instruction and inspiration for the home cook
As I work on the cookbook, I am reminded of many great stories from my family’s restaurant, the Treehouse, which operated in Eugene from 1977 to 1997. I needed no reminder of this story, though. This short tale of the rattling doors holds a very special place in my heart and soul.
Continue reading “Rattling Doors”
Garlic-stuffed pork roast was one of my mom’s go-to dinner favorites. She would often call me or my sister, Suzanne, after school and tell us how to prepare it. Getting the garlic stuffed in the roast was the most important thing. Even if she was working late, as she often did hostessing at our family’s restaurant, she made sure our dinner was taken care of and we learned how to cook along the way.
Continue reading “Garlic-Stuffed Pork Roast”
Hello lovely people! I just thought I’d let you know I’m taking a break from the blog until the fall. August and September are hectic as we prepare to get the girls back to school and try to soak up as much summer as we can get before it’s gone, so I decided to take the weekly blog posts off my plate.
Continue reading “August Check-In”
Nothing says summer quite like ice cream sandwiches. And, since it’s the Fourth of July weekend and July is national ice cream month, I can’t think of a more appropriate thing to post.
Continue reading “Ice Cream Sandwiches”
Jump to Smoked Beef Chili Recipe
This recipe for smoked beef chili is a great way to use leftover smoked brisket or tri-tip. We had great friends here last weekend, and Bob decided to put about six pounds of tri-tip in the smoker. It was a little bit overkill for seven people, so here we are. We used some to make steak salads when my nieces were over the following evening but still had a couple of pounds left, so I decided the best thing to do was make a Texas-style no-bean chili. It was the right thing to do.
Continue reading “Smoked Beef Chili – No Beans”
Happy Memorial Day weekend! Since, for many of us, this is the kickoff to summer grilling season I thought I’d share some of my favorite recipes focused on outdoor cooking.
Continue reading “Summer Grilling Recipes”
Here’s the second and final Meyer lemon recipe for the week. I’m feeling like quite the overachiever. I’m going to keep this short and sweet. But not too sweet.
Continue reading “Low Sugar Meyer Lemon Loaf”
Jump to Italian Sausage and Potato Soup Recipe
This is a delicious, comforting soup, perfect for cold winter months. It definitely serves as a meal on its own, maybe with a little bread and/or salad. If you like the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden you will like this soup a lot .
Continue reading “Italian Sausage and Potato Soup”
I made this Spinach and Green Chile Cheddar Soup on Monday this week. I think it was Monday, it feels like last year. I’m sure you can relate. I planned to post it by Tuesday, but the news, social media outlets, and multiple group texts have hijacked my attention. I’ve also been cooking a ton, but, for the most part, have been too distracted to take pictures and write recipes.
Continue reading “Spinach and Green Chile Cheddar Soup”
Jump to Spinach and Green Chile Cheddar Soup Recipe
I made this Spinach and Green Chile Cheddar Soup on Monday this week. I think it was Monday, it feels like last year. I’m sure you can relate. I planned to post it by Tuesday, but the news, social media outlets, and multiple group texts have hijacked my attention. I’ve also been cooking a ton, but, for the most part, have been too distracted to take pictures and write recipes.
I made a quick over-and-back trip to Eugene last Sunday upon learning my youngest niece, Nicole was trying on wedding dresses that day. I pretty much invited myself and crashed the party, but I did get permission from the bride-to-be before I left Bend. As you might suspect from the title of this blog, my nieces and I are pretty tight. There was reason to believe I would be welcome, and I was, quite graciously.
Continue reading “Rainbows, Birds, and Messages from the Sea”