Tag Archives: Recipes

Strudel-doodle-do

By lizziejank | Filed under Uncategorized | Tags:

I just have to get a little something off of my chest before I commence with this recipe. I went to a clearance sale the other day at a fabric store, and while I was at the counter with my epic 80’s fabric, a woman told me something. She said, “I was looking on Pinterest the other day, and I saw the most amazing thing!” Now, she was excited about this and wanted to let me in on it. She went on, ” You smash up two bananas, stir in some instant oatmeal, and that’s it!”

After a moment’s pause I said, “What is it?” and she gleefully said, “Cookies!” Read More

Valentine Cookies

By rebekah | Filed under Uncategorized | Tags:

Every other third decade or so, I have an inexplicable urge to decorate sugar cookies. And then I do it. And then I remember why the last time I did it I swore off the practice entirely and vowed to stay upon the straight and narrow path of chocolate chip cookies from here on out. It’s all those little squirty bags and decorator tips and blops of icing everywhere and the high-powered food coloring that gets on your dishrag and the cookies that look nowhere near as good as they clearly ought to, given the amount of fiddly preparation that went into them. That’s the part that gets me down.

The cookies pictured above are the results of my own little baking spree. The cookies pictured at left are the ones which made me decide that it would be a good idea to make some Valentine cookies. Are you drinking in the discrepancy between the two photos?

Once, many years ago, back in the olden days, probably when I was fluffing my bangs into a swoop and spraying them put with White Rain, I saw a picture of some cast stone candlestick holders in a catalog. Don’t ask me why I was so taken with them – I was clearly not in the market for candlestick holders. I was pegging my pants and wearing Keds with no laces, not putting together my stylish Tuscan villa. (Actually, I take that back. It might have been more the Doc Martin era than Keds.) But nonetheless, I deeply loved those candlestick holders. And I figured that I could totally make them myself. That’s always been my downfall. More times than I can count. That nagging little voice that won’t shut up that says, “I’ll bet I could make that myself.” Read More

Weeknight Chicken Curry. A Recipe.

By lizziejank | Filed under Uncategorized | Tags: ,

This recipe really has no name. I imagine that is is a very distant relative of an authentic dish that is made somewhere. In our house this dinner is simply made. It follows no recipes. Maybe that makes it more authentic? Or more likely, much less. Either way, this is a quick, simple, yummy, warm meal. I don’t use the crockpot for this, but you could!

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Brownies worth doing business with.

By lizziejank | Filed under Uncategorized | Tags: ,

I can’t say enough about these brownies. Really. Brownies are right up there with chocolate chip cookies in terms of personal preferences and biases. I think that brownies disappoint eager audiences just as often, even if they don’t have that old “it’s actually a raisin” trick that cookies do. Sometimes they look like they will be perfect but deliver a bit of a chalky pasty bite that brings a person down. Sometimes they just leave you with a meeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhh. But these brownies will not. They will remind you why brownies were dreamed up in the first place. They are worth the time on the treadmill. They are worth making, worth eating, and worth wiping off five chocolate faces and 50 mudgy fingers. They stand behind the brownie promise and deliver. These brownies are it. Try them, really, do. No one will mind.

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Christmas Mac and Cheese

By Nancy Ann | Filed under Uncategorized | Tags:

I know you have probably figured out your Christmas Eve menu by now, so here’s a suggestion for later in Christmas Week or for New Year’s Day or whenever. I found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman’s blog, and it’s called Fancy Macaroni. It has carmelized onion, bacon, and some lovely cheeses: Gruyere, goat cheese, fontina, and parmesan….okay, so are you convinced? I made it for our dinner tonight, which we’ll enjoy after the Christmas Eve service. Right now it is sitting in the fridge, but not before I had a sample (and Doug had a sample and my sis-in-law Meredith had a sample) and we all agree it is amazing. And it’s a good thing that it’s all locked up in the fridge or I’m afraid it would be long gone by evening!

Dinner’s On! Slow-Cooked Tuscan Pork with White Beans

By lizziejank | Filed under Uncategorized | Tags:

Let me just take a moment to recommend a recipe to you all. This has got to be the easiest, cheapest little number ever. This time of year, we can all use a bit of that cheap and easy  in our lives! But it is also super good and kid friendly too. Try it with a salad and crusty bread for the easiest ever entertaining menu!

2 c. dried navy beans (soaked overnight)

1 T. minced fresh sage, divided

2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. coarse pepper

8 garlic cloves

2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, boston butt, or picnic roast

4 c. chicken broth

2 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Mince a teaspoon of fresh sage and three garlic cloves. Grind in (with the side of your knife) a teaspoon of kosher salt and the pepper. Rub all over the pork. Place beans, 4 c. chicken broth, remaining five cloves garlic, remaining sage, teaspoon salt, and bay leaves in a dutch oven. Lay the pork on it, and bring to a boil. Cover and pop in the oven for 4 hours, or until pork is very tender. Discard bay leaves. Pull pork into chunks, and serve with the beans on the side. Would be beautiful in a shallow bowl with the pork on top and some fresh sage to garnish.