Near and Dear

36 Years Ago

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake - Gluten-Free and grain-free cookie cake that tastes like an ice cream cookie sandwich in cake form

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake (100% Anniversary Worthy)

Homemade Fish Sticks (Aren't You Impressed?) - 30-minute fish sticks that are moist inside and cruncy outside. The only dilema? Dipping sauce

Homemade Fish Sticks (Aren't You Impressed?)

An Iowa Summer

Chicken Tikka Masala - A creamy, spiced curry made with tomato and hunks of chicken that's a longtime favorite of Indian food lovers.

Chicken Tikka Masala

A Pilgrims Day Breakfast Casserole

Parmesan Noodles (From Mom, With Love) - Easy buttery noodles with grated Parmesan cheese, parsley, and plenty of butter!

Parmesan Noodles (From Mom, With Love)

Lately

Lately

Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole (The Comfy Pants of Dinner Recipes) - Over the years the casserole that's maintained a soft spot in my heart.

Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole (The Comfy Pants of Dinner Recipes)

Dear Miss Poppy

Cinnamon Sugar Bread Pudding (Cute Older Recipes Are Modern Day Gems) - I’ve done bread pudding many, many ways over the years. Definitely a winner!

Cinnamon Sugar Bread Pudding (Cute Older Recipes Are Modern Day Gems)

Fried Rice Nirvana

Lucy - January, 2019

Lately

Scotcheroos (The Nostalgic Desert I've Been Bringing To Every Party) - Most people will walk past all sorts of fancy cookies to get to the Scotcheroos

Scotcheroos (The Nostalgic Desert I've Been Bringing To Every Party)

On Vulnerability

Escape Of The Brussels Sprout: A Thriller - A quick and easy recipe for caramelized brussels tossed in balsamic vinegar that'll convert the biggest skeptics

Escape Of The Brussels Sprout: A Thriller

A simple squash soup - squash, carrots, potatoes, fall spices, and orange juice are pureed to make this fall favorite

A Big Hug From A Bowl of Soup

It's not often you hear “These are seriously the best I’ve ever had,” come out of people’s mouths. A family recipe for a cookie that's truly fantastic!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Quite Possibly the Best Cookie Ever)

Have A Happy Fall Weekend

On Starting Over

Happy Joe's Taco Pizza (An Iowa Classic) - A pizza with all of your favorite taco toppings. A great excuse to eat a whole pizza pie all by yourself.

Happy Joe's Taco Pizza (An Iowa Classic)

Mid Week Inspiration No. 10 – On Kindness

The Carrot Cake Family Traditions Are Made Of - It's the carrot cake that people fight for the last piece, leaving all others behind. Traditionally inspired, yet somehow unbeatable

The Carrot Cake Family Traditions Are Made Of

Workin’ On a Wedge (The Blue Cheese Kind, Of Course) - Not a salad person?  This might seriously make you reconsider.  It's incredible

Workin’ On a Wedge (The Blue Cheese Kind, Of Course)

Chocolatey Caramel Sticky Date Cookies (For Celebrating) - Studded with caramel-like Medjool dates and dark chocolate drizzles, studded with oats. You're in for a real treat.

Chocolatey Caramel Sticky Date Cookies (For Celebrating)

Veggie & Turkey Skillet Lasagna (Healthy Comfort Food & We Need It) - This is a true (and healthy) weeknight lasagna. No pre-cooking sauces or noodles & it's so good!

Veggie and Turkey Skillet Lasagna (Healthy Comfort Food and We Need It)

Chawanmushi (You'll Never Think About Custard the Same Way Again) - Feed your obsession of Asian flavors, as in this steamed Japanese egg custard with mushrooms and shrimp

Chawanmushi (You'll Never Think About Custard the Same Way Again)

Merry Christmas to You and Yours

Slow-Cooker Three Bean Casserole - You know you have a winning recipe when it shows up again and again, no matter where you are or what the occasion.

Slow-Cooker Three Bean Casserole

Ina Garten's Unforgettable Beef Stew - One of the classics that is just good to have in your back pocket. With salad and crusty, bread it's so very, good.

