-
The Need for Comfort
Last week, I shared with you some of the reality of this extended pandemic. Nerves have been frayed and patience tested. If you were to go by social media, we should all be enjoying one another’s company, braiding each other’s hair and generally having one great big Hallmark movie moment together. We have indeed had some fun, and at first it was a relief to have a small break from the daily grind and running hither and yon. But here we are, months in. Summer is almost over and now the struggle over what to do for school is looming large. Here in NC, our governor has said kids should…
-
Simple Cookies with a Complicated Name
My new KitchenAid mixer arrived this week, just in time to start whipping up some Christmas goodies. It arrived in the middle of a busy weekend, so it just sat there, looking pretty, waiting to be used. Finally, Tuesday rolled around and I decided it was time to put this beauty to good use. But what to make first?? I decided on cream cheese jam cookies called Kolaczki, or what some call Kolacky Cookies. The dough is a simple mix of butter, lots of butter, and cream cheese and flour. That’s it. The beauty of these cookies is the dough is rich but not overly sweet, so they are the…
-
Slow Cooker Season – Finally
It has finally starting feeling like Autumn here in NC, cooling to the 60s, and setting the mood for cooking good, warm comfort foods. One of my favorite ways to cook these great Fall comfort foods is in the slow cooker. Not only does it make life a lot easier in the evening, but it fills the house with the smell of home-cooking. One of our favorite go-to slow cooker meals is Slow Cooker Chicken Chili. It is full of flavor, makes enough to share or have leftovers, and is made with things I usually always have on hand. This recipe requires a little bit of prep before setting the…
-
Southern Shrimp & Grits
As you may know, a couple of weeks ago, I found myself the unwitting owner of a large bag of grits. I thought I was purchasing stone ground cornmeal, and got grits instead. They are both corn, but grits are ground more coarsely and often made from hominy, which is corn treated with lime to remove the hull. If you don’t live in a place you can readily find grits, you can order them on Amazon here. I used the grits on my fried green tomatoes and it worked just fine, just added more crunch. But I thought I had better find another use for all of the leftover grits. …
You May Also Like
Comfort in the Form of Carbs
Easy Weeknight Meals for Hot Nights
Easy Pantry Meals
-
Cla-Who??
A couple of years ago, I stumbled onto a recipe on Pinterest for clafoutis. Say what?! Pronounced KLAH-foo-ti, this French dessert looks quite impressive and complicated. In fact, it is quite simple and extremely delicious. It is a cross between a custard and a flan in texture, and is a great way to incorporate summer fruits. Traditionally, the French make clafoutis with unpitted black cherries. The theory behind this is that the pits contain benzaldehyde, which lends an almond flavoring to the dessert. The idea of spitting pits out while eating dessert is less than appealing to me, but maybe someday I will experiment with this – after everyone has had…
-
Best Ever Chocolate Cake
Every family has favorite recipes, food you want to eat over and over again. This chocolate cake is one of our family favorites. This simple, delicious cake has become our go-to for family birthdays and gatherings. In fact, my youngest daughter’s first word was “cake”, and it was THIS cake. I found the original recipe while at the gym. Yes, I see the irony. I was perusing an old copy of Paula Deen’s magazine in the waiting area and found this recipe in the reader’s contribution section. I am not even sure of the original submitter’s name anymore. Nonetheless, I thank them immensely for bringing this cake into our lives.…
