August 20, 2014 As a busy mom I’m always looking for great ways to sneak fruits or veggies into my kids desserts. This carrot cake recipe is not only easy to make, your kids will never know there’s something healthy inside. As a restaurant owner this recipe is also one of our top selling desserts, so be prepared for…
August 18, 2014 You may not know this but, in 1988, President Ronald Reagan declared August 21st National Senior Citizens Day. This important occasion is, unfortunately, rarely recognized but we can do more to increase its visibility. We would not be here without our elders and they deserve to be celebrated, respected and remembered. A…
August 22, 2014 I was searching the web for corn recipes because the end of the corn season is almost upon us. I stumbled across this corn salad recipe by Mona Talbott, a chef with more than 25 years in the culinary industry, through Epicurious. And then just below this recipe was a corn fritter one….
August 22, 2014 Every fall, I head out to one of the “pick your own apple” places. In my area of Vermont there are many apple orchards that allow you to pick your own apples from the ground (drops) or from the tree. While apples stay good for quite a while, I always like to put some…
August 29, 2014 Along with mashups, upscale comfort food, healthier kids meals, better quality pizza and instant ice cream, umami has been added to the new food trends of 2014. But what exactly is umami – which stands for savory flavor? Japanese cooks have been using it for centuries. It is called the fifth taste,…
September 3, 2014 Do you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter? This pie is like a giant peanut butter cup for kids and adults of all ages. Chocolate and peanut butter pie so rich, creamy and sure to please! This No-Bake pie is so simple to make. Your friends will be begging you for the recipe….
September 19, 2014 Hurricanes, blizzards and power loss. Natural disasters or terrorist attacks. They can strike at any time of the year and with winter on the horizon, the cold can bring even more hazards. Have you taken the necessary precautions so you are prepared for everything from major disasters or to smaller inconveniences and problems…
September 5, 2014 School is in full swing and the holidays are looming – which means you will undoubtedly be asked to contribute to bake sales or class parties. And if your kids are like most, you won’t find out about it until the night before. You don’t want to run out to the grocery store…
September 5, 2014 Back to school time has finally arrived and I’m sure mothers all over the country are doing the happy dance. I know that back to school time is one of my favorite times of the year. As much as I love my kids, having them at home all summer, complaining about being…
September 11, 2014 I’ll admit it. I love chocolate. Candy bars, cookies, ice cream, lava cake … you name it, I’ll eat it! And I’ll bake with it too. Chocolate is one of those versatile ingredients that has a unique flavor and brings a smile to nearly everyone’s face. And it’s been that way for…
September 19, 2014 I have always used barbecue sauce from a bottle purchased at the store. The red colored one. But recently I went to a friend’s house and had the most delicious pork with a tangy, vinegar-flavored barbecue sauce on it. In searching for a different kind of BBQ sauce, I ran across a website called AmazingRibs.com….
