We recently had a substantial amount of local beef delivered to our home. One of my colleagues owns a beef ranch and I decided to try the product that so many often rave about. The delivery came with a selection of cuts including various roasts, steaks, and ground beef. As I looked at all of the individually wrapped beef packages, I was reminded of a recipe that I first spotted in a community cookbook that I’m fond of. It’s an ole’ time recipe for homemade beef salami and the ingredients are few and common. I substituted Lawry’s seasoning salt for the “tender quick salt” just because I didn’t have any on hand. The beef salami turned out just fine.
As the holiday weekend approaches, I thought this might be a fun recipe to try as I’m often assembling plates of appetizers when friends stop by and the kids open the fridge constantly looking for something to munch on.
I often visit a local discount bread store during my lunch hour. The outlet carries nearly expired items that I use for stuffing, meatloaf, and bread pudding recipes.
During my weekly shopping trips, I usually purchase a load of bananas for quick breakfasts and simple snacks. By the end of the week, the bright yellow and slightly green fruit has turned to more of a brown and yellow speckled mass of goodness. While some might pitch the ripe bananas in the trash, to me, these gorgeous specimens are best for baking. The sugar becomes more concentrated and the texture of the banana lends a moist property to scrumptious treats baked in the oven. I often toss the brown fruit into the freezer, skins and all, so that they become even more flavorful and delicious. Just pull the frozen bananas out of the freezer a bit before baking, peel the slightly thawed fruit, mash, and add to your favorite banana based recipes.
Making my way through the leftovers after a holiday meal is always a challenge. I hate to waste food so I try to be as creative as possible when reinventing leftovers to make tasty meals for the family. Yesterday I came across a plastic container containing a few cups of homemade cranberry sauce. I remembered a recipe that I had made years ago for a chunky cranberry quick bread that would use up the two cups of sauce that I had leftover. I searched my trusty kitchen file and found the recipe. With staple ingredients, this batter comes together rather quickly. A sprinkle of maple/cinnamon steel cup instant oats makes for a sweet crunchy topping. This is a great way to turn those holiday leftovers into a sweet treat the whole family will enjoy.
Over the years I’ve baked lots of tasty loaves for friends and co-workers to celebrate the holiday season. This week is no exception for I’ll be pulling out all of my favorite baking pans and an array of Christmas wrapping paper to start my traditional holiday bake. I usually make an assortment of flavorful loaves… a 
By popular demand, I am posting one of my all-time favorite snack mix recipes. It never fails, whenever I make this mix, I am always asked for the details of the recipe. During the holidays, I usually pack this lip-smackin’ snack into decorative jars to pass along as a homemade gift from the kitchen. Light, buttery, and full of that scrumptious honey flavor, this sweet treat is a winner. Make a big batch and keep a watchful eye as it cools on the kitchen counter. The mix has a tendency to disappear as the minutes tick by … Irresistible!
