My parents recently gifted me with bananas—a lot of bananas. So, looking at the bunches lining my countertop, I decided it was time to try every banana recipe on my Pinterest board. As I perused the large number of recipes I’d set aside, one popped out at me for banana cinnamon rolls. Not only did …
Continue reading “Banana cinnamon rolls aren’t monkeying around”
We have been cautiously returning to eating in restaurants over the past couple of weeks. We’ve specifically been targeting local places who are clearly working keep their staff and customers safe and healthy. It was during one of those meals that Joey said to me, “I think we could make this.” “Oh, pastrami?” I replied, …
Continue reading “Making pastrami can turn you into a real ‘brisket’ case”
About the time Joey and I got married 10 years ago, I learned what “egg in the basket” was—a simple breakfast dish where an egg is cooked in a hole cut in the center of a piece of bread. I’ve tried to make egg in the basket many times over the years, completely enamored with …
Continue reading “Warm breakfast actually is all it’s cracked up to be”
The debate about “authentic” food always fascinates me. I recently listened to an episode of NPR’s “The Splendid Table,” where the host and guest were discussing the different ways people make sauce in Italy, and some of the recipes sounded very different than what I’d always thought was uniquely Italian. The same debate seems to …
Continue reading “I’ll take all the Tex-Mex you can ‘chimi’”
As a general rule, when I see the words “no-bake” in the title of a recipe, I assume I’m about to have a really easy time in the kitchen. Those are the types of recipes I save for when I need a quick dessert to bring at the last second. Well, this week’s recipe completely …
Continue reading “Time commitment not a deal-‘baker’ for no-bake pie”
Several weeks ago, over at our office, we were gifted something I’d never tried: conchas. If you’re unfamiliar, like I was, a concha is a Mexican sweet roll. It gets its name from its crispy topping, which looks like a seashell. Well, I was completely hooked after trying them. It was like getting to have …
Continue reading “I ‘concha’ take my eyes off this gorgeous sweet bread”
I remember once spending an entire afternoon helping my mom make applesauce. My sister and I loved the apple-peeling machine that cut each apple into cool spirals, and we took turns manning the crank. Mom was at the stove, cooking down the sliced apples and then ladling it off into containers as the applesauce was …
Continue reading “Bread will ‘apple’solutely get you ready for fall”
Is it just me, or has it been particularly difficult to decide what to make for dinner lately? OK, so I know it’s definitely not just me—it’s Joey, too. If you’re not having this same “let’s stare at each other until one of us breaks and makes a decision” moment every evening, I envy you. …
Continue reading “‘Ciao’ down on Tuscan sausage pasta”
Until I began this column, I had no idea how many variations of pasta there are. I used to think I was pretty knowledgeable until I continued to discover new types that often were tough to find in small-town Kansas grocery stores. My recipe this week called for ziti, a tube-shaped pasta I’m definitely familiar …
Continue reading “Let’s embrace the ‘pasta’bilities this week”
I have a ton of amazing memories about my paternal grandma, who passed away in 2012. She was such an awesome person and a crazy good cook. Near the end of her life, she invited me over to her small apartment for dinner—just the two of us. She made a chicken and biscuits meal with …
Continue reading “You’ll have ‘fillings’ for this pot pie casserole”