Helpful Tips
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Zucchini Fritters
I see those photos from your gardens and the zucchini are still coming in. So this is the third installment of the Zucchini Trilogy – Zucchini Fritters. We had these quite a bit during the summers growing up. I am not sure why they left my mind, because I loved them even as a kid. I really haven’t met a fritter I didn’t love, sweet or savory. These little gems are fairly simple, but they make a great side to any dish, or they are a great, light, vegetarian summer dinner all on their own. The fritters are fairly healthy also, with just a little bit of flour and cheese,…
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Zucchini up the Wazoo
Last week I shared a recipe for Sautéed Squash as one way to use some of the zucchini that is so plentiful this time of year. I used up my zucchini and yellow summer squash, and as if by magic, it was replaced from a friend’s garden the very next day. Before I could use up those squash, we were given more zucchini from another friend’s first garden crop. So thoughtful – so much squash. I took it as a sign that folks might want more recipe options, so this will be the second installment in the Zucchini Trilogy. While picking up zucchini from the first friend, we talked about…
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Southern Chow Chow
The Covid 19 virus pandemic has had some very strange influences on our lives recently. Food shortages, or the very threat of them, has lead people to revisit kitchen practices like canning and pickling. These processes allow you to put food back for later seasons, as well as prolong the life of produce in season. I have always loved pickled things, and have grown even more fond of pickled produce since falling in love with Korean foods. Kimchi, pickled radishes, cucumbers, etc. are often as important as the main dish in Korean cooking. I was thinking about Korean kimchi and realized the South has their own version of kimchi in…
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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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Making the Best of It
It is now mid-May and life is still quite strange. Our schools are now officially closed for the school year, while classes continue online. Restrictions are slowly being lifted, but more rules are being put in place when you are in public. While we can go to the grocery store, you are requested to wear a mask, and follow arrows and stand on the right Xs on the floor. It is still a bit overwhelming, so I do still love the luxury of Instacart. It is quite nice to order my groceries and have them delivered to my door within 3 hours. There are some hiccups in the system, though.…
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Keeping Busy
Like most of the world right now, we are officially under a Stay-At-Home order, meaning we are not supposed to be out in the world for anything other than absolutely necessary. This lock down and the tension surrounding it has effected all of us differently. My youngest daughter, Allison, is used to going to swim team 3 times a week. This is her happy place as well as her physical outlet. She has been very upset to give that up. However, in the last two weeks, she has poured all of that pent up energy into taking over the kitchen. She has been making breakfast, lunch and dinner for the…
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The Quarantine Continues
Things are getting a little more intense with this Covid-19 virus. By the time you read this, our county will be under a stay-at-home order. Generally, this just means more caution and limiting leaving the house to necessary supply runs, etc. However, like most areas now, our supply chain is experiencing challenges. If you can find what you need in the stores, you are likely to find limits on how many of these items you can bring home. To try to avoid some of the craziness, I placed an order through Instacart for the first time ever. I ordered from Wegmans, one of my new favorite stores. I chose them…
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Sanity-Saving Snacks
I don’t think anyone will argue that these are trying times we are living in right now, with an international health crisis changing everything as we know it. When the news began to unfold, I was paying attention, but not panicking. I went to our local Costco last Tuesday and there were plenty of supplies, even with people beginning to stock up. I bought our normal amount of things, not for a moment thinking that by Thursday, the nation would have a shortage of toilet paper, cleaning supplies and many, many food items. With kids now home from school with no end date in sight and many parents working from…
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What Lives in YOUR Pantry?
I don’t know about you, but I have fallen down the rabbit hole this last week. I can barely tell the days apart and meals are largely made up of holiday leftovers. On top of that, our oldest daughter has begun a DIY bathroom makeover, which means I am doing a bathroom makeover, too. Needless to say, I have not been creative in the kitchen too much this week. I have relied on pantry staples, which lead me to the idea of sharing my pantry essentials with you. Now this is, of course, extremely personal for each home cook, and entirely different from house to house. But there are some…
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Foodie Gift Guide
Black Friday is not really a big thing in our house, but we sure do like us some Cyber Monday. I have purchased my food processor and Instant Pot during Cyber Monday deals. This year, I splurged big time and got my very own KitchenAid mixer. I cannot wait for it to come! I also splurged on some chef-quality knives. Between all of my bargain shopping and decorating the house for Christmas, I have not had a chance to whip up many goodies, so I thought instead I might share a shopping guide with you for all of the foodies on your Christmas list. Before I begin, I need to…
