This pumpkin pie coffee cake with crumbled pecan topping will be welcome at any fall breakfast or brunch. I fought hard against the changing temperatures this year. Pretty as they are, I was not looking forward to the changing leaves. I wanted to close my eyes and stay in August forever, and then September was here, with its back-to-school busy and its cool breeze. Slowly peaches turned to apples, and as my neighbors’ oak tree in the front yard starts to shift ever so slightly to a shade of... more

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract For the crumbled pecan topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3 tablespoons cold butter 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped Preheat oven to 350°... more

A look at this month’s Eat Well, Spend Less series on emergency preparedness and making a menu from it. This month we’re talking about emergency preparedness. Interestingly enough, I’m having my own bit of a faux emergency this week, trying to keep dinners as quick and simple as possible as I finish up work on my first book (more on that later). I laid the groundwork for the beauty of whole grains with my post, looking at what a whole grain is, how to store it, cook it and recipes... more

This month in the Eat Well, Spend Less series we’re talking about whole grains from storage to recipes. It’s emergency preparedness month, and I’m dissecting how having whole grains on hand can help you be fed and nourished in that situation. I’m going to go out on a limb and am going to assume that when the majority of people think about whole grains their minds instantly wander to bread products, cereals and whole wheat pastas first before anything else. I suppose that... more

A simple salad for the last days of summer with an Asian-inspired honey sesame dressing and marinade. Every year I feel as though I’m hanging on to the last bits of summer, wishing the sun’s rays to remain warm and strong just a bit longer so as to delay the inevitable winter, the graying of the plants and the whiteness that will eventually come and blanket my little piece of the earth. I appreciate the seasons. I suppose any true Minnesotan must, lest you drive yourself crazy. There’s... more

Honey Sesame Dressing: 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1 clove minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced ginger 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons grape seed oil, divided Sesame Crusted Almonds 1 tablespoon grape seed oil 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 cup raw almonds Chicken Salad: 2 large or 4 small chicken breasts 6 cups salad greens 1/2 cup snow peas, ends snipped 2 mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned 3 green onions, diced In a small bowl, whisk together... more

Rethinking ideas for the school lunch box from sandwiches to wraps to crackers and cheese and fruit on a stick. Let’s talk for a minute about this business of school lunches. Just one more time, I promise. We’re a week and a half in. I’ve sent hard boiled eggs with my kids three times. In my defense, my sweet kindergartener asked for them today while batting her long lashes and looking cute in her little red and blue dress, picked out specifically for “red” day. The... more