Ina Garten's Unforgettable Beef Stew

Dear Eli

The Cheeseburger Salad You'll Want On Repeat - It's all of the goodness of a cheeseburger (or Big Mac) .. in salad form. A great option for weeknight dinners

The Cheeseburger Salad You'll Want On Repeat

For This I Am Grateful No. 2

Summer Recipes on Repeat

Skillet Chicken Swimming in Spicy Pizza Sauce - With a topping of tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella, I think of this easy skillet dish as pizza chicken

Skillet Chicken Swimming in Spicy Pizza Sauce

Bibimbap - The bed of pearly white rice adorned with a ring of colorful vegetables and beef, and a bright yellow egg, the shining star in the center

Bibimbap

Dear Sam

Golden, crunchy, and covered in a salty layer of baked Parmesan, this savory herbed Dutch Baby has a crisp outer crust and a soft, cheesy, custardy center

Savory Herbed Parmesan Dutch Baby

Spicy Thai Fried Rice - Rice seasoned with chilies, fish sauce and lime giving it a bright and spicy, Thai inspired complexity

Spicy Thai Fried Rice

Hasselback Sweet potatoes with Thyme, Pecans and Parmesan. They're crispy on the outside and fork-tender on the inside and go with any dish

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Thyme, Pecans and Parmesan

Lately

Dear Z

Sassy Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes - They might be a mess of a meal (3 napkins required) but they're full of richly flavored beef & mushrooms

Sassy Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes

Have a Wonderful (and Delicious) Weekend

Chicken Tetrazzini - A retro casserole that's hearty, humble, & delicious. This version lends a modern spin with truffle butter, white wine, & greek yogurt

Chicken Tetrazzini

Spanish Garlic Shrimp and Scallop Saute - Garlic, shrimp & scallops take center stage in this classic Spanish dish, which is served as a tapa in Spain but also makes a great main dish

Spanish Garlic Shrimp and Scallop Saute

Winter's Citrus Bliss Salad - A dramatically bold, bright, colorful and fresh salad, filled with winter greens and sweet-tangy citrus

Winter's Bliss Citrus Salad

Lemon Caper Salad Dressing - If you're worried about becoming salad dressing complacent - this will push you to your limits, and make you beg for more

Lemon Caper Salad Dressing

The Benefits of Bone Broth (Turns Out Our Grandmothers Were Right All Along)

My Mom's Weekend & A Half Bone Broth Stew - Slow cook your way to health & happiness with a stew filled with bone broth, herbs & veggies

My Mom's Weekend and A Half Bone Broth Stew

Beef Bone Broth - From a healthy gut, to radiant skin, hair, and nails, bone broth is the superfood our grandmothers have been making for generations

Beef Bone Broth

Boozy Holiday Gummy Candies - They're easy to color, flavor, and shape in just about any way and should make an appearance at every holiday party

Boozy Holiday Gummy Candies

Cranberry-Lime Pie with Gingersnap-Pecan Crust - A fun and incredibly delicious pink pie, which looks like it took a jaunt through a grassy meadow (lime zest!) and forgot to dust itself off

Cranberry-Lime Pie with Gingersnap-Pecan Crust

Spritz Cookies (A Family Recipe) - A cookie that's delicate, crisp, buttery & terribly addictive. There are many good reasons why we still make them .. and justify eating a forest's worth

Spritz Cookies (A Family Recipe)

Lamb Stew with Spring Veggies - If a stew could be classified as refreshing, this would be the one. Full of color and flavor, it makes for an impressive looking meal that's sure to satisfy

Lamb Stew with Spring Veggies

Have a Wonderful Weekend

Caramelized Butternut Squash with Herbed Hazelnut Pesto - Caramelized squash with bronzed edges and a candied interior .. combined with an impossibly fragrant and rich herbed hazelnut pesto

Caramelized Butternut Squash with Herbed Hazelnut Pesto

April Bloomfield’s English Porridge - There's something magical about a steaming, creamy bowl of porridge. This version the perfect blend of salty, sweet & milky

April Bloomfield's English Porridge

Boo Berry Superfood Smoothie Bowl - A superfood smoothie that's sure to make you smile. It's smooth and not too sweet .. filled with blue majik, banana, blueberries, dates & protein powder

Boo Berry Superfood Smoothie

Savory Stuffed Mini Pumpkins - Pumpkins as cooking vessels are one of the simplest and unadulterated pleasures of the season.

