Most of us search for a quick, healthy way to start the day, and one of my favorites is a little gem I call a Morning Glory.

What is a Morning Glory? I like to call it a whole-grain scone without…

Recently a great friend of mine took a family vacation to Hawaii.  There was surfing, snorkeling, and general beach frolicking in paradise, plus plenty of relaxing in the sunshine. But the best part of this family trip was that my dear…

Tarte Tatin, also known as an upside-down apple tart, is a classic French dessert that is a show-stopper on the table and yet one of the easiest desserts to pull off. It was created by the Tatin sisters in the…

One of my favorite ways to serve fish to my family is in curry, a great dish that is fairly inexpensive to prepare. Use seasonal veggies — they are always the cheapest. Carefully select the fish, and you should have…

Pears are plentiful and gorgeous this time of year, so pick up a few extra and make a delightfully simple dessert. Le Poirat, or simply Pear Tart, is a traditional French dessert that is certain to warm your soul.
Enjoy!

With the great deals on pumpkin and other post-holiday ingredients right now, it’s a great time to share one of my favorite breads.  Pumpkin cornmeal is a nice change from traditional rolls or even traditional cornbread.  Make just a batch…

Chocolate and peanut butter makes a good cookie. But what happens when you add MORE chocolate? I have to say this is a little bit of cookie perfection. When Westley took his first bite he said, “Oh, honey, we should…

Christmas morning at my house traditionally starts with one ooooey gooey treat: Cinnamon Rolls.

So why am I writing about croissants today? Well, it appears that there is a bit of a mutiny happening under our roof. Dad is on Team…

During the hustle and bustle of our week with school, meetings, doctor appointments, jiu-jitsu classes, music practice and just normal daily running around, dinner can be an afterthought. Time to dust off the slow cooker. What can be more comforting…

Keeping with traditional holiday foods is important in creating family memories, good or bad.

When I was a kid my grandmother’s contribution to the holiday meal was a concoction we always refer to as holiday salad. How this dish had the…

If the holiday decorations in the local stores have not made your mind wander into The Holiday Zone, perhaps my next sentence will. My friends, we have about four weeks until Hanukkah and six weeks until Christmas hits.

Wowza.

Time to start…

Savory biscuits are a nice twist to the traditional biscuit. Biscuits can amp up a simple soup or chili dinner, or make a humble ham sandwich into a spectacular lunchtime treat. I like the addition of cornmeal in this recipe.…

Would you like to win ooohs and aaahs from your family and friends? Are you searching for kudos from dinner parties? Well, I have a very simple yet impressive dessert for you. Pavlova.

Pavlovas were incredibly popular in the late 1920s…

I strolled down the Saturday Farmers Market and was just in awe of how large our little market has become. I am so proud of all those hard-working families who contribute to our culinary lives. I love that my kids…

School is back in session and now is the time to start brushing up on our lunch-box skills. I try to provide my guys with a little variety, while keeping it simple and healthy.

(Please share what works in your house…

In the blistering heat of summer there are many ways to cool ourselves. A day at the lake, a drive up to the lava caves, a light summer meal. But nothing beats the heat like a giant ice cold beverage.…

Summertime is tomato time!

Take a stroll through a farmers market and you will easily find all the ingredients for gazpacho.

Gazpacho is a traditional Spanish chilled soup that is served in the summer months to highlight the harvest. Easy to make,…

Strawberries truly are one of the great tastes of summer. We can enjoy them right off the plant, sliced in salads, over ice cream, or one of my favorites, in pie. Today I share with you a great gem for…

Summer is the the time to capture the beauty and essence of the north state, and what better way than to make some fresh strawberry jam? One of my favorite sights here in Redding is the arrival of the little…

Sometimes it is easy to forget about the classics. We get enamored with all the bells and whistles that come with the arrival of the next big thing. This happens with cars, fashion, houses, and even food.

I am frequently told,…

Glorious blueberries are making their way to our local markets, and now is the time to capture the little gems to make delicious treats. Today I will share with you yet another of my favorite pie recipes. I do seem…

Coconut cream pie holds a special place in my heart. I think it was the summer of 1991, I was unemployed and not too happy with my station in life. My mother included me on a trip to Oklahoma, which…

Most of us, on occasion, experience a few bananas in the fruit bowl that everyone seems to avoid. I feel for these little yellow gems. They have a few brown spots and the entire household banishes them to the bottom…

The day of the margarita is quickly approaching.

Yes, Cinco de Mayo is upon us.

Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that, thanks to clever marketing from tequila and beer companies, is known as Mexico’s Independence day. Historians of Mexican culture probably…

Pineapple upside-down cake is a lot like a tropical version of Tart Tatin, a classic French upside-down apple tart. The French have such a delightful story of how their classic tart came to be that I needed to find out…

A few days ago a bag of lemons found its way to my home from a neighbor who always shares her bounty.  What shall I make? Lemon bars? Lemon curd? A tart? Perhaps some avagolemono soup? I just wanted to…

With bread in the grocery stores reaching close to $5 a loaf, I thought it was time to share a great, easy, wholesome bread recipe that I have used for years.
I came across this in a Gourmet magazine, and found…

Celebrate the arrival of spring with a beautiful cake. Lemon cake has been the centerpiece of many celebratory times in my life; baby showers, christenings, birthdays and weddings.

Light and lemony, it truly can be a cake for any celebration, or…

More of us are eating at home trying to stretch food budgets to the limits. One of my favorite penny-pinching dinners is a big bowl of polenta.

A true comfort food that not only warms the soul, polenta is simple to…

Making a good cake is not only fun, but can be very rewarding.  Ditch the boxes of chemical-laden cake mixes and conquer the simplicity of a homemade cake. 

Trust me, once you get the hang of making your own cakes from…