encourager of simple eats + happy living
Hooray for the Internet and FedEx! Why? Because now we ALL have access to Alaskan Halibut, fished fresh from the icy-cold Kenai waters of Southern Alaska. As you may remember, Dennis and I went to Alaska this summer and found ourselves in fabulous fresh fish heaven. Forget the scenery… the food was out of this world! During our trip, we visited with friends from college who live on the Kenai Peninsula who treated us to a smorgasbord of fresh pan-fried halibut and grilled succulent salmon. ...
I started this blog because it is such a thrill to sleuth-around for secret ingredients, to locate a hole-in-the-wall market that has that extra special product that I cannot find anywhere else, or to discover a better way to prepare a dish. And then there is the heart-warming pleasure of sharing these discoveries with you. The other motivating reason why I started this blog was for selfish reasons. I figured with the limited time I have to go exploring around town, my hopes were that all of you ...
My husband Dennis has become obsessed with granola lately. Obsessed with shopping for ingredients, obsessed with experimenting with different variations, obsessed with eating it. I am not sure what switch was flipped that caused this recent adoration of the concoction, but I do know that he is obsessed with granola. The best part is his exclamations “look how inexpensive this is to make!” And now I am going to share with you his base granola recipe that his mom gave to him. Feel free to make ...
Here is a handy little tip to know when an avocado is ripe and ready: 1. Look for the stem. 2. Pull stem out of avocado. 3. Did it not pull out? Not ready. 4. Did it pull out? Look at the color underneath. Brown? Overripe. Green? Ripe and ready! ...
Don’t you just love old cookbooks? One of the many treasures I inherited from my Aunt Peggy was her vast collection of cookbooks. Not the traditional hardbound cookbooks mind you. No, her collections were more like cookbook pamphlets. Short on pages, small on height, and softbound. These cookbook pamphlets are an awesome treat to browse through.It's like an archeological excavation of eating patterns and trends in America. So I got to thinking… why not try some of these recipes out? Where ...
There is a passage in the book of Proverbs that I have always found fascinating. It is the chapter about the virtuous woman who is physically and mentally strong. She capably runs her household and is full of wisdom and gets things done. The verse that I have always found fascinating is verse 14: “She is like the merchants’ ships; she brings her food from afar.” Love that. The verse is talking about carefully planning and purchasing food. That is inspiring to me because I am not always 100% ...
My family has a special holiday dish that is a boneless leg of lamb marinade. To be truthful, this was a special dish during my childhood years, since my family (aka parents) lovvvvvved lamb. As I crossed over into adulthood, I would prepare this special dish and bring it to my married-family special holiday gatherings. I came to understand that.... If you love the taste of lamb, you will love this easy recipe. If you do not love the taste of lamb, you may never become a lamb convert. It ...
RESTAURANT CLOSED. Everyone who knows me knows that my favorite restaurant is Mary Maestri’s in Tontitown. We discovered it in 1996 when we moved to Northwest Arkansas, which seems like ages ago yet it has been around since 1928. Located at the corner of Hwy 112 and Hwy 412, Mary Maestri’s restaurant is in an unassuming white house and is sweet in an old-fashioned way. Once inside is a perfect blend of both casual and fine dining. The lights are perfectly dimmed and there are plenty of nooks ...
Today is Thanksgiving and I am thankful for today. To be alive. And happy. And loved. Today is my 20th anniversary and I am thankful for knowing and having such happiness and peace in my life. 20 and ½ years ago I met the man of my dreams… and he won my heart. Other guys would give stuffed animals, flowers, and perfume. My man? He gave me food. He was a keeper. Dennis, thank you for an amazing life! You are the bestest. ...
I grew up in North Carolina, among a family of New Jersey natives and first generation Americans. I can distinctly remember the day I watched Sesame Street and there was a film short of a little boy from Mexico whose mother was making burritos. “Mom, look at this food. It’s like a flat pancake with meat and cheese in it,” I remember excitedly saying as I tugged at my mom in the kitchen to get her attention. Burritos were fascinating and as foreign to me as pierogies were to my husband when we ...
I recently became reacquainted with an old friend from my childhood. This friend was both incredibly sweet, sometimes a little nutty, and always presented itself well… especially at church potlucks and dinner parties. I am talking about dates, the fruit of the date palm tree that has been a staple of the Middle East for thousands of years. Since we grew up without eating sugar or processed foods, my mother would always prepare dates as her dessert contribution to church potlucks or dinner ...
Recently I read an article from The Lempert Report that stated that “foodies are dead” and the shutdown of Gourmet magazine “makes it official.”Nah, I don’t think so. All we have to do is look at the characteristics of a foodie. Wikipedia has a great definition of a foodie: “Foodies are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation, and news.” Perhaps there is some confusion between a foodie and a gourmet? Gourmets simply want to eat the best food. Period. And Gourmet ...
How have I lived this long without knowing about stale ice cubes? Saturday evening we spent the night at my in-laws home and we had a great visit. Grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, salad, wine, and cocktails: Ahhh… all the makings of a guaranteed great evening. Yet this was the night I realized I have lived my entire life without knowing about… (wait for it)…stale ice cubes. While preparing drinks for the guests, I innocently reached into their freezer to access the ice cubes and quickly ...
Last night my husband and I went to our first Williams-Sonoma cooking technique class: “Let’s Talk Turkey.” And I have got to say… it was great! LouAnn was our teacher and this was her first class, too. Kudos to LouAnn! First, I called ahead of time to reserve our spot. I was told that it was going to be a lighter class than the previous day, which made me happy (who wants a crowd?). Second, there were six people in attendance so there was plenty of space for viewing. Third, I actually ...
I absolutely cannot tell you how many times I have family, friends, and party-strangers comment on this salsa! It’s quick, easy, and tastes great!First, a shout-out to Jon and Nikki who gave me this recipe. In fact, I named it after them (although apparently they have a shout-out to Dana-Ray because that is who gave the recipe to them!) Jon & Nikki Salsa 1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes, drained (Hunts is my fav) 1 can (10oz) Mexican Rotel, drained (I use the Original) 1 teaspoon garlic ...
Last night we went grocery shopping. As we rounded the perimeter of the 190,000 square foot store we came to the deli counter. And we saw this culinary offering… I know the term “food snob” applies to individuals who basically go to the nth degree to have utmost perfection in food selection and preparation. I may not be that person but I do know when to say “No” to imperfect food. My dear family & friends in Northwest Arkansas (and wherever you may live) make a stand and respect your ...
Tomorrow I undergo a colonoscopy and today I am in pure agony. Wait, exactly why is today the agony day? Tomorrow is the procedure, not today. Actually, today is the day where I can only “eat” clear liquids, aka: broth. Now normally I have several boxes of Swanson’s Chicken and Beef Stock in my cupboards and refrigerator waiting for their inclusion in some meal. Today, broths have a new role: they are my food. And if they have moved up the ladder to that all-important role, I must find one that ...