Savory Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

Roasted Mushroom, Tomato & Chicken Pasta - Roasted mushrooms & tomatoes, along with chicken & pasta, make for a quick & easy meal. It's perfect for casual dinner parties or an everyday dinner

Roasted Mushroom, Tomato and Chicken Pasta

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Apple Pecan Snack Cake

Dear Sam - Sam and Little Z - September 17, 2016

Dear Sam // 10 Months Old

Potato and Caramelized Onion Gratin - This is a flavorful, deeply rich gratin, with a streak of caramelized onions and thyme sandwiched between layers of thinly sliced potatoes

Potato and Caramelized Onion Gratin

Dear Harry and Sally - Thank-you for the reminders that life is better when we're together .. to always remember to play .. and to savor whatever the day brings

Dear Harry and Sally // 9 Weeks Old

Warm Salad of Roasted Kale, Coconut + Tomatoes - Oven-roasted tomatoes slicked with olive oil and lime. Kale cooked with soy sauce and coconut has a deep savory flavor & an amazing crunchy texture

Warm Salad of Roasted Kale, Coconut and Tomatoes

Chocolate Cherry Red Wine Torte - A gluten-free cake filled with fudge rich chocolate, cherries and red wine. It isn't fussy, is naturally reddened, and intensely flavored

Chocolate Cherry Red Wine Torte

Dear Harry and Sally - Thank-you for reminding us how to play .. and that no one should ever let a day go by without a big sloppy kiss and a tickly ear nibble

Dear Harry and Sally // 8 Weeks Old

Green Goddess Cobb Salad - Green Goddess is the perfect name for this heavenly dressing, which will elevate any salad. This version is gorgeously creamy, yet dairy free

Green Goddess Cobb Salad

Baby Sam - June 2016 - 7 Months Old

Dear Sam

Greek Lamb with Lemony Herbed Orzo - A dish that's easy to make, absolutely delectable, wonderfully fragrant, feeds a crowd and looks stunning on a platter

Greek Lamb with Lemony Herbed Orzo

Decadent Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake - A chocolate bundt cake filled with yogurt and stout beer. Topped with a silky glaze, it's light, incredibly moist, & absolutely delicious

Decadent Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake

Have a Happy Weekend

Have a Wonderful Weekend

Salad e Olivieh (Potato Salad with Chicken + Eggs) - A traditional salad in Russian cuisine .. with a creamy goodness from mashed potatoes, umami from chicken, & brightness from tangy cornichons, lemon, & peas

Salad e Olivieh (Potato Salad with Chicken and Eggs)

Crunchy Apple, Fennel + Grains Salad - Refreshing, crispy, crunchy & light. It's a salad that brings color and happiness to any meal.

Crunchy Apple, Fennel, and Grains Salad

Pasta with Shrimp in Madeira Wine Sauce - A sauce that exudes the essence of tomatoes. Add the sophistication of Madeira wine, along with shrimp, & you have a pasta dish that's an attention grabber

Pasta with Shrimp in Madeira Wine Sauce

Rosemary Olive Oil Cake + Bittersweet Chocolate is a cake I love. It's incredibly moist, golden-crumbed, flecked with rosemary, and dotted with chocolate

Rosemary Olive Oil Cake + Bittersweet Chocolate

Oatmeal Souffle + Berries - A healthy, elegant, and lighter textured version of baked oatmeal. It makes for a satisfying breakfast or brunch

Oatmeal Souffle with Berries

I love you .. So very, very much

Stellar Quinoa Burgers - A really great veggie burger recipe is always nice to have on hand. This version is both tasty and hearty. Sweet potato are a binder, quinoa for protein, & mushrooms for depth.

Stellar Quinoa Burgers

One-Skillet Southwest Ranch Chicken - A one-skillet southwest ranch chicken that's not only delicious, but easy to pull together any night of the week without a lot of fuss or fanfare

One-Skillet Southwest Ranch Chicken

Bacon Dog Biscuits - Our favorite dog treats that are filled with flavor and wholesome ingredients. Your dogs will love them, guaranteed

Bacon Dog Biscuits

Meat Loaf - A simple recipe really, without a lot of bells and whistles. One that produces a really great and delicious meat loaf. Comfort food at its finest!

Meat Loaf

Winter Wealth Salad - A salad made of grains threaded with pecans, dried fruit and herbs. It's brightened with arugula, radishes, and a wash vinegar & oils

Winter Wealth Salad

Veggie & Potato Egg Baskets - A fun & delicious take on breakfast. Tender but crispy veggie potato nests with a baked egg in the middle.

