This sourdough adaptation is delicious. I love kolaches. Anytime we drive by The Czech Stop in West, Texas on a road trip to Austin or San Antonio, we must stop to get them. We buy a box to snack on in the car and one to eat later. On the return trip home, we have […]
Apples, not spices or sugar, are the star in this pie! My grandma lived with my family as I grew up. She taught me to bake apple pies and other lovely desserts. I still cherish those times working in the garden and kitchen with her, taking walks through the woods and wandering down long country […]
When life gives you lemons, make this moist, tangy cake. When I was a little girl, I loved lemons. I’d eat them by themselves, in hot tea, in iced tea, and in pie. I couldn’t wait until summertime to wow the neighbor kids with my ability to not make a sour face when I sucked […]
A recipe for making joy filled memories. When I was a kid, my mother handed me her giant cookbook ‘bible’ opened to a page where she had written down a “Thumbprint Cookie” recipe. I made this recipe many times because I enjoyed my success in measuring, mixing, and baking these cookies. As a teen, I […]
So much better than store-bought. I hated store-bought oatmeal cookies when I was young. They were so dry I feared breaking a tooth. They were also flavorless or overpowered by sweetness and spice. Fortunately for me, my mom had the best recipe ever, shared with her by a long-time family friend. It makes cookies that […]
When I use this simple tool, I banish distractions. You can, too. Have you ever had one of those days you really needed to banish distractions? Yesterday morning, at 4:00 AM, my husband got out of bed and howled in pain. He could not put any weight on his foot. Pain radiated up his leg. Neither […]
Lose the Quarantine 15 — or More
Getting thinner means feeling better. I found myself gaining weight during this pandemic. In fact, I gained well over the much discussed quarantine 15. The more weight I gained, the worse I felt, both physically and mentally. I’m sure I’m not alone. In my mid-30s, I complained to my doctor about gaining weight and asked for […]
One story of a blue norther and a failing power grid. I woke up a week ago last Tuesday and decided to place my order for groceries, just in case there was a run on everything like there was in March of 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns began. I planned ahead, menus for three weeks, groceries, water, […]
Best Easy Meatloaf Ever
A versatile meatloaf you’ll love. When I was growing up, my mother made meatloaf at least once a week. Since that was one of her seven standard menu choices, I soon grew tired of it. She made it the same way every time, and it was boring. Consequently, I almost never made meatloaf for my […]
10 Things to Give Thanks for in 2020
It was a difficult year, but we can feel hope. This year has been so difficult for so many. We have lost so much — family members, jobs, businesses. But we have many things for which we can be thankful. In a year when depression and anxiety has increased (at least mine has), I find comfort when I […]