I just wanted to thank Jessica Chapman at the City Pages for her write-up about my blog. For those of you that had a hand in making that happen (you know who you are), you are incredible. Did you see she called me personable AND useful? I don’t know that anyone has ever called me personable before, but it ain’t for lack of trying. I’ll admit I blushed from the sheer excitement of it all. It also made me think of what I’ve accomplished here since I launched in March. ... more

Nothing screams potato salad like warm weather and eating outside in the backyard. Sure, you could buy that questionable yellow stuff behind the deli case at the supermarket, but I wouldn’t recommend it. This will make you much happier than any pickle relish and mustard-laden potato salad. Yes, I know you can get variety at the deli counter. They cost more than your standard yellow deli potato salad, though, and I don’t need a $15.00 container of potato salad. The first time I was... more

Minnesotans take great pride in telling people where their ancestors came from and for the most part there are only three places of origin.  Norway, Sweden or Germany.  If you have relatives who came from anywhere else, say, Poland, you are considered “exotic.”  I’m a 50/50 Norwegian/German; Shaina is less pure, much less pure, which makes her “exotic” by some standards.  I guess that makes our kids mostly nothing, but we like to think of them as little Vikings;... more

Weather affected my gardening plans, and my herb garden is now sitting in pieces in the garage. It is sad and raining outside for the second weekend in a row. The long and short of it is that it’s not going to happen until sometime this week, but it’s going to happen. I bought a new cookbook yesterday, Fine Cooking Fresh: 350 Recipes that Celebrate the Seasons. I was inspired by the book club over at Simple Mom, where they’re reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.... more

I have a confession to make. I do not like casseroles. I just don’t. I’ve eaten many a casserole in my day or, as they’re called here in the Midwest, “hotdish.” So, you’ll have to forgive me if I’m less than excited about this recipe. Yep, that’s right. I’m going to give you a recipe for something I’m not particularly fond of. Because I told you I would. Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with this. It tastes fine,... more

Photo by kennymatic Food packaging can be such a waste. Everything seems to come in a plastic bottle, a tiny box, plastic clamshells and aluminum pans. All of that packaging results in a lot of garbage, but it doesn’t have to make its way directly to the garbage. Reusing that packaging is a great way to save money and cut down on trash. Here are seven ways to take old food packaging and turn it into something useful: 1. Leftover food storage. This is an old one. Nearly every grandma... more

  Let’s talk about meat (kind of).  I like it.  Most people do to varying degrees.  Some people try to live without it and some of them succeed.  I know a few of these people.  They occasionally attend my backyard barbeques, knowing full well that they do so at their own risk.   Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not at all hostile about their lifestyle choice.  I’m just wasn’t always sympathetic to their dietary needs.  They were welcomed to bring a few veggie burgers. ... more