I am excited to say that today I made my first cheesecake ever. And it was delicious! I used a recipe I got from my mom, because I have always loved her chocolate chip cheesecake. But...cooking from my mom's recipes is not the same as my mom's cooking. She guesstimates more than measures, and sometimes makes substitutions without ever writing them down. I have learned this by now, so when I tasted the cheesecake, it was just a bit off from hers. My dad stopped by and had a piece, and informed … [Read more...]

We've already turned our favorite chicken fried rice into homemade takeout, so I wanted to try a veggie version.  I took the same recipe, but switched out chicken for broccoli.  It turned out pretty good, although the kids definitely preferred the chicken version. Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2-3 carrots, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 eggs 4 cups cooked rice (I used about 1 1/3 cups dry brown rice) 5-6 Tbsp. gluten free … [Read more...]

This is still our family's favorite granola recipe, and I usually make a batch every other week or so.  I've been making this same recipe for five years now, and we love it! Ingredients: 6 cups old fashioned oats 1 cup nuts (we almost always use almonds, because they're the cheapest) 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup melted liquids* (see  below) *For the liquid part of the recipe, use any two of the following: Melted butter Coconut … [Read more...]

Fruit salad is one of my favorite things to eat at any get-together or church pot luck.  And I happened upon this delicious recipe at a recent picnic.  I made it to go along with breakfast at home, and I just had to share it!  It's light and sweet and enhances the fresh flavor of the fruit. Fruit Salad Dressing: 1 cup vanilla yogurt (or 1 cup plain yogurt plus 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract) 1/3 cup orange juice 1 tsp. cinnamon Mix ingredients in a small bowl.  Toss with several … [Read more...]