Last night, I was watching television and the news came on. Typically, I avoid watching the news because I hate being force-fed all the murder and mayhem that goes on. And while I do not at all believe in ignoring reality, I choose to focus on things that are pertinent to my family: politics, health, …
With a short growing season, ramps are a fragrant, wild onion that’s procured by foraging. This quick and easy recipe for Ramp Pesto uses the seasonal wild onion to make a bold pesto that my kids and I love. Meet ramps … Until this past weekend, I had never had one, despite hearing raves about …
If I had a dime for every time that someone in my house requested pasta, I would be a very rich woman. Heck, I would be a woman on a whirlwind trip to Europe … for the rest of the year. Growing up, pasta salad was one of my very favorite summer dishes. I could …
Basil. Garlic. Olive oil. Pine nuts. Parmesan. These are the makings of a fabulous, wonderful, delicious pesto — and believe me, I adore pesto. It’s fabulous on so many things: pasta, sandwiches, baked potatoes, whatever. When it comes to making pesto, I have always been a food processor girl. Seriously. Every pesto I have ever …
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 just …
Do you eat dinner as a family? We do, nearly every night. It’s important to me, and studies show that the benefits of eating as a family are huge. Unfortunately, with packed schedules and big work commitments, many families have abandoned the family dinner. It’s time to get back to it though. I’ll be the …
As parents, one of the greatest gifts we can give to our children is to raise them to be healthy in all elements of their life. We have the power to teach them about healthy eating, inspire them to be active and encourage them to live well. First Lady Michelle Obama recently unveiled an official …
This week, I was featured on MomTrends as part of the site’s Fit Mom series. When I received the email from Nicole Feliciano, who writes MomTrends, that my profile was up, I was a little giddy. Not only did Nicole say some nice things, but it was an amazing feeling to show off my successful …
Pretty much everyone who knows my family knows that my husband Shawn hates onions … or at least he says he does. The truth? He doesn’t like the texture of onions, but he does appreciate the flavor that a sweet onion can add to a dish. Don’t tell him I told you though, he’s very …
A local deli makes this massive, delightful sandwich called Amanda’s Big Mouth. It’s pastrami, cheddar, bacon, onions, lettuce, tomato, hot sauce and thousand island dressing (I skip the dressing)—and it’s amazing. It’s the kind of sandwich you eat when you are starving … or when you just want something amazing when you are enjoying a …
