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Tomato Basil Soup

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My vote has been cast and I am feeling very patriotic and nostalgic today. What better way to feed my soul than to prepare a soup that screams Americana to me!

This Tomato Basil Soup was inspired by a recipe in Ina Garten’s newest book, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof. The recipe goes together very quickly and you can have dinner on the table in no time. If your children have already drawn the line that they do not like tomato soup, I would suggest you simply rename the soup with a more enticing title. Perhaps Italian Pasta Soup would be just the rename to provoke tastes and squeals of delight from your family. [Read more…]

Halloween Bloody Eyeballs Recipe

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I love to make scary, funny Halloween foods.  In fact I love all holidays and love to bake and decorate, but sometimes, I get busy and suddenly I can’t get all of the treats baked. Do you ever feel that way? I am guilty. I admit it. Never fear! Even with just a couple days left before Halloween, you can make these bloody eyeballs—a super tasty, but quick and easy appetizer!

Yes, Halloween is for kids, but it seems that at neighborhood gatherings, the adults enjoy the day as much as the kids and savory treats are especially welcome. These appetizers will be perfect to take to that party and since they bake in the Babycakes Cake Pop Maker in just 5 minutes, you can be in and out of the kitchen so quickly you won’t miss any of the fun. This appetizer is so darn cute, no one will ever guess that you were in the kitchen at the last minute.

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Apple Butter

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This is absolutely my favorite time of year for so many reasons. This year I have been blessed twice to be gifted with apples. The weather in the Midwest has created a bumper, delicious apple crop. A few weeks ago I shared a favorite apple pie recipe and today it is my husband’s favorite–apple butter.

Apple butter makes a wonderful gift for teachers, neighbors and a fun way to say thank you to that special someone. We’ve mentioned before that Kathy and I started working together in the test kitchens at Rival, the Crock-Pot people. A test that we executed on many a day was preparing apple butter in the Crock-Pot, slow cooker. It was designed to determine the approval for plastic lids when they were first introduced. We would simmer the apple butter for days to insure that lids were top quality. [Read more…]

Make Ahead Freezer Cinnamon Rolls

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My mom loved to bake—and her cinnamon rolls are baked into my memory. She served them every holiday morning. She made them when family came to visit and she made them frequently, “just because.” Now, I want cinnamon rolls for special breakfasts—and everyone in my family knows you cannot have a holiday or family gathering without cinnamon rolls. It has to be on my “Eat-to-Save” mission. Yet, how could I make them and serve them hot out of the oven and not stay up all night or bake them the day before? I challenged myself to figure out how to make them fresh and easy. Make Ahead Freezer Cinnamon Rolls are my answer.
My family, the Ensminger cousins, meet for a weekend reunion each fall. We travel from all over the country and enjoy a weekend of fun, laughter, reminiscing, and of course, eating. This year, the gathering was in Oklahoma and the large cabin had a kitchen so we could cook together. We always enjoy the local sights and foods—and eat far too much. This year, the crowning glory of the weekend was a chuck wagon dinner, cooked and served from an antique chuck wagon. It was great fun and they served wonderful food! [Read more…]

Chicken and Dumplings

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Gathering around the table to enjoy a meal is the fiber of a good life. We all need to eat to live so why not make memories, create joy, show love and enjoy a good meal at the same time? I love to listen to the podcast each week of The Splendid Table with Lynn Rossetto Kasper.

A few weeks ago, Lynne was conducting an interview with a chef and I experienced one of those classic “aha” moments. The topic was, “Eat to Save”, particularly referring to not wasting food but additionally referring to the experience we have each enjoyed when we taste a food or smell an aroma from the kitchen that reminds us of home or a particular time in our life. Eat to save is what I hope my family and friends experience when they enjoy a meal at our table. It is probably the number one reason that my life and career has been devoted to food. My mom and dad created the most amazing food experiences and traditions at our table. It may have been for our family of four or a meal for thirty four but each of those memories was an eat to save moment. The rhythm of food preparation in our kitchen growing up will always be a part of me and music to my ears. [Read more…]