instruction and inspiration for the home cook
I hesitate to post simplistic recipes such as scrambled eggs with cheese, but I’ve been told that’s what people want, so here we are. I was further motivated last weekend by some bland, overcooked eggs covered with nearly plasticized cheese at a restaurant that proudly advertises its breakfast offerings. Seriously, there’s no excuse for that level of incompetence when cheesy eggs are so easy!
Continue reading “Cheesy Eggs”
I recently discovered that my daughters love French toast. One would think this would not be news since I’ve known them both pretty well for fifteen years. The thing is, from the time they were very small, they have kept me on my toes with their ever-changing tastebuds, never wanting me to get too comfortable. As soon as I would figure out that they both loved the freeze-dried fruit packs or bunny crackers enough for me to keep buying big boxes at Costco, they would both lose interest and leave me with a guilty pile of uneaten snacks. It’s safe to say that one or both of them expressed a dislike of French toast at some point, so I avoided it. I enjoy the path of least resistance as often as I can.
Continue reading “French Toast”
I promised more gluten-free recipes when we thought Ella might be gluten-intolerant. It turns out she’s not, shellfish was the culprit, but I am well-stocked with alternative flours, so I’m keeping my promise. Besides, just because we aren’t cutting it out entirely doesn’t mean we shouldn’t eat less of it.
We are still about five weeks away from peak strawberry season, but I bought a package at Safeway this past week that was pretty good. Otherwise, to get our strawberry fix, we rely on frozen organic strawberries. We purchase the big bag at Costco unless we are fortunate to still have some Oregon strawberries in the freezer. When the season hits, check out this handy guide to freezing your local strawberry harvest.
Continue reading “Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie”
It’s hard to believe the Easters with my “little girls” are now memories. Such happy ones, though, and I’m pulling them out today in picture form. I’m also including some favorite Easter recipe links in case you need some last-minute ideas.
Continue reading “Easter”
I have zero wit tonight, so I’m going to keep this simple because I promised to get this posted for the weekend.
Continue reading “Double Chocolate Banana Bread”
In my never-ending quest to enjoy more baked goods with fewer consequences, I’m happy to report I have found an ally in monk fruit sweetener. It is the only zero-calorie sugar substitute I’ve tried that sweetens without a terrible aftertaste, and, so far, I find it works well in muffins, cakes, soft cookies, syrups, hot cocoa mix, and freezer jam. I have not had as much luck with things that need to have a crispy or chewy texture, like some cookies and brownies, but I’ll keep trying and let you know when I come up with more recipes that work.
I also used coconut sugar to add a little more complex flavor in this pumpkin muffin recipe, as brown sugar or molasses might bring, but it is optional. One thing to watch for when baking with the monk fruit sweetener is that it can brown quickly, so, for example, the muffins’ edges might burn faster than normal. Just make sure you keep a close eye on them.
Try substituting an all-purpose gluten-free flour or oat flour if you are avoiding wheat.
Jump to Smoked Salmon Hash Recipe
I’m not feeling super chatty today but I do have a cute picture of my girls with giant cacti from our spring break trip. Let’s just say after the drive to Arizona and back home to Oregon I’m enjoying my quiet time.
Continue reading “Smoked Salmon Hash with Lemon Dill Sour Cream”
We’re on our third snow day here in Bend, so I thought it would be a good time to finally post this super simple hot cocoa mix recipe in case you run out of store-bought stuff. I wrote what follows a few weeks ago, but I had no pictures to go along with it as hot cocoa is usually made at the spur of the moment and consumed quickly around here.
Continue reading “Hot Cocoa Mix and The Power of Intentional Nurturing”
We have had some gorgeous blackberries here in Oregon this summer and, besides eating them fresh, this recipe for blackberry scones is my favorite way to use them. Drizzled with a sweet and tart lemon glaze and topped with a little crunch of turbinado sugar they are heaven with a cup of French press coffee. Continue reading “Blackberry Scones with Lemon Glaze”