My Thanksgiving meal prep guidelines may be in order right about now since my favorite holiday is only days away. (Here is a look back at our 2014 Thanksgiving meal…and my three little sous chefs who helped me pull it all together that year!) Every year I hear horror stories about folks who make all […]
Banana Nut Bread – A Make Ahead Bake Ahead Treat
Banana Nut Bread is a great breakfast treat…any day of the year. The other day we took a short road trip to visit a dear friend here in the Heartland, and I wanted to take her a gift from my kitchen. I remembered I had some overripe bananas in my freezer, so I knew just […]
My Butternut Squash Soup Will Warm You Right Up
Ahh…Butternut Squash Soup. It’s good enough for company…and here is proof of that! I served this last winter as one course of a five course dinner I cooked with my foodie friend Jim. I don’t know what the temperature is where you live, but it’s SOUP season here in the Heartland! We were gone all […]
Aldi Flounder and Vegetables In Parchment – Yes Please!
OK my Aldi Peeps! (You know who you are!) I’m writing this blog post and this easy recipe just for YOU!!! (XOXO) This Flounder and Veggies in Parchment is not just healthy and beautiful. It’s good enough to serve to company! For any of my followers who have never heard of Aldi Grocery Stores…you have […]
Bells Up Winery Revisited – Good Friends Make Great Wine
Some places absolutely deserve to be revisited. And Bells Up Winery near Newberg, Oregon is certainly one of those special places for me. As we turned up the driveway I felt a warm sense of homecoming as I remembered our first visit several years ago. On our return this year we marveled again at the […]
Tour This Wine Country Cottage – McMinnville, Oregon
Join me for a tour of a cute little wine country cottage in McMinnville, Oregon. We’ve had great success when booking AirBnB properties, and this is the second time we’ve stayed in cottages in the town of McMinnville. (Click HERE to see our 2016 cottage rental. It was awesome too!) Tucked in behind the main […]
Limoncello – My Homemade Version – Bellissimo!
Limoncello is a beautiful beverage. And it’s easier to make than you may think. But be prepared to live by that old adage, “Good things come to those who wait.” And wait. And wait some more! This sweet, yet tart alcoholic beverage is an Italian lemon liqueur that is often served around the Gulf of […]
High School Halloween Cupcake Wars – An A+ Effort!
Halloween came early this year at Iowa City’s City High School…and I was lucky to be a part of it! Mrs. Green called to ask if I would consider being a judge for a special event in her classroom. Back in MY day her class would be called Home Economics, but now it has a […]
Breakfast At La Bastide – A Gourmet Taste Of Oregon
Breakfast is more than a meal at La Bastide Bed and Breakfast. It’s an elegant, two course, gourmet “taste of Oregon” on a plate. (Disclosure: Thank you to La Bastide Bed and Breakfast for hosting our stay. But, as always, the opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own) The beautiful dining room set […]
In Memoriam…My Heart Hurts
In Memoriam. It seems we are forced to say those words more and more often in these turbulent times. I feel I must take a moment to step back and reach out to all of my Jewish friends. My heart hurts for you…and for your faith. I am truly sorry for the tragedy that struck […]