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Make Mine Meatballs (or, Fun with My New Meat Grinder)
I’ve discovered a new kitchen device after taking my own advice. In February while writing about sausage-making, I noted that KitchenAid was offering a sale on things like meat-grinder attachments for a standing mixer. I went for it, and it’s…
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A Paean to Pie
Growing up in the Midwest farmland of the 1950s meant that I was living in the pie capital of the world. In most homes, it was the dessert of choice. In my grandmother’s time, pie suppers, where the local bakers’…
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Warm Up the Kitchen with a Vegetable Roast
Looking for a healthful meal that’s simple, relatively fast, and doesn’t require a lot of clean-up? How about trying roasted vegetables? With a little creativity, you can put together your own family recipes that are easy to repeat. And perhaps…
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Here Comes the Fudge
Whatever happened to fudge? That question occurred to me since it’s Valentine’s Day – which usually means chocolate. And what could be more chocolate than fudge? When I was growing up in the 1950s, it seemed that a lot of…
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Simple and Quick Go-To Recipes
I’m guessing that many of us are feeling a little burned out on cooking, and there are evenings when we just want an easy menu that will satisfy the family. I’ve felt that way more than once over the past…
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Make a Main Dish for Peanuts
I have a long relationship with peanut butter. It began with breakfasts of toast with peanut butter and jelly. Once I was in grade school, the centerpiece in my Roy Rogers lunch box was a PB&J sandwich. As I grew…
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Wait, Don’t Toss that Pickle Juice!
It’s a new year, and a perfect time to up our game in creating tasty dishes for the dinner table. Let’s take another step in thinking about how to add or enhance the flavors of what we are creating on…
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Holy Sheet Pan! No-Fuss Dinner in 30 Minutes
Looking for a way to make your life easier? How about a meal that’s easy, nutritious, and takes less than an hour from start to finish? Look no further than a sheet pan. I suspect that you might already have…
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You Don’t Know Beans
Growing up, I never would have expected to sing the praises of beans. But, of late, I’ve come to admire the lowly pods of protein and carbohydrates first domesticated in South America 10,000 years ago. Compare them with a hamburger.…
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Stewing About the Cold Weather
This time of year, most of us start thinking about a stew. It’s cold and rainy outside, we can’t go anywhere, and we’re yearning for a simple, satisfying meal. A good stew has that satisfying warmth that fits the bill.…