Let me introduce you to delightful Christmas tree spritz cookies! They always made an appearance at our holiday gatherings when I was a kid. Add some food coloring and splash in flavored extract to give the cookies festive cheer. Let’s not forget the sprinkles! History of Spritz Cookies Rooted in German and Scandinavian cuisine, spritz…
How does coconut pancakes topped with Bananas Foster and whipped cream sound for dinner? It sounds pretty decadent, doesn’t it? I thought so, too. While searching the internet for a new pancake recipe, I ran across this one for Homemade Coconut Pancakes from The Spruce Eats. I adjusted the recipe a bit based on our…
During WWI, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) created a program to help provide food for US troops and those of our allies. This rationing program heavily relied on US citizens’ patriotism and compassion. Eggs were included in the food sent overseas which, paired with other economic pressures, ultimately caused an egg shortage in…
I survived hosting my first holiday cookie swap! Whew … it was a whirlwind of getting the house cleaned up, decorations put up, and cookies baked. Oh, who am I kidding … I barely got the Christmas tree decorated in time! Such is the life of busy women eherywhere, which is why coming together for…
I’ve recently started rifling through my recipe clippings from my mom, grandma, and JD’s grandma. I have recipe boxes … and Christmas shirt boxes full of them! Some are “back of the box” or brand name recipes while others are simply recipe clippings from newspapers and old magazines. I’m trying to archive the ones I…
My grandma’s 1963 Good Housekeeping Cookbook is my cooking bible … it has been since I received it as a wedding present. I have adapted my favorite banana bread recipe into a moist banana cake. Nearly every woman in my family has received a copy of this cookbook … not all got the 1963…
I love when our orchard markets open up in late spring because it means I can make strawberry pie! Almost every weekend finds us on a trek to Flamm Orchards to retrieve strawberries, then peaches, then apples as the summer gives way to autumn. Strawberries are in season now, and we’ve been eating them by…
If you were to ask me what my favorite pie is, I’d say raisin … or strawberry-rhubarb … or raisin. It’s a toss-up between the two! Raisin was also my grandpa’s favorite pie. I don’t recall my grandma ever making it, but I certainly remember my mom baking one at least once a year so…
This was the view at Flamm Orchards in Cobden, Illinois last weekend! The Flamm family has owned this orchard for over 120 years… six generations! It’s one of two of our “go-to” spots for fresh fruit and vegetables during the summer and fall seasons. Mom, Noodle and I stopped at the fruit stand on our Saturday…
One of our first adventures this summer was to Blueberry Hill Farm this past weekend where Noodle was able to pick strawberries for the first time! She also took advantage of my camera to begin her summer photo project. This was a girls-only outing and Grandma Debbie and Aunt Steph went along. We picked strawberries,…
When I was a little girl, portraits of my dad’s grandparents and great grandparents hung on the wall outside my bedroom. These are from the early 20th century and earlier … a time when it wasn’t appropriate to smile in photographs like it is today. These portraits scared the crap out of me! Especially the…
For as long as I can remember, Mom would make batches of snow ice cream in the winter … weather permitting. I don’t really remember exactly how she made it, but I do remember being sent out into the snow to retrieve the main ingredient. There’s just something about making ice cream out of fluffy…
I’ve been doing a lot of reading about historic food preparation in the US … you know, colonial and pioneer days. I love books that explain cooking methods used by early settlers and talk about all the foods they had at their disposal. The First Pumpkin Pie When we first learn about Thanksgiving, we learn how…