NorCal Happenings

So I am now a dressing snob.  I like the Brianna's brand A LOT.  Lots of success so far with both the Blush Wine Vinegairette and now...

I found this recipe years ago and only this weekend finally got around to trying it.  Very easy and very good, and I think you could add to ...

This is from my teacher friend, when I asked her why some cookies are super flat.  Yummy, but flat. :-) Okay, so there could be a couple o...

These are an attempt at the thumbprints that they make at the SoCal chain, Bristol Farms .  They are definitely better from there, but these...

Ever wonder what it sounds like to get cussed out by a baby? Check this out! (For the record, I am a good mom and picked her up after the vi...

To convert: One 6 oz. can of tomato paste to tomato sauce, add one cup (8 oz.) of water, then use the amount you need and freeze the rest!...

Hereis a short list of wines that I like, that are also easy on the budget: Concannon Chardonnay, Grocery Store, Under $10 Barefoot Chard...

This is adapted from a Pampered Chef recipe.  I made it last week and it went over well, and it was super-easy to do with ground turkey that...

My wonderful neighbor made a batch of this granola, and I don't think I will buy pre-made granola ever again.  This is so easy and so de...

These are super easy to make and usually we have the ingredients on hand.  If you have an unexpected guest sleep over, you can whip these up...

In my former meat-eating days, I was NEVER a meat loaf person.  But I made this and it was REALLY really good, pretty easy and very satisfyi...

This is a cool little tool that my sister sent me.  It is called " Dinner in 15 Minutes Flat " and you choose your main meal compo...

OK, I am going to have a new baby in a couple of weeks and I need to have a list of things to make that require no thawing or planning ahead...

This morning Christopher and I went to the Silliman Swim Center in Newark. It was about half an hour from San Ramon, off of the same exit as...

This is another easy slow cooker recipe. Serves great with chips or a green salad or corn on the cob. It is also perfect for a party, becaus...

This is one of the very easiest recipes ever and still very tasty, sort of like a donut hole bite but better. And did I mention it is easy? ...

So my friend made me some "going away" cupcakes before my last day of student teaching, and she used Chocolate Fudge cake mix for...

This is a great recipe to use up leftover shredded chicken or beef. You can also fill the enchiladas with cheese or canned chicken if you re...

This is such a basic recipe, but SO good to have on a cold weekend night. The trick seems to be in two things: browning the meat first, and ...

We made these at school a few weeks ago and they were SO good, especially after cooling for a day or two. You can garnish with chocolate chi...

These are the ways that I know to cook tilapia . I buy the bag of frozen tilapia loins from Costco and thaw for a few hours (or overnight)...

OK, this bread was amazing. It is fairly involved, I had to get out the food processor and had three bowls going at the same time. I spilled...

So I made this today, for Superbowl Sunday, and I lost count of how many bowls I have had. It is very healthy and very tasty, so a good comb...

Still Tasty This website has a ton of information about how long food will keep- everything from ketchup to produce. It also tells you the ...

I don't think that I will ever buy brownie mix again, these are so good and so easy! I still love the Caramel Toffee Brownies from this ...

This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies, and they are really moist and tasty, and any time I can sneak a "vegetable" into a baked good,...

These are really good as a breakfast side dish. To be honest, they are good later in the day too. I have a rosemary plant in my backyard t...

Garlic and Dill Salmon salmon chopped garlic or garlic powder dill weed lemon wedge or juice My Vietnamese friend turned me on to th...

Dijon Salmon salmon dijon mustard (I like Grey Poupon) bread crumbs olive oil spray Spread salmon with a layer of Dijon Mustard. I u...

Just made these tonight for the first time and they were amazing! We will definitely need to have salad tomorrow night to make up for it, b...

I made this once and modified the original recipe so much that I am going to call it my own. This reheats really well and is a tasty and fi...

My sister turned me on to this recipe, and I haven't made it in far too long. Serve it with a crusty bread and some fresh grated parmes...

This is one that Jason and I actually made up on our own. It is really easy to customize each calzone for whatever each person likes. For t...

A friend of mine made these and they are different. I wouldn't want them all the time, but every now and again they hit the spot. Molas...

This is a recipe from a sample I had at Williams Sonoma. This recipe is specific to their pumpkin pecan butter, although I would imagine th...

These are also some of my favorites. They present really well and they are even better after you let them cool or the next day, if they las...

These are some of my favorites. I like my cookies extra moist and chewy, so I always pull them out before they look ready and let them fini...

This recipe came from Jason's mom and they are so good. One time we made a huge batch of these and set them on the floor in our living ...

No cookbook is complete without this recipe included. I actually prefer Grandma Squire's recipe to this one lately, although it is made...

This is really good and easy, and is a perfect and light summer time dessert.  You can do two or three layers, depending on your mood.  E...

This is a long time favorite and goes over really well at picnics. You have to remember to make it ahead of time- that is the only proble...

A friend made this one time for us and it was really good. It is so easy to make and these days, I sneak a box of chopped spinach in it and...

This is a recipe from Everyday Italian (Giada) on the Food Network. Can I just say that she is pretty enough to be a model? And don't y...

Here are a few things that I know how to do with Brie. The picture is of the Baked Brie. Brown Sugar Brie This is really good and really...

We just got home today from our trip to Disneyland! We went on Monday and had a fabulous time. It was Christopher's first visit and I th...

These are ranked in order of delicious-ness. They are recipes directly from Jason's Grandma Squires, who is one of the best candy maker...

This is a fun way to jazz up spaghetti and is made with ingredients that you probably already have on hand. When I make this for me and Jas...

Chocolate Covered Peanuts Plenty of Melting Chocolate* Peanuts (or almost anything else) Melt the chocolate in the microwave, usually for a...

Taco meat and crescent rolls- what's not to like? I have never made the cool bell pepper filled with salsa but I think it would present...

This is pretty advanced. It is easy enough to make and it really does taste good- not the same but good. But I know Jason wouldn't touc...

These are pretty good, and they freeze well too. Apple Muffins Ingredients 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ...