As I mentioned in a previous post, due to the popular rise in French cooking in the ’60s, French Onion Soup is one of the dishes that really took off during that era. This humble starter generally consists of caramelized onions steeped in broth and topped with bread and cheese. It’s simple for sure, but…

Today is National Chocolate Cake Day! What better excuse than to make one, right?! Who doesn’t love a good chocolate cake. Growing up, chocolate cake was pretty much my favorite dessert… well, chocolate anything really! The earliest chocolate cake recipe was published in 1847 by Philadelphian cookbook author Eliza Leslie. It differed slightly than today’s…

Today is Australia Day. No I’m not an Aussie (that I know of, but one day I do plan to do one of those AncestryDNA kits), and I’ve never been to Australia (YET), but I enjoy discovering various events, history, and cultures around the world. In response to losing the colonies in America, a fleet…

Some days are baked chicken and salad days and some days are steak and potato days. Wednesday was more of the latter (with a side salad). I found the perfect slow-cooker recipe for two (a rarity) from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It uses a smaller slow-cooker so you don’t have to dirty your…

“They have chicken Kiev. The butter squirts everywhere.” ~Mad Men Chicken Kiev is one of those old school recipes popular in the 1960s. It’s origins are widely disputed, but scholars seem to agree that it has its root in Russian cooking with an influence from French technique. It’s one of those classic recipes I’ve been…

Sometimes in the middle of your week, when you’ve already done your grocery shopping for the week, something inordinate occurs. A precious lady in the church passed away unexpectedly recently. She was such a blessing to me and will be dearly missed, but I have confidence I’ll see her again. You’ve heard me mention before…

The Mr’s family is all from Kentucky. All born and bred. Some even attend the Derby every year! When we married, his sweet Nana gifted me a copy of The Garden Club of Lexington‘s Bluegrass Winners Cookbook. Every time I know I want something comforting and distinctly Southern, I reach for this cookbook. All this…

How do you begin to thank a man who has done so much for your country? Words are not enough and his generous life was cut short by someone foolish enough not to see his incredible value to humanity. I will not be able to express my gratitude for his contribution to my country until…

It’s cold and blustery out today, but I’m snuggled under a warm blanket with a big mug of Laura Bush’s Hot Chocolate this morning. This recipe combines one of my favorite hot cocoa additions (cinnamon) with a new and unexpected flavor (orange zest). The spicy zip of cinnamon combined with the clean flavor of the…

To celebrate Winnie the Pooh Day today, I’m making honey-sweetened popovers from this sweet Winnie the Pooh Cookbook. If you’re like me, Winnie the Pooh conjures up fond memories from childhood, so any excuse to celebrate is a-ok with me! I’ve made popovers before, but they were savory. They made a great accompaniment to a…