This recipe is adapted from my all time favorite magazine, Family Fun. When I first came upon it, I seriously doubted that my kids would love it. After all, it’s green and it’s made from little trees. But somehow the green factor played to my advantage and the kids thought it looked ‘cool’. (Hey, if they want to call it alien soup–fine by me.) Plus, it calls for mashed potatoes to make the soup thick and creamy so it has a bit of a different type of texture and taste that the kids liked. The vegetables in this are eventually … Continue reading →

I am still waiting for my big winter storm. It has been mostly in the upper 50’s and even has hit the 60’s a few times and well. . .it just doesn’t seem like winter. I am waiting for the whopping “subways-are-stopped-no-one-can-function-everyone-stay-indoors” type storm. And when it hits, I’m making this cheddar cheese soup. My grandmother used to make cheddar covered apples and so when I first saw this recipe it immediately reminded me of her dish. This is an extremely rich soup and goes perfect with a hearty bread. The apples are a garnish for the top but they … Continue reading →

I often buy whole chickens because they are on sale. Not only that but it’s a meal that you can cook once and then have on hand for at least a couple of days. Up until now, I’ve only used my leftover whole chickens for sandwich meat. . .but one snowy, cold day I had an “a ha” moment, and the result is what follows: Roast Chicken When it comes to roast chicken, I cheat. I have tried a variety of combinations of spices, and I’ve even rubbed my chicken in adobo–which my family also likes. However, our absolute favorite … Continue reading →

After numerous gatherings with lots and lots of food, I often go on what my husband calls a soup binge. Binge really isn’t the right word for it, but it’s true that after holidays I tend to like overly simple meals. Can you blame me? After all that cooking and entertaining and being entertained, it’s time to lighten up a little. Therefore, I offer up this version of French onion soup. Some historians say it was created by King Louis the XIV when he only had margarine and onions on hand. I’ve actually studied French history extensively and I have … Continue reading →

I know some people avoid going to the malls on Black Friday because it’s crowded. But apparently, there are a whole bunch of bargain seekers who do not feel the same because if they did, the malls wouldn’t be crowded. I love going shopping on Black Friday. In one fell swoop I get all the Christmas shopping done. That’s 12 kids (that includes my own as well as nieces and nephews), my husband, my mom, and my in-laws. Very rarely do I have to go shopping beyond Black Friday. Yep, I’m one of those route planning, get-up-at-the-crack-of-dawn type people. But … Continue reading →

Okay, so soup isn’t exactly an appetizer, but you can serve this earlier in the day to your guests. It will hit the spot, especially if Thanksgiving supper is after a game of family football. The great thing about this soup is that it uses canned pumpkin. Canned pumpkin is actually healthier than regular pumpkin as the processing actually adds nutrients to it that aren’t as easily destroyed while cooking. For some reason, the same cannot be said for regular pumpkin so save yourself the time and effort and just buy the can. (You’ll very rarely hear me say that!) … Continue reading →

Okay so you can call me a weather freak. I love the changing of the seasons. I love that New York actually gets four seasons and that each is distinctive. I just saw this weekend the very first set of golden and crimson leaves and so I started to pull out my fall recipes along with our fall and winter clothes. This soup is delicious and it wins my kids’ seal of approval. Even my husband, who claims that soup is not “chewy” enough to qualify as a meal has decreed that this soup has what it takes to make … Continue reading →

I recently went back to school shopping (yes, homeschoolers need ‘school supplies’ too) and was in utter shock as I went through the store. There is was, right next to the back to school supplies aisle: the Halloween candy aisle. Now it wasn’t in its full glory as it will be in another four weeks but am I the only one who realizes that it’s still August? Well, I was in for another shock because when I went to go pick up my produce later that day the first batch of pumpkins for the season sat staring me in the … Continue reading →