Homemade Ready

I always prepare a big, traditional Thanksgiving dinner every year, complete with all of the trimmings. As much as my family loves all of the usual fare, sometimes we enjoy a little freshness at our holiday table. These mashed sweet potatoes are a nice alternative to the typical super-sweet, marshmallow-laden casserole. They are just a little sweet, and a little spicy with just a hint of fresh lime. (I may even say they are a little bit...healthy.) Healthy or not, they are delicious and go great with a Thanksgiving turkey, or a Christmas ham (but are perfect for a an everyday lunch or dinner, too)! Recipe 6-8 Servings Ingredients: 4 large sweet potatoes 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon hot chili flakes  2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 lime, juice and zest Directions: Prepare sweet potatoes by roasting in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, u...

In my mind, succotash is kind of an old fashioned dish. It was popular in our grandparents' generation (especially if your grandparents lived in the Northeast U.S. or parts of the South), but doesn’t seem to make much of an appearance on menus today. It was also a popular dish during the Great Depression because it was cheap and made from common ingredients (just the kind of thing we like around here). Its simple goodness of is exactly what makes it a perfect side for a family meal. I like to make it as an easy side dish full of fresh, summer vegetables, and topped with a little bit of bacon, just to make it extra good. (It's also great for holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas). There are actually many versions of succotash, but because of its Native American origins, it almost always includes two vegetables native to the Americas – corn and lima beans. Now, I know that the first inclination may be to dismiss this recipe because of those (oft-dreaded) lima beans, but ...

Back when I first started cooking from scratch, it came as a revelation to me that I could make my own homemade ranch dressing from scratch (without even opening a packet of that well-known seasoning mix!) Before this realization, it had never actually occurred to me that this tasty concoction could be made using various combinations of simple ingredients like mayonnaise, buttermilk, milk, sour cream and/or yogurt. Add in some herbs and seasonings, and a little lemon juice or vinegar, and there you have it - ranch dressing! Over the years, I have played with the recipe, based on what I like, and also based on ingredients I typically have on hand. With my herb garden growing full-blast right now, I thought it would be a good time to whip up a batch. For this recipe, I used my batch of ranch dressing to dress a simple salad of lettuce, tomato, and turkey bacon, tossed with a few homemade croutons and a tiny bit of thinly sliced red onions. This salad is great for a light meal...

This Greek-inspired pasta salad is so simple and easy to make. It's light and flavorful, with the Mediterranean flavors of lemon, oregano and feta cheese - just perfect as either a side dish, or as a main meal. I like to serve it alongside some pan-grilled chicken for an easy supper.

Ahh, a fall Friday evening. What a relief. The weather is finally cooling down after a long, hot summer, and the weekend is finally here after a long, trying week. Some days, I crave something warm and nourishing, but there just isn't much energy to spare for cooking a meal. The family is waiting to eat, but I am drained. Normally, I am generous with my cooking, but today I am grumpy, and start mumbling something to myself about how I just fed everyone yesterday. This is just how I felt today. I needed to make something cozy and comforting, but also super-easy. Luckily, I had some leftover grilled chicken, but still needed something to go with it. Spicy Sweet Roasted Acorn Squash was my answer.

Pears are the forgotten fruit of fall. This time of year, we see big piles of apples at every supermarket, and they turn up in so many of our favorite dishes - apple butter, apple strudel, caramel apples, candy apples, etc., etc. But what about that other fall fruit, the pear? They are equally as delicious as apples, and pricewise, they are often downright cheap this time of year. Today I found them for $.65 a pound at my local market! Naturally, I picked up several pounds (3 pounds, to be exact), because they are good in so many recipes, as well as just on their own as a snack.