip: Back To School Post #8

I came across this recipe via 100 Days Of Real Food and even though I have a reliable ranch dressing recipe that I use, I liked the flavors and thickness of this one for dip.  The fact that it is a spice mix that you make ahead is extremely appealing to me.  Just…

Coffee Swirl Coffee Cake

I am so in love with this coffee cake. Adding coffee to baked goods at breakfast is nothing new.  But this recipe is fun, unique, and totally feeds my coffee cake addiction.  I really love coffee cake of any kind.  My Mom used to make it all the time when I was…

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes & Hotel Room Service

Quite often, food reminds us of special times in our lives.  Culinary memories, if you will. My Mother-In-Law was telling me over the weekend that the smell of cinnamon rolls makes her think of her Mother.  She used to bake them in the afternoons so that they were fresh and warm for…

Classic Mashed Potatoes

The title of this post makes me drool a bit.  It isn’t the picture or the recipe, just the promise of potatoes and butter.  And like most honest, upstanding, hardworking Americans raised in the midwest, potatoes and butter have a special place in my heart and on my plate.  A very special…

Homemade Ranch Dressing

The first time I had homemade ranch dressing, it wasn’t really homemade.  It was one of those spice packets from the grocery store mixed with sour cream and it was actually required of me for a college class.  Long story.  But even so, the flavor was superior to the bottled stuff.  Fresh, tangy,…

Super Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream

We never made strawberry ice cream when I was a kid.  My parents had a huge, old fashioned crank ice cream maker that we would pull out a few times a summer and vanilla was the easy flavor of choice.  We would stir in mini chocolate chips and, if we were lucky,…

Sour Cream Cherry Bars

At the risk of stating the obvious, I just have to mention that it is hot.  Really hot.  Pleeeeeease tell me you are all staying cool out there.  Pools, lakes, oceans, garden hose: whatever it takes to beat the heat!  Here in the middle of Midwestern farmland we are not only feeling the…

Flank Steak W/Tangy Sauce & Sisters

“I think this is my favorite meal,” said my sister, Hannah, as she inhaled the plate you see above. I mentioned earlier that my youngest sister was here to run a half-marathon, but she also came back through here on her way to the east coast for work.  She stayed a few…