Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Gnocchi is one of those amazing Italian dishes that is really quite simple to make, but a bit time consuming. This version of sweet potato gnocchi is well worth the effort. It’s made easier by not shaping the gnocchi traditionally, but scooping out spoonfuls and dropping onto wax paper. You can make the gnocchi ahead […]
Crunchy Hamburgers
As I was trying to decide what to cook for dinner the other night (only having ground beef on hand), I remembered a favorite meal from my childhood. My mom would coat hamburger patties in cracker crumbs and lightly fry them in a skillet. As a child, I liked these better than regular hamburgers on […]
Hummus
I have recently discovered the joy that is hummus. It is simple and satisfying, and you can add about any spice or seasoning to it to make it to your liking. Most hummus recipes call for tahini paste, which is ground sesame seeds, but all I could find was tahini sauce. The difference? Tahini sauce […]
Mixed Greens Salad with Fried Goat Cheese and Mustard Vinaigrette
Goat cheese is another one of my favorite things. The mild, tangy cheese has so many pairing possibilities, from savory to sweet. In this recipe, the goat cheese is lightly fried and placed atop a bed of mixed greens that have been tossed with homemade mustard vinaigrette. Even if you are not a big fan […]
Flourless Oatmeal Blueberry Muffin – in the Microwave!
One of my favorite kinds of food is bread. Anything bready, and I’m there! That’s why I love this recipe. It’s super quick and very moist. It’s not exactly a pick-up-and-eat-with-your-hands kind of muffin, but it is wonderful with a pairing of Greek yogurt and a spoon. I appreciate the flourless aspect of this muffin […]
Homemade Salsa
With the summer season upon us, there is always an abundance of fresh tomatoes from the garden. What better way to use these than by making salsa? It doesn’t last long around my house, so I’m glad it’s quick and easy to make. And it can easily be doubled or tripled if you’re serving a […]
Couscous with Chickpeas and Carrots
Couscous is one of the easiest things to make and is incredibly versatile. It is tiny pasta that look like little beads and is often confused as a grain. It takes just minutes to prepare by itself, but is wonderful when vegetables, beans, or herbs are added to it. To make a heartier dish, add […]
Real Banana Pudding
I did not have true banana pudding until I moved to the South. I grew up with banana cream pie, which was often my requested birthday dessert, but have since grown to love banana pudding more. This version of the recipe uses made from scratch pudding and meringue for the topping. Of course, it is […]
Stuffed Bell Peppers
This is another simple and quick recipe for those busy weeknights. Growing up, my mom would make this for our family. My brother and I did not like the green peppers, so she would always bake some of the “stuffing” in a separate casserole dish for us, without the peppers. This can easily be modified […]
Caprese Mushroom Caps
You can find stuffed mushrooms on so many restaurant appetizer menus these days. They are usually filled with breadcrumbs and some unidentifiable bits of food. This version of stuffed mushrooms is much fresher. It takes the ingredients of a Caprese salad and layers them on top of a portabella mushroom cap. Perfect main dish for […]
Creamy Pork and Noodle Casserole
This recipe is another dish that I grew up with. It was a staple at our church potlucks, and there was never a morsel left. It can be made with leftover pork and also works well with ground beef. Ingredients 4 oz. uncooked egg noodles 1 T canola oil 1 lb pork 1 can cream […]
Taco Casserole
This is the ultimate quick weeknight meal. There are so many different ways to serve this dish (see serving options at the end of the cooking instructions) that everyone in your family will find a way that suits them. Ingredients 1 pound ground beef 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 15 […]
Garlic Knots
One of my favorite restaurants is Altruda’s in West Knoxville. It is the perfect cozy place for a date night with your sweetie. My husband and I agree we could make a meal out of the amazing salad, garlic rolls drenched in butter and fried artichokes alone. Yum! These garlic knots are similar to the […]
Slow Cooker Pork with Apples
In my never ending quest for easy slow cooker recipes, I decided to try the classic pork-apple combination. I found this dish to be absolutely delicious. However, my daughter did not like the consistency of the apples (they did turn to mush) and my husband did not like the flavor combination of pork and apples. […]
Roasted Corn on the Cob with Roasted Garlic Butter
It’s finally here! Warm weather, that is, and this time it looks like it will stick around. This makes me ready for some summertime food. My favorite way to prepare corn on the cob is to roast it in foil, either in the oven or on the grill. The foil helps to steam the corn […]
Easter Dinner, Part 6: Strawberry Lemonade Cake
What would a family gathering be without dessert? And what would Easter be without Peeps? This recipe cheats a little in my book by using a boxed strawberry cake mix. If you prefer to make your own cake from scratch, by all means do it. It will only make the cake that much better. To […]
