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Grandma’s Pot
This is my Grandma’s Pot. I like to imagine all the food she cooked in it. Soups for her family, pasta for guests, maybe mashed potatoes for a big family gathering or just a small brisket for herself and Pop. Continue Reading about my favorite pot, Grandma’s Pot My mom gave it to me a few years ago after Gram passed away and I have to admit it is my favorite pot. (Who knew anyone could love an ‘ordinary’ pot?) This summer alone I have made quarts of pasta sauce with tomatoes from my garden. I have cooked salsa to last all winter long. I have enjoyed simmering, sauteing, boiling and glazing, all…
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Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Gnocchi
I have a few loves in life. One of them is good gnocchi. It is one of my favorite pastas and I never pass up the opportunity to try a new dish of it, usually at a restaurant. Recently I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried successfully to make it myself. I can’t find a gnocchi that I just /love/ from a grocery store and now I no longer need to look. Wow is this easy! I believe that traditional gnocchi is made from potatoes and this is made with cheese, maybe that’s why I fell in love with this recipe. Another note, my husband /hates/ Ricotta Cheese so I…
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Talking Turkey (leftovers) Tasty Tuesday
A crowd fills the house at Thanksgiving each year. Chairs are mixed and matched to heights of a child’s lap. Tables are added domino style… fitting this end, turning a corner with several tablecloths draped over them. My table is a center point of the Thanksgiving action for me. For me. Now, for more than half of us it is the Macy’s Day parade which spills into football. Hors d’oeuvres fill the gap from the yeasty breakfast rolls or bowls holding fruited steamy oatmeal to dinner. A steady aroma of turkey feeds an appetite that nothing else can satisfy. Our menu has turkey highlighting the table at 2 P.M. and…
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Thanksgiving Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon
EVERYTHING tastes better with bacon as the saying goes, right? Sweet potatoes, thyme, and bacon just proves the point. Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon 2 lbs of sweet potatoes (about 2 large sweet potatoes)5 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 2 tsp of dried thyme)4 Slices of baconCoarse Salt (to taste)Ground Pepper (to taste) Preheat oven to 400. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine 2 pounds of peeled and cut sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 inch pieces), 4 slices of uncooked bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until sweet potatoes are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a knife and bacon is crisp, about…
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Tasty Tuesday with Sweet Potato Muffins
We went to the pumpkin patch with 2 of the grands today. Fun. Each ran and found their beauty. They surprised me in that they didn’t go for the big one… but each chose their favorite from the ones at the farthest end of the garden… as if the pursuit was the prize!With a little muscle help from Grandpa, the vine came loose, and the chilly orange orb was theirs! Since it is Tuesday, they wanted to perform in the kitchen, and pumpkin was on their minds. Muffins seemed the perfect treat for this chilly afternoon. We got out the ingredients, put on the aprons and set to work. One…
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Tasty Tuesday: Smells, Sights and Tastes of Summer Potato Salad
I am a sucker for Heinen’s Potato Salad! But purchasing it from the deli can be quite a strain on the family grocery-budget. So I had a mission… make it myself. And I think I did it. It may not be “Heinen’s Signature Recipe” but it is mine now and I love it. Leanne’s Smells, Sights and Tastes of Summer Potato Salad4 to 5 Red Potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled5 slices of baconOne packet of Ranch Dressing Mix (8 oz)1/2 Cup of Sour Cream1/2 Cup of Mayonnaise1/4 Cup of fresh chives, chopped1/2 Cup of vidalia or red onion, chopped1/2 Tablespoon dried-basilCut potatoes into quarters and place in large pot. Fill your pot…
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Tasty Tuesday Holiday Dinner Table: Prime Rib
Preparations are under way… The tree has either been hauled out of the closet/basement/attic; or a new one has been purchase and is sitting in a bucket of water ready to handle the 15 tons of ornaments that your family has progressively added to each year. Even the kitchen towels have been traded out. No more jack-o-lanterns or fall leaves. Now snowmen and Santas are living in the drawer by the oven. Toasty… that just sounds wrong! The china cabinet displays Spode Christmas Tree pattern plates, bowls and green depression side dishes are in view. We live in a green and red mecca. A few nights ago, 5 year old…
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Tasty Tuesday: Italian Sausage and Mixed Peppers
The garden has been gleaned… cleaned and is sitting rather stark out there. However, my counter top and refrigerator drawers are full of red and green: Peppers galore. The bell peppers had a bumper crop. I thought they were taking over west Michigan! Jalapenos, banana and Hungarian wax went wild too… There was no way that I would allow them to go fallow in the field. So in they came.Jalapenos seem to grow fire glands when nestled in the refrigerator, therefore they are sitting in baskets on the counter top. Greens and reds in brown woven squares. Sweet!But looks are not everything in this world, I think every mother has…
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Sweet Potato Nut Muffins or Bread
Sweet potatoes are in the markets now. They are the fall colors coming to your table, ready to eat and full of vitamins. We have company and I somehow feel obligated to make enough food for local Michigan, Illinois and Indiana… needless to say, I have leftovers often. AND I love to be a touch creative in the use of this bounty… and pass it on to others in a more palpable form than cold potatoes in a bowl.Smell the muffins! Pass the bread! This recipe comes from memories of church suppers, when the ladies brought in the best of their mixings and musings. Everything was served with pride and…
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Pan Seared Steak with Horseradish Mashed Spuds
I was never sure about horseradish. It is oh so strong. I like hot peppers, but there really is nothing similar other than a strong taste. I love zippy salad dressings… again the strong taste. Then we were in Nashville and I had an order of fried green tomatoes with a horseradish dip. Whoa! Oh so good! So, I began to experiment with this new taste sensation. Mashed potatoes was the perfect playground. And with potatoes comes steak… my man is a fan!This menu is for two… a beautiful night if you can manage adds so much to the event. 🙂3 large potatoes (I prefer Yukon gold, but any large…
