Long before Allen became my husband, he introduced me to the Grinder: first at Bell’s Pizza in East Lansing. Then, we moved to the Ann Arbor area (with a few stops in between for teaching jobs in Battle Creek and Alma). Allen was so happy when we discovered another...
Allen used to tease me about the fact that I always wanted to cook more salmon than needed for dinner just so I could have leftover salmon for breakfast. There is nothing better than a cup of hot coffee and cold leftover salmon. I don’t care what the flavor is....
“Uhh, what’s Jicama?” was Allen’s response the first time I told him we were going to have Jicama (pronounced HEE-kah-mah) in a salad. Jicama is a globe-shaped root vegetable with a light brown, papery skin, and white interior. I have heard it described as a cross...
I have great memories of making cinnamon rolls MANY times for Allen and his roommates when they lived in East Lansing. There is something about the way a bunch of hungry college students devours homemade baked goods that makes you feel like you are the best...
This is the quote from Gourmet Magazine, JANUARY 2002, that compelled me to make rice pudding like no other : Francoise Joiris of New York, New York writes: "In honor of our firefighters lost on September 11, could you please rerun the article and recipes you...
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE Allen’s favorite summertime dessert was Strawberry Shortcake. I learned early on in our marriage that he loved the biscuit type of shortcake much more than the yellow sponge cake version. Since I agreed wholeheartedly, I decided to develop a not...
The first time I made these for the family, they were an instant hit with adults and kids alike. And talk about easy…about 15 minutes total work/cooking time and only three ingredients. What’s not to like about that?! The base for these quick pizza-like...
Farro is one of my favorite grains: easy to cook, holds up well in a salad, has a great nutty flavor and chewy texture. Personally, I think it is the most satisfying of grains that are good for us. It is also versatile, inexpensive, readily available, and sits nicely...
The last month and a half has been frenetic because I decided now was the time to sell my house. As another summer has started to get into full swing, I realized that I just did not want to continue to take care of my 3.06 acres anymore. In the past, Allen and I loved...
When I wrote the original post about this salad, it was with a bit of tongue in cheek because I have always subscribed to the "MORE than enough" menu-planning concept. I would ask Allen, before a party, "Do you think we have enough food?". He would always nod and just...
As I mentioned in the last post, I am sorting and organizing many years' accumulation in order to sell my house and move to a new stage in life. Friends Judy and Mary Jo came over to help with weeding; they helped knock out 6 garden beds in record time! But we still...
Hi Everyone; you may not know this, but I have been trying to find a new house in Dexter. Although I love my current beautiful park-like setting, taking care of 3 acres of mowing, landscaping, weeding, and tree falling incidents has taken a toll. It is just not fun...