Hamburger Stroganoff

I love the idea of making a "hamburger" stroganoff because it's so easy and relatively inexpensive and everyone loves it. Holy cow, the trifecta of a smart dinner! :) We enjoy this version a lot.

Baked Beans

For this recipe, baked beans is actually a misnomer because they are not baked at all. Although you could bake them, if you are so inclined, but I don't think it's necessary. However, the name "Barbeque" Beans doesn't really work either because barbeque sauce is not a dominant ingredient (and it's optional). So, baked beans it is, but even easier since there is no baking involved!

Buttermilk Biscuit Rolls

We like biscuits and gravy here. It's one of those things we have just not been able to give up forever and my husband makes about once a month. Since we do enjoy it so much, we thought we would try to find a better choice for the biscuits and after much researching we came up with this recipe. These biscuits are very good with the biscuits and gravy, but have a definite dinner roll feel to them and we enjoy them alongside our dinners as well. I couldn't decide if they were more biscuit or more dinner roll, so we call them biscuit rolls. Enjoy!

The Perfect Roast Chicken

One of the ways I use my blog is as my own personal recipe book--these recipes are all things that I actually make my family. And, one of the meals we really enjoy is very easy, that is, a simple roasted chicken. Over the years, I have found that this particular recipe really is the most delicious and simple.

It is adapted from Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Chicken, which you can find here. I do make slight changes to the recipe every time, based on what I have in the house, but the gist of it is presented below and I think you will enjoy it as well.

Potato & Leek Soup

I love fall and everything it brings with it, including the end to the brutally hot weather, scarlet and golden leaves, family birthdays, the beginning of the holiday season, use of my oven again, and warm soups! Potato soup is a favorite here and in many households, I know. I hope you'll try this very simple, nourishing version. I'll think it will be a regular at your table.

Applesauce Bars with Raisins and Frosting

Ahhh.... you saw that title and thought I lost my mind, didn't you? Frosting? I mean seriously, how the heck can I post a recipe with frosting?? Hm...... Well, you'll just have to read on to see.......

I adapted this recipe from Semi Homemade Mom's Raisin Applesauce Bars and Caramel Frosting. I hope you'll go check out her blog - lots of great recipes!

 

Avocado-Tomato Salad

You may find this hard to believe, but I never had an avocado until I was in my 20's and I never had an interest in eating one until I read Dr. Hyman's wonderful book, Ultrametabolism. In this book, I learned that avocados were a healthy fat and one should try to incorporate them into one's diet.

Things really didn't go well at first. I thought that avocados were pretty... um... well, like mushy, hm.... and, slimy, and uh... well, just downright disgusting! Ha! I really couldn't stand them at all. But I had recalled hearing somewhere that one should try to eat something 17 or 22 times (anyway, A LOT) before one definitively decided whether or not they liked the taste of something. So, every so often, I bought an avocado and tried to get it down.

So that's the history and now that you know it, you should be totally surprised that I have an avocado recipe here! But, that silly old rule about trying things 17 times was true because finally, after many years (it took something like 5+ years and way more than 17 times) I can honestly say I really do like avocados. And, my body is happier for it. See, I just love stories with happy endings.