A friend of mine recently posted on social media, “Raisin oatmeal cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the main reason I have trust issues.” I chuckled a bit, although I am a lover of both raisin-filled and chocolate-chip-filled oatmeal cookies. But then I started thinking about how good an old-fashioned, chewy oatmeal raisin …
Continue reading “Simple oatmeal cookies are ‘raisin’ the stakes”
Although we had big crowds of folks in our house for the NFL playoff games this season, Super Bowl Sunday was a calm evening without company—something Joey and I were both very much in the mood for after a few busy weeks in a row. Despite the lack of a table full of food, I …
Continue reading “You can’t just wing crispy chicken”
Over the past year or so, I’ve noticed quite a number of people jump on the electric pressure cooker bandwagon. I have a traditional pressure cooker I inherited from my grandmother, but to be honest, I’ve always been a bit scared to actually try it, so it’s stayed packed away on a high shelf in …
Continue reading “‘Loin’ing to use pressure cooker no easy feat”
We have a tradition of hosting a number of our friends on the first weekend of the NFL playoffs. We yell at the TV together, share snacks and always have a great time. This past weekend was especially fun as we watched the Chiefs advance to the next round, and we’re planning on repeating the …
Continue reading “Don’t be a goober; make candied peanuts”
If you’re weak-willed and trying to avoid sweets now that 2019 is in full swing, I highly recommend that you skip over my column this week. Of course, if you know you’re going to be tasked with making or taking treats for any event this year, I also highly recommend saving this for later on. …
Continue reading “For weight-loss resolvers, approach these bars gingerly”
When I was younger, our family frequented a local restaurant that served soup in bread bowls year round. Even in the heart of summer, I would often order a big bread bowl of broccoli soup for lunch or dinner, while the rest of my family opted for their awesome sandwiches. There’s just something slightly irresistible …
Continue reading “Get ready to bowl your guests over on soup night”
A few years ago, we met a young newspaper editor from Kentucky while we were at a conference. She’s one of those “do it all” folks and in addition to being a managing editor, she runs a small farm. I’m friends with her on Facebook, and now that summer is in full swing, I enjoy …
Continue reading “Let’s ‘brocc’ and roll with soup this summer”
Every time it was our family’s turn to bring snacks for any event—youth group, school functions, you name it—my friends would immediately ask, “Is your mom going to make cookies?” When my sister or I would announce that we needed to bring something yummy to share, Mom didn’t need to ask us what we wanted …
Continue reading “Baking Mom’s cookies makes me a chip off the old block”
In a little less than a month, I’ll be heading off to one of my favorite places on Earth: Camp Mennoscah. I love it for many reasons—the beauty, the people, the connection with God through nature—but one thing I always look forward to is the food. While my co-director and I get to run around …
Continue reading “Verenike casserole will make you feel like a ham”
A few weekends ago, Joey and his best friend decided to fire up our smoker in the backyard and fill it with everything from several racks of ribs to a pork loin. They tended the fire all day, hanging out in the garage with a set of washer boards to get out of the sun. …
Continue reading “Make garlic pasta salad to be the ‘roast’ of the town”