Puff pastry Tomato tartlets

I am in love with these cute little tartlets! Today I made these for the second time this week. These are the simplest, quickest (relatively!), and most delicious little treats I have ever made. The reason they are so easy to make is the ready made puff pastry crust.

Creamy beef curry

Lately I have been really craving Asian food or more specifically Indian inspired flavors. But it has just been too hot and humid to cook something hot and spicy. Yesterday, however, we had a slight cool down and I finally had a chance to try this recipe that's been sitting on my desk for a while, just taunting me with its potential deliciousness.

Orzo salad with Vegetables and Herbs

This will be the last posting from our 4th of July menu. This Salad became an instant summer favorite when I first made it just about 15 years ago. My husband can't get enough of this stuff! It is full of summers best veggies and I got to use some of my beautiful mint that is growing right outside my kitchen.

Potato and pea salad with Chive Aioli

Of all the hundreds of potato salad recipes out there, this is by far the most unique and delicious tasting one that I have ever found. The potatoes are actually the star of this dish and they are not swimming in mayo! 

Marinated chicken drumsticks

This was our 4th of July lunch meal, consisting of marinated chicken legs (we call them drumsticks), potato salad and Orzo salad (recipes still to come), plus water melon. It wouldn't be a real Midwestern BQ without corn on the cob, so we had that available too.

Raspberry blueberry trifle (red white and blue)

Happy Birthday America! The big 4th of July week end is winding down. Thousands of pic-nicks and family barbecues are coming to and end. Now we are all waiting for the fireworks to round out the evening. In our case this means going across the street and watching our neighbor's private little fireworks show. Earlier today we hosted a small family gathering at our house doing the traditional bq theme. We served up a bunch of grilled chicken drumsticks (recipe to come), which are always a hit.

Pomarola spaghetti

Sometimes the most simple of dishes made with only a few fresh ingredients can be some of the most wonderful meals I ever make. This is the case for this recipe, an authentic Italian Pomarola sauce, made from only three basic ingredients, tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Pistachios

I  served this salad alongside my skillet potatoes. The kids and I all love pistachios. My little one (Nora, age 4 1/2) can sit for long periods shelling and eating these delicious nuts, so I named her my assistant and had her shell the nuts I needed for this salad. She really enjoyed that!

Skillet potatoes

The other night I put together this little cute meal. It is fairly light, so make this on a day when you don't feel like eating a huge dinner. This would be an excellent lunch as well and the potatoes could even be for breakfast, in lieu of hash browns. They would definitely be a great side dish with steak too.

Rhubarb and Roasted Strawberry soup with cinnamon

This year I have had somewhat of a love affair with rhubarb. I just can't get enough of it. I have always liked it but never actually cooked with it before. There are so many different ways to use rhubarb see my raspberry rhubarb buckle for one, but I have also tried it in pancakes, in drinks, and in yogurt parfaits. But the most delicious dish so far this summer was this Rhubarb and Roasted Strawberry Soup.

Chicken, Green Beans, corn and Farro Salad with Goat cheese

Where is summer? Certainly not here in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This is such a lovely salad perfect for a warm sunny day, eating outside. Unfortunately the day I had decided to make this turned out to be a gray, cool and rainy one. Oh well, I loved this salad anyway! I have become a big fan of using hearty and tasty grains such as farro or quinoa in salads (see also my Wheatberry salad ). They just add such a nice texture and flavor and makes it more filling and satisfying than a regular leafy salad.

Grilled Cheese and Fried Egg sandwiches

This is not your average Grilled cheese sandwich! It is hands down the best one I have ever had! I haven't made anything really extraordinary lately (therefor the absence of postings last week), but I am really excited to share this recipe idea with you.

Fresh raspberry bars with goat cheese

These bars sounded so good I just had to give them a try. Bars are something I got introduced to when I moved to the US. It is a peculiar thing. It is not really a cookie, and not a cake, but a crust made in a sheet pan layered with goodness and cut into individual squares or bars that are easy to eat by hand.

