If you ask kids what their favorite salad dressing happens to be, the popular answer is Ranch.  That wasn’t the case for me.  My favorite dressing growing up was hands down my mum’s Paprika Dressing.  As an adult, I still love it.  It’s vibrantly colored, flavorful, and so easy to make.  Not only is it…

  Isn’t it funny how scents can trigger memories?  One aroma that catapults me back to childhood is the smell of baking pastries.  While my parents and I enjoyed dinners together almost every night, we always enjoyed a family breakfast on Sunday mornings.   Sometimes my mum would make scones with Scotch icing, other weekends…

My son and I are midway through a visit with my parents, and my mother is doing her best to make as many beloved recipes as possible.  There are certain meals that speak to our souls.  Quite often, they are simple in construction and take us back to our childhood.  For me, it’s my Mum’s…

Every two years, we get together with my dad’s maternal side of the family for a picnic at my parents’ house.  It’s always wonderful to spend time with relatives who are more like friends.  After our gatherings, I always lament that distance prevents more frequent assemblies—as of right now, we are spread across Pennsylvania, Texas,…

  This is a light and refreshing sangria recipe—perfect for summer gatherings.  It can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd.  The longer this sangria sits, the better it tastes, so I recommend making it a day before you are planning to serve it.   1 bottle white wine, such as Pinot Grigio 1…

Who doesn’t love pizza?  Well, my dad, but that’s beyond the point.  My husband, son, and I are all big fans.  Our Friday nights often involve making pizza together.  It’s a great way to get everyone into the kitchen and participating in dinner preparation. The dough recipe we usually use is for thin crust pizza…

While using store-bought pizza sauce is perfectly fine, when I have a few extra minutes, I like to make my own.  It doesn’t take long and only involves a few ingredients—and these can be switched up and tailored to fit your personal tastes.  I recommend giving it a try.   1 can tomato sauce (15…

My husband and I love a good Bloody Mary, as do many of our friends.  While this cocktail is usually associated with brunch, we will drink it any time of day.  I often make a pitcher for us to enjoy throughout the weekend.  This particular recipe is based on one I saw by Geoffrey Zakarian…

This recipe is a diet buster.  If you’re counting calories, back away now.  Otherwise, here’s my go-to recipe for a burger.  I love a good burger.   For the patty: 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, 80 or 90% lean (your pick…but remember, fat is flavor) 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp…

  There is an excellent recipe for Siracha-Lime Shrimp Lettuce Wraps in The Wellness Mama Cookbook, by Katie Wells.  It’s healthy, bursting with flavor, and is on the table in no time flat.   After making it a few times, I started thinking about upping the vegetable to shrimp ratio.  It turns out that adding…