Chipolte Mashed Yams This is SOOO easy and tasty! No need for added sugars, the yams are sweet enough all by themselves. The chipolte sauce gives this dish a little zip and makes it extra special. Ingredients: Yams 1 tablespoon butter for every yam (plus) 1 teaspoon chipolte sauce for every yam Salt Method: 1) Peel the [...]

I know what you’re thinking, ”Nonna Joann NEVER posts recipes with sugar.” So, what’s this? Okay, we all eat sugar from time to time. My message is that it should be seldom and on purpose. You can’t make fudge without sugar, now can you? This is my dad’s recipe. I’ve never tasted anything as good as this and [...]

This refreshing dessert is a colorful and tasty way to avoid artifically colored and flavored holiday dessert. It’s delicious, simple and is made in advance, which is a plus when you’re preparing a multi-course holiday meal for a crowd. Fabulous Frozen Fluff Serves a dozen (small servings). May be served in foil cupcake liners or pretty dessert [...]

Sweet & Sour Beef Cabbage Soup This is quick and a hearty soup/stew. It’s perfect for autumn afternoons. Top it off with some crusty whole grain bread and you have a complete meal. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound lean (90 percent or leaner) ground beef 1½ teaspoons caraway seeds 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 chopped bell [...]

Kids don’t like cabbage? Even picky eaters love this tasty side dish. It’s so easy to make, you’ll want to involve your kids in the preparation. This deceptively bland looking dish’s apple sweetness will win over your picky eater. Serve it in a colorful dish and garnish with apple slices. Because this recipe serves 6 to 8 [...]

Tomato Cucumber Salad ¼ red onion thinly sliced 2 tomatoes cut into wedges 1 cucumber halved and sliced ¼ cup (about half of a 6 ounce can) pitted ripe olives drained 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon) ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon dry mustard ¼ teaspoon garlic powder [...]

This salad is enough for a crowd and it’s versatile. Last time I made Rainbow Salad, I didn’t have red cabbage and it was wonderful anyway. You can take it along on a picnic or to share at a family reunion. You’ll want to store it in a cooler to keep bacteria at bay and when [...]

Banana-Orange Yogies You’ll Need: 1¾ cup yogurt (If you don’t want a tangy flavor use whole milk) 2 peeled bananas (frozen bananas may be used) ¾ cup frozen orange concentrate ¼ cup honey (babies under 12 months should not eat honey, substitute agave nectar or other sweetener) Method: Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend [...]

Have you every tried to peel an egg, only to end up with bits and pieces of the shell stuck to the egg? Do your hardboiled eggs end up dimpled? This was always a problem for me, especially when boiling eggs for deviled eggs. Dimpled eggs aren’t pretty. I learned a trick that makes hardboiled eggs [...]

Mild-Mannered Oats A Super Food Oats have super powers to lower cholesterol: because of soluble fiber. The soluble fiber acts as broom to sweep out cholesterol from the blood. One and half cups of cooked oatmeal provides enough beta-gluten to significantly lower blood cholesterol and heart attack risk. Instant oatmeal is loaded with sugars and [...]