We live in a four season area! So that means I not only cook what’s in season but I also cook a little differently in summer, fall, winter and spring. Now that winter is in full swing here I’m apt to cook more roasts and stews and soups. Warm hearty and comforting foods are my favorites in the winter. And my family loves them too! If you cook one thing this week why don’t you try Sunday’s pot roast? It’s a keeper!…
The best of the best diy's
ON THE MENU DEC 31
Happy New Year’s Eve! Please stay safe and have fun ringing in the New Year! Here at StoneGable we are having a cozy party of family and a fun game night. Oh, I have so much fun playing games with my competitive family! My sister will be cooking New Year’s dinner at StoneGable. Lisa is a chef and has owned her own catering business. Every meal at her home is restaurant quality. So since my left leg is in a cast she is helping out! Thanks, Lisa! Now, let’s see what’s on the menu this week……
BEST RECIPES OF 2016
Now that 2016 is almost behind us I’ve compiled all the StoneGable recipes of 2016 in one virtual cookbook. This cookbook is filled with kitchen-tested, StoneGable approved dishes that are not only delicious ( I say that so often when I talk about my recipes… not bragging, just truth!) but are quite easy to make too. I only post my very favorite and most successful recipes on my blog so you are getting the best of the best from my kitchen!Make sure to add this post to your Pinterest board so you have all these recipes when you need them.……
A MINI COOKBOOK OF WINTER SOUPS
Soup is a perfect meal for a cold winter day! We are huge soup eaters, here at StoneGable! I keep a stash of several soups in my freezer all year round but they taste especially scrumptious in the winter! How wonderful to have a ready made meal on hand when you don’t feel like cooking! I’ve picked 6 of my most hearty, meal-in-a-bowl soups and put them together in a mini cookbook just for you!…
ON THE MENU DECEMBER 18, 2016… and FESSING UP!
It’s Christmas week! The most beautiful week of all the year! I hope you soak up and drink in every minute! On a personal note, I have something to tell you that I have been hiding for awhile. Have you noticed that I’ve been missing a bit this week? Well, time to fess up. I’ve been walking around on a fractured ankle (in a boot) for a few months. Unfortunately, it was near a very arthritic area of my ankle/foot and got so bad I had surgery on Tuesday. A pin and a plate later and 5 days in the……
HOLIDAY BEEF BRISKET
Our Christmas dinner is usually easy to make. After a huge fancy brunch, lots of gift giving, nibbling on cheese trays and hors-d’oeuvres, eating our weights in cookies and time with family the last thing I want to do is make a complicated meal. So I have several easy company worthy dinners up my fur-cuffed sleeves to quickly and almost effortless put a gorgeous Christmas dinner on the table! One of my favorite main courses is Holiday Beef Brisket. It’s a make-ahead-in-the-slow-cooker meal. What could be easier! I’ll show you how I make it!…
ON THE MENU DECEMBER 11TH
Christmas is so thick in the air here at StoneGable I swear I am breathing in tinsel! This year decorating my home has been a process and not a race. A little every day. And I’ve really enjoyed taking my time decorating each room! Today I’m putting the finishing touches on my foyer. Bringing in holly clippings from our big holly tree. Make sure you stop by on Monday to see my Christmas Foyer! You can see a peak of my foyer below. But now let’s see what’s On The Menu……
NANI SAUTÉED RICE
I feel like I am giving you a very special gift today! This recipe has been in my family for generations. My Nani (grandmother) made it in her kitchen and so did my mom. I make it often and I’m passing this recipe down to my daughter and daughter-in-law! But I suspect that this recipe didn’t begin with Nani. It has the distinct ingredients that tell me it is part of my Hungarian roots! This may seem like “rice” to you, but just wait until you make it! This is a scrumptious side dish that will become a family favorite! So……
ON THE MENU DEC 4TH
I feel like I should start this post with, “HO HO HO”! It’s Christmas land here at StoneGable! The halls are decorated and lots of gifts are wrapped. And this week I’ll be making cookies. I don’t make as many as I used to, but I make our very favorites. Gingerbread men, Russian Tea Balls, The Best Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Rugelach Cookies! YUM! All this talk about cookies is making me hungry. So let’s see what’s ON THE MENU!…
OH, CHRISTMAS TREE CHEESE BOARD
The Christmas Tree Cheese Board is the perfect appetizer or compliment to any meal for the Christmas season! It looks like a Christmas tree but is much tastier! Made of assorted cheeses and grapes, this fun tree is not only pretty to look at but will feed a crowd! Are you entertaining this Christmas? Then you should think about making an Oh, Christmas Tree cheeseboard! Your guest will be delighted! I’ll show you how……
CHRISTMAS PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
Christmas is the perfect time to make hot chocolate. But not just any hot chocolate… peppermint hot chocolate! It’s a great way to put all those candy canes to good use! I think of hot chocolate as a liquid dessert. It’s a special treat so you want to to be worth it. It should be scrumptious and leave you very satisfied! The Christmas season is the best time to serve this velvety drink along with a couple cookies! This hot chocolate is especially easy to make because your slow cooker does all the work! Let’s make Christmas Peppermint Hot……
ON THE MENU WEEK OF NOVEMBER 27TH
I don’t like when people ask me, “Are you ready for Christmas”? Too much pressure! I will be… eventually. I’m not one to decorate, buy gifts, wrap them, etc as items I need to check off a to-do list. Yes, they need to get done but I am more of an enjoy-the-process girl! I love turning up the Christmas music and reveling in all the once a year things I’m doing! So when someone asks me if I am READY I say… YES, my heart is so ready!…
