I have a thing about buying ingredients I don't regularly use. When I'm reading through a new recipe, if it calls for an ingredient I don't normally have on hand, or regularly buy, I usually skip it. It has to sound really, really good for me to buy something I may not be able to use up. For some reason, one ingredient I've held off on buying for a long time was whole wheat pastry flour. A recipe that called for it was immediately glossed over. I bookmarked a few, just in case, but mostly I just moved on.
Read moreSwiss Chard Gratin.
I did not grow up loving greens. Collard greens are not comfort food for me. I had no idea what swiss chard was, and I have never really liked kale. Spinach was not worth the chewing. You could get me to eat lettuce then, but it was never something I'd ask for. Now, as an adult, I'm a bit more adventurous in trying new things, (and I actually like salads now!), so when I saw swiss chard at our lovely farmer's market about two years ago, I bought some and asked the farmer what exactly I should do with it.
Read moreWild Rice Dressing.
As it gets chilly out, I tend to want to cook more. Couple that with the fact that I have a really hard time picking out side dishes for my meals, and you can end up with some very odd dinners. I've begun to keep a dinner diary to log meals, partly to keep me motivated, and partly to have something to look back at when I'm meal planning to see what worked in the past.
Read moreGrilled Zucchini.
Oh how I love summer grilling. Looking back at what I've posted lately, it would seem that I've only been cooking dessert, but that, I assure you, is not the case. We've been breaking out the grill often, which, while making delicious food, it is not usually especially unique and so I've remained silent. But now, now I MUST share this. Zucchini. Have you grilled this? It's not so much a recipe as an idea. Cut the zucchini into long thick planks, don't bother to skin it, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle a bit of seasoned salt on top and let the grill do its work. SO GOOD. If you've been hesitant about zucchini in the past, or simply prefer other vegetables to it, I implore you, try this.
Read moreCornmeal Breakfast Pudding.
Soon after I got married, my mom called me and said she'd found a couple of my grandma's cookbooks, and did I want them? I, who nostalgically cherishes almost anything that has belonged to my ancestors, and would collect cookbooks until my shelves were full of them if I could, of course said Yes! As soon as they were in my possession, I scoured them for recipes I could easily create. This recipe was one I made almost as soon as I saw it. (I believe I found the recipe and had it made within that hour.)
Read moreBroccoli with Toasted Garlic.
Lately I've been trying to incorporate more vegetables into my family's diet. I'm slowly expanding the palates of my husband and son in this area, my latest acheivement being that my husband now eats carrots. :) One standby though, if I know its not a day to press my luck in the vegetable department, is broccoli. Chris and Jonathan love their broccoli. Consequently, this recipe was an instant hit. I usually add an extra clove or two of garlic, as we love garlic here, but the recipe as is is delicious.
Read moreOnion Rings, Oven Baked.
I love onion rings. This is probably expected, what with my onion love posted previously elsewhere on this site. What I don't love is frying things. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part if a recipe calls for frying, it doesn't usually get made. I've modified recipes, like chicken nuggets and french fries, so that I can bake them instead, but onion rings have always failed in this department, even with recipes intended for baking. They never had the same taste, the breading would fall off, it was a disaster. Thus I resigned myself to only getting onion rings on the rare occasion we could get them at a restaurant.
Read moreOnion Pan Bread.
Here's another recipe for you onion lovers out there. This bread is impeccably moist, somewhere in texture between a very light biscuit and a somewhat heavier pancake. The onions are deceptively sweet, especially if you find yourself using all vidalia onions. I'd actually recommend reducing the brown sugar that mixes with the onions and caramelizes them if you do use vidalias; too much sweet can, in fact, be too much of a very good thing.(Or so I'm told...) Regardless, this is delicious served warm to accompany a lighter meal, such as grilled chicken or a quick salad. It is best served warm.
Read moreCheddar Chive Biscuits.
I love these biscuits. My husband asked me to make these this week, and, as my chive plant was getting out of control, and I do love to make yummy food for my husband, I happily obliged.
Read moreScones.
I love making scones. I used to buy this bag of 'just add water' scones mix, which was decent, but after having one expire on me, let's just say, never again.
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