When I first started making vegetarian meals, Allen was always supportive. He would, however, saunter back into the kitchen and look for a carnivorous “snack”. Leftover spaghetti with meatballs, cold pork chop, roasted chicken, strips of bacon were all at risk...
When I first met Allen, he was a still a student at MSU, and was working two jobs. I had just graduated from college and started my first semester of teaching in Battle Creek, Michigan. Neither of us had much money, but I loved trying new cooking techniques and he...
We are smack dab in the middle of Michigan's roller coaster Spring weather. Although it was a sunny, balmy 72 degrees the other day, it is now in the 40s and Michiganders know that we could still get snow between now and the end of April. Soup and sandwiches are key...
Ha! I bet you didn't even know that there is a National Strawberry Day, did you? Well, there is, and it is today, February 27th. When I realized that I almost missed such an (ahem) important day, I decided I really needed to investigate further. Are there other food...
I think I have mentioned before that when Allen and I met, we realized that we often had opposite tastes in food. He wanted beef, I wanted chicken. Allen liked sour, I liked sweet. He loved salty snacks, but I wanted citrusy snacks. I loved brown rice, he wanted...
You know that old saying, “Chicken soup is good for the soul.” It must be true because chicken soup has been proven to help heal the body with heat, hydration, and nutrients. Probably because it contains vitamins A and C, magnesium, phosphorus, gelatin and...
CROCK POT SPLIT PEA SOUP This is the time of year when I would start saying to Allen, “I’m cold…”. In his diligence to control heating costs, he typically tried to ignore me for a while. Most people who know me are aware of the fact that I am not very...
After my last post featuring grinders (see it here, if you missed it), I started wondering if I could make a vegetarian version that would be as satisfying as the meat filled originals. I think I came up with something good! My daughter in law, Nichole, was a willing...
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....
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...
I am not much of a beef eater, but everyone else in our family loved it when I served Poor Boy Fillets. The name comes from the fact that these beefy rolls are made with ground sirloin instead of sirloin steak. Since this recipe only has 4 ingredients and is so easy...