I remember the day like it was yesterday ... I really didn't like beans. At all. Well, green beans were okay, but all those other beans; kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans, etc? I thought they were all quite disgusting. There was something about the texture ... yuck! I couldn't stand them. But mom taught all six of us good manners, so, when I was invited to a friend's house and her mom ...
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Barley and Candied Bacon Roasted Butternut Salad
Everyone loves this Roasted Butternut Salad - it's super healthy but has an unbelievably delicious splurge. Are you ready? Candied bacon!
How do I love thee, oh Roasted Butternut Salad? Let me count the ways... You're healthy, indulgent, salty, sweet, smoky, hearty, fun, colorful, beautiful and... just plain old lip-smackin' delicious! I have a feeling that, somewhere ...Read More →Apple and Pear Chutney
My inspiration for creating new recipes comes from the craziest places. It might be a beautiful display of orange, yellow and red peppers all piled up and glistening, just beckoning me as I walk into a local market. Sometimes it's traveling to foreign countries or even different cities here in the US. It might be a fun new restaurant, an interesting magazine, a visit to a local orchard or a ...
Read More →California Avocado Pumpkin Cupcakes with Avocado Caramel Buttercream
I've been playing again - this time with avocados! I'm kind of a nut about the color green. You may have already guessed that from the header on this blog. Not only are the walls of my kitchen painted a pretty shade of green, earlier this month, there were lovely green orbs from California scattered here, there and everywhere in this little North Carolina kitchen. We were having fun working on ...
Read More →Everything From Soup to Nuts - Six Seasonal Recipes You'll Love!
Are you savoring this magnificent fall season? Here in North Carolina, the trees and foliage are in, what I call, their final glory-dance, showing off in dazzling shades of gold, orange and red before they retreat for a long winter nap. I'm trying to enjoy every moment, knowing these beautiful, cool, crisp days will soon be just a pleasant memory.
The culinary flavors of fall also ...
Old-Fashioned Shortbread Cookies with Salted Caramel
Do you like family heirlooms? Are you the "keeper" (aka packrat) in the family, or are you the "thrower-outer"? Here at The Café, I tend to be the one who's forever throwing things away. In fact, I go on binges. At times, I look around and think; "Oh my goodness, this is the biggest mess I've ever seen in my entire life!". Then I go to town, cleaning, organizing and tidying up here, there and ...
Read More →Thin Crust Barbecue Chicken Pizza
Recently, we were invited to dinner by my son, Nick and his wife Lindsay. When I walked in the door, I saw two gorgeous looking pizzas sitting on parchment paper on the counter. They were all topped and ready to be baked, the crusts were super thin and crisp-looking (my favorite kind) and I couldn't wait for dinner. After chatting for a bit, Lindsay popped the pizzas into the oven and within ...
Read More →Bloomin' Onions-Lean Style!
How fun are these guys? For several years, I've seen this beautiful style of cutting and roasting onion in numerous places online. I can't believe it's taken me this long to try it. It seemed too simple for such spectacular results, but I gave it a whirl. Thrilled! .......... That was my reaction when I peeked into the oven after 20 minutes ............ WOW! For more about Bloomin' ...
Read More →Potato Pesto Pepper Galette
You've got to try this Potato Pesto Pepper Galette! The crust is crisp, buttery and a wonderful complement to the flavorful pesto and thinly sliced, tender potatoes. Perfect for lunch, brunch or a light dinner.
I'm not sure at what point a recipe becomes your own. Do you know? I saw this wonderful galette recipe a few weeks ago as I was flipping through my latest Food & ...Read More →Apple Pie Candied Walnuts
I think a little birdie heard me. Last week I was talking about how I loved getting packages in mail with my name on them. Well, it was just a few days later when my husband went to the door and came back with a shoe-box size package .. for me! The return address was California. Hmmmm ... I shook it, turned it over several times and tried to guess what it was, but in the end, I didn't have a ...
Read More →Pumpkin Coffee Cake w/ Pecan-Pepita Crumble
Cool, crisp mornings. Brilliant blue skies. Perfect Vs of Canadian geese winging their way south. Jewel-hued leaves fluttering silently, through crystal clear autumn days, on their final ascent to the waiting earth. Fall. I love it. Everything about it. Fall always seems like a fresh new start to me. Perhaps that comes from all the years of raising kids, when this time of the year meant heading ...
Read More →Southwestern Pumpkin Soup
I lost it. Then I found it! And guess what? What I found is way better than what I lost. Years ago, I had a recipe for a simple, but delicious Southwestern Pumpkin Soup. I hadn't made it in years, and I"m not sure what even made me think about it again. Perhaps it was the pretty pumpkins piled cheerfully in front of almost every local market, or maybe it was a craving for Mexican ...
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