Veggie and Potato Egg Baskets

The Beautifully Bold Coffee Smoothie - A beautifully bold coffee smoothie that's healthy and delicious. A perfect breakfast or snack

The Beautifully Bold Coffee Smoothie

Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate + Nuts - Oatmeal cookies filled with dark chocolate, and nuts, are just right alongside a glass of cold milk

Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Nuts

Almond Thumbprint Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt - A welcome addition to any cookie tray. Fragrant vanilla-almond shortbread filled with a rich, salty chocolate center

Almond Thumbprint Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Baked Oatmeal - An easy make-ahead breakfast idea .. baked oatmeal with all the flavors of your favorite oatmeal raisin cookie

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Baked Oatmeal

Carnival Cookies - A butterless, flourless, eggless, and potentially sugarless cookie that incorporates peanuts, popcorn, & chocolate

Carnival Cookies

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken - A healthier, cheaper, and tastier version of a take-out favorite. Baked chicken bites in a honey, Sriracha sauce is a great weeknight meal or appetizer

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken

Yoga Pot with Veggies, Lentils and Herbs - A warm and comforting stew filled with fresh veggies, lentils, and herbs that are thrown into a pot and left to simmer

Yoga Pot with Veggies, Lentils, and Herbs

You Make My Heart Beet Smoothie - The earthiness of the beets offsets the sweetness of the cherries .. while the Beauti-fuel protein powder decreases the appetite

You Make My Heart Beet Smoothie

Roasted Tomato with Sourdough Soup - The modest list of ingredients yields the most delicate soup. It's truly wonderful

Roasted Tomato with Sourdough Soup

Savory Marinated Peach Pizza - A marinade of sherry vinegar & dark rum offer a complex tart to balance the sweet from the peaches. They're wonderful on top of pizza

Savory Marinated Peach Pizza

"Fifty Shades of Green" Summer Salad - The perfect combo of sweet and savory with a chive dressing to hold it all together .. This little green summer number is a favorite

“Fifty Shades of Green” Summer Salad

Ring Macaroni with Tuna Salad - Originating as a back-of-the-box recipe from the '60s, this salad is sweet yet tangy, a confetti of fun colors and textures

Ring Macaroni with Tuna Salad

A veggie filled ricotta cheesecake .. flavored with garlic, lemon, and dill. Wonderful for brunch or as a side in your summer picnic basket

Ricotta Cheesecake with Summer Veggies

Potato Vindaloo - The perfect combination of red and sweet potatoes .. simmered in a mix of Indian spices .. and topped with thick yogurt.

Potato Vindaloo

Broccoli Crunch Salad with Walnuts & Raisins - A crunchy broccoli salad that combines a variety of veggies, sweet raisins, dried cranberries, salty sunflower seeds, & a delicious dressing

Broccoli Crunch Salad with Walnuts and Raisins

Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins - The combination of whole wheat pastry flour and quinoa gives these muffins a nice, chewy, yet moist texture. Perfect for breakfast or snack

Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins

Spelt & Almond Waffles - Waffles that are uniquely tender with a crisp edge .. with a distinct fragrance from orange & vanilla. They're wonderful!

Spelt and Almond Waffles

Spinach and Kale Power Salad with Avocado Dressing - A spinach and kale salad with an avocado dressing that's a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition

Spinach and Kale Power Salad with Avocado Dressing

Coconut Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting - A coconut cake that's vegan .. and made without refined white flour or sugar. It's incredibly decadent and delicious.

Coconut Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Swirl (Vegan) - A paleo chocolate ice cream with peanut butter swirl .. that's thick, creamy, salty, sweet, and absolutely delicious!

Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Swirl

Coconut & Almond Banana Pancakes - Bananas make the batter sweet and airy. Almond meal and spelt flour hold them together, with coconut milk to make them moist.

Coconut and Almond Banana Pancakes

Thai Tuna Sliders

Almond Joy Oatmeal Cookies - Almond flour, shredded coconut, chocolate, and oats make up the base for these cookies. They're soft and chewy gluten-free

Almond Joy Oatmeal Cookies

Artichoke Hearts Provencal Over Pasta - A subtle melange of fresh herbs, tomatoes, and artichokes, this dish evokes the feeling of a sunny late summer day in Provence.