September 13, 2014 Football season is upon us and tailgating is a large part of those games. As a tailgater, I find that finger food is so much easier to eat than something that requires a fork or spoon, since you are normally standing around and a paper plate starts to get soggy. Grilling is…
October 24, 2014 Love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? That scrumptious chocolate and peanut butter combination? This Peanut Butter Fudge Tartlet recipe has been flying around Facebook and getting rave reviews. So, I thought why not give it a try. There are several different variations on this recipe and I decided to use the one adapted…
September 17, 2014 This extra rich nothing-but-chocolate cake is a mouth-watering sensation. This recipe makes the most decadent birthday cake or cupcake and is perfect for all of the upcoming holidays! Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 1 3/4 cups flour 3/4 cup cocoa 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2…
October 3, 2014 Apple harvests are coming in and there is nothing better than American and apple pie! There are other ways to bake an apple too – including these two apple crisp recipes below. While Granny Smith and Jonathans are the best apples for pies, try Fujis, Braeburns or Galas for baking. They retain their…
September 22, 2014 As I look out my window today, the leaves are changing colors on the trees in the yard. We actually got our first frost last night here in Vermont. It’s a bit early for the changing season but cooler weather is inevitable. While the cold temperature isn’t my favorite thing about autumn in Vermont, the…
October 10, 2014 My fave dessert is carrot cake. And while I have the most delicious recipe thanks to my beautiful sister-in-law, I wanted to change it up and add some of my 2nd fave dessert – cheesecake. Then I ran across this easy recipe from Baked From a Box. This carrot cake cheesecake is…
September 30, 2014 Ah, October. The month for German food, beer and polka … and the smell of sauerkraut! Back when I was in school, my dad used to make his own sauerkraut in a wood keg. I never really paid attention to how he made it, I just remember the awful smell emanating from the…
November 7, 2014 These two fresh, healthy and stunning pasta dishes will allow you to feel like you are in Italy at a fine restaurant. They incorporate fresh vegetables into their sauces and are perfect for a hearty meal on a cool night. According to Eating Well, “This simple pasta recipe is one of the…
October 6, 2014 It’s fall in Vermont and that means it’s time to go apple picking! Picking apples is one of my favorite seasonal activities. When I can’t convince one of the kids to go apple picking with me, I head out on my own to enjoy a little peace and quiet and the small…
October 31, 2014 Halloween is here and you know your house will be flooded with candy. There are so many different things you can do with leftover candy. Eat it, bake it, donate it, or turn it into a craft. My favorite, of course, is incorporating it into recipes Here are a couple of recipes using the miniature candy…
October 17, 2014 Just imagine, your child is all dressed up in their Halloween costume. They have spent the last several hours with their friends, going door to door getting candy and treats from people in your neighborhood. Everywhere they look there are pumpkins, witches and Jack-o-lantern. They’ve been watching Halloween cartoons on television for…
October 27, 2014 Garages are the perfect place to store those items that don’t always need to be within reach – but they have a bad habit of becoming easily cluttered and unkempt. There’s no better time than now – before winter sets in – to clean and organize your garage. Here are ten hacks for a cleaner,…
October 21, 2014 While sadly no one has yet invented an appliance that will fold and put the clothes away, there are tricks of the laundry trade that will make the most of laundry day. Following these simple hacks will guarantee better, brighter, cleaner, clothing. Grab your laundry basket and get ready to turn those…
October 20, 2014 Halloween, the season of fright, is the perfect time for a well-timed prank. Creative people manage to pull off hysterical tricks involving their friends or unfortunate bystanders. Lucky for our funny bones, the reactions are sometime caught on tape! Here a compilation of fun pranks off the web. This guy got very…
October 28, 2014 I don’t know about you but the days keep getting busier. Between school, activities, holiday events, family moments and work – we can hardly fit in eating, much less eating healthy. The goal becomes finding something quick, and we scurry out of the house with to-go snacks and meals. That’s fine on occasion…
October 29, 2014 With Halloween approaching quickly, your cupboards will be filled with leftover candy. Why not turn some of that chocolate into a delicious dessert? This easy, no-bake Butterfinger pie recipe may be just the perfect recipe! I spent some time researching various recipes. They all had several ingredients in common (a base of…
November 3, 2014 If you’re interested in eating seasonally like I am, root vegetables are one of the most common vegetable choices for colder months. There aren’t a lot of vegetables growing in most of the country during the winter. Those of us in the northeast have an even smaller selection to choose from than…
