Spring has finally arrived! The trees are budding, the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. And I’m definitely ready to put those hearty winter meals behind me for now – my tastebuds are yearning for some lighter, fresher flavors! So in honor of spring and all of its gloriousness, here’s a pasta dish…
Main Dishes
Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
About once a week or so, usually on a Saturday or Sunday, I like to take the time to do some real down-home cooking. I’m talkin’ from-scratch home cooking that takes some extra time and effort. This past Sunday it was a batch of these Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings. And sure, I sometimes make a…
Irish Stout Beef Stew
If you’re looking to serve something other than the usual corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day, this Irish Stout Beef Stew is a delicious option. Morsels of tender beef, and chunks of sweet carrots in a rich gravy with a slightly malty flavor – so good! And even if you’re not a beer…
Apple Dutch Baby
So what exactly is a Dutch Baby? A pancake? A popover? I would argue that it’s both. A puffy pancake, cooked in a skillet, but with a yummy custardy texture (similar to a popover or Yorkshire pudding). Either way, pancake or not, don’t think of this Dutch Baby as just a breakfast food – it’s…
Zesty Black Bean Soup
Can you have enough soup recipes? I really don’t think so. In our house, we have soup at least once a week – and often more in the wintertime. To my way of thinking, a big pot of soup simmering on the stove is just perfect comfort food – warmth and nourishment for the body,…
Coconut Chicken Tenders with Mango Chili Dipping Sauce
I just love recipes that are quick and easy, yet still make dinnertime seem like a special occasion. A homemade meal that reminds you of something you might get in a restaurant (but without the extra expense.) This recipe for these super-flavorful Coconut Chicken Tenders is one of those kinds of recipes. Tender, juicy chicken…
Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes
It’s been a few years now since it occurred to me that fulfilling my craving for a good, old-fashioned Sloppy Joes sandwich doesn’t necessarily involve opening a jar of premade sauce. I mean, what’s a Sloppy Joe but a sandwich with cooked ground beef (or other meat), plus some seasoned tomato sauce? But it did…
Kielbasa and 15 Bean Soup
I love soup and I also love beans. But soup with beans? Perfection. In the case of this soup, I used a mix of 15 beans (because I couldn’t choose just one kind!) and added some veggies and a bit of smoky kielbasa. Seriously, you can’t go wrong with this soup – frugal, filling, and oh-so-tasty….
Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Cider Gravy
It’s that time of year again! Time to break out all of the comfort food recipes! Around here, we’ve finally been feeling sweet relief from the blazing summer heat, and are in full fall swing, enjoying as many activities as we can before the snow and blustery cold makes its way to these mountains. We…
Stuffed Cabbage Soup
Among the vegetables I grow in my fall garden, I would have a hard time choosing a favorite. But if for some unfathomable reason I absolutely had to choose one favorite fall vegetable, it would be the cabbage. I love them all – green, red, savoy, napa, bok choy. But I sometimes feel like the…