I’m still on a soup kick…. I made up a pot of Minestrone, using items that I already had around the house. I like a Minestrone because it’s one of those dishes that is easily adaptable. I can think of a number of variations, including adding items like turnips or potatoes. I’ve even read recipes that stirred a tablespoon of Pesto Sauce into the soup bowl just before serving.
My oldest daughter loved this soup. I hope your family enjoys it, as well. If you try it with variations, please share your ideas in the comments.
Chunky Minestrone
*4 slices bacon, cut into …read more

I roasted a whole chicken yesterday. When I was a newlywed, I roasted a lot of whole chickens. They were economical and I liked the presentation of a complete browned bird, but eventually I fell for the ease of using chicken breasts and tenders.
I used a 3.5 lb bird and a dry rub featuring smoked paprika and a little cumin.  The house smelled incredible as the chicken roasted.

Roasted Chicken With Potatoes
Ingredients:
* 3.5 – 4 pound whole chicken, cleaned, be sure to loosen skin from breast and rinse well
* 4 potatoes, cut into rounds or quarters, about 1 inch thick
* 1 …read more

I caught this post over at the tree hugging family a couple days ago and it got me thinking.   The title of the post is: 
“I don’t cook.  So I made my eat-in-kitchen a fabulous walk-in closet.”
It’s about an ad that encourages people to use credit to “achieve their dreams” (like turning their kitchen into a walk-in closet.)  Peggy at tree hugging family wrote about this because she encourages people to develop green habits of living.  When I read this post, I instantly thought about a woman I saw on TV that had a fabulous house, massive kitchen, and completely empty cupboards.  She didn’t even have plates …read more