November 3, 2014 This weekend saw the celebration of the Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. We might recognize a few of the popular symbols or associate it with Halloween, But this festival developed from a history and a celebration very different from the Celtic origins of Halloween. Here are 10…
November 12, 2014 Are you ready to go beyond the old traditional chocolate cake for your holiday guests this year? If the answer is yes then check out this awesome German chocolate cake recipe with coconut-pecan frosting from kraftrecipes.com that is a one of the most requested cakes my customers ask for. It may take…
November 14, 2014 It’s holiday season and the first one is right around the corner. Thanksgiving was my father’s favorite holiday. He enjoyed making the turkey, stuffing and gravy (with giblets even though I begged him not to put those in!). But what he liked most was that the whole family got together. After I moved…
November 14, 2014 I love scones. I have wonderful memories of enjoying scones with a cup of watered down tea with my Mom when I was just a child. Scones always seemed like such a grown up kind of treat. Cookies were for kids but scones – that’s something my Mom and Grandmother enjoyed. Since…
November 17, 2014 I’m sure you already have your turkey purchased and your recipes all planned for Thanksgiving next week. But before you take the kitchen by storm, why not learn a few (or 10) random facts about the holiday?!? 1. It wasn’t just the colonists who created this holiday. Both the Pilgrims and the…
November 21, 2014 Thanksgiving is less than a week away, which means it’s time to start prepping the turkey! There are many ways to prepare and cook a turkey. We’ve gathered some tips and flavors for the perfect Thanksgiving bird. Thawing Your Turkey Whether you are baking or frying, thawing a turkey correctly is key…
November 24, 2014 My mom refused to let my dad in the kitchen except to eat. For her generation, the kitchen was a woman’s seat of power and Mom wouldn’t even delegate dish drying to any male. Of course, she had no problem ordering me around especially during the holidays when company was coming. “Unload…
November 28, 2014 I bet everyone in your house slept in this morning! All that excitement of having family and friends around and too much food. I can honestly say that Thanksgiving leftovers are my favorite (and I’m not a leftover fan). I purposely cook more food than needed just for the leftovers. There are so…
November 29, 2014 Everyone loves receiving food gifts for the holidays. My husband looks forward to sampling new tastes and try things he doesn’t normally get to eat. We love setting out a plate of treats for our guests to enjoy when they visit. Food gifts are also a great choice when you want to give a…
December 5, 2014 Some desserts are seasonal! Key lime pie is perfect for a hot summer night. Pumpkin pie is an ideal choice for fall. But if I say bread pudding, you know it is winter! Bread pudding was something my father made several times throughout the winter. The problem was, he added raisins to the recipe. While…
December 9, 2014 I’ll admit that I spent dozens of hours in November browsing online, forcing my kids to nail down specific items they’d like for the holidays, and shopping for the best discounts and deals! I thought Black Friday/Cyber Monday would’ve been the perfect time to finish my shopping, but sadly many of the…
December 12, 2014 Peppermint for the holidays? Of course. Peppermint and chocolate? Even better. And all wrapped up in a jar. I first saw this recipe several years ago at ourbestbites.com. It is a delicious, fudge-filled, minty, and rich dessert. Most of us quit eating after about half the jar and saved the rest for later….
December 11, 2014 The holiday season means extra baking and my family loves to sample my homemade cookies and candies. One of my father’s favorite treats is always my peppermint patties. Unfortunately they take a very long to make, so I dreamed up this super yummy recipe I call peppermint patty pie that gives my family…
December 15, 2014 I love hunting through the spice aisle at our local grocery store. Sometimes it’s like going on a treasure hunt to see what kinds of exotic spices and seasonings I can find. Himalayan salt? Grains of paradise? Saigon cinnamon? You bet. I will definitely add these to my cart. Pumpkin pie spice?…
December 19, 2014 Seems this is a long forgotten candy that years ago was a staple in everyone’s home at Christmas time. Maybe it was because it took longer to eat? Sucking on those candies certainly saves you some calories! I used to make this all the time using a recipe I got from my…
December 22, 2014 We’ve all been there. Inviting people over for the holidays (or reluctantly agreeing to let them come over!) sounds like a splendid idea until right before they arrive at your house. Unless you’ve really got your seasonal routine together, you probably feel stressed, anxious and maybe even a little resentful of having…
December 26, 2014 I ran across this recipe, courtesy of Melissa D’Arabian, at Food Network. I love onion soup so decided to try it myself. Since it is just my husband and I at home, I knew I would make a big batch and freeze the rest. The question was how to do it? I ended up…