Easy brownie shortcake dessert

For my birthday I was going back and forth weather to buy a cake from a local bakery or make my own.  I had wanted to make this yummy looking cake for a while and decided it was pretty easy and quick to put together. The cake layers were made with brownie mix from a box, the filling from ready made cool whip and then it was just a matter of piling on the fresh berries. Couldn't be easier!

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Oh Boy, this has been a fabulous but busy week with little time for cooking and family dinners. The end of the school year is always a busy time with field trips and art exhibits and pic-nicks etc. The week started on a high note on Sunday with the completion of my first ever 5 mile (8km) running race. I did better than expected and it was so much fun to be a part of. Monday we had a pot-luck get-together and this was the perfect opportunity to make a treat I have have been eyeing for a while, Fresh Raspberry Bars with Goat Cheese (recipe to come).

I spent part of the day on a field trip with my daugthers 4th grade class on a steam boat on the Mississippi river. That was actually quite comfortable. But with no airconditioning in our house, it was brutally hot, not fit for man or beast, and certainly not for cooking. Wednesday we had the end of the year pic-nic at my daughters school. Food was provided there and we inhaled some burgers and hot dogs while following our kids around and socializing with other parents. Fun, but hectic. My two older kids didn't join us for all these events and I barely saw them this week. By Thursday the weather was back to normal and I could finally make a family meal and we could sit down and have a calm relaxing dinner (my oldest still missing from the table!). I had a recipe for Beef enchiladas I have wanted to try for a while and since it was a relatively cool day I decided to go for it. The outcome was delicious! The beef was fall-apart tender and infused with flavor. Everyone, even my 4-year-old liked this. Since it happened to be my birthday I made myself a delicious birthday cake, Brownie layers with Sour Cream Filling and Fresh Berries (recipe to come).

So there you have it. Life is crazy busy sometimes. But it felt good to take a breather and connect again around the dinner table.

Note! Cooks Illustrated used a top blade steak for these. I used a slightly different chuck steak. I think any chuck steak will work. Just cut it into smaller steaks for faster cooking. I also did not end up with enough sauce (evaporation),  so I just added a little extra tomato sauce.

Shredded beef enchiladas

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sugar

Table salt

1 1/2 lbs chuck steak

1 tablespoon grape seed oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or

mild cheddar cheese

1/3 cup copped fresh cilantro leaves

1 small can green chilies

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Combine garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pat meat dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook meat until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate. Reduce heat to medium, add onions to pot, and cook until golden, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Return meat and juices to pot, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until meat is fall-apart-tender, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Strain beef mixture over a medium bowl, breaking meat into small pieces; reserve sauce. Transfer meat to bowl and mix with 1 cup cheese, cilantro and chillies.

With oven rack in middle position heat oven to 35 degrees. Spread 1/3 cup sauce on bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish (or use 2 smaller dishes). Microwave 6 tortillas on plate on high power until soft, about 1 minute. Spread 1/3 cup beef mixture down center of each tortilla, roll tortillas tightly, and set in baking dish seam side down.

Repeat with remaining tortillas and beef. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and spread to coat evenly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and wrap with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is golden, 5-10 minutes more.

Serve with shredded iceberg lettuce and sour cream (which I unfortunately didn't have. I used it all for the dessert!)

Serves 6

Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated, Make ahead recipes, 2011

Honey coconut oatmeal with Raspberries

There is nothing that starts your day off right like a nice bowl of homemade oatmeal. I am always happy when my kids ask me for oatmeal in the morning. Then I know they are off to school with full bellies of food that will actually sustain them throughout their morning. I cringe sometimes when I look at the sugary cereal they eat, and I try to hold back on buying them. They complain when I buy less sugary or supposedly healthier varieties. Personally I can't think of anything worse to eat in the morning than a bowl of Cocoa Puffs or Fruit Loops -Yikes!

Blackberry Margaritas

This version of the traditional Mexican drink looked really tantalizing. I am always drawn to color and this deep red had me at the first glance. And how can you go wrong with Blackberries right? I just new these had to be good, and let me tell you they were delicious!

