Waldorf Salad

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Valerie

My mom really went to town on Thanksgiving. The food prep started early in the morning, before I was even out of bed, and the cooking continued throughout most of the day. By mid-day her apron was covered with flour from rolling out the most amazing, from scratch crescent rolls in existence and our house was filled with the smells of a great big turkey roasting in the oven with her traditional bread stuffing. Along with a bunch of other delicious dishes, this Waldorf Salad was a part of our Thanksgiving spread each and every year. Traditional Waldorf salad calls… [Read the full post]

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Italian Sausage Appetizer Bread

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Valerie

We just got home from a quick, but action packed weekend trip to Santa Barbara to spend some time with Boy #4. Despite the fact that it’s November, we had typical, gorgeous Southern California weather while we were there. We rode bikes at the beach, walked all over town, took Boy #4 shopping, and ate, and ate, and ate. There is no shortage of amazing food in that town. Thanks for bearing with me on my short break. It’s time to get back in the kitchen! Since we’re smack in the middle of football season, I’m here to share this… [Read the full post]

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The Johnsville Special and a True Ghost Story

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Valerie

I have a recipe to share and you’ll find that recipe all the way down at the bottom of this post but first I have a story to tell you about a small town and a little girl…a long, long time ago. This is Maziel Moriarty. Her portrait hangs on the wall of The Iron Door Restaurant in Johnsville, California. Maziel was a member of one of the original mining families that settled in the town of Johnsville during the gold rush era of the late 1800′s. Sadly, her life was very short and she passed away at the age… [Read the full post]

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

Posted on October 27, 2013 by Valerie

The definition of a snack cake, in my dictionary, is a cake you can pick up and eat with your hands. This charming little fall inspired cake falls under this definition. It’s a dense, lightly spiced pumpkin cake that is studded with mini chocolate chips. I’m a big fan of the pumpkin/chocolate flavor combination and it is wonderful in this. Grab a piece when it’s still a little warm and the chocolate chips are still a little melty, and…oh…my. After it has cooled, pieces can be neatly wrapped in plastic wrap or sandwich bags and packed in a lunch box… [Read the full post]

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Cheesy Artichoke Dip

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Valerie

As soon as the first football game hits our TV screen, I start thinking about making this dip. There’s just something about artichoke dip that makes it the perfect football food. So I caved and this past weekend I popped this baby in our oven while the 49ers did their thing. Of course, I had to get some photos of the warm, lucsiousness as soon as it came out of the oven so I could share it with all of you. Boy #1 was hovering and I’m just gonna say it, he was a bit impatient. You’d think a man… [Read the full post]

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Italian Sausage Market Meatloaf

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Valerie

From outside appearances, this meatloaf may seem like many others you’ve tried. But, cut into it and you’ll find out what sets it apart. It’s not just the provolone and spinach filling that make it special. The meatloaf mixture that surrounds the filling is a super flavorful mixture of Johnsonville Italian Sausage, ground beef, and some other unexpected items that make it uniquely and deliciously different from your average meatloaf. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Johnsonville this month for the second time around in my capacity as an Allrecipes Brand Ambassador. This recipe is one of many in… [Read the full post]

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Santa Barbara – Enterprise Fish Co.

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Valerie

It’s been close to a month now since we took a trip down to Santa Barbara to move Boy #4 into his college dorms. We extended our trip an extra day so we could do a little sight seeing in Santa Barbara and along the coast on our way back home. I’m here to share some of the beauty of Santa Barbara and an incredible lunch we had at Enterprise Fish Co. There will be more to come in a separate post about the remainder of our trip. Shortly after we had unpacked his belongings in his dorm room, his… [Read the full post]

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Crispy Baked Fish with Creamy Dill Sauce