ON THE MENU WEEK OF NOV 19, 2016
Are you planning for Thanksgiving? I sure am! Actually, I’ve been planning for a couple weeks now. I’m cooking a 20 plus pound turkey to feed a crowd! I’m one of those rare people that LOVES to make a Thanksgiving turkey! Besides the turkey, I’ll make the stuffing and the gravy and the pumpkin pies, but I’ll have lots of help with the rest of the food from my extended family! I can’t wait until we are all together! I’m also planning other meals because we will be together the entire weekend. One day take-out and other meals that can……
BEAUTIFUL AND SCRUMPTIOUS PEAR TART
I love pears! Did you know they are part of the rose family? Yes, that’s right! And no wonder. I describe a fabulous pear as “perfumy” and “luscious”. There is something sensual about a pear. They look like little works of edible art and if they are ripened just perfectly they taste even better than they look. Today I’m sharing a beautiful and scrumptious pear tart! Even if you are not a baker (and I’m not) you should try your hand at this dessert. It is amazing! Every home cook should have one outstanding masterpiece-of-a-dessert in their repertoire!…
DELICIOUS ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
I love soup! We are big soup eaters, here at StoneGable. I found this original recipe on a Weight Watcher’s site. It looked wonderful. And is zero smart points! Oh yum! But I am not one to give up flavor for a couple points. So I added a little of this and roasted a tad of that and the difference was A-MAZING! It’s no longer zero calories, but it’s very very very lo cal and so so delicious! Even if you don’t like squash, you will want to give this a try! Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is that good!…
TORTELLINI WITH SAUSAGE AND PUMPKIN PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE
Print this recipe because it is a KEEPER! Cheese Tortellini With Sausage And Pumpkin Parmesan Cream Sauce takes about 30 minutes to make so it’s perfect for a weeknight but it’s also so so company worthy. It has one of my very favorite ingredients in it… pumpkin! And when it is used as a savory vegetable and mixed with nutty Parmesan cheese and silky cream it makes the most scrumptious sauce to bathe cheese tortellini and sausage in! I’m having company here at StoneGable this coming weekend and this recipe is on the menu!…
APPLE PIE CROISSANT BITES
I love crispy, flaky even crunchy desserts. And I love pie! I’ve found a recipe that combines layers of buttery flakiness with apple pie goodness. Who wouldn’t love that combination? And even better, this recipe is made with a scant 5 ingredients and only takes 10 to 12 minutes to bake! Have I tempted you? Okay, let’s make Apple Pie Croissant Bites!…
THE BEST GINGERSNAP COOKIES YOU WILL EVER EAT!
Gingersnap cookie remind me of fall. YUM! The are filled with rich, pungent flavors of ginger and molasses and have a slightly sweet snappy bite! They are the perfect cookie to dunk because they can stand up to things like milk and tea and coffee and mulled cider. Yes, you can buy a box of them but they won’t have the complexity of these smashingly delicious, make-your-mouth-say-thank-you cookies. Let’s make the best gingersnap cookies you will ever eat!…
FRESH AND DELICIOUS BAJA FISH TACOS
OH YUM! Fish tacos! Today I have a super fresh, super easy meal on a grilled tortilla! These fish tacos are Baja-style. The fish is dipped in a light batter and fried until golden brown. It’s the crispy, crunchy bite of flaky white fish paired with all the fresh goodness of avocados, Napa cabbage and other fresh picked veggies that make Baja fish taco extra scrumptious! This is a keeper recipe that will become a favorite. Fresh and delicious Baja fish tacos can be easily made on a weeknight and are company worthy too! This is one recipe to try!…
SCRUMPTIOUS SUMMER RHUBARB GALETTE
I have such a scrumptious recipe for you! It’s summery and sweet and tart and crumbly and it’s easy to make too! The best way to describe a galette is an easy, rustic, peasant pie. You don’t need a pie pan and the pastry dough serves as a bowl to contain the luscious fruit filling. YUM! Fill a galette with seasonal summer fruits and you will have a crowd pleasing dessert all summer long! This is a keeper recipe, for sure!…
THE STONEGABLE COOKBOOK OF MUST-MAKE SCRUMPTIOUS SUMMER SALADS
Summer is in full swing, here at StoneGable and so is summer eating. The garden is full of ready-to-be-picked lettuces and cucumbers and tomatoes are not far behind. Over the years, I have posted my very favorite summery salad recipes. These are the best of the best! I’m so excited to share them with you in one place. Here are my must-make, scrumptious summer salad recipes just for you!…
SCRUMPTIOUS MAYONNAISE CRUSTED BAKED SALMON AND A LEMON DILL SAUCE
Don’t we all love a perfectly cooked piece of salmon? Light, delicious, moist and flaky! I have an easy way to bake salmon so it will come out of the oven scrumptious and it will not smell up the house! Salmon should not be dry or cooked until it screams, “I give up”! Many of us just don’t have a good technique to cook this pretty colored, good-for-us fish that works every single time! The secret to luscious salmon is to slow bake it! Here, I’ll show you how!…
PERFECTLY ROASTED ASPARAGUS
It’s almost asparagus time here at StoneGable! Even though our asparagus has not peeked it’s little head out of the ground yet, there are plenty of scrumptious spears at our local grocer’s! YUMMY! There are so so many wonderful ways to make asparagus. But the simplest and most delicious way to make it is to roast all those darling spears in the oven! Oh, once you have had roasted asparagus you will literally crave it! I sure do! Let’s make simply perfect roasted asparagus!…
SCRUMPTIOUS EASTER RECIPES… A MINI SPRING COOKBOOK AND MORE!
