A ‘Depression Cake’ for Our Recession Aches

October 30, 2008

Every day I watch the stock market fluctuate and my heart races when it dips. Our economy is screwed and my hard-earned retirement savings are now half of what it had been just months ago. Obviously, I’m not alone and…

Read the full article →

An Alternative Pumpkin Pie

October 27, 2008

Pumpkin pie is one of my favorite Fall desserts so I was excited to receive two small pumpkins in my recent CSA shipment. My brother invited us over for dinner last weekend and I wanted to experiment with making a…

Read the full article →

Spicy Gingersnap Recipe

October 16, 2008
Thumbnail image for Spicy Gingersnap Recipe

Spicy and crisp, gingersnaps are one of my favorite cookies. When I buy a bag of them, they quickly disappear within 24 hours. It’s difficult to only eat one at at time.

I came across this recipe from Farmgirl Fare and…

Read the full article →

Making History: Pinto Bean Soup

October 13, 2008

My mother loved to make soup and although I didn’t appreciate it at the time, bean soup is now one of my favorites from her repertoire. But my bean soup prowess is limited to my mother’s bean soup recipe and I…

Read the full article →

How to cook during a recession

October 6, 2008

Whether it’s called a Recession or a Depression, the economic conditions around the world are depressing and quite frightening. Since this summer, my hard-earned retirement accounts have lost over 30% of their value while continuing to dive lower. While I…

Read the full article →

Book Review: 1000 Gluten-Free Recipes

October 4, 2008

Like the slow and building rumble of an approaching storm, celiac disease and gluten allergies are gaining attention and growing to a loud roar. This past week my brother discovered his digestion problems, sporadic headaches, frequent congestion, and thickened blood have…

Read the full article →

‘Soy-Butt’ Potstickers: Crusty Bottoms Taste Good!

October 2, 2008

I haven’t met a dumpling that I didn’t like. Well, ok … maybe a filling or two that I wasn’t fond of but when you wrap anything in a thin layer of carbs, it just tastes magical!

I started making my…

Read the full article →

Turkish Kabak Tatlisi (Poached Pumpkin)

September 25, 2008

My two-week series on Turkish food draws to a close with this sweet poached pumpkin dessert, Kabak Tatlisi. When I received a small pumpkin in my weekly CSA delivery last week, I flipped through my Turkish cookbook and found the…

Read the full article →

Turkish Cerkez Tavugu (Chicken with Walnuts)

September 24, 2008

One of my favorite aspects of Turkish cuisine is the use of nuts in both sweet and savory recipes. In the United States, we typically use nuts on for snacking or in desserts so when walnuts are ground with garlic…

Read the full article →

Turkish Sigara Boregi With Minced Meat

September 23, 2008

Sigara boregi literally translates to ‘cigarette pastry’, a shape common in Turkey and filled with either sweet or savory mixtures. The cigarette shape is familiar to me as I have made egg rolls, lumpia, and spring rolls all of which are…

Read the full article →

Weekend Reading: from casseroles to sauces

September 19, 2008

My reading list for this weekend is perfect for those who love to entertain. You’ll find cookbooks covering cocktails and fondues along with appetizers and party planning ideas. Four of the books featured are less than $20 making them affordable…

Read the full article →

Turkish Ispanakli Gozleme: Spinach-Filled Flat Bread

September 18, 2008

This versatile flat bread (gozleme) is common to many parts of Turkey and is often made at home but can also be found in cafes. Creamy spinach wrapped by grilled flat bread — sound delicious? I don’t want to give…

Read the full article →

Turkish Sweet Potato & Apricot Rolls

September 16, 2008

This past week I’ve had a craving for Turkish food. The interesting twist is that I’m not all that familiar with food from Turkey. In my mind, I think of it as being warm, savory and sweet, slightly spicy. I…

Read the full article →

Frozen Grapes: a refreshing snack

September 15, 2008

Although our hot Summer weather is nearly over, the past two weeks have been up near 100F. Working from home has its advantages but when the heat kicks in … it can be less than ideal without air conditioning. To…

Read the full article →

Chili-Lime Pickled String Beans

September 12, 2008

This recipe takes me back to my childhood when my great-grandmother would make me pickled beans. I loved the tangy flavor and how the green beans were like tart and tender french fries. She would make me a batch and…

Read the full article →