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Valerie

This recipe came about as the result of a near disaster. In the half-crazed, manic state I was in while preparing for Boy #4′s departure for college, I removed a vacuum sealed package of fillet of sole from my freezer, instead of the chicken I had wanted to prepare for his last meal at home. Fish. Great! What the heck was I going to do with fish? When I bought it, I had envisioned stuffing it with crab or some other deliciousness but I had nothing like that on hand and a trip to the store was NOT in order. That’s… [Read the full post]

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Rustic Sweet Cornbread with Honey Butter

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Valerie

Just in time for soup, stew, and chili season, I’m sharing my beloved recipe for cornbread. There are just as many opinions on the correct way to make cornbread as there are recipes for cornbread, and folks can feel quite passionately about the subject. The ratio of corn meal to flour, sugar or no sugar, skillet or baking dish; these are items that have and will be debated by cornbread lovers forever. The recipe I’m sharing with you today has evolved in my home over years of making cornbread for my family. I use a slightly higher ratio of flour… [Read the full post]

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Labor Day Weekend in Graeagle

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Valerie

I have visited this beautiful place in the high Sierras of Northern California every summer of my life. From the time before I was born, my family vacationed here. My parents retired here. I introduced my husband to the area when we first met, and since then, we have continued the summer vacation tradition with our kids. Some people spend their summer vacation hanging with Steven Tyler in Hawaii. Yeah, this really happened. That’s my sis, Marj, on the right, her husband, Ernie, and their boys, Colin and Colby, and of course, the lead singer from Aerosmith is smack in… [Read the full post]

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Panzanella Salad with Grilled Bison Flank Steak

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Valerie

If you haven’t tried bison yet, you are missing out. Years ago, when I first tried it, I have to admit I was skeptical. I’m not what I’d call an adventurous eater. My husband and I were at a cookout at a friend’s house and there were all kinds of interesting offerings. One just happened to be bison. Well, folks, it was love at first bite. It was a cut similar to pot roast that had been perfectly seasoned and cooked low and slow and I was totally blown away by how good it was. The next time I came… [Read the full post]

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Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Cupcakes

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Valerie

I’m sure that most of you are familiar with OXO. If you’ve ever walked into a Bed, Bath, and Beyond and have seen all those cool kitchen gadgets lining their walls, that’s OXO. They are pretty hard to miss. I have been a loyal OXO customer for years and my kitchen gadget drawer is stuffed full of a bunch of their items. This year I’m one of the many bloggers participating in OXO’s Bake A Difference campaign. Together with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, they have been working hard for years to help raise funds to fight pediatric cancer. Where do food… [Read the full post]

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Empty Nesting 101

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Valerie

If you’ve ever had a child leave home to attend college raise your hand. We have just returned from moving Boy #4 into his college dorm and I’ve got a few things to share about this process. I’ve dealt with this strange phenomenon three times now so I was very matter of fact about it as we prepared for his impending departure from our home. Ah, we know the drill. We’ve done this a couple of times now. Piece of cake. Right? Wrong. I’m sorry to tell you that you never get used to it and it doesn’t get any… [Read the full post]

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The Costco Haul – September 2013

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Valerie

It’s that time around here again. Costco time. I shared my Costco haul with you in August and found that I am not alone in my buy in bulk mentality so I’m back to share again. It was restock time for a lot of the staples I buy on a regular basis but in addition to the regular suspects, I almost always try a couple of new things each time we go. There won’t be any repeats in this post so be sure to check out my last haul HERE. Put on your walking shoes, grab a cart, and let’s… [Read the full post]

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Homemade Frozen Lasagna

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Valerie

I’m sharing my solution for feeding a pack of hungry boys within an hour of arrival on our annual family summer vacation. After years of traveling with a big family I quickly learned that heading to a small town in the mountains without a plan for dinner is not a good idea. It is so worth the effort to put this lasagna together in advance and have a warm, wholesome, comforting meal for your tired family after a long road trip. Or, just to have a meal on hand for a night when no one feels like cooking. It is… [Read the full post]

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