The Great Pizza Smack Down!!

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My adult children- Holly (Tink), Dustin (TT) and me!

A few years ago, the Seattle area was a mediocre pizza town, dominated by Domino's and the like.  Fast-forward to the present and suddenly everybody’s a pizza critic and pizza is the subject of rapt attention and furious loyalties!

Southwest Salad with spicy Chipotle dressing

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This quick and easy vegetarian and vegan inspired "Southwest Salad" with black bean, corn and avocado, is also gluten free! Sometimes, we are just too busy and have no time to fire up the oven, you just feel like a salad for dinner...done! Today's recipe is just the ticket, it is tasty, healthy and easy to make. For an additional burst of protein, add a little quinoa or for the meat eater a few ounces of chicken. Perfect for a quick lunch or lazy dinner! I just love this dressing, it has just the right amount of kick!

Bigos - Hunter's Stew in a Slow Cooker!

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Bigos known as a hunter's stew, is a traditional meat stew, typical of Polish, Lithuanian, Belorussians and Ukrainian cuisine, and is the Polish National dish. I learned to make this in my cooking classes with Eva Kenly in February of 1994. I was taken by this dish the moment I tried it, and wrote on the recipe, "Excellent, must do", I have made this many times since. 

Butternut Squash Soup! Jean Georges Vongerichten

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Soups, stews, and chili's are on the minds of many as the fall cooking season rolls around. 

This Butternut Squash Soup is Jean George's recipe, that I was privileged to observe in a cooking demo, years ago. Ten plus years later, I went to the famous Jean George's in New York, (Trump Hotel Central Park, first floor) and had this very soup!! Ever since then, I’ve fallen in love with Jean George's Butternut Squash Soup. In fact as I write this, October is only half way, and I’ve already made it twice! The only recipe that I will ever use for the rest of my life belongs to Jean-Georges Vongerichten. And today, I will share it with you. It’s not a secret, actually. I’ve come across the recipe in a few places, including a demo that he did on Good Morning America in 1998! The first time that I made it, I was pleasantly surprised at the short ingredient list and simple preparation method. Is it possible that something so amazingly delicious could be this simple to make? The answer is, Yes! Everyone raves about this soup!

Fast and Easy Halloween Treats Part 2!

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Hot cocoa for the kiddo's on Halloween morning or when they come back from Trick or treating, to warm them up! 
Adapted from- Taste of Home

Here's looking at you! Halloween guests of all ages will get a kick out of this eerie “vision” staring back at them. It couldn't be easier to make!

Fast and Easy cookies and treat's for Halloween!

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 Halloween treats that offer no tricks, just treats! If you want to put together a fun Halloween party for the kids or even the adults. And you don’t want to spend a day and a half baking fancy treats. You might like some of the fun Halloween treat ideas, I’ve collected for you today.

These are so cute!  Lit­tle bun­dles of un-dead goodness!

Halloween Peppers stuffed with Butternut Squash Risotto

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My favorite season is Fall! And, October is one of my favorite months! There is just this feeling in the air, cooler in the evenings and lovely crisp mornings. The leaves are turning and pumpkin patches start to pop up which always puts a smile on my face. Fall foliage, warm woolly sweaters, crackling fireplaces...... Oh, who am I kidding. I live in Scottsdale, where today it's 84 degrees (no joke) and we are wearing flip flops, shorts and a sunglasses. But I digress. Let's talk about something important that happens in October, rain or shine. That's right..... Halloween! Suddenly toward mid October, witches, ghost's and scary goblins start popping up on the neighborhood houses.....so fun! I like to get busy in the kitchen with the bounty of Fall fruits and vegetables, so many ideas....so little time! Today I am offering a tasty and festive dish....