What food do you most associate with a Fourth of July celebration? If asked, many people probably would say burgers or hot dogs or something else that’s cooked on the grill. Or perhaps corn on the cob or watermelon. And don’t forget about potato salad. Me? It’s baked beans, baby! In my book, no Independence Day get-together would be complete without some …
No Midwest garden would be complete without a rhubarb patch. Add to that a nice bed of strawberries, and you have the makings for some wonderful desserts. We are fortunate enough to have both. A stand of rhubarb was growing next to the garage when Therese bought our house about 25 years ago. And four years ago, I bought a bunch …
There are a lot of ways a family can stretch its budget. That’s important these days when salaries aren’t keeping up with the cost of living increases, and benefits to lower income families are being tightened at every turn. For example, one can clip coupons or grab them online for deals at the grocery store. Coupons are like free money to be used …
There’s no doubt that the cuisines of most countries are influenced by those of others. These days, when the culinary tastes of two or more cultures are combined, it is called fusion cooking. In this country, that is no more evident than in Tex-Mex food, which is a combination of Southwestern U.S. and Mexican cuisines. Another example of fusion cooking …
Cooks who are worth their salt know there are some recipes that just can’t be beaten. A lot of those recipes are ones that are passed down generation to generation. I have some of those recipes. For example, I still make stuffing the way my mom and grandma used make it. The baked oyster dressing I fix during the holidays is one that …
It’s hard to beat a bowl of beef stew on a cool, windy spring day, especially when it’s homemade. I remember as a kid the wonderful stew we used to have for school hot lunch and also the kind my mom used to make for us at home. After I moved away from home after college, about the closest my …
If ever there was a dish that hunters should embrace, it’s cacciatore. It means hunter’s style in Italian. (The French call it chasseur, the Spanish cazadores.) The stew, which is usually made with chicken, also includes mushrooms, onions, sometimes sweet bell peppers and an assortment of spices. It is fairly low-cal and quite tasty. Apparently, the dish originated during the …
Dry rubs can greatly enhance the flavor of meats such as beef and pork with very little effort. Combine that method with a nice sauce, and you’ve got something that would bring a smile to the face of any Kansas City barbecuer. That’s just what I did today to celebrate Memorial Day. I chose to accompany my applewood-rubbed baby back pork ribs with baked …
Rhubarb recipes are a dime a dozen, especially if you live in North Dakota or Minnesota, where this perennial vegetable is abundant and church funeral and wedding luncheons are never lacking for desserts made with it. Yes, rhubarb is a vegetable, which doesn’t seem right, since it’s mostly associated with sweet things. (If you’ve ever been to the annual spring Rhubarb …
Sometimes it’s hard to get kids to eat vegetables. But potatoes generally aren’t one of them. Show me a kid who doesn’t like almost any kind of spuds, and I’ll show you one who is fussy about just about everything. One of our favorite ways to prepare potatoes are roasted, coated with a bit of butter and olive oil and seasoned …
One of the harbingers of summer is the blooming apple trees of spring. The sight of a fully blossomed-out apple tree with the morning sun shining upon it is one of the more spectacular and pleasant views in nature. I’ve been enjoying this experience daily on my two to three neighborhood walks with my dog, Sweetie, all the while wishing it …
Are you one of those people who finds it hard to resist making soup on a cold spring day? I am. And throwing together a pot of delicious vegetables with a little pasta is a great way to spend an early afternoon when the temperatures are on a slow descent to reach 50 and the wind is blowing a bit. …
What started off as a remembrance of the Battle of Puebla, a national holiday in Mexico in honor of a military victory in 1862 over French forces of Napoleon III, Cinco de Mayo has become more of a celebration of food these days. That’s especially true in the United States. Many restaurants feature South-of-the-Border food, and more and more people …
Salmon is one of the most popular choices in the fine restaurants of the world when it comes to fish. And it’s no surprise that it’s also the favorite fish on American dinner plates. But did you know that you are much better off eating the wild-caught version as compared with those that are raised on fish farms? Wild-caught salmon …