Baked black beans

This dish is really versatile. In addition to being the perfect side for any kind of fajita or tacos, it would be a great appetizer served with chips.

Grilled chicken fajitas with peppers and onions

This is my favorite Fajita recipe. It is from my trusted New Basics Cookbook. Many years ago some friends made these and I was hooked! It has become a favorite summer meal. They do take a little bit of time and planning ahead of dinner time, but the result is incredibly moist and great tasting chicken and vegetables.

Roasted Pork Loin with black-bean and sweet potato salad

This is a wonderful family meal that I made recently. The pork roast came out really nice and moist, but the star of this meal was definitely the black-bean and sweet-potato side salad. I really like sweet potatoes but for whatever reason I don't use them much. I thought this Mexican inspired recipe looked really interesting. I love it when familiar ingredients are used in a new and different way (knew to me anyway!).  And I have to say I have good instincts.

Raspberry-Rhubarb buckle with almonds

Rhubarb, Rhubarb everywhere! In spring one of the first plants to make an appearance in peoples gardens here in the Midwest is Rhubarb. A plant with long deep red stalks and big leaves. Only the stalks are edible, in fact the leaves are quite poisonous (to learn more go to http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/botanical). Every cooking magazine this time of year has a section on Rhubarb and its uses, which are plentiful: soups, salads, jams, sauces and not to forget the classic Rhubarb pie!

Tomato and kale strata

This is another recipe from the May/June issue of Eating Well Magazine. I just recently discovered this publication and it may be my new favorite cooking magazine. This issue is full of wonderful and healthy recipes. There are still a few more I want to try in here. I am always looking for tasty vegetarian dishes and this meatless strata looked amazing.

Sesame chicken cucumber noodle salad

This morning I woke up with a really sore back from spending all day yesterday outside in my garden, digging and planting. But, I went for a run and now I am back to normal (I love that running does that!) We really have been cheated of any spring this year, but finally we had a decent day perfect for gardening. Our local farmers market opened up just a couple of weeks ago and I was so excited to finally go and by fresh, from local farmers. But, due to the cold spring weather we have had the growing season is lagging several weeks behind normal and there was only a few stands open, mainly with flowers. My four-year old daughter loves to go for the Kettle popcorn and those guys were there too, so she got a huge bag to take home and share with her siblings.

Roasted broccolini with shallots

This is broccolini! It looks like baby broccoli but really is its own species. A hybrid between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, which is a more leafy vegetable similar to Kale. It is more sweet and mellow in taste than regular broccoli.

Flank steak with creamy two-cheese potatoes au gratin

I usually talk a lot about what my kids like and what their favorites are, but this meal is one of my personal favorites. When I can't think of anything new and exciting to make I go back to this delicious and simple meal. I have mentioned it before, that flank steak is one of my favorite meats. It is always juicy and tender and flavorful even with only a sprinkling of salt and pepper. I love to broil it which gives me perfect results every time. About 8 minutes on each side is all it takes to reach medium rare for a 1 1/2 pound steak.

Chocolate Heath bar ice cream cake

This is the Chocolate Heath bar ice cream cake I made for my son's 16th birthday this past week. I know a couple of people who are eagerly awaiting this recipe, so I am posting it ahead of my intended schedule. This cake was a huge hit at my house! Everyone, including myself, were so surprised that you can make your own ice cream and cake that tastes even better than Dairy Queen's! This cake is a take on another Norwegian treat that you are very likely to find at any celebration. It is traditionally called Daim cake, which is the name of the crunchy toffee chocolate used in making it. If you have an Ikea store close by you can purchase it there, if not the Heath bar is an almost exact match.

Potato and butternut squash gratin with corn and ham

A very busy and eventful week end is over and now it is time to relax! I worked my butt off last week to get ready for the annual neighborhood garage sale. We really cleaned out a lot of stuff this time. It is just mind -boggling how much stuff we accumulate over a few years. The last few strays of baby equipment had to go, along with other odds and ends I have clung to for sentimental reasons. Despite a mediocre forecast we had a splendid day and lots of bargain hunters. We sold 90 percent of our things. Pretty good! The leftovers were taken to Goodwill and some things just had to find their way into the trash because they were not going back in the house. What a relief it is to get rid of excess stuff.

