As far as I’m concerned, cookies are an appropriate accompaniment for any holiday. There’s something particularly special about cookies at Christmas, though. Somehow they’re a little sweeter than at other times of the year! When I was a child, one of my favorite Christmas traditions was baking and decorating sugar cookies. When my … [Read more...] about Christmas Cookie Bucket List
Keeping the Home
The Most Important Things to Consider When Buying a House
Though it is often fun and exciting, house hunting is a very serious endeavor. If you make a good choice, you’ll own a secure, comfortable home that meets the needs of your family. If you make a bad choice, you’ll own a hazardous, uncomfortable home that doesn’t meet the needs of your family. My husband and I have been house hunting … [Read more...] about The Most Important Things to Consider When Buying a House
Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
I’ve never been a fan of pumpkin pie, but I do often enjoy other baked goods that contain pumpkin. I think it is because I enjoy a hint of pumpkin flavor, but not the in-your-face pumpkin flavor that characterizes pumpkin pie. This fall I’m enjoying subtle pumpkin flavor in these Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins. Ingredients 2 1/2 cups flour (I … [Read more...] about Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
Baked Chicken “Fried” Steak
Chicken fried steak is an incredibly tasty comfort food. Unfortunately, it’s not particularly healthy. Tasty and healthy don’t have to be mutually exclusive, so I tried a recipe for a baked version. The result was so good that I’ve added the recipe to my collection of favorites! Ingredients (Adapted from this recipe.) 6 beef eye of … [Read more...] about Baked Chicken “Fried” Steak
Penne Festival
It has been years since I’ve eaten at a Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant, but I recall there being a number of incredibly tasty items on the menu. I’ve recreated a few of these at home, including the Grilled Chicken Bowtie Festival. As you’ll see here, I use penne pasta instead of bowtie pasta, but the taste is still … [Read more...] about Penne Festival
Rampant Reusing: License Plates
As I changed the license plates on my car a few weeks ago, it occurred to me that I’ve gone through several sets of plates in the last decade and a half. There has to be something creative I can do with the old plates instead of tossing them in the trash or letting them collect dust in a storage shed. Indeed, there are a number of … [Read more...] about Rampant Reusing: License Plates
Philly Cheese Meatloaf
After we enjoyed last menu’s Meatloaf Parmesan so much, I decided to attempt another twist on meatloaf. This time my inspiration was a Philly cheesesteak sandwich. Like the Meatloaf Parmesan, it was a hit! Ingredients 1 medium onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 tablespoon oil 1 lb. ground meat 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 … [Read more...] about Philly Cheese Meatloaf
Stovetop Lasagna
It’s always frustrating when I have a box of lasagna noodles that contains broken pieces of pasta—these don’t work very well in traditional lasagna. It recently occurred to me that I could use these to make “lasagna” on the stovetop. This dish has a flavor similar to that of traditional lasagna, but it is much easier to … [Read more...] about Stovetop Lasagna
