Honey Glazed Ham

I'm pretty sure at least half of the homes across the nation were serving some sort of ham this past Sunday.  Why?  Because it was Easter Sunday, and well, that's what you serve on Easter, right? And how difficult is ham?  I mean honestly, you put in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes per p…

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Homemade Swedish Meatballs

Every once in a while my husband gets a "hankerin'" for something and asks me to make it.  It doesn't happen very often, but when it does I'm usually happy to comply.  Recently he was craving Swedish Meatballs.  Of course I smiled and said "Sure, I can do that", but…

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Perfect Pasta e Fagioli

Well, it looks like we are about to have another huge winter storm come through the Mid Ohio Valley.  And though I have had my fill of winter already, I have decided to take it all in stride!  So when life gives you the possibility of 10 inches of snow, make Pasta e Fagioli!  Yes, this Italian st…

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Dirty Rice

Sometimes I feel like the humble side dish gets a bad wrap.  You know what I mean.  So many times we just throw something on the plate to compliment an amazing entree, but what if it could be more?  What if a side dish was so flavorful, so filling, yet amazingly simple, that I dare say it could be…

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Roasted Truffle & Parmesan Fingerling Potatoes

Yesterday I mentioned that chicken is America's go-to protein, and if chicken is our go-to protein, then potatoes are our go-to side dish. I love potatoes.  I really do.  I like them mashed, boiled, fried, baked, roasted, you name it, I love it.  But sometimes potatoes can get a little monoto…

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Lemon Pepper Chicken

Where would the American home cook be without chicken?  Whole chicken, fryer chicken, skinless chicken, boneless skinless.  I would be willing to say that 4 out of the 7 nights a week you will find chicken on the table.  That's why I am ALWAYS on the lookout for quick, simple, but flavorful ch…

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Stuffed Shells

The weather in our area has been crazy.  One day it will be sub-zero temperatures, with tons of snow and ice, and the next day it will be 60 degrees and sunny.  No wonder half of the Mid-Ohio Valley is down with the flu.  I have been lucky enough to escape the flu bug, but I HAVE been battling a n…

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The World's Best Chocolate Fudge Recipe

So here we are, the 13th of February, and it is the last post of my Choc-o-Palooza.  It has been a rough week, but I have pressed through, for you, my precious, precious readers. Oh who are we kidding!  It has been a great week!  An ENTIRE week of CHOCOLATE!  No one in this house has been complai…

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The Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake. I'm pretty sure I could stop right there and those two words would say it all, but this For the Love of Chocolate Cake , oh my, it is taking things to a whole other level.  I first experienced this cake at a church dinner many years ago.  The lady who brought it told me how to …

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Studhub's No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

This week I have decided to change it up a little on the blog. Since it is the week before Valentine's Day, I am going to focus my kitchen energies on all things chocolate!  This came about when Studhubs (aka my husband John) asked me if he could play in the kitchen on Saturday.  I said "…

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Poor Man's Vegetable Beef Soup

What a wild and crazy weekend! I don't even remember what I did Friday, but I DO know that Saturday was emotional to say the least.  If you follow me in Facebook , you know that my husband and I got our first smoker recently.  To christen our smoker we decided to smoke a Boston butt or pork shou…

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Oven Baked Sweet and Spicy Asian Hot Wings

It's Friday, and this Sunday is the BIGGEST game of the NFL football season, the Super Bowl!  And when I say Super Bowl I KNOW the first thing that comes to your mind is WINGS!  Oh man, who doesn't love a good chicken wing?  However, when you are planning a party, you don't want to be s…

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Crockpot Lemon Chicken

So as you know, a couple of weeks ago, I took a winter trip to Virginia Beach. If you follow me on Facebook , you will also know that I literally spent an entire day going to posh kitchen supply and grocery stores.  While you are perusing around these establishments, you can bet your bottom dollar t…

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Nachos Supreme Recipe

Okay, it's been a busy week.  You've had work, errands, housework, the kids had a thousand places to be.  You barely had time to make dinner.  However, here you are, Super Bowl Sunday and YOU HAVE NO SNACKS!!!  What are you going to do!?!  You HAVE to have snacks for the big game!  Don…

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French Onion Soup

Recently my husband has been traveling a lot.  This means that there have been many weekends where my mother-in-love and I are home alone.  So to keep myself occupied, and to test out some recipes, I have been entertaining friends.  I love getting together with my girlfriends.  You can guarantee t…

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Grilled Chicken Kebabs

If you wouldn't mind, I am going to whine for a moment.  I LOVE fall, but ever since autumn has come to the valley we have had nothing but NON-STOP RAIN! For days and days on end it has literally poured.  Just when I was about to just curl up in my bed, not to emerge until spring, we FINALLY h…

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Baked Steak

I know that I usually do a meatless Monday dish, but I have to be honest with you about something. As the colder temperatures start setting in, I crave heavy, stick-to-your-ribs, food.  You know what I'm talking about.  The kind of food that not only warms the body, but warms the soul as well.�…

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Creamy Potato Soup

September has come and ready or not, Autumn is well on its way! This weekend our temperatures have not gone above 70 degrees, the air has been crisp, and there has even been the occasional rain storm.  It is on days like this that I love to curl up in my big comfy chair with my puppies and a pipi…

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Baked Three Cheese Penne Pasta

I love the culture of my state.   In West Virginia, we are not southerners, we are not Yankees, we are just good ol' fashioned country people.  What does that mean?  Well, for example, recently some friends of ours moved into a new home.  There was a lot to be done, and not a lot of time to …

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Beer Battered Curly Fries

I have the sweetest husband in the world! One thing that I love about him is his unwavering support of my kitchen dreams. Recently I was watching the Food Network and one of the FN Stars used a curly fry cutter on their show!  I was instantly obsessed with wanting one, and did all but beg for it. …

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