Confession: I do love Christmas candy. Yesterday and today found me cooking it. Today I spent the morning at my friend Cynthia’s house, learning the ropes of a teach-me-in-person kind of recipe that’s been in her husband’s family for generations. It’s a sweet, creamy stick with tri-colored layers: fresh coconut candy! That one you’ll have to […]
Confession: There are a couple of must-have treats at the Zooks’ house come December. One is party mix. We love the salty crunch, the variable ingredients, and the touch of sweet. We like making a ginormous batch, perfect to share and enjoy all season. Observe: 1 box Cheerios 1 box Corn Chex 1 box Rice
Confession: Sometimes I wonder if lunch exchanges are a mistake. Each year on the day before Thanksgiving, my son’s school exchanges lunches within the classroom. This year, my preschooler also swapped with a friend. Talk about excitement running high! The Kentucky Derby doesn’t hold a candle. The most beautiful part is watching each childish participant forgetting
Glory and golden raisins Read More »
Confession: I have way more cookbooks than I need. What can I say? I have gotten rid of many, and still have 15 of them. There are those I use frequently, the old standbys–and there are those I hardly look at. Several from dear friends. Multiple church cookbooks, special for regional flavor. Some with beautiful
Tis the season to be cooking… Read More »
Confession: We Zooks are not exactly what you would call squash-eaters. Winter-squash-eaters, that is. I like summer squash. I like the idea of winter squash, so I cook it now and then. But the reality I find something of a let-down—the claustrophobic cottony texture, like a mouthful of fur and mush. I’ve had half a
Practical squash 101 Read More »
Confession: I am a fan of oven-processing. Oven-processing is an alternative to canning, in which jars are placed in a hot oven instead of in a water bath. The internet is full of loud voices in opposition to this practice. It is fraught with danger and the USDA has not approved it since 1943. And truly,
To can or not to can Read More »
I accidentally published tomorrow’s post while editing it today. Shari retires to the couch in horror, appalled at having inconvenienced her readers with two emails (no! no!! what twist of demon fates is this? three emails!) in one day. Ryan insists that she get over it. One large day of silence coming right up. ***** Confession: In
Herb & sausage stromboli Read More »
Confession: I hate wasting food, and though I do occasionally throw it away, I have also been known to put it to extremely—er, unorthodox use. I just discovered a neat use for leftover hotdog buns. And it’s not even weird. Slice the buns in half and arrange open-faced on a baking sheet. Brush with melted
Look at this: Ahhh. Fall is the perfect time for salads. This one has apple chunks, craisins, and sugared walnuts over fresh spinach leaves. And an extra ingredient—well, what do you know? A note! Yes. My brother Josh is everything that is excellent and amiable. Among all his outstanding virtues, he has this fault—he cannot
You have a little drool there on your keyboard. Still thinking about that spiced cider from yesterday, huh? Alright, here’s the recipe. It’s getting that time of year, and the leftover mulled oranges are heavenly. My friends and I eat them off the rind, while they’re warm and soaked with goodness. Slow Cooker Cider 2