This is a great make ahead salad that is terrific to serve to company or take to a potluck.  It’s on my catering menu and it’s everyone’s favorite! You can add additional ingredients to suit your taste such as: slice ripe olives, zucchini, thinly sliced, chopped green pepper, etc. – make it your own! 1…

What could be better on a cold, snowy February morning than a warm apple pancake.  A light crepe smothered in caramelized apples with cinnamon and butter. 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1/4 cup milk 1 apple (I used Granny Smith) 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 large egg 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Pinch…

Your’re already familiar with crusted chicken – now try it in a salad.  The pecans and spices in the crumb mixture add an extra dose of flavor.  The best part?  The crumbs left in the saute pan are delicious!  Instant croutons! Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3/4 c. finely chopped pecans 1/2 tsp. oregano…

What’s ham without pineapple?  Pineapple-Bread Casserole is like a combination of a pineapple souffle and bread pudding.  2 cups diced onion 2 Tbsp. olive oil Salt and Pepper to taste 8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained (about 1-1/4 cups) 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup all purpose flour 6 eggs, beaten 12 slices sandwich white bread (crusts…

This Chicken Pot Pie includes everything you love in a traditional pot pie, plus the flavors of autumn like sweet potatoes and apples.  Use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and this comes together very quickly. For the Crust: 1 pkg. frozen puff pastry, thawed (1 sheet) For the Filling: 3-1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided 2…

One of my mom’s and my favorite desserts growing up was tapioca pudding.  You don’t see it that much anymore.  Tapicoa pudding is one of those comfort foods that brings back happy childhood memories and it’s really easy to make. Ingredients: 1/2 cup small pearl tapioca 3 cups whole milk 1/4 tsp. salt 2 eggs…

More like a hamburger goulash, this dish is a quick, one-pot dinner that you can “sneak” in veggies for a healthy meal.  You may want to check this out:  Hamburger Helper Nutrition Information.  With the help of your food processor, the prep time for this dish is about 10 minutes tops. 3 cloves garlic, peeled…

The inspiration for these cookies came from a cookbook I received from The Daily Meal call “Cook yourself Sexy” by Candice Kumai.  The recipes make smart swaps to cut calories without sacrificing flavor.  One of her recipes was Cornflake Chocolate Chip Cookies.  The cereral in our house lately has been Honey Bunches of Oats –…

I haven’t had Apple Butter in ages!  Now that Fall is officially here, our tastes change to cook and bake with all the warm spices of Autumn.  Here in Jersey, there is only one – just one Cracker Barrel Restaurant where you can get an Apple Butter fix any time of the day.  The restaurant…

Every Korean meal includes anywhere from 2 to 12 side dishes (banchan).  The most important and well known is Kimchi, of which there are 100+ varieties.  This pickled and fermented cabbage is the most popular.  This hot, spicy, garlicky dish is incredible over rice, paired with meat, or just on its own. Kimchi is usually…

My son and his girlfriend frequent a small Thai restaurant nearby and have been trying to re-create Thai dishes at home.  Not that simple if there is no Asian market nearby.  My son prepared this dish for us recently.  I barely did anything except go from market to market with him to try and find…

My niece recently moved into her first apartment and bought her first Crock Pot.  As a full-time teacher, she has been looking for easy, Crock Pot meals to make with her busy schedule.   She called me the other day to share this delicious Santa Fe Chicken recipe.  Everything can be prepared the night before…

For those of you who love Ina Garten’s recipes, a group of us get together and re-create on of her recipes at home.  This fresh lemon mousse is a summer dessert but it’s elegant enough to serve to company any time of the year. Fresh Lemon Mousse 3 extra-large whole eggs 3 extra-large eggs, separated…

The trusty cast-iron skillet – probably a staple in your grandma’s kitchen – is reclaiming its place on the stovetop.  A good one has a slick surface so you don’t need to add oil to get a nonstick surface.  Just make sure it’s properly “seasoned” before you use it for the first time – a…