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Super Simple Stuffing

When you’re responsible for cooking the entire Turkey Day spread, sometimes simplicity is best. I’m not suggesting you cut out your signature Thanksgiving dishes, rather, you might consider taking shortcuts on some recipes. For example, instead of hand slicing the bread used for holiday stuffing, why not buy a bag of pre-seasoned stuffing mix and embellish it with other simple ingredients. Or, really lighten your load by make stuffing in a crock pot. Here are some of my favorite simple stuffing recipes: SOUTHERN CORNBREAD STUFFING Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter 1 pound andouille sausage (cut into 1/4-inch pieces) 1 large onion, … Continue reading →

Super Simple Sunday Night Dinner

If you are looking for a quick and easy dinner idea, consider one of my family’s favorites. It includes an entree and dessert, but the recipes won’t drain your budget or take up a ton of valuable family weekend time. The first recipe is lovingly nicknamed Everything But the Kitchen Sink Casserole. It was created from leftover items that I refused to waste. I combined the refrigerated leftovers with a few pantry items and presto—-instant dinner. Dessert is an easy Pistachio Torte that sounds fancier than it really is. You can put it together in less than 20 minutes, though … Continue reading →

Stuffing Summer’s Harvest

I consider myself very fortunate that despite not having a very green thumb my home is rarely without homegrown produce in the summertime. My friend and former colleague has a gigantic garden and generously shares the fruits of her labor every couple of weeks. This week we got to share in her bumper crop of green bell peppers. Consequently, I have been scouring my recipe books looking for pepper recipes. (After all, there’s only so many times I can add fresh bell peppers to salads without getting tired of doing so.) The peak season for green bell peppers falls between … Continue reading →

Preventing Summer Brain Drain

The school year is winding down for millions of students across the country, and while most kids are thrilled to be getting a much needed break from studying, some parents are hoping that summer vacation doesn’t lead to brain drain. Summer learning loss is nothing new; however, it is avoidable. While most parents think summer school is the key to keeping their kids at the head of the class, there are a slew of other activities that can help preserve lessons learned in the course of an academic year. My daughter would rather give up TV and eat nothing but … Continue reading →

Freezing Holiday Food: Potatoes

Your freezer can be one of your best friends when it comes to preparing holiday food. You can make and freeze dishes and deserts ahead of time to cut down on the hectic holiday food preparation and cooking. You can also freeze leftovers in order to reduce waste. Finally, you can prepare extra meals that will be easy to eat during the holiday rush. Some foods do freeze better than others, and there are some other considerations to make when freezing foods, such as whether or not to freeze them cooked or uncooked, whether to alter your spices, when par-baking … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

You may have finished your Thanksgiving grocery shopping days ago, but there are many home cooks who are still scrambling to piece together their Turkey Day feast. I know because I just drove past a parking lot full of them outside our local market. (Hard-core shoppers and it’s not even Black Friday yet.) Regardless, it just goes to show that there are some people out there who have yet to finalize their Thanksgiving menu yet. If you are still searching for the perfect dessert to share on this day of giving thanks, then consider the simple pumpkin creations listed below: … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Turkey Tips

The folks at Butterball are working overtime right now answering questions from turkey cookers from coast-to-coast. Whether you are preparing the holiday bird for the first time or the 100th time, it’s nice to have a guide to ensure you are on the right track. Here are some tips to get you through Thanksgiving… and beyond: FROZEN TURKEY If you haven’t moved your turkey from the freezer to the fridge by now, you’re asking for trouble. In order for your bird to be oven ready by tomorrow you need to submerge it in cold water (in its plastic wrapping) immediately. … Continue reading →

Autumn Recipes from A to Z

Tis the season to retreat to the kitchen to prepare warm comfort foods. Think hearty stews, soups, pumpkins, squash, turkey and other fall favorites. In an effort to encourage you to make the most of this season’s spectacular harvest I’ve compiled a collection of autumn recipes from A to Z featuring some of fall’s most popular ingredients. Whether you are cooking for two or two-dozen, the following quick and easy recipes will help make the most of fall’s bounty from apples to zucchini. Autumn Recipes: A is for Apple— DOUBLE APPLE DESSERT SALAD and WILD RICE AND APPLE SALAD. Autumn … Continue reading →

Egg-cellent Egg Recipes

Here’s a fact about me that very, very few people know: When I was pregnant with my daughter I didn’t crave ice cream, pickles or greasy cheeseburgers; rather during the last four months of my pregnancy all I could think about was deviled eggs. When would I be able to get my next fix, how many cartons of eggs could I buy without the sales clerk getting suspicious and occasionally, who could I persuade to make them for me. There was one cameraman that I worked with on a regular basis at the TV stationed I was employed at who … Continue reading →

Stuffed Vegetables

These days you can find recipes for stuffed everything. From turkeys to chickens, peppers to poblanos there are few items that home cooks can’t devise a way to plump up with other zesty ingredients. In a previous blog I provided recipes for stuffed green bell peppers. The hearty and versatile vegetables are in season right now and my kitchen is overflowing with their goodness. However, peppers are not the only ingredients I have been experimenting with. I recently found a recipe for Stuffed Poblano Chilies that I finally got around to making. While stuffed chilies are not unique, what sets … Continue reading →