Being the good aunt that I am, when my niece came to spend the night with us this past week, I made sure to have a bag of chocolate mini donuts ready for breakfast. When my sister and brother-in-law came to pick her up, I asked her if she wanted me to send the leftovers …
Continue reading “Don’t let delicious sandwiches slide by you”
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’”
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 was unloading some groceries a few evenings ago, and Joey came to inspect what I was pulling out of the bags. Noting that there was a salsa I don’t normally buy, a container of tomatoes and a box of pasta, he immediately asked what new recipe I was trying for dinner. After being the …
Continue reading “Making a cold version of tacos isn’t mission im’pasta’ble”
A quotation I saw online, attributed to Rob Fee, is one of the best explanations of the conversation Joey and I have every day: “Relationships are just two people constantly asking each other where they want to go eat, until one of them dies.” In our case, it’s not really asking where we want to …
When I was in grade school, our family used to frequent a now defunct Mexican restaurant called Zaki’s. For some reason, at that age, I was particularly fond of making bets with my dad, and I can remember two challenges that centered on that restaurant in particular. The first was a bet I won. The …
Continue reading “Deciding to make enchiladas an open and shut ‘queso’”
A couple weeks ago, our family gathered around my maternal grandmother’s table, enjoying a meal with her along with all of the cousins and their children and spouses present. It was sometimes a bit loud and boisterous, and there was plenty of laughter as we all ate way too much while telling stories and catching …
Continue reading “It’s tough to see one more empty seat at the table”
There’s something about May that makes Joey and I busier than normal, it seems. I think it’s just the rushing around of all the end-of-school items that need to get into the newspaper, along with all the excitement of events coming up in the summer that keep us on our toes. That, unfortunately, means May …
Continue reading “Here’s the ‘ravi-only’ quick dinner recipe you need”
While my sister was still pregnant with my now almost 1-1/2-year-old niece, I noticed my shopping habits change. I was constantly picking up this cute outfit or that cool toy even before our beautiful Emi graced us with her presence. My only problem has been patience, as I always seem to find toys or outfits …
Continue reading “Pizza sticks will make you say, ‘Yes, cheese!’”
