Creamed Peas and Potatoes

A friend of mine Jamie Shaffer taught me that kids love to dip. Give them a fruit, cracker or vegetable and a condiment such as cheese, peanut butter, chocolate or salad dressing and they will devour it. Sauces are another way to get kids to 

Balsamic Pork Chops with Tomatoes and Feta

I try to be frugal when it comes to shopping for groceries. I shop around for the best deal and lately I have come home with mostly store brand items. However, the few pre-packaged items I refuse to skimp on are cheeses and Balsamic vinegar. 

Grill Night Basic Seasoned Hamburgers

Food tastes so much better when cooked on a grill. From meats to vegetables and fruits the flavors just burst with excitement. Unfortunately, we do not have a grill, yet. But, we are still able to enjoy typical BBQ fare roasted in the oven or 

Cheap and Tasty: Super Quick Minestrone

I really jumped on the eating fresh band wagon years ago when I spotted Michael Chiarello on the Food Network. His dishes looked amazing. He made making gnocchi and tomato puree look so simple and then I found Chrissy Teigen carrot soup and fell in 

Italian Sausage and Pasta in a Cream Tomato Sauce

Tonight’s menu called for spaghetti but I really did not feel like spaghetti. A variation of stroganoff with the use of sausage came to mind. I used mild Italian sausage but feel free to pump up the heat with medium or hot sausage. The great 

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables with Bulgar Wheat

I love roasted vegetables. The are the most delicious slightly charred and seasoned lightly with kosher salt. You can make them in the oven as stated in this recipe or in a skillet over medium-high heat. I usually use Bulgar wheat for breakfast cereal sort 

Pasta with Shrimp and Peas

This is basically a lighter version of shrimp scampi. The lemon zest adds a fresh twist without becoming too overbearing. I like to use cooked shrimp tossing it in with the pasta and parsley. I do not have to worry about over cooked rubbery shrimp. 

Kids Choice: Cheesy Scrambled Eggs with Bacon and Toast

Tonight is movie night. The featured showing: “Finding Nemo”. I love Pixar movies because the scripts are genuinely well done and they always feature beautiful music in their films. Movie night is also kids choice. The kids decide what we eat for dinner. Mason, our 

Tropical Chicken Sundaes

This old time recipe is often referred to as Hawaiian haystacks or Chinese sundaes. Typically a myriad of toppings adorn a heap of white rice nestled on a bed of crunchy chow mein noodles. The result looks impressively close to that of an ice cream 

Broccoli Feta and Cherry Tomato Salad

My mom was queen of the pasta salad. Not the kind smothered with dressings or dripping with sauce. Rather simply flavored with a smidgen of salad dressing. Enough to give a little flavor. I learned how to basically clean out the frige and turn odds and