I have a confession. I am a coffee lover. Maybe it’s the fact that coffee shops are EVERYwhere. There are the plain white cups with the brown sleeves at the local shop two blocks away. When I take my kids to the library, the Brothers stare me down. Still, it could be that I shop at Target, and the topless mermaid calls my name as I walk through the door. Whatever it is, I know that it gets worse as the weather in Minnesota gets colder. But I am a big believer in doing it myself, living... more

Our garden is overflowing with zucchini, and after eating it 5 out of the 7 nights last week with dinner sauteed, added in sauces and cut into cold spears, it’s time to bake. Lucky for me, one of my favorite quick breads is zucchini bread. This one is complete with orange zest and a light orange glaze and packed with walnuts. A few weeks ago, our neighbors Doug and Sarah graciously fed our lone pet, a rescued goldfish, while we were up in the woods getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. They... more

To start off I have to say, this is not a grilling recipe.  I’ve never tried it on the grill, and I probably never will.  Certain things need stability – a high speed camera, a vintage moped and good cornbread.  The latter requires a type of stability that can only be provided by a highly predictable 400 degree oven.  Would it work on the grill?  Yeah, for the most part, but I can only guess that you would have varying areas of doneness depending on the temperament of your grill. ... 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