Have you ever seen a recipe that looks so good that you know you are just going to have to try it? But maybe with a spin of your own. I came across one of those the other day. It was for a meatball lasagna. Meatballs and lasagna are two of my favorite foods, but never before had I thought …
Anyone who grew up in the Midwest knows about hotdishes. And if you’re from Minnesota, you probably know that more than most. Perhaps, that’s the reason Democratic U.S. Sen. Al Franken started the Minnesota congressional “Hotdish Off” back in 2011. Wednesday, the Minnesota delegation took part in the fifth annual event in Washington, D.C. And this year, Rep. Betty McCollum …
Ask a roomful of kids what their favorite treat is and you might get dozens of answers. But if you mention Rice Krispie bars, the response would be pretty positive, I suspect. Show me a kid who doesn’t like Rice Krispie bars and I’ll show you a kid who doesn’t like sweets. I know that when growing up, the bars …
Pesto and pasta. Now that’s a combination that’s surely made in heaven. And if you don’t believe me, see for yourself. There is nothing simpler than combining those two with the likes of seafood, sausage or ribs in a yummy sauce that might also include some tasty veggies. One of my favorite combos is pasta, pesto and shrimp with peas. …
There was a time that the only place you could get a good meatloaf sandwich was at home. But these days, more and more restaurants are featuring this comfort food on their menus. I was reminded of this recently when watching the Travel Channel, which regularly has a show about a particular kind of food that has gained popularity. The …
Bison or buffalo burgers have been quite popular in many households across the Midwest or Great Plains for quite a few years, even showing up on some local restaurant menus. But in the past five years or so, they’ve also become a hit in areas where you wouldn’t expect, including many of our nation’s largest cities. That’s not surprising to me, …
There’s no doubt that Italians know a lot about pasta. In fact, pasta might be a food that Italians know more about than pizza or tomato sauce, both of which have a relatively recent history. Despite what you may have learned in history class, Marco Polo did not discover pasta in China and bring it back to Italy in the …
Sunday dinner has always been something special for a lot of people — or at least there was a time when it was. That’s because Sunday traditionally has been the day of the week when you could count on everyone in the family getting together to sit down and share a meal. And in these busy times when both parents …
Many thoughts can dance across your mind when you celebrate a birthday. And the older we get — this includes me — the more we think about how long we will live. But if you are like some of the people who live in Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; the Nicoya Penisula of Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, Calif., it might …
There’s more to leftover baked ham than sandwiches, bean soup and egg bakes. That’s not to say those aren’t great choices for the tasty remains of your Easter dinner’s main course. I know, those are three of my favorite things to make when we have leftover ham. Another is boiled dinner, which also contains potato, rutabaga, carrots, cabbage and a …
A baked ham wouldn’t be anything special without a good glaze — and not one of those that comes in a packet with the meat. I’m talking about a glaze that is homemade, just like Mom and Grandma used to make. A couple of neat things about those kind of glazes is that they are easy to prepare — taking …
Meatless meals were almost unheard of in 1950s and 1960s America. In fact, it wasn’t until the early ’70s that vegetarianism started to take root. I went through a phase in my life when meat didn’t touch my lips. It was in the mid- to late 1970s. I ate a lot of vegetables, fruit and fish. Even when I had …
Easter wouldn’t be Easter without baked ham. It’s a mouth-watering tradition that’s enjoyed by many families, especially since its perfect for a large gathering. We’re planning on having ham this coming Sunday. It was a no-brainer, since our neighborhood supermarket has a great deal on them this week. And we’re also having my 95-year-old Uncle Curt join us. Uncle Curt …
Dry beans are one of the healthiest foods around. They are loaded with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals and are low in fat. In addition, they contain several types of phytochemicals, which play a role in preventing osteoporosis, heart disease and certain cancers. That’s pretty heady stuff, but for me, the fact that they are that are low in …
There’s nothing better than some comfort food on a day that’s cold and windy. And today is one of those days! (Well, actually, you could say that about a lot of days if you live in the Northland, especially North Dakota and Minnesota.) Many dishes fit that bill, but one that does it for me is creamed chicken (in my case, …
