Happy Spring! We’re fully enjoying our first days of sunshine and milder temperatures in Michigan this week. Sometimes we get overeager for the warmer days, or at least I know I do. I left the house the other morning without a jacket because it felt so warm out…only to realize once I was on the road...
homemade
Perfectly Soft Snickerdoodles
While I was growing up, I wasn’t exactly a fan of Snickerdoodles. I liked them, but they weren’t my first choice when it came to cookies. To me, they seemed like someone forgot to add the chocolate chips when they made them. The cookie part alone wasn’t amazing. It has been my mission lately to...
Bourbon Chicken
Happy December! I've got good news for you. You don’t need to go to the mall food court to enjoy Bourbon Chicken anymore, which is especially helpful for me because I do all my shopping on Amazon anyway. This is a homemade version of what is offered at the Cajun/Chinese restaurant at many shopping malls. Bourbon...
Homemade Jellied Cranberry Sauce + Giving Thanks
My heart is full. As I sit here writing this I am in the midst of spending the week at our cabin in Northern Michigan with our little lady, looking forward to the family joining us later this week. A year ago she was in my belly and nobody knew it except a very small...
Sweet Potato Pie
Our little lady has started dabbling with foods. Watching someone learn to eat and discovering food for the first time is so much fun! She is a particularly enthusiastic fan of sweet potatoes. The verdict is still out on peas, though. Not that I blame her. Anyhow, I've spent a lot of time preparing sweet potatoes...
Apple Cider Caramels
Halloween has come and gone, and now that we've all eaten our weight in mini Snickers bars it's time to step up our candy game. Homemade candy is in a whole other realm than store-bought candies. This recipe for Apple Cider Caramels is one you'll want to share, but might just find yourself hiding in...
Buttermilk Chicken Strips
Chicken Strips are another of my favorite kid-foods-that-I-will-never-outgrow. They're flavorful and crispy on the outside and perfectly juicy on the inside. Paired with your favorite dipping sauce and you've got a fantastic weeknight meal that will please the whole family. Buttermilk Chicken Strips are easy to make, especially if you follow a couple of little tricks....
French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus
Despite the name, a French Dip sandwich is not French. It is a California creation, and two restaurants claim to be its inventor. I have eaten a famed French Dip at one of the two, Philippe's in Los Angeles. It was fantastic, although I didn't get to do any of the"dipping" because the buns are...
Tuna Noodle Casserole
My mission: To create a fantastic Tuna Noodle Casserole that involves no canned soup and will put all other versions to shame. It's not much to look at, but let me tell you...It is amazing. People often comment to Michael and I about how on earth we don't weigh 500 pounds, considering the fact that...
Apple Butter
Thanksgiving is upon us, my friends, and I am thrilled. By far, it is my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving possesses all the characteristics of the perfect day. Tons of spectacular home-cooked food that brings back childhood memories. (Some food memories are better left in the past: Mincemeat cookies, I’m talking to you…) A big gathering of friends and...
Homemade Pop Tarts
Before I tell you how amazing these Homemade Pop Tarts are and how you'll never want to buy store-bought again, let me make one thing clear: These are not a copycat version of Pop Tarts. They are what a Pop Tart should be. They're not at all difficult to make either, and with endless possibilities...
Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
If breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, it's a good thing we've got baked goods to start our mornings off right. I'll take a homemade pastry over bacon and eggs any day. These muffins are so easy to make, and they're really nice and moist, thanks to the buttermilk. I'm such...
Homemade Cornmeal Biscuits with Whipped Honey Butter
When planning your Thanksgiving menu, you may find yourself trying to decide between biscuits or cornbread. Well here is your answer. These cornmeal biscuits are the perfect compromise between the two. The texture is not as grainy as some cornbread, with an almost “creamy” quality. Paired with honey butter, or cinnamon-honey butter (my personal favorite),...
Homemade Cultured Butter
If you really want to make every little part of your Thanksgiving meal special, then it is worth the minimal effort to make your own butter to serve with all the fantastic cornmeal biscuits and rolls that you’ll be making. As an added bonus, you’ll also end up with about 2 ½ cups of homemade...
My Favorite Homemade Marinara Sauce
Homemade Marinara Sauce takes a little while to make, but it's not difficult and is a great go-to tomato sauce for all of your favorite dishes. Extra sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. PrintMy Favorite Marinara Sauce Ingredients:½ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 small onions, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely...
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Icing
It's getting to be that time of the year... Pumpkin time! Our house smells like pumpkin most of the time from Labor Day until New Years. We love pumpkin pie, pumpkin doughnuts (I should share that recipe soon!), pumpkin cake, pumpkin candles, pumpkin waffles (a new favorite), pumpkin spiced lattes and anything else you can...
Homemade Blueberry Buttermilk Sherbet
I couldn't resist trying this out tonight since the weather is too hot to be doing any baking. It is extremely easy to prepare, but it's difficult to be patient while it freezes. This pretty purple treat was worth the wait, and made for a refreshing start to the Labor Day weekend. Homemade Blueberry Buttermilk...
Homemade Pasta Dough (Method)
Homemade Pasta Dough Credit: La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by The Italian Academy of Cuisine Here is an essential, all-purpose method for making pasta dough. Many of the pasta recipes in La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy follow this method. Simply follow these instructions substituting the proper ingredients & measurements given in...
Fresh Fruit Scones
I have tried more scone recipes than I can remember. This recipe for Fresh Fruit Scones is by far my favorite. These scones are crisp on the outside and light and fluffy in the middle. Very unlike the blueberry scone I ordered at a cafe this morning--only to be disgusted by the impostor that somehow finds...
Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
You know what makes this ice cream better than the ice cream from ice cream shops? The sweet vanilla smell that fills your kitchen while you're making it. Trust me, it smells much better than any candle you can buy at the mall. Of course, it tastes pretty amazing too. Shamefully, I have owned an...