In my little hometown, back when we were in the last couple years of high school, and when we were all back home on college breaks, they still rolled up the streets by 7 or 8:00PM. If we got the munchies after dark, the only option was to run the 5 or so miles up the highway to "The Truckstop", which never closed. It was about the sort of place you might expect, with an interesting assortment of traffic coming off the highway, and a roughly equal number of locals. The truckers and other ... Read More about Twice Baked Oven Home Fries
Recipes
Cheesy Quinoa Veggie Bake
Comfort food. What that means to us is probably dictated by where we grew up, what our families enjoyed and what we have come to love over the years. It's different for every person. I think that for those of us here in the States, and likely in other countries as well, macaroni and cheese is pretty universally considered to fall into the comfort food category. I know it does for me, anyway. But mac & cheese is carby and as we get older, carbs have an annoying habit of wanting to stick ... Read More about Cheesy Quinoa Veggie Bake
Dutch Baby
I grew up in a small town where all the pancakes were regular, boring flat ones. They have never been my favorite thing - kind of heavy and carby for breakfast. But, a few years after high school, I found myself in Boulder Colorado for awhile, which is where I was introduced to another whole world of pancake amazement. There is a diner in Boulder called Dot's, where we went for breakfast one morning. While I was perusing the omelet selections, the waitress sailed by with an amazing puffy, ... Read More about Dutch Baby
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Plus, How to Get Those Pretty, High Domed Muffins Every Time! We have had a couple of nice springlike days here, but not nearly enough to make up for how the weather has abused us recently. So, I am looking for a little bit of internal sunshine to brighten up my outlook, and how better than to bake some pretty Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins? I have been experimenting with improving the way I make muffins. Previously, though they tasted good, I found the appearance to be somewhat lacking - kind of ... Read More about Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Chicken Stroganoff
This Chicken Stroganoff reminds me of being back in college, living in a big house with a bunch of other people, where we all took turns cooking for each other. Though the results were sometimes on the dubious side, it was always interesting. Dishes that featured wine and sour cream were highly featured on the menu rotation for some reason, a trend that was not at all a bad thing in my opinion. And while Greek yogurt is a trendier ingredient these days, I still prefer sour cream in recipes like ... Read More about Chicken Stroganoff
Quick and Easy Chocolate Snack Cake
Snack Cakes are a very good thing to have in your bag of tricks. A snack cake implies a fast prep, probably without a mixer, and fairly simple ingredients. This Chocolate Snack Cake is all that, and results in a cake that is richer, moister and with a more refined texture than you might expect. You can thank the buttermilk for the texture, because it gives this cake a nice light rise, while it enhances the chocolate flavor. If you spend any time on this blog at all, you are probably already ... Read More about Quick and Easy Chocolate Snack Cake
Lime Buttermilk Bars
Happy Thursday! Wait - you say you aren't having a happy day? I think I know why. It's because you don't have any of these Lime Buttermilk Bars at your house. We can fix that! You will feel like spring has come to stay when you bite into one of these delightful, citrusy, creamy-on-the-top, crunchy-on-the-bottom bars. Trust me when I tell you this, because I am always truthful when it comes to dessert I have to tell you a story about the making of these bars. Well, more about the photographing of ... Read More about Lime Buttermilk Bars
Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies
We have lots of big changes going on in our family. Mostly because our younger daughter and her husband are expecting their first baby, and he is starting a new job and they are moving from Georgia to Pennsylvania. Besides general moral support, we get to be involved to the extent that we are keeping Sammy the super-jowly dog while they get moved, as well as having them stay with us off and on through the process. If there is a better time to make Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies than when ... Read More about Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Applesauce Whoopie Pies
Sitting here, writing this post today, I am enjoying a sight out the window that is dear to the heart of any Upstate New Yorker - there is a male robin enjoying the fermented chokecherries and crab apples from the trees in our yard. A robin! Did you know that the male robins always migrate ahead of the females? It's true - they usually show up a few weeks before their wives get here. They are supposed to be scouting for nesting sites I guess, but my friend Karen always said they just told that ... Read More about Applesauce Whoopie Pies
Brown Sugar Lemon Crinkles
I have to admit that I am really tired of seeing nothing but snow outdoors. Good golly we've had a lot of snow this winter! With the exception of places we have plowed or shoveled, there is still not a single bare spot anywhere on our property. That was a good thing this past weekend, when our older daughter and her family finally made it down here for our annual sledding weekend - we certainly had no shortage of snow for that! But now, I am losing patience with all of this whiteness - I want to ... Read More about Brown Sugar Lemon Crinkles
Upside Down Ginger Pear Cake
This post isn't just a recipe. It's also an ode to my favorite cast iron skillet. Larry and Ellyn gave it to me for my birthday in 1981, before Lauren was even born. He got it at the local hardware store, and I think he paid something like 8 dollars for it. I can still remember how excited Ellyn was when I was ripping off the wrapping paper. As do most kids, she loved giving presents and being part of the surprise. Though, only a few months earlier, she had over the course of a couple days, told ... Read More about Upside Down Ginger Pear Cake
Chuck Steak Chili
Did you know that today is National Chili Day? I am not sure who decides these things, but as was the case with National Margarita Day last Saturday, I am a pretty big fan of this one. Chili is one of the reasons that I can and freeze as many stewed tomatoes as possible every fall. The work seems lighter when I concentrate on pots of bubbling tomato-ey goodness to come, instead of the fact that Larry just brought in yet another 5 gallon pail of ripe tomatoes. I make a lot of different kinds of ... Read More about Chuck Steak Chili