My Mother gave me the Betty Crocker Cooky Book for Christmas 1967, when I was 14 years old. I have used this book for a ‘few years’ and for the first time I noticed how Cooky was spelled. I have always spelled these delights as cookie but Merriam Webster says it can be cooky or cookie. Golden Carrot Cookies are like a carrot cake in a cookie with a delightful orange glaze on top. While some of the children and grandchildren were hesitant to try carrot cookys, they all agreed they were good.  If you ever see this Cooky Book at a garage sale or Goodwill, it’s worth adding to your collection ..read more

Salmon Bites have been on my to-do list for some time. I finally did it and the results did not disappoint. The crispy morsels of salmon were delicious hot and cold for lunch the next day! Unfortunately, I did not have the makings for a sour cream/caper or dill sauce so sweet chile sauce had to do, and it was perfect. I think the grandkids would enjoy this with a simple ranch dressing. Air Fryer Salmon Bites INGREDIENTS: 1 lb center-cut Atlantic salmon fillet skin removed and diced to 1-inch chunks 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt 0.5 tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp&nbs ..read more

One bite of Creamy Lemon Feta Zucchini Orzo is like a taste of spring. I added diced cooked chicken for protein to complete the meal but this would also be a great side dish. Next time I will add asparagus to the dish, completing the springtime theme. This is a new favorite and so quick to make! Creamy Lemon Feta Zucchini Orzo INGREDIENTS: 3 tbps olive oil 1/2 sweet onion, diced (large shallot) 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb orzo pasta uncooked 2 medium zucchini, grated 1 large lemon, zested + juiced 1 tsp  ..read more

What fun it is to plan holiday treats for the grandkids. The kids get the usual chocolate bunnies, Peeps, etc. from their parents so Bunny Munch was just the ticket for Grandma Cathy to make. We all love popcorn and with the additional of the sweet treats, it is decandent and addictive. It’s good thing I’ll only make this once a year! Bunny Munch INGREDIENTS: 12 cups popped popcorn (~1/3 cup kernels) 2 cups gluten free pretzel sticks (I like Snyder’s GF) 1-1/2 cups peanuts 12oz bag gluten free white chocolate chips 1 Tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil 11oz bag M&Ms (Fork-Lore: I found Ri ..read more

Clementine Butter cookies are amazing, or as one family member said, ‘these are addictive’. I didn’t even use the orange liquer! I decided to roll the rough into balls then flatten them (vs. rolling them out and using a cookie cutter). Either way, these cookies are worth making. They were gone in a couple of days with kids, grandkids, etc. Clementine Butter Cookies INGREDIENTS: 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons&n ..read more

St. Patrick’s Day wouldn’t be complete without corned beef and cabbage accompanied by Irish Soda Bread. I’ve made Irish Soda Bread in years past, but decided to try Ina Garten’s recipe. The texture was wonderful and the taste was sweeter than the past versions with the addition of orange peel and raisins. It is wonderful toasted the next day for breakfast. Soda Bread INGREDIENTS: 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants 4 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 3/4 cups cold buttermi ..read more

There is nothing easier for breakfast that an oatmeal breakfast cake (like Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars or Breakfast Cake) or these Banana Breakfast Cookies. The recipe made 9 cookies. I froze 4, refrigerated 4 and, of course, ate one just to be sure they were delicious! Banana Breakfast Cookies INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cup oats 1/2 cup peanut butter 2 over ripe bananas 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional +2T. for topping) 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla DIRECTIONS: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside. In ..read more

Sausage Ragu is a family favorite. We made this recipe for the first trip during the COVID lockdown when we took Zoom cooking classes with Chef Lucas of Italy. When we are hungry for pasta, this our go-to recipe. The red wine colors the sausage a darker color but the taste of this sauce is heavenly. The left-overs are just as good and we now double or triple the recipe so we can freeze sauce for an emergency Ragu night. Sausage Ragu INGREDIENTS: 3 cloves of garlic, minced 12 oz. Italian sausage (remove casings) 1/2 cup of tomato paste 1 cup beef stock 1 cup mascarpone 1 1/2 cups red wine 1 ta ..read more

Who doesn’t love an easy, crowd-pleasing chicken dish. This recipe is sooo good and is wonderful served with wild rish or potatoes and a salad. This could easily be made ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when it’s time. Lefovers are divine! Neiman Marcus Chicken Casserole INGREDIENTS: 2-3 chicken breasts 1 cup plain greek yogurt 1/2 cup diced cooked bacon 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese 1 tsp Dukes mayo 1 tsp diced garlic 1 bundle chopped chives 1/2 tsp Tabasco (if you like heat, add more to taste) 1/4 c diced pecans (or almonds) pepper/salt to taste DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375, and ..read more

The Brie at Costco is always wonderful this recipe from their Magazine was a winner. What’s not to like with almond butter, brie, apple, honey, spiced pecans–wow! I used the spiced pecans that I make every Christmas. This would be a wonderful appetizer for Valentine’s Day or a gathering of friends and family. Apple and Brie Crostini INGREDIENTS: 1 baguette, thinly sliced on the bias (Fork-Lore: I used Croccantini Original Sea Salt Artisan Crackers) ½ cup Kirkland Signature Almond Butter 3 oz. brie cheese 1 large Honeycrisp apple Fresh cracked pepper ½ cup candied pecans, chopped (for garnish ..read more