Simple Food

I don’t know about you but sometimes I can think of a great main dish for dinner but side dishes can leave me staring blankly at the wall. The sheer act of thinking of something to cook for dinner every night can be overwhelming. Then … Read more

This is my story of discovering the Best Easy Chocolate Cake. When my six kids were little I often had days when I NEEDED chocolate! It didn’t matter if it was cake, cookies, a chocolate bar, or a bag of chocolate chips. It was a … Read more

Growing up, my mom always made Aunt Becky’s Treat for us. Legend has it that my Aunt Becky gave her the recipe but I’ve never checked to see where my aunt came across it. We all loved this special snack and would beg Mom to … Read more

Italian sausage is something I use often for pasta and our weekly pizza nights. Lately we’ve all been feeling the pinch of higher food costs, particularly for meat. One way I save money on meat is by making my own Italian Sausage Seasoning to add … Read more

Back in the olden days, also known as the 80s, my mom and fellow pioneer homeschoolers in our little Louisiana town discovered homemade yogurt. My mom was part of a health food co-op and made us kids eat things like whole-wheat spaghetti and unsalted peanut … Read more

One advantage of a well-stocked spice cabinet is that you can make a huge variety of spice and herb blends any time you want to. There are several blends I always have in my kitchen, Chili Powder, and Cajun Seasoning are two favorites. This Garlic … Read more

I grew up eating Cornbread Pie, although my mom called it Shepherd’s Pie. It’s so simple and quick to make. When I’m running short on time and don’t have a lot of meat available or thawed, I’ll often whip up a couple skillets of this … Read more

This is the recipe for Grandma Helen’s legendary 1-2-3-4 Cake. Not only is it the best pound cake in the world, it has the best cake story in the world. Well, actually it has a few good stories. There’s nothing I like more than a … Read more

A tradition at our house is fun food on the weekends. Usually this means homemade pizza on Friday nights but sometimes we like to change it up and have gourmet hot dogs or make these Pigs in Blankets. They are simple to make, really just … Read more

If you want a simple bread recipe that makes amazing bread but can be used for buns and cinnamon rolls, you have to try my Daily Bread recipe. Years ago I came across the inspiration for this bread. I think it was before my youngest … Read more

Allow me to introduce you to one of my oldest and most special cakes, Crumb-Topped Gingerbread! This recipe is adapted from a cookbook by one of my favorite writers named Crescent Dragonwagon. My very first cookbook was her Soup & Bread book and it influenced … Read more

Every so often you come across a recipe that’s an instant favorite and this is one of those for my kids. They all love this Creamy Broccoli Casserole! It’s their favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner and I always have to double the recipe so no … Read more

I want to share one of my all-time favorite recipes with you. This hot fudge sauce has been a constant in our family ever since we were a family. The only difference is that now I make a double batch because one pint of hot … Read more

One of the first cookbooks I bought was a collection of Mennonite recipes and this recipe for Oatmeal Macaroons quickly became a favorite. I’ve made it so often that the binding is split on that page so it conveniently falls open to the exact page. … Read more

Years ago a friend gave me this recipe and it’s been a special Christmas cookie in our family ever since. Spicy Frostbite Cookies are like a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe but the addition of spices to the dough make it perfect for Christmas. The … Read more

There’s nothing as cozy as hot drinks in the winter, my kids love them. We stock up on herbal tea and I always keep a big jar of Hot Cocoa Mix on hand so they can make a cup anytime. They also love coffee but … Read more

What’s not to love about a rich delicious pasta dish that’s also quick and easy? This Creamy Sausage Pasta is all those things! My family LOVES this recipe and asks for it if I don’t make it a few times a month. You can make … Read more

Sometimes you find the perfect cookie for Christmas and then by law you have to make that cookie every year. This is one of mine, it’s for a shortbread cookie and it only has 5 ingredients. This recipe is so quick to make and always … Read more

Growing up there was always a container of spicy Cajun seasoning on our table and by the stove. We used it on everything! If you visited my parent’s home today you would find multiple bright green containers of Tony’s in their kitchen. Same for most … Read more

In my recipe book there is a smudged crinkled page I ripped out of a 1998 Bon Appétit magazine that has the sacred recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Pie. It’s from a feature they had where readers could send in their favorite recipes to share. Bless … Read more

It’s pie time! All pies need crust and before you reach for a package from the store, try this super flaky all-butter pie crust recipe. It’s amazingly simple, contains only good ingredients, and never fails to come out delicious. Most crust recipes go on and … Read more

A quick, easy, and delicious way to save money is to make your own salad dressings. You will want to master this simple and delicious Italian dressing so you can whip it up anytime. Made with basic pantry ingredients it has unlimited variations. Homemade versus … Read more

This easy pasta sauce is on our regular meal rotation and my whole family loves it. I add lots of vegetables to boost the nutrition and stretch the meat. If you have a pound of ground beef, you can whip this up in no time. … Read more

We have a tradition of having homemade pizza for dinner every Friday night. Not only is it fun but it makes meal planning and shopping easier. Making pizza at home instead of ordering from a restaurant saves us so much money and it’s just plain … Read more

Have you ever made a yogurt cake? It’s divine! The yogurt works like buttermilk or sour cream to add a rich but subtle tang to this cake. Since yogurt is acidic it also helps the cake rise when it reacts with the baking powder. We … Read more

You know those office chili cook-offs where everybody brings their crockpots full of their special chili for people to eat out of paper bowls and then votes on the spiciest or best chili without beans or with beans? We’ve all been to one. Well, thanks … Read more

Baking banana bread is the perfect solution to your banana problems! If your family is anything like mine we go through phases where the bananas disappear as soon as I unload the groceries and a week later they sit neglected until they are brown. I … Read more

A very long time ago I made my first sourdough starter using the instructions from my first baking book. I loved it! Knowing I made bread using yeast from the air was almost magic. I’m sure that I let the poor thing die in the … Read more

There are some things that are such an ingrained part of your childhood that you can’t remember not having it and one of those things for me is this cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet. My mom has baked thousands of pans of skillet … Read more

I don’t mean to brag but every person I’ve given a jar of this granola to has asked for the recipe. It’s that good! Over twenty years ago I made my first batch of granola and while it was good it wasn’t amazing. This granola … Read more