Are you getting ready for Easter? I sure am! Our house this year is going to be filled with family! I’m so excited to have my children and their spouses home! We usually have a big Easter brunch right after church, but this year I’m also planning a big family dinner! How about you? Are you hosting Easter dinner this year? Here are some scrumptious Easter recipes that are sure to please any family or crowd! Make sure to check out all the posts at the bottom of this page to help you get ready for Easter! Lots and lots……
EASTER DINNER CHECK LIST and LOTS OF INSPIRATION!
We love to celebrate holidays and seasons and big events here at StoneGable! What could be better than celebrating the resurrection of our Savior? Easter is a favorite time for our family and friends to gather! How blessed we are to worship together, be surprised by an Easter Basket and share Easter dinner! I’m starting early to plan an Easter Dinner so I’m not stressed or hurried at the last minute. Here’s an easy to do, work ahead checklist to make Easter day all about family and fun!…
THE BEST COLESLAW YOU WILL EVER EAT!
I think coleslaw has been given a very bad wrap! Most of us don’t make it ourselves so we settle for a limp, wimpy, tasteless, overly sweet, mayonnaise-y mess! In reality coleslaw can be absolutely scrumptious! Crunchy, creamy, filled with subtle flavors and a bit of a sweet and tangy balance. Coleslaw is SEXY! And so so easy to make. Reintroduce yourself to the best coleslaw you will ever eat!…
SUPER EASY FASNACHTS BALLS
Tuesday is FASNACHT DAY!!!!! Do you know what a Fasnacht is? The word is pronounced (faus’-nots). If you live in Lancaster County Pennsylvania you not only know what a fasnacht is but you look forward to this day! A fasnact is a fried donut. And eating one is a once a year tradition here is bucolic Lancaster County! Most people in my area buy fasnacts from local grocer’s or churches who still make them in my area. This year in celebration of Fasnacht Day I’m sharing a super easy, cheater’s fasnacts made with pizza dough. I hope you will make……
6 SWEET VALENTINE’S DAY TREATS
My favorite thing about Valentines Day besides being with Bobby is eating one scrumptious sweet treat! Yummy! No guilt, no sweet-eater’s-remorse! Just pure delight! Last year I had the most perfect piece of chocolate cake with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream. This year I’ll be cooking for my Valentine (I don’t like going to restaurants on major holidays) and making dessert too! How about you? If you don’t have a special dessert in mind, you might like to check out these 6 amazing desserts that would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!…
STARBUCKS INSPIRED LEMON LOAF CAKE
OH MY YUM! This loaf cake is heavenly! Moist, dense, tangy and perfectly lemony. A great little cake to have on hand for family. And it’s company worthy too! If Starbuck’s Lemon Loaf is one of your favorites you might want to try this scrumptious loaf and see how it stand up to the original. I bet you will agree that it is even better and can be made at home! I’m not much of a baker unless the recipe is almost no-fail and easy and luscious! This recipe fills those requirements and gets an A+ from me. Let’s make……
MINI COOKBOOK OF SCRUMPTIOUS WINTER RECIPES
THE SNOW IS COMING!!!!! It’s forecasted that we could get 2 feet of the wonderful, white fluffy stuff. I love love love snow! I thought I was prepared for the blizzard but some of my family are coming to StoneGable to “hunker down” (a Lancaster colloquialism) and wait out the storm! I love that we have the fun, go-to house! So I’ll be cooking and enjoying lots of company for a few days. And I couldn’t be happier! I pulled out my blog recipes to decide what warm and cozy recipes to make and thought you might like a some……
