All my life, whenever I’ve had to list my interests, reading and writing have been at the top of the list, always together. They are a logical matched pair, I think. And as a writer, I’ve found that reading is absolutely essential to improving myself and my writing. Though I normally stick to fiction that…
Books
Best Bets for Beach Reads 2011
Yes. It’s August. Yes, summer is half over. But does that mean we should stop reading? Definitely not, and these Best Bets for Beach Reads 2011 will thrill, excite and engage you. Isn’t that what a good book is all about? The Violets of March: A Novel by Sarah Jio – If you’ve ever read…
Cristina Ferrare’s White Clam Sauce
This unforgettable recipe for White Clam Sauce from Cristina Ferrare’s cookbook is a delicious way to enjoy this classic pasta at home. Clear as day, I remember the first time I had white clam sauce. I was probably 8 or 9 and out to dinner with my family at this great pasta restaurant on the…
Bread Machine Country White Bread Recipe
Homemade bread is special. It’s like love in a loaf form. And making it regularly is something I have always wanted to do — but didn’t. Yet. With gas prices escalating, I have been looking for ways to trim our budget. One way I realized we could live more frugally? By breaking out the bread…
Healthy and Delicious: Red Pepper Alfredo
My husband knows that when I want to make a dietary change (like when I decided to cut way back on red meat last year), the whole family is going to be in on it with me. Hey, I am no short order cook, and I am confident that whatever healthy meals I serve will…
Cooking from Jamie’s Food Revolution: Part 4, the Finale
About a month ago, Shawn came home with a cookbook for me and I started cooking from it. This is the fourth recipe I have made (and blogged!) from Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals. Classic Tomato Spaghetti (which I made with farfalle) is anything but classic. It starts with…
Cooking from Jamie’s Food Revolution: Part 3
Two hours ago, I edited this photo and sat down to write about it … but then I realized the Grey’s Anatomy season finale was on and I had to watch it. OMG, Grey’s. (And yes, that is all I am going to say about that.) We tried another recipe from Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover…
Bacon Braised Cabbage
So I made an awesome dish – Bacon Braised Cabbage – on Saturday, knowing full well that I was going to write about it this week. I plated it in a white bowl, mounding it just so. I even carefully placed bits of bacon in strategic spots. My camera was there at the ready … Apparently,…
Cooking From Jamie’s Food Revolution: Part 1
Did you watch Jamie’s Food Revolution? The show followed Jamie Oliver as he sought to change the way people in Huntington, West Virginia, eat. Huntington, which was recently named the fattest town in the country, responded with some resistance. However, with Oliver’s persistence, school lunches went from frozen processed foods to healthier, fresh meals. As…
Grilled Island Chicken Recipe
It’s Tuesday afternoon and I am sitting in my home office, with The Beach Boys’ Sounds Of Summer playing in the background. Outside my open windows are a brilliant blue sky, bright sunlight and the sound of laughing children. It’s enough to make you throw open your arms and yell Welcome, springtime. This is weather that…