Before I announce the winner of the cookbook giveaway, I am excited to report that the Culinary Cellar is on the move again! Many of you know that my basement library is an ongoing project. I have thousands of cookbooks and not enough shelves, but one more was added this weekend! My sister-in-law’s husband, Larry, is […]
French Shortbread to “Break and Share”
Have you ever seen shortbread this large? Neither have I, and also have never tasted shortbread so good. What you see here is the delightful result of a 100-year-old recipe using only a few ingredients: wheat flour, lots of butter, sugar, fresh eggs, and sea salt; simple and natural ingredients without any preservatives or colorings. In the past, […]
The Kindness of Strangers
Sometimes the nice parts of life come out of nowhere. I had that kind of weekend. After a Saturday morning of running errands most of the day, I came home to find an email that made me smile. It seems a book publisher I know had a friend who was selling some cookbooks, and take a […]
The Real “Power Ball” Winner
Feeling sad that you didn’t win the $600 million in the lottery? No worries! I have a delicious “Power Ball” to make you feel better. These delectable little bites of goodness have all kinds of healthy ingredients. Toasted oatmeal, three kinds of seeds, nuts, organic almond butter, honey, maple syrup, dried fruits, and a hint of cinnamon. […]
Sweet Stories- and a Giveaway!
Did you know that Duncan Hines cake mixes are named after an actual person, while Betty Crocker was simply the figment of someone’s imagination in the marketing department at General Mills? Boston Cream Pie is not a pie at all, but a cake? Whoopie Pies are not pies, but cookies? An Anzac biscuit is not a […]
Memorial Day in my Hometown
This post is in honor and memory of two brave and very special men: William Keys William Madole Libertyville town square This is our hometown cemetery with its own memorial to honor those from Libertyville who fought in wars dating back to the Revolutionary War. Bill Madole, who is honored on this post, spearheaded the drive […]
Retro Recipe Week, Day Three
Blueberry “Boy Bait.” How’s that for a recipe title? I think only in 1954 could one get away with a name like that. The recipe won $2,000 at the 5th Pillsbury Bake-Off by a teen-age girl from Chicago, who said she made it often for her friends, assuming at least one was a boy she […]
Retro Recipe Week, Day Two
It’s retro recipe week! Check out the blog from yesterday for the 1950’s porcupine meatballs, one of my husband Bill’s favorites. Besides anything with meat, his next choice would be a cookie. Bill is the original cookie monster. In the family recipe box where I found the meatball recipe was an old-fashioned oatmeal cookie using lard, which I like […]