Kids love tater tots. That’s a given. So it probably goes without saying that a hotdish or casserole that contains tater tots would be popular the youngsters. But it’s not just kids who love tater tots. Whenever I’ve mentioned them to friends or former co-workers, just about all of them rave about a favorite tater tot dish. I remember a …
If there were ever two foods that were made for each other, they’re grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. It’s not only the perfect soup-and-sandwich combination, it’s a marriage made in heaven. When I was growing up, a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of Campbell’s Tomato Soup was a quick and easy meal for Mom to make for us …
Cooking for friends or family who are sick or are grieving the death of a loved one is probably a familiar act to a lot of us. I think many people who live around here in our rural communities can relate. It’s one of those things that is unique to small-town life. Over the years, I’ve delivered food many times …
One thing was for sure when I was growing up: We could always count on having a noodle hotdish at least once a week, whether it was at home or for school hot lunch. And a lot of people I know share the same experience. The reasoning was twofold: It was inexpensive and you were able to put one together in a hurry, …
Corned beef and cabbage undoubtedly will be on the menu at many Irish-American homes on St. Patrick’s Day, as well as on the menu of many restaurants throughout the U.S. But if you were to go to Ireland, hardly any of the people there will be eating it. That’s because corned beef and cabbage is more of an American tradition. …
What’s the most popular day of the year to make a pie? If you guessed today, March 14, I don’t know if you’d be right, but for sure, it would rank right up there with the day before holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. That’s because March 14 is known as Pi Day in mathematical circles, and it has …
Fried or braised cabbage is a popular dish in many parts of Europe, particularly in the countries of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. Often, it is served with meat and potatoes. I’ve always been a big fan of cooked cabbage, no matter if it’s just steamed and smothered with butter, as my old friend Marsha Gunderson prefers, in a …
Why are sandwiches so popular? There are a lot of reasons. Perhaps the biggest one is the sheer number of ingredients that can be placed between two slices of bread or on a bun and be eaten anytime. In the morning, for example, a person can feast on a fried egg with bacon on two pieces of toast. Or one with tuna …
There was a time — back in the 1950s and ’60s — when Sunday dinner was the most special meal of the week. It most often featured a nice roast or chicken, along with potatoes, a vegetable and always a tasty dessert. When I was a kid, we could always look forward to a wonderful meal on Sunday. They were a …
It’s nice to have a go-to dish, one that you’ve fixed many, many times and probably could make in your sleep, especially if you’re hosting a family get-together or a party for a group of which you are a member. I have one. It’s sloppy Joes, or barbecues as we like to call them at our house. Actually, that’s what I’ve been calling …
Anyone who hunts and also is handy around the kitchen knows that most of the game that can be taken in the field is interchangeable recipe-wise with meat that is raised domestically. And those who are familiar with me aren’t too surprised by the number of entrees I’ve prepared over the years that feature wild game. The total probably vastly exceeds any of those that makes use …
Sometimes, it’s difficult to find recipes that are easy and tasty as well as economical. But there’s one that is probably familiar to a lot of people who grew up in the 1950s and ’60s — meatloaf. I don’t know too many people who don’t have fond memories of their mom’s meatloaf. And if you’re like me, you can add the meatloaf …
There aren’t too many people who like overripe bananas. But of those who do, most of them prefer to use theirs in banana bread. I’m probably one of the few who don’t mind eating a banana that’s turned brown. In fact, I kind of like the taste of an overripe banana. And I like banana bread just as much or even …
A good meat sauce goes a long ways when it comes to pasta. Ask just about any kid, and they’ll tell you so. I can attest to that. One of my favorite meals as a youngster was a meat sauce that we used to have over pasta for school hot lunch. My Auntie Helen Tiedeman, who was the head cook, always made …
You can never have too many fish or seafood recipes when Lent rolls around. After all, a person can eat only so much tuna casserole, fish sticks and salmon loaf. When I was growing up, there was no such thing as the Internet, so Mom couldn’t hop on a computer (a what?) and look for interesting meatless recipes to serve …