Homemade Ready

"Beautiful Soup! Who cares for fish, Game, or any other dish? Who would not give all else for two Pennyworth only of Beautiful Soup? Pennyworth only of Beautiful Soup?" -Lewis Carroll A steamy bowl of soup for supper on a cold winter evening is truly a beautiful thing. When it's made in a slow cooker, with only minimal effort, it's even better. This time of year is the worst for me - the short, chilly days, and long, dark nights. Even in the deep south, we get more cold weather than suits my taste. Plus, let's be honest here, as much as I love the holidays, they can be exhausting. There is the cooking, the shopping, parties, visiting with family and friends. I'm really just now starting to recover. My energy is low and something easy, homey and comforting is exactly what I crave. This French onion soup recipe totally fits the bill. It's rich and velvety, and so simple to prepare - throw it all in the slow cooker, and let it simmer away all day. Th...

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...

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.