Artichoke Hearts Provencal Over Pasta

Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes - A gluten-free chocolate avocado cake that's naturally sweetened, incredibly moist and fudge-like

Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes - Light, fluffy ricotta pancakes are more sophisticated than traditional pancakes, making them perfect for special occasions

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Creamy Breakfast Rice Pudding with Honey-Poached Figs & Pistachios - Rice and nut milk combined with spices, honey poached figs and pistachios, make for a wonderful breakfast treat

Creamy Breakfast Rice Pudding with Honey-Poached Figs and Pistachios

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake - This intense chocolaty cake is filled with all natural ingredients. A perfect finish to a great meal, special celebration, and everything in-between

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup) - This simple, aromatic soup is a complete meal in a bowl. A broth made from coconut milk, it's filled with chicken, mushrooms, and authentic thai flavors

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

Baked Orzo with Veggies, Goat Cheese, & Oregano - A luxurious pasta bake, that's comforting in every way. Fresh veggies, goat cheese, and fresh oregano lend sophistication and character

Baked Orzo with Veggies, Goat Cheese, and Oregano

Simple, Perfect Chocolate Pudding - Everything one could ask for - an intense chocolate flavor & silky texture that's still firm enough to stand a spoon in

Simple, Perfect Chocolate Pudding

Feta-Spiked Quinoa Porridge with Roasted Tomatoes & Garlic - Quinoa cooked on the stove-top to a porridge-like consistency. Topped with tomatoes, basil, and herb oil. A perfect winter meal

Feta-Spiked Quinoa Porridge with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

Chicken, Black Olive & Provolone Grandma Pie - A rectangular, sheet-baked pizza .. with incredible flavor, a crispy bottom, pillowy-soft middle, and rich cheesy top.

Chicken, Black Olive, and Provolone Grandma Pie

Cornbread, Chorizo, Cherry & Pecan Stuffing - Cornbread mixed with chorizo, dried cherries, pecans, and herbs makes for an incredible holiday stuffing

Cornbread, Chorizo, Cherry and Pecan Stuffing

Beef Tacos with Homemade Tortillas - A recipe for good old fashioned taco meat, versatile enough for your choice of toppings. A great go-to for weeknights.

Beef Tacos with Homemade Tortillas

Lamb Sliders with Date Ketchup, Caramelized Onions + Feta - From Bon Appetit’s RSVP Section .. a spicy lamb slider with caramelized onions, and feta. An incredible combination of flavors .. you won’t be disappointed

Lamb Sliders with Date Ketchup, Caramelized Onions + Feta

Nut, Millet + Chocolate Power Bars - A power bar that's a perfect snack. Nuts & puffed millet to fill you up, with dates & chocolate for a bit of sweet

Nut, Millet + Chocolate Power Bars

Zucchini Bread with Walnuts + Chocolate - Love this healthy version of a classic made with almond flour & all-natural sweeteners. It's moist, fluffy, and absolutely delicious!

Zucchini Bread with Walnuts + Chocolate

Perfect Whole Grain Buttermilk Pancakes with Maple & Apple Compote

Perfect Whole Grain Buttermilk Pancakes with Maple + Apple Compote

Honey Cloud Pancakes - Honey cloud pancakes with fruit. Light, eggy and sweet, they're the perfect cross between a pancake and a Dutch baby

Honey Cloud Pancakes

Lentil Sloppy Joes

Baking Sheet Vegan Macaroni & Cheese – 2 Ways

Frozen Pink Cheesecake - With a raw crust, a filling of mascarpone, yogurt, & oodles of berries - it's a wonderfully light dessert

Frozen Pink Cheesecake

Kai Wot (Ethiopian Beef Stew) Spicy! - There's really nothing shy or subtle about Ethiopian .. it's a bold .. in your face flavor .. if there every was one.

Kai Wot (Ethiopian Beef Stew) Spicy!

Flavored Water - A beautifully colored container graces on our kitchen counter .. a refreshing & delicious invitation to drink more water during the day

Flavored Water

Vanilla Wedding Cake - This 19th-century classic is the mother of so many American cakes.   If you have only one cake recipe in your repertoire, this should be it

Vanilla Wedding Cake

Roasted Butternut Squash and Tahini Dip - There's no better description than that offered by the Jerusalem cookbook itself "A dip that's fantastically popular with anyone who tries it" Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Tahini Dip

Wally - Featured

Wally

Brown Rice Pudding - Featured

Brown Rice Pudding

Honey Graham English Muffins - Featured

Honey Graham English Muffins

Conversations at the Tattoo Parlor

Whole Wheat Banana Yogurt Snack Cake

Being-A-Regular-Featured

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Brotherly Love

Frittata - Green Veggies - Featured

Frittata with Green Veggies, Herbs and Parmesan

dog-treats-featured

Homemade Puppy Treats?