I admit, I love going to parties and get togethers for the appetizers alone. Something about finger foods and dips just makes me very happy. You can have a little of this, and a little of that and taste it all without committing to a full meal. Since this weekend is the Big Game, I thought I'd share one of my favorite things with you. Spinach Dip. If you're at all like me, spinach dip is essential at any type of gathering. The bread bowl, with that creamy spinach combination is a dream. I … [Read more...]
Easy Classic Potato Salad
We had a very relaxed Easter. RoRo has been teething something fierce, so our nights have been pretty long. We got a late start Easter morning, since we were up so late the night before.A few days prior I had eaten three lemonheads in a row, and have been suffering from a painful raw mouth, which seemed to have ignited some tooth pain as well. I've been pretty medicated, and RoRo and I have been sharing the same tube of Orajel. Fun times, my friends!So we kept it pretty low key for Easter. We … [Read more...]
Classic Deviled Eggs
It's almost Easter! Seriously, how did that happen? Well, considering it's a bit earlier this year, it's no surprise it seemed to come so quickly!One of the usual traditions we have is dying Easter eggs. I'm excited, because this year RoRo is almost 2, so he can do a little dipping and coloring too!Since we have such a large family, and we like to let all the kids have creative reign over their own eggs, that leaves us with A LOT of hard-boiled eggs. We eat them in our salads, love them with … [Read more...]
Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
Au Gratin Potatoes is originally a french dish that is common in the boxed mix area in your supermarket. It's a dish I grew up eating and another favorite that I consider a comfort food. I've mentioned before that I love to make those old comfort foods and instead of making the boxed mix I like to learn how to make them from scratch and ingredients that I typically can find in my pantry at home, free of preservatives and additives.This was made for Christmas dinner with a beef roast and red … [Read more...]
Hearty and Comforting Shephard’s Pie
One of a handful of the first things I made when I started really getting into cooking was a Shephard's Pie.This came at a time when money was extremely tight for us, and it cause me to get very creative in the kitchen.(You can read a little more about that here) Sometimes piecing together ingredients with a tight budget can be the times you get most creative in the kitchen! I wouldn't trade those hard times for anything, because that's when I was forced to learn to try different things when it … [Read more...]
Homemade Traditional Lasagna
Lasagna always reminds me of one thing. My Aunt. When I was a kid, every Halloween we would go to my Aunt's house and go trick or treating. During that time, she'd be making her delicious lasagna so after our night of trick-or-treating we would come back and have a delicious plate of lasagna. I don't think I had anyone else's until many years later, and hers is the basis that I compare any to.Now, I know it's well past Halloween, but this is definitely the season for cuddle weather and comfort … [Read more...]
Turkey Noodle Soup
As far back as I can remember, I can recall my parents using the leftover turkey to make a turkey soup each year after Thanksgiving. I never got a recipe or anything from them, but it just seemed like the customary thing to do, and I've continued the tradition with my own family. Through the years I just sort of created my own technique and recipe, so if there's a faster or easier way to do any of this, by all means be my guest! After all those heavy Thanksgiving dishes, this soup seems like … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving 2012 Recap
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here in the Harris residence!Our holiday began with almost 2 days of cooking, lots of laughs, interruptions, sleep loss, and a a few bouts of impatience.All in all I'd say it was a success, we had all the kids under one roof, my mother in law as well as my aunt and uncle in law. I'm not naming any names, but a few family members fell into a food come, and only 3 dishes didn't get made that were planned.In addition to the food pictured on the right, there were also … [Read more...]
Traditional Cranberry Relish
I know there's so many of us that grew up eating the can shaped cranberry sauce with our Thanksgiving meal, and maybe even our Christmas one too. It's become such a custom for so many, and the shape of the can even makes it easy to slice, or is that just me? Anyhow, a few years ago I began hosting Thanksgiving at my house. I have to admit that the very first year was stressful. You have to have time management skills, and be sure to shower, dress, and do your makeup and hair early. Also do … [Read more...]
Buttery Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
There's one thing that always makes my family happy, and that is good old mashed potatoes. In these photos I paired them with my savory boneless pork chops and my garlic Parmesan asparagus, but mashed potatoes are really great with anything. Mashed potatoes are always a staple around the dinner table for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and this version is sure to please! The great thing about them is you can make them up to 24 hours in advance, refrigerate them, then pop them in the … [Read more...]
