Reading Rainbow

When I was a child, I lived for mornings. I woke up early, scrambled off my bed with my trusty blanket, and tip-toed into the kitchen. A bowl of Cheerios and a glass of orange juice later and I was nestled in front of our TV eagerly awaiting my two favorite shows – Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood and, my ultimate favorite, Reading Rainbow. I can still hear the theme song in my head, “Take a look. It’s in a book. A reading rainbow. Reading rainbooooowwwww!” This show is where my love of storytelling and books began. My favorite episode was Bread …

Hearty Lamb Stew

This recipe was a bit challenging as I am not a big fan of what the original protein (Veal) in the recipe called for.  I improvised a bit with lamb, but this recipe can also be made with Veal, Chicken, or Beef.  I really enjoy the uniqueness of the lamb throughout this dish as it introduces a different mouth feel in texture and taste from the veal. This dish was served with Mashed Potatoes   The recipe this was based on came from a little pamphlet from Provimi Veal from a year I won’t even take a guess at 🙂

Chicken Scallopini with Lemon Sauce

The term “scallopini” means thinly sliced meat dredged in flour and fried. I love a crispy texture so I decided to add panko to make pan-fried chicken extra crispy. The lemon caper sauce helps to cut the rich fried flavor of the chicken. Great to serve as a light lunch with some lightly dressed salad greens or dinner with pasta and white sauce such as alfredo.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

I’ve never really been a fan of beef stroganoff until I played with this recipe. Making it without the use of the onion soup mix was probably the very reason I fell in love with this recipe. It is now a family favorite. You can make this in the slow cooker or a pressure cooker. Adjust time to the equipment you choose.

“Comfort” Eggnog

A seasonal favorite that’s perfect for holiday gatherings. Traditionally, rum is the liquor used in many eggnog recipes. Feel free to use whichever rum, brandy, or bourbon you prefer.   This recipe came from a little booklet that’s from the late 60s early 70s

Lemon Pineapple Poke Cake

A tart lemon pineapple poke cake with a whipped topping. This one was fun to make and oooh soo yummy. It is one the kids will love along with the adults. and super easy an fast as well. Perfect for any time and an AWESOME dessert to serve.

Pie Crust Mishap

While speaking to my cousin-in-law Carol recently she decided to share a tale of pie crust gone wrong that had me shaking my head and upon hanging up the phone crying with full blown belly laughter. When it comes to class Carol has it in spades. She’s always dressed meticulously. I honestly can’t recall ever seeing her in jeans. Granted, I didn’t see her often in my 28 years living in Mill Valley but whenever I did she was dressed well. My cousin, Don, her and their children moved into the best neighborhood our town had in 1979 and to …

Pumpkin Bars

Soft pumpkin cake bars topped with a creamy frosting of cream cheese and cinnamon! Deliciously rich but simple for the family. You can even expand this recipe any way you wish! Good luck keeping this from other hands. Already half the pan disappeared the night I made this!

Blitz Torte

This recipe was a little difficult to complete but I am glad to have made it. It was an awesome opportunity and I thought it came out beautifully.