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 …
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 …
Manchamantel is one of the many types of Mole sauces. (France has Mother sauces, Mexico has Moles!) This sauce is one of my favorites because it’s neither too spicy nor too sweet. It really has a great balance of flavor that perks up all of your taste buds. Before we get started, here is a little background. A Mole sauce …
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 …
I am happy with the warmth of the sunshine that has caressed me lately. It reminds me that once again, gardening season is just around the corner. I am very excited to put my shovel into the earth, plant seeds, and let Mother Nature take care of the rest, with little help from me. The world below us is an …
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 …
Boeuf bourguignon is one of my favorite dishes in the world. This French stew was the first recipe (pilot) on the cooking show, “The French Chef,” starring the great Julia Child. Julia was incredibly informative as she explained the procedures of each recipe. The show, which was partly done in black and white, didn’t bring justice to the beautiful color …
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 …
Nothing makes me think of spring more than rhubarb. So, when I come across some of it in the freezer during the dead of winter, my heart soars. Actually, we’re less than a month away from the official first day of spring. And even though those of us who’ve lived in the Northland all of our lives know that we …
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 …
Do you know anybody who doesn’t like barbecued chicken? Of the many ways to prepare chicken, it’s probably the most popular of all. It’s the centerpiece of most summertime grilling events, perhaps even more so than hamburgers and hot dogs. But when the temperature is between 10 below and 20 below zero and it’s the last thing even avid grillers have on their minds, …
People who grew up in the ’60s and ’70s ate a lot of casseroles. I know because that’s my generation. I can’t vouch those who came later but suspect that’s also the case for them. We used to have casseroles — or hotdishes as they are called around here — for school hot lunch and at home when I was a …
There are many great sites on the Internet to find recipes. A good number of them feature not only tasty ones but healthy ones, too. One of my favorites in this genre is that of American Institute for Cancer Research, which features recipes that have been rigorously tested by and approved by AICR devolopers, dietitians and staff (www.aicr.org/test-kitchen/). I’m particularly fond or …
Pigs in a blanket come in many variations. Just about every culture across the world has its own way to make this sausage-based food. For example, if you’re from the United Kingdom, small sausages are wrapped in bacon and baked on a lightly greased oven tray. In Mexico, the sausage is wrapped in a tortilla and deep-fried in vegetable oil. …
A good beef roast always makes for tasty leftovers. For that matter, so does pork. And if you want to take a walk on the wild side, consider venison or elk. Another meat that ranks right up there is buffalo or bison. I know this for a fact because once or twice a month we cook a bison roast, which we purchase from Siouxland …
Lent starts this week. That means the end of Mardi Gras, which is celebrated for about two weeks before Ash Wednesday. But not before the biggest celebration of the season — Fat Tuesday. Among the traditions of Mardi Gras is a parade every day and a hefty dose of customary Cajun and Creole foods. My favorite dish that’s a mainstay during the New Orleans celebration …
Lent is just about upon us, and once again, I’ve been asked to kick off the season’s Friday night fish fries at Sacred Heart in East Grand Forks. It’s been an honor to work with all of the hard-working Catholic Church parishioners who volunteer their time for this fun undertaking. I particularly like seeing everyone who comes out for a …