Pumpkin Stew with Walnuts

It's Seriously Soup day today, featuring one of my favorite bloggers, Serena, who authors a blog called Seriously Soupy.  Serena started Seriously Soupy as a creative outlet for herself after her first daughter was born, which combined her passion for cooking with an interest in learning more about soups and soup making.  Since it started, she has given soup tours and taught soup classes and has a catalog of over 100 soups on the site!  You can join Serena on her Soupy journey at SeriouslySoupy.com and twice a month you can find her here, at My … [Read more...]

Apple Butter

  Yesterday would have been Mom’s 70th birthday. While I’ve tried so desperately to celebrate her life through her culinary legacy, it’s inevitable: her absence is always felt.  Every day. For the past four years. This weekend, I kept myself busier than usual so I wouldn’t focus on this unwelcomed anniversary. I celebrated fall with my family.  We pumpkin picked.  We painted pumpkins. We carved pumpkins. We made pumpkin seeds. We apple picked. And now, I’m back in my city apartment, staring down 20 pounds of apples and two … [Read more...]

Seriously Soupy: Lentil, Parsnip and Apple Soup

  It's Seriously Soup day today, featuring one of my favorite bloggers, Serena, who authors a blog called Seriously Soupy.  Serena started Seriously Soupy as a creative outlet for herself after her first daughter was born, which combined her passion for cooking with an interest in learning more about soups and soup making.  Since it started, she has given soup tours and taught soup classes and has a catalog of over 100 soups on the site!  You can join Serena on her Soupy journey at SeriouslySoupy.com and twice a month you can find her … [Read more...]

Holiday Meal Prep, and a Sweet & Sour Brisket

I’m not embarrassed to admit that I’ve been preparing for tonight’s holiday dinner since Sunday.  With all of the thought, shopping and kitchen labor involved, you’d think I’d be feeding at least twenty people. Nope. I’m only having my family (2 adults; 2 kids) and my brother.  Once an overachiever, always an overachiever.  I was that kid in high school who always over-studied for tests and never waited until the last minute—cramming was never part of my vernacular. When I decided I was going to venture out of my comfort zone (again) … [Read more...]