Let’s Talk Turkey

Nov 13, 2014

You know what I am talking about!  Thanksgiving is just around the corner and all thoughts turn to turkey.  Well---maybe not ALL thoughts but a great deal of my thoughts recently have been revolving around travel plans for Thanksgiving and what we will be cooking and eating during that fabulous holiday.   We will be in North Carolina for Thanksgiving this year---Aaron has graciously agreed to host us in Raleigh once again and since we are all coming from 4 different states it will be extra nice …

Slightly Savory Soup

Nov 8, 2014

It's fall and time to crank up the crock pots and start ladling out some delicious soup.  If you read my post yesterday you saw that I received some lovely beans from Harriman-Nielsen Farm when I was on the Franklin County Harvest Bloggers Tour. Just look at these beautiful beans! A soup recipe was attached to the jar and I tweaked it a bit and added a few extras and ended up with a delightful soup that I enjoyed all week long.  Any beans will do but these were fabulous.   You will need to …

Slightly Savory Saturday—Althea’s Chinese Style Green Beans

Oct 11, 2014

Growing up as a PK (preacher's kid) I had the opportunity to be at many church suppers, potlucks and the like.  If you are like me you know that there are always some of the best dishes in the land that come out of these church supper gatherings. I was feeling a little bit of nostalgia when I made this incredibly simple but filling dish this past week as on my handwritten recipe card I saw the name of Althea Carmany next to the recipe name.  Yes---a "church lady" from my childhood and when I …

North Iowa Bloggers + Oreos = Sugar High

Sep 29, 2014

You might have heard the moans and groans on Thursday night coming from my humble abode.  My fabulous group of North Iowa Bloggers (at least some of our ever growing wonderful group) got together at my house to celebrate the fall birthdays.  What started out as a birthday celebration for 4 ladies morphed into much more. Someone spied some oddly flavored Oreos in a store and since we all had so much fun with the Lay's Chip Tasting not too long ago I offered the challenge to the group that we …

Slightly Sweet Saturday—Grandma Bonnie’s Apple Pudding

Sep 20, 2014

I have great memories of my Grandma Bonnie (my mom's mom).  She was a superb cook and always had the best food when we visited the farm.  Farm fresh eggs (although I was not a fan of collecting them from the mean hens that pecked me) and fresh vegetables from the garden were staples on the table.  I remember hot sweaty days with  scratched arms and legs from going berry picking in the woods.  Whatever she prepared was a treat and I think I have gained my love of cooking from her. It seems …

Slightly Savory Saturday—Savory Kielbasa and Pasta Skillet

Sep 13, 2014

I love simple recipes and today's offering takes hardly any time at all to make and includes only a few ingredients which makes it a winner in my book.  Great any time of year for a hearty and delicious meal---it may be what's for dinner tonight. Savory Kielbasa Pasta Skillet Ingredients: 1 pound package of any type of Kielbasa 8 ounces pasta---any kind works fine---I used penne for this recipe 1 package of chicken flavor boost (I used Swanson's) chopped colored peppers …

Slightly Savory Saturday

Aug 23, 2014

Need a quick and easy appetizer to jazz up your next soiree?  This is just the ticket!!!   I served these at our Blogger Chip Tasting Party  and they were a hit.  I served some in little "shooter" type cups but any way you serve them I guarantee they will be enjoyed.I really needed larger skewers but could not find them locally at the last minute.  Next time I am in the Big City I am going to make it a point to stock up---just makes the presentation a little nicer.Little Caprese Salads on …

It All Started With A Chip

Aug 7, 2014

Isn't the above picture just the picture of health?  Not really.  Tuesday night a group of North Iowa Bloggers (and yes---these ladies deserve a capital B) got together at my home for a bit of fun and taste testing.  The new flavored Lay's came out recently and after a quick Facebook conversation I decided to host a tasting party for all who could attend.  Of course while I was at it I picked up what other summer items I could find but they did not get top billing like the Lay's chips. Trust …

From Kermit to Cookies

Jul 31, 2014

Whew.  I am exhausted.  Mind you I don't have much to be exhausted about.  Other than that pesky getting the house ready to sell  thing which aside from being a lot of work is a tad bit emotional. I love this house. I love our animal friends that come to visit our yard. I love our deck. I love our neighbors even if their yard always looks a bazillion times better than ours. I love finding treasures when I clean out the closets that are filled to the max. I could very easily …

Slightly Savory Saturday

Jul 26, 2014

Ever want something savory to munch on while you are watching tv or on a road trip?   Today's recipe might be the ticket for your craving.  It was always our oldest son Micah's favorite snack growing up and if I want to make him happy I will mix up a batch and send it to him.  It can be a bit salty so to  try to reduce the salt content feel free to use unsalted popcorn, nuts  and low salt pretzels. Fish Snack Mix 3 cups popped pocorn 2 cups small pizza flavored fish shaped …