Double-decker Baked Quesedillas

These are the quesadillas I served alongside the tortilla soup. Two layers of cheese make them extra delicious. These are a favorite with my kids.They are so easy to "whip" up for a snack or light lunch. I used Monterey Jack cheese in the second layer for half of them for my little ones, and the Pepper Jack, which is spicier, for us older ones.


Double-decker Baked Quesadillas
9 (6-8-inch) flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheddar

3 scallions, chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese
Sour cream and cilantro, for garnish




Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush one side of 3 tortillas with oil and place them, oil side down, on a large cookie sheet. Mix the cheddar with the scallions and divide between the tortillas evenly. Top with another tortilla and top each of those with equal amounts of pepper Jack cheese. Set the last tortilla on top and brush the tops with oil. Bake the quesadillas for 10 minutes, then cool for a few minutes to set. Cut each into 4 wedges.

Serves 6 well


Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray,  Book of 10, 2009

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Throughout this past winter one of my favorite foods to eat for lunch was Tortilla soup. A couple of my local grocery stores made it fresh and hot to go, and I would get a cup just about every week. Hot soup season is slooowly winding down, but since it has been so rainy and blustery around here lately, I thought this was an opportunity to make my own Tortilla soup.

Asiago-crusted pork chops

Doesn't this look like the perfect weeknight dinner? I thinks so. I have made these pork chops a few times now and I just love them, and since I finally purchased a non-stick skillet they now come out beautifully golden and crusty, m-m-m!

Heart shaped chocolate ganache cake

As I am writing this I am getting increasingly excited to see the BIG wedding tomorrow. My 13-year-old daughter and I have decided to get up before the crack of dawn to see history in the making. It is also my 17th wedding anniversary on the 29th, so it is a special day for me regardless of Royal weddings. I hope William and Kate's journey through life together turns out as wonderful as Robert's and mine has been, and continuous to be. Best wishes to them and many more for us too!

Wheat berry salad with apples, walnuts, dried cranberries and Gouda

As I walked to my computer to write this post, I caught a glimpse of my 4-year-old daughter dancing and singing along to the Doodlebpops. I had never heard of these guys until we found this DVD at our local library. They are three rock star/clown-looking people, singing and dancing some pretty catchy tunes. My 13- year- old thinks they are sooooo creepy looking, but my little one is completely captivated. It will be hard to bring this DVD back to the library, but I wouldn't mind a break from the same tunes over and over and over. Now, on to today's recipe which captivated me. A Wheat berry salad with some of my favorite ingredients: nuts, cheese, fruit, red onion -yum! And that is exactly what I said when I took the first bite. This salad is fantastic! I love everything about it, the flavors, the texture and the fact that it is so healthy.

Chicken and rice casserole with squash

Another Easter is over and once again the Easter bunny was very generous with his (or her) sweet gifts. I think my kids must have consumed 5 lbs of bad chocolate and other candy's made from ingredients a human should never ingest. It just makes me cringe! Well, a new week is ahead and I am looking forward to celebrating my 17th wedding anniversary to my wonderful Robert on April 29. Oh, isn't there something else happening that day? A royal wedding or something? Notice the sarcasm in my ignorance? I actually think it is kind of fun that we will from now on share our anniversary with Prince William and Kate. I will have to get up at 4 in the morning to see it all live, so I haven't quite committed to that yet. I am sure there will be plenty of replays, though live is always best. I am also thinking about new dinners to make for my family, but today I want to share a recipe that I made at the end of last week; Chicken and Rice casserole with squash.

Kids favorite dessert, Strawberry-banana pudding

I find it very interesting that my most popular postings are mostly treats and desserts (just saying!). Nothing finishes off a good meal like something sweet. Oh, and did you know stressed spelled backwards is desserts? Just thought I would  share that amusing little factoid.

