Spice blend 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon paprika (for more kick, use hot paprika) 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Marinade 2 tablespoons oil juice from one lime 2 tablespoons spice blend 2 pounds of New York strip steak (skirt steak or sirloin work well too) 2-3 colored peppers of your choice 1 medium onion 1 tablespoon oil 12 flour tortillas Mix together... more

Our dill is in. Not only is it in the spots we planted last year, but I had let it go to seed in our container herb garden last year. We then spread the dirt from that pot into our new raised garden beds, and now there are tiny dill plants coming up everywhere. Not that I mind. I am going to move them once my large dill goes to seed, and then we’ll start the cycle all over. A whole summer of fresh dill and, subsequently, lemon dill cream cheese. This happens to be Ole’s baby (read:... more

8 ounces cream cheese 1/2 lemon, juiced 1 lemon, zested 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced Mix together cream cheese ,lemon zest and juice and minced dill. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve on toasted bagels with smoked salmon or on crackers as an appetizer. Makes 8 ounces.  Read More →

One of the things we strive for when planning our menus is making everything fit together into one nice, neat little package. We look to use ingredients in different ways throughout the week so that we’re benefiting from the ability of do-aheads and being able to buy in bulk. We also benefit from a well-stocked pantry. As we move into summer, I’m so excited to finally start benefiting from our garden. I love having food available in the backyard, and knowing exactly how it has been... more

This past February at Blissdom I met Stephanie from Keeper of the Home, and I instantly realized that we had a few things in common, the least of which being we both strive to raise our families on a diet that consists of real food. In Stephanie’s book Real Food on a Real Budget: How to Eat Healthy for Less she starts by taking a look at your family’s budget. She shares tips on meal planning and gardening, and she even takes a long look at how to make couponing work on a “real... more

Frequent readers of this blog should be well aware that during certain times of the year our local grocer marks down the beef tenderloin to a price more representative of sirloin. When this happens, we stock up. We have shared a few ways we prepare this: on the grill as bacon-wrapped fillets or in a pan with a rich cognac cream sauce and plenty of pepper – au poivre – or herb-crusted and grilled. Occasionally however, I don’t feel like doing either one so a few weeks ago when I found myself... more

3 pounds tenderloin ½ cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons sesame oil (other varieties are ok) 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1 tablespoon mirin 1 teaspoon wasabi (optional) 10 bamboo skewers Cut the tenderloin into one-inch cubes. Combine soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, mirin and wasabi in a one-gallon zip-top bag and shake to combine. Place the beef cubes into the bag and place in the fridge for at least one hour. After... more