World’s Best Baked Beans
A couple old friends came over to decoupage Easter eggs yesterday. I served bacon quiche, fresh biscuits, and fruit salad. But the big hit of the day was my yam and sausage hash. Everyone wanted a copy of the recipe. I usually beg, borrow, and improvise when I’m cooking, so I sent them home with…
I had some family over for a late lunch and I was left with a half-eaten veggie tray. Looking at the pile of baby carrots, I thought, “I should make carrot cake.” But I only had 1-1/2 cups of carrots, so I started looking around to see what else I could use. I had some…
I think my time in the English department is coming to a close, so I want to pay homage to Dr. Sole’s root vegetable casserole. The recipe originally came from Dr. Sole’s family friend Jeanie Racine. I have been blessed to add this casserole to my plate at many department potlucks. The layers of potato,…
It’s after the holidays and our pant buttons are a little more snug than before Thanksgiving. While I’m craving the fullness of laughter and family gatherings, I’m also aware that I need to step back, put the spirits and wine in the basement, and incorporate more salads and water based fruits and veggies. On a…
My next door neighbor, Jen Quintern, is the most amazing chef. She’s the type that never cuts corners, cleans as she goes, and produces something that makes your mouth water for more every single time. Watching her create in the kitchen, she reminds me of the scene in The Godfather when the mafia guys are…
Sometimes you need a pantry-freezer fall back that is full of deliciousness completely unexpected by the hungry family. If you have no time to reach the store, but want masterpiece magic, this easy, sausage and butter bean stew will satisfy every hunger. Buying the key staple ingredients for this stew means you’ll have a gourmet…
We went on the most… mediocre vacation of a lifetime. No really, the house was mediocre, the weather was terrible, and the highlight was half the Oakley family came down with the flu. But that’s the current count, maybe we’ll all be blessed. What does a girl do when the wind chill is -25 and…
What do you do when you’ve been entertaining heavily over the summer months and the veggie and cheese trays are starting to age out in the fridge? You make this awesome five cheese vegetable soup! Is it sacrilegious to combine cave aged gruyere and brie to Ragu’s double cheddar soup? Who cares? It tastes amazing!…
Last year, I made the mistake of bringing grilled chicken to a faculty retreat. I have since learned that most of the people in my department avoid meat. (So embarrassing!) Sometimes we are most creative when we are given limits, especially in cooking or writing poetry! The farm markets have all been opening their doors,…
I have continued the CSA with B&C Christ Farms through the winter. The apples are no longer crisp and perky, so I’ve been baking a lot of pies and making a lot of apple sauce. I get a lot of apples and I don’t want a single one to go to waste. Belonging to the…
For the 43 years that I’ve known my dad, a lot has changed. We started on Gillette Road, where indoor plumbing for our neighbors was not a given. He has been a car salesman, a politician, a philanthropist…but all through those years, he has loved Nance’s Sharp and Creamy Mustard. Today he tries to avoid…
