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

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

  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

We had a lot of ham leftover from Easter this week, and something about leftover ham just doesn’t scream, “I would make a fantastic snack!” when I see it there, slimy and going pale in the fridge. In fact, I believe it is screaming, “Toss me in the garbage! Toss me in the garbage!” So, I don’t like ham. I’ll admit it. Not a fan. However, I can’t just throw away the free ham that was gifted to me. So, I turned it into a meal. Before I start, let... more

Recently a coworker asked me what I thought was the best way to grill a whole chicken.  I had to think for a few moments because it’s not something I’ve done for quite a while.  After I described my technique, I went home and checked the freezer.  As I expected, I found the roasting chicken that I had placed there last year safe in its cryogenic coma.  This particular chicken was sad and lonely as it was missing its twin.  A few dollars can be saved by buying them in a twin pack... more

I love banana bread, but more importantly, I love good banana bread. I like it to be dense and moist. I’m not too picky on the nuts vs. no nuts debate. I like them both. Ole considers himself a banana bread “purist.” He believes it’s not true banana bread unless there are walnuts involved. I have one of those recipes. This is not it. This recipe is all about the marriage of the banana with the chocolate chip. It’s like grocery store muffins…except there... more

Three years ago I went to a bridal shower for my cousin. There was a French toast bake there. It was fantastic. This is not that recipe. It only prompted me to search online for something similar. After looking over a few, I came up with this. While most breakfast bakes call for cream or half and half and lots of butter, this one is lacking those things either entirely or in large amounts. This allows you to eat a second or…third piece. I also get several requests for this recipe. ... more