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You Had Me at Tacos
My grandmother on my dad’s side was old school. She was a meat and potatoes kind of lady of Scotch-Irish descent. All other food was of no interest to her. Other cuisines didn’t come up much in conversation, but I do remember she considered tacos a snack, not a meal. I am not sure why that amuses me, but it does. A couple generations later, my family loves tacos. They are fast, easy and can be extremely versatile. You can have them for any meal, even breakfast. They do make a mean snack, too. We like classic ground beef tacos, chicken, and even fish. This week, I thought I would…
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Salsa Season
Last week, we took a family vacation to the beach, our all-time favorite place. It was so wonderful to get away from this weird new normal for just a little while. We have been taking this trip most years since our girls were tiny. Usually, we go away at the end of September or early October, but the last 2 years hurricanes have messed with the get away. So this time, we decided to escape at the beginning of the season. It was easy to forget all of the chaos going on in the world right now while we were surrounded by sunshine, sand and salt water. I had no…
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Greek Chicken Wraps with Tzatziki Sauce
Last week, I shared with you an easy fish taco dinner idea with yummy lime cilantro sauce. In keeping with that theme, this week I thought I would share another simple, but delicious, dinner idea, featuring a wonderful sauce that can also be served as a dip. Our family loves Mediterranean food because it’s fresh, flavorful and good for you. It can be easy to make at home and customize to your liking. I love to add Greek seasoning to chicken and cook it on the stove top or grill it. A couple of years ago, I found a great Greek seasoning mix from The Spice & Tea Exchange that…
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Strawberry Mango Salsa
There is just something about warmer weather that makes you crave fresh snacks like chips and salsa. I have shared salsa recipes with you before, but this week, I thought I would try something new. Strawberries are currently at their peak right now, the local fields are bursting with the beauties. I picked up another bucket and started thinking about making strawberry salsa. We also have gorgeous mangoes in the house so I thought that would be great in the mix, too. I did a little hunting on Pinterest and found a couple of recipes to try, but you know I had to make it my own. Of course the…
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All-Season Soup
So, it’s SUPPOSED to be Spring here, but we have had a cold snap this week. People have been advised to cover their tender plants, just when they were getting excited about all the warmth and sunshine. While it is fleeting, the cold always puts me in the mood for soup. Some people think soup is a seasonal thing, but I love it and could eat it year-round. After running errands on a cold and soggy day this past week, I was inspired to whip up some Minestrone. I think my first experience with Minestrone was at a certain popular Italian restaurant chain that features all-you-can-eat soup, salad and breadsticks.…
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Instant Pot Yogurt
One of the reasons I decided to add an Instant Pot to my list of kitchen gadgets was the appeal of having a yogurt maker. I had seen yogurt makers in kitchen and cooking catalogs, with their cute little individual cups. I did covet those, but the Instant Pot won out for all of it’s extra capabilities. Some of you may be wondering why on earth I would want to make my own yogurt when there are so many varieties available in grocery stores these days. Well, I like yogurt. Greek yogurt, French yogurt, Australian style yogurt, etc. But I have always had this elusive memory of the taste of…
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Millions of Peaches
It is peak peach season here in North Carolina and we are eating them in every possible way in my house, so it seems natural to write this ode to peaches. There is just nothing quite like a juicy peach at it’s perfect ripeness. You can find them in the grocery store this time of year, some stores even sell locally grown peaches. But my favorite place to buy them in the NC State Farmers Market. (I’m starting to think they should give me a discount for all this advertising.). I am a loyalist, I buy my peaches most often from the same stand – Michelle’s Fresh Fruits. I have…
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Cheaper (& More Delicious) Chicken
Let me start this post by saying, I have come a long way in my relationship with meat in the kitchen – specifically preparing it, and even more specifically preparing chicken. When I was much younger, I would have to leave the room, gagging with much drama, while my mom cut up chicken meat, pulling off the skin and extracting bones, etc. I did NOT want to see that horrifying process. However, chicken is an extremely versatile protein source and one of the more healthy choices of meat. Because of those reasons, we use chicken in many different ways in our house. But I DO want my chicken to have…
