Watergate. For me, that word conjures up more than a political firestorm. We’re talking salad and cake and…cookies! Back in the 1970’s Watergate dishes were all the rage. And our little boys never met a cookie they didn’t like. Take this photo, for instance. I sure wish I knew what little Nick was thinking at […]
Hamburger Chow Mein – Mom’s 1950’s Casserole
Hamburger Chow Mein Casserole. I was thumbing through Mom’s old recipe box the other day, and I stumbled onto this classic recipe. Mom was an incredible cook, and she was my best friend. She is still my inspiration in the kitchen. Dad used to tell her she could “make a silk purse out of a […]
Wing Dingers – An Old Recipe Rediscovered And Shared
Wing Dingers. I hadn’t thought about that recipe for at least thirty years! This Covid19 crisis keeps me searching for ways to stay connected. And one afternoon while chatting with a dear old pal (Her name is Marcia…but we call her “Marge”) I asked her what she was making for dinner. She said she was […]
Solar Success – An Upgrade On Our Deck
Sometimes watching DIY shows can lead to a lightbulb moment. A SOLAR one, that is! One of the designers stuck solar lights into antique lobster buoys and placed them on a deck. And that got me thinking. For years I have stuck small amber colored glass votive holders into the wrought iron sconces I hang […]
Arancini – Leftover Risotto Gets Even Better
Arancini. I had never even heard of this amazing appetizer until several years ago. And that was about the same time I learned to make risotto. That was also when I began to realize that Italian cooks hate to waste anything. So when I ended up with leftover risotto I discovered that creamy, cheesy rice […]
Newman Singers – A Treasured Tropical Day In SoFlo
The University of Iowa Newman Singers will always hold a special place in my heart. I have enjoyed their music for years during Mass at The Newman Center near the University of Iowa campus. And I have served them breakfast on several occasions on Sunday mornings between those services. Those college “kids” are truly some […]
Baked Ricotta With Parsley And Oil Cured Olives
The next time you need a cheese course that will WOW your guests…this is it! Make this Baked Ricotta with Parsley and Oil Cured Olives. It will be the star of the evening! I discovered this ricotta cheese torta on a blog I follow called The Irreverent Kitchen. I love Alicia’s stories of her childhood […]
Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake – Mom’s Recipe
Strawberry shortcake is an early summer ritual at our house. That dessert never fails to bring a smile to the face of anyone seated at our table. And last week I got a real surprise that made my day. Nancy, one of my high school classmates, lives on a beautiful farm. She texted me to […]
Tagine Baked Moroccan Chicken – A New Cuisine To Love
Tagine cooking has never been in my wheelhouse. Until now. This pandemic has urged us all to stay close to home. And for me, that meant feeding my thrift store shopping habit by heading to our garage! (Read about that trip HERE.) That’s where I discovered a brand new tagine that had been gathering dust […]
Make My Lilac Sugar Cookies with a Lilac Vanilla Glaze
It’s lilac season here in the Heartland. But I bet most of you have no idea how tasty those lilac flowers can be! If you’ve followed my blog for awhile you may remember a lilac and corn meal cookie I made several years ago. I was about to whip up another batch this year but […]