Cooking with Val

This summer was full of change, challenges and more importantly, blessings in abundance. Our daughter graduated from college, our son was an ROTC Field Training selectee, we drove through 4 states (love Arches Nat’l Park in Utah!) to our 11th assignment, we spent some amazing quality time together and with friends and family. Arches National…

Risotto ~ unravelled

It always amazes me how many lovers of risotto who won’t attempt making the delectable, versatile, creamy dish… I hope you’ll take 20 minutes to make it for your family ~ to make it for yourself! History of Risotto The history of risotto is naturally tied to the history of rice in Italy. While there…

AFAD & Corn Shucking ~

It’s small town Americana at its best!  Parades, fun-runs, friends gathered in the park at dusk; shucking corn for the free town feed in the park ~ This is all part of festivities of Air Force Appreciation Day(s) here in Mountain Home, Idaho. We are blessed to be part of an organization that is appreciated…

A Mouthful of Summer

“Everything in moderation…including moderation.” ~ Julia Child The most requested recipe? Fruit Pizza!! Aside from my pizza dough, this tasty gem of a dessert has even the biggest skeptic (what? fruit pizza?) asking for more and eventually asking for the recipe. For my “gluten-free” friends, using a combination of gluten-free and coconut flours and coconut…

chia pet, chia juice, chia bread, chia, chia everywhere!

Salvia hispanica Salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala.   Things to do with chia seeds: add to your daily smoothie, your pancakes or your yogurt   put 1 T in your juice to give you energy,…

Breaking Bread

  All sorrows are less with bread. – Miguel de Cervantes     There is something so gratifyingly innate about making bread. I love the entire process!  Grinding flour, kneading the dough with my hands, the rise or two my loaves get and then the best part: the baking!  My kitchen is nice and toasty…

The Bull and Lettuce

“Never mind love, have a cup of tea.” favorite British saying Ok, The Bull and Lettuce may only be what we had for dinner last night (steak salad with horseradish cream), but it would be a GREAT pub name!  If the Brits can have The Butt & Oyster (what?!?), why not the Bull and Lettuce?    …

Summer in a spoonful ~

  Here in good old San Antonio,  it is going to be a sultry 94 degrees today!  (Mind you, it is 18 March; not May, June, July, August; but, March)  Today definitely is NOT soup weather… so, as I drink my HOT coffee in my 83 degree house this morning, I am thinking lemons.  Anything…

Colors of the Rainbow ~ and my kitchen

The “canned food” section of my kitchen!  I have cans of Hatch Green Chile, Coconut Milk, Water Chestnuts and Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes in my pantry, but that is it.  For most meals, our plates look like a color bomb exploded!  Fresh this, fresh that ~ You can’t help feeling healthy with every bite!…

CHICKEN SOUP CURES ALL ~ READ ALL ABOUT IT!! Chicken soup may contain a number of substances with beneficial medicinal activity including an anti-inflammatory mechanism that could ease the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, according to a new study. (Science Daily) Although many foods are considered to be healthy due to their individual blends…

Go Nuts!!

        “I’ve seen a look in dogs’ eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts.” ― John Steinbeck I love pistachio ~ I go through about 48 oz every four days… by myself! Hey! When I was in the hospital last month,…

hoppy, fluffy, marshmallow

If you have ever received a Christmas platter from me, you’ll have discovered my toasted coconut marshmallows nestled in with the fudge, thumb print cookies and sunflower-pumpkin seed brittle ~  but marshmallows for Easter?!?  I am so excited to give these lemon jewels a try!  I hope you enjoy these variations from Epicurious.com ~ and…