Whole Wheat Garlic Herb And Cheese Bread

There are several reasons I am excited to share this bread recipe with you. You see, it is from the first cookbook I ever owned. It is in Norwegian by a beloved Norwegian chef named Ingrid Espelid Hovig, titled Everything You Need To Know To Make Good Food, Bake Good Cakes And Good Bread. She was the first TV chef in Norway, when we only had one state channel that came on after 5 o'clock in the evening (we are talking mid-seventies to mid-eighties here). Ingrid is sort of like the Norwegian Julia Child, although she wasn't quite as funny as Julia (I am actually not sure if Ingrid has passed away?). Anyhow, I have this tattered cookbook that has been my companion since I moved away from home. Most classic Norwegian recipes are in here.

Beef stroganoff

Jack Frost came back for a last blast (hopefully!) this weekend, shattering our enthusiasm for warmer days spent outside. While I am looking forward to all the spring and summer dishes I will be making soon, I went back to an old family classic yesterday, the always tasty beef stroganoff.

Zucchini Fritters

When we had our Twice baked potato dinner recently, I decided to fry up a little sidekick. I saw these in Cooks Illustrated Magazine, and was very curious. They contain two of my favorites, Zucchini, and Feta cheese. How can you go wrong with that?

Caesar Salad with homemade oregano -parmesan croutons

The Caesar salad is the most common salad here in the US. Every restaurant has their own version of one. It

is a very basic salad consisting of Romaine lettuce and croutons, and topped with a variety of Caesar dressings, Parmesan cheese and cracked pepper. Some recipes have Anchoves in the salad or chopped up in the dressing, for a strong fishy taste, but I leave this out. I like a plain non-fishy Caesar salad. When Ingrid requested Caesar salad with the Twice-baked potatoes, I decided I would make my own croutons.

Twice-baked potatoes

Before the weekend my second youngest daughter Ingrid (age 9) came to me with a dinner request: She wanted me to make twice-baked potatoes and Caesar salad  ( Recipe to come). I thought that was a great idea! I just love it when my kids tell me what to make. Then I know they will actually eat it, and I don't have to try to come up with something, which is a constant challenge.

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with pecans

Spring has finally sprung here in Saint Paul, Minnesota! I spent the weekend doing some spring cleaning and putting away all our winter clothing and gear. The sleds have now given way to bikes and scooters and sidewalk chalk. Ahh- at last! Another sure sign of spring is my dependable chive plant in the back garden, which every year is the first greenery to make its appearance. It smells wonderful! It will grow into a tall beautiful bush by mid summer. I already had some on my cream cheese bagel for lunch today, and I will surely put it to good use in the months ahead.

Rustic fruit salad with walnuts

As promised this is the recipe for my rustic fruit salad. I looked up the definition of rustic and a few adjectives describing something rustic are: unsophisticated, lacking refinement, elegance and polish. That pretty much sums it up! This salad is very simple, made with very simple everyday fruits and nuts. But man, it is so good!

Make-your- own sandwich buffet



When you cook for a relatively large family every day of the week like I do, you have to be creative. I don't always feel like cooking up a storm, but I still want us to have a nice meal together. Last nights dinner is a great example. I had a busy day and since it was our first real spring day, I didn't feel like spending all afternoon in my kitchen (I also had just cleaned it up so nicely, and I just wanted to savour the cleanliness for just a little while.). So, I decided on something simple that required very little preparation, a make-your-own-sandwich buffet.

Vegetarian night, baked Ziti

Nothing says  family meal like Baked Ziti. But when you think of vegetarian food, it is probably not the first dish that comes to mind. I tend to think of vegetarian as some obscure vegetable dish with tofu in it! When I first introduced my family to the idea of having at least one vegetarian meal a week, my son put his head down and cried: " I am going to die!". Well, it has been several weeks now and he is still with us, happy and healthy (he really is a great teenager!). But I do try to make dishes that are familiar and tasty and don't suffer much from the exclusion of the meaty ingredient.