I’ve never been much of a slow cooker kinda gal, always preferring instead to use my cast iron Dutch ovens to do my slow cooking (there’s nothing like the slow heat of a heavy, enameled Dutch oven to concentrate flavors and make everything in it meltingly tender.) Of late, however, I’ve found myself occasionally drawn…
Blog
Sausage and Potato Skillet with Zucchini, Corn & Basil
I confess I love potatoes. Boiled, mashed, baked, stuffed, stewed, or fried – I could eat ‘em any night of the week (and often do). They are just perfectly versatile. I mean, the humble spud is a frugal ingredient, to be sure – perfect for a simple supper of potato soup and a loaf of…
Watermelon and Cucumber Salad
It’s hotter than blue blazes, as folks around here often say this time of year. I’m talking clothes-sticking, hair-drooping, crank-up-the-air-conditioning kind of heat. And when the worst of the sweltering summer heat comes along right about mid-July, just about the last thing I’m interested in doing is a lot of cooking. I mean, I really…
7 Reasons to Grow a Patio Herb Garden
Growing herbs is something that I’ve been doing for many years, since way before I began to grow an actual food garden. Whether living on a rural property with acreage, or in an apartment, I’ve always found a way – a few pots on a sunny windowsill, a bucket on my back porch, or planters…
South Carolina-Style Mustard BBQ Sauce
I don’t think there is any meal that says summer quite like BBQ does. I mean, sure, you can eat BBQ any time of the year, but it just feels so right in the summer. Served alongside fresh-picked corn on the cob, and followed by a plate of juicy watermelon – for me, that’s what…
Quick and Easy Hamburger Buns
Have you ever had dinner all planned out, and just as you begin to cook, you realize that you forgot something? Something really important like a crucial ingredient? Yeah, me too. This happened to me recently when I realized that I had no buns or rolls for pulled the BBQ chicken sandwiches that I was…
PA Dutch Pepper Slaw
Back in my ancestral home of PA (pronounced P-A, better know to non-natives as Pennsylvania), this is a favorite coleslaw recipe. Instead of a mayo-based dressing, it has a deliciously refreshing sweet and sour vinegar dressing and lots of bell pepper flavor. I do love a good creamy coleslaw, but this slaw is just right…
Egg Salad with Dill and Horseradish
OK, I’ll just be real honest and tell you that lunch around here is usually an afterthought. It’s just not my favorite meal, so it’s not a meal I normally give much thought to. I look forward to a hearty dinner every evening, but lunch is usually just a quick stop between breakfast and dinner….
Skillet Blueberry Cobbler
Blueberry season is a time I look forward to every year. Here in the mountains of western North Carolina, they are some of the earliest berries to arrive, showing up in early summer, right after the juicy, red strawberries of spring. Then, come the end of summer, we have the wild blueberries to look forward…
Blueberry Lemon Jam
Every summer, I eagerly await the first ripe berries of the season to appear. Frozen berries are fine for the rest of the year, but when they are juicy and fresh, straight from the bush, they are simply heavenly. We always eat some of the berries fresh, and then use the rest for pies and…
Key West-Style Chicken Marinade
This Key West-Style Chicken is easy enough for a weeknight meal, but is also perfect for entertaining, too. Cook it in a skillet, or throw it on the grill, the tropical flavors of the Conch Republic will have you dreaming of crystal blue waters, palm trees, and white sand beaches. True story – my husband…
Quick and Easy Fish Tacos
These Quick and Easy Fish Tacos are just so simple to prepare and really tasty, too! A little seafood seasoning, smoked paprika, lime juice, and a big ol’ skillet, and you will be enjoying Taco Tuesday in almost no time at all! Add any toppings you like to these tacos. Finely shredded red cabbage is a…