Making these Sourdough English Muffins is my favorite way to use my Sourdough Starter in these hot summer months. No oven required! I would love to say I always have a stash of them on hand, but quite frankly, I can’t keep them around more than an hour or so before my family gobbles them...
kitchen joy
Beignets, Revisited + COOKBOOK news!
Hi friends, It's been so long since I've written a new blog post to share with all of you and I'm dying to catch you up on all the excitement around here. So many things have happened--where do I begin? The very beginning, I suppose. WAY back in February 2013, I pressed 'publish' on my...
Pressure Cooker Basics Part 2: Adapting Recipes for Use in the Pressure Cooker
Welcome back to my Pressure Cooker Basics series. In Part 2 I will be sharing some tips and hints to keep in mind when you’re trying to adapt your existing favorite recipes for use in the pressure cooker. These are just basic principles that I’ve picked up during my adventures that will help you feel...
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...
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...
Maple Cinnamon Pecan Ice Cream (No-Churn Method)
This past weekend may have marked the official end of Summer, but it's still warm outside and ice cream is never out of season. Maple Cinnamon Pecan Ice Cream was my tastiest accomplishment of a weekend filled with fun, food, and family. The flavor is incredible, and you don't need to have a fancy ice-cream...
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Happy Friday, Friends! Please excuse my absence. Life has gotten in the way lately. I'm so happy to be back to the blog after such a long break. I hope everyone has been enjoying summer to its fullest in the meantime. It seems like we have had one party or celebration after another this summer,...
Reclaiming Joy in My Home
A few months ago I ordered a copy of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. The title alone makes quite a claim. Life-changing? What can a person possibly have to say about cleaning and organizing that hasn't already been said, and how could it possible change my...
Butter Pecan Cookies
Spring has finally arrived, friends. I can't even begin to express my utter glee after a sunny weekend spent up north at our cabin the last few days. Sunshine + Cabin + Awesome Cookies = Best weekend in a VERY long time. I ate way more of these cookies than I would care to admit,...
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...
Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake. It sounds like such a strange concoction that must have a storied history that involved frugality and ingenuity on the part of the baker. I am not completely sure of its origins despite my research, so I will just continue to enjoy the perfect balance of spiced cake and sweet cream cheese frosting. Not to...
Spicy Mac and Cheese with Grilled Chicken
There are some things I will never outgrow. Today I get to travel to Walt Disney World in Orlando to attend Food Blog Forum 2015, my first blogging event. I've wanted to go to an event for a while, and Kitchen Joy just had its 2nd birthday so this seemed an appropriate way to celebrate....
Friday Favorites: Homemade Soup Edition
Happy Friday, Friends! We've made it to another weekend. I don't know about you, but I have been fighting various illnesses for a week or so and my appetite has been suffering. Homemade soup is the answer to many of life's dilemmas. Today I've gathered up some of my very favorites for your weekend inspiration....
Paczki (Fat Tuesday Donuts)
Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday here in the U.S., which means it's Paczki Day. What's a Paczki? Paczki (pronounced "poonch-key") are a yeast donut that usually have a filling and some sort of sweet coating or glaze. In Poland, I believe that rose jam is the most traditional filling. In Michigan, there are a lot of...
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 Turnovers
Considering that today is Super Bowl Sunday, one might wonder why I’m not sharing a recipe for buffalo wings or some sort of ultimate party dip. While those are great party foods, I am not what you might call a football fan. I won’t lose a wink of sleep tonight if I don’t know who reigned...
Venison Goulash
American-style goulash made with venison might as well be called Michigan Goulash. Around here, November 15 marks the beginning of the guys' favorite weekend of the year, and a time affectionately referred to as Widow's Weekend complete with sales and promotions for the ladies who have the itch to shop while the boys go to deer...
Crispy Thin Crust Pizza
Our first meal when we arrived in Italy was pizza. Exhausted and jet-lagged, we were feeling hungry and groggy. We walked the route from our apartment along the main street of our little town to explore our new surroundings, and then picked up two pizzas to bring back with us for lunch (or dinner to...
Campfire Chicken and Dumplings
I don’t know about all of you, but I am thoroughly enjoying the New Year thus far. Michael and I have been having a splendidly relaxing time up north at our cabin for the last week or so. One of the highlights would definitely have to be cooking over the campfire. For Christmas, I was...
Friday Favorites: Netflix Edition
Happy Friday, Friends! Let the weekend begin. Got cabin fever? Or maybe sick with an actual fever? Or just LOTS of gift wrapping to do? This time of year we find ourselves spending more time indoors, and a great movie or TV recommendation is always welcome in our house. Grab a giant mug of tea and some...