Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Artichoke Mushroom Stuffing

Having friends over for lunch is such a fun time, with lots of conversation and fun away from the pressure of a meeting.  I did an elegant yet reasonably easy entree for six that went together pretty quickly.  The big advantage is it can be made up a bit ahead, leaving me time to clean …

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Summer Grilled Vegetables

Summer is prime grilling season, and there is nothing that says summer more than that outdoor grilled flavor. While we usually concentrate on the meat or fish entree the most, the grill is the best place for your side dishes to cook too. The flavor and freshness of newly harvested vegetables could almost take center …

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Recipe Roundup for Summer Fun

Summer is hot, so cooking should be simple to get out of the kitchen quickly.  Make ahead is great too, for packing along to watch fireworks, or have fun with family outdoors in the mountains, on a lake, or at the beach.  I am running out of time to get in all the ideas I …

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Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Slow cookers are wonderful for making meals while I sew, stamp, or play with my glue gun.  I've been using it more in summer than I used to, as it doesn't heat up the kitchen the way the oven does.  Recently, reader Deb contacted me to ask what size slow cooker I was using in …

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Mid Year Check in on Goals

It is coming up on the  halfway point for the year, so it is time to check in with the goals for the year and see how it is going.  Actually, pretty well!!  The goals post is HERE.  Since I am still working on the secret quilting projects, I can't show those just yet.  But, …

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Taco Salad with a Crispy Baked Shell

With Cinco De Mayo tomorrow, it is a great excuse to eat Mexican food, like I need an excuse, LOL!!  One thing about it, though, the fat content can be pretty high.  My grandmother and mother used to make tacos by frying the tortillas in oil, and although they were tasty, that method is just …

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Asian Broccoli and Cabbage Salad

When we went to an event with the Appalachian Mountains Mini Club, part of the fun was a pot luck meal.  Guests were asked to bring side dishes or desserts to go with the pork barbecue the hosts were serving.  I thought about what to take for days.  I didn't really know anyone, and had …

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Corned Beef in the Slow Cooker

Is there anything that says Irish holiday more than corned beef?  Well, maybe Irish Stew. But given a choice, I'll take a wonderful, tender, corned beef roast any day. The moist meat has a flavor unlike any other, perfect with cabbage and potatoes.  Wonderful for dinner, and great the next day too, it is a …

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Zhenzhu Qiu – Asian Pearl Balls

Like many cooks, I am always looking for ways to have flavorful and interesting meals while saving money wherever possible.  A few months ago, our local grocery put ground chicken on sale for a ridiculously low price, so I bought 5 pounds, not knowing what I could possibly do with it.  That made an opportunity …

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Asian Inspired Salad

Warmer days are coming, and temperatures here will be in the high 60s all week this week.  I know there will be a freeze before the real spring is here, but for now it is great weather for hiking and being outside.  For a lighter meal perfect for warmer days, I have a new salad …

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