Before finding this recipe, the only other chicken and rice soup I had tried came out of a can. The broth was bland, and the rice was mushy. This homemade version is a big improvement! It's hot, hearty, thick, filling, and perfect for days with cooler weather. Due to the heartiness of the wild rice, this … Continue reading Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Cooking & Recipes
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
It's time for our February installment of Birthday Celebration Desserts! February's Birthday Guy chose his all-time favorite: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. The result was a deliciously spiced cake with a perfectly moist crumb and creamy, tart frosting that I will definitely be making again in the future! I also decided to try fondant … Continue reading Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Italian Sausage and Pepper Risotto
Risotto used to intimidate me. Cookbooks and cooking shows always make it seem like making risotto is seriously advanced-level cooking. But with a few tips, I encourage anyone to try their hand at risotto. Here's the thing: risotto requires focused attention, but if you are indeed attentive, it isn't difficult, and the pay off is … Continue reading Italian Sausage and Pepper Risotto
Peanut Butter Butterscotch Crispy Rice Bars
This is one of those simple recipes you teach your kids to get them excited about cooking, which is precisely where I learned it! Staying at a friend's house during summer vacation in middle school, we felt accomplished making these easy treats for ourselves. Decades later, I still crave these bars from time to time … Continue reading Peanut Butter Butterscotch Crispy Rice Bars
Healthy Flavored Stovetop Popcorn
Did you know bags of microwave popcorn are coated with the same stuff they use to coat Teflon pans? It's really not good for our bodies. But good news: delicious popcorn is easy to make on the stovetop. And with a plethora of flavor ideas to enhance this favorite movie-watching snack, you won't miss those … Continue reading Healthy Flavored Stovetop Popcorn
Lemon Sour Cream Pie
Last year, we lost an immediate family member. He loved lemon, and I mean loved lemon! He would always ask restaurant waitstaff for an entire bowl of lemon wedges for his drinking water, and if that menu offered any lemon desserts, that's the one he would choose. To commemorate what would have been his 76th … Continue reading Lemon Sour Cream Pie
Oven Roasted Buffalo Chicken Wings
Popular chicken wings restaurants are beloved for a reason; wings are good! But did you know how easy restaurant-quality chicken wings are to make at home in your oven? Whether you're making them for a game day, a movie night, or a delicious dinner, give them a try! You'll be surprised how easy these addicting … Continue reading Oven Roasted Buffalo Chicken Wings
Brown Butter Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Every good home cook needs an on-deck recipe for chocolate chip cookies, so I've been on a mission to find an especially memorable one to adapt as my own. Once I found these, I stopped looking. There are good cookies, and then there are incredible cookies. These are incredible cookies! There are three elements that … Continue reading Brown Butter Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Salami Roses
Looking for a clever, creative way to dress up a charcuterie board? Or perhaps you want to give your Valentine an extra special bouquet of flowers. It's surprisingly easy to create impressive looking roses using simple slices of salami! The secret tool? A wine glass or champagne flute! Which glass to use depends on the … Continue reading Salami Roses
Simple and Classic Roast Chicken
There are loads of variations you can make to roast chicken. You can make it as fancy as you want, but you don't have to. Sticking with the basics is still delicious, not to mention affordable. So if you ever need to make an impressive, tasty dinner on a tight budget, Simple and Classic Roast … Continue reading Simple and Classic Roast Chicken
Mainstay Kitchen & Home 