Easy Recipes That Taste Great

Soccer practice starts next week for our kids. That means busy weeks, rushed dinners, snacks at odd hours and make-shift meals. Sometimes, I just need something easy and nutritious to fix for my hungry family (and myself.) Do you ever reach that hectic, crisis kitchen point?

For those of you who know exactly what I mean, and those who don't but want to keep it nice and simple in the kitchen, here are some recipes to get you started. Slowly, add one new recipe each week to your meal plan. And gradually you'll expand your food horizons, while keeping things simple too!

Cashew Chicken

Ham & Cheese Strata

Easy Pork Chops

Egg Salad

Crockpot Sticky Chicken

Slow down, breathe deep and enjoy your food! Visit Alicia's Recipes for more simple recipes to try. Connect with us on Facebook to get more food inspiration, easy ideas and a fun foodie community!

Something Different For Easter Dinner

As we welcome spring, celebrate new growth and honor spiritual beliefs via the Easter holiday, its very common to host or attend some kind of Easter dinner or supper on Easter Sunday. What's your favorite Easter dinner dish?

Here are a few ideas for side dishes and/or main courses to change things up a bit from the traditional Easter ham. These are just to get you started thinking outside the box for Easter dinner - Enjoy!

Ham & Potato Casserole

Macaroni & Cheese Bake

Lemon & Garlic Chicken

Marinated Noodle Salad

Grandma's Fudge

However you celebrate Easter this year, try something new and tasty for Easter Dinner! Visit Alicia's Recipes for more dinner and side dish ideas or connect with us on Facebook to get more foodie inspiration!

East Coast Food Tour Part 2

We're now just one week out from the end of our food trip through all 50 states. Have you had fun perusing the recipes I dug up for each state? Hopefully, I managed to entertain you and teach you a little something about each state and all the delicious foods unique to each.

I have enjoyed researching the diverse foods, recipes and ethnic trends each state offers up to natives and visitors alike. I hope you are inspired to go on a real food trip of your own soon and visit a state with something delicious!


Pennsylvania - Best known for it's Philly cheese steaks, Pennsylvania also boasts some popular Dutch recipes too. Since I didn't have a recipe for cheese steak, I opted to share our Corned Beef.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Connecticut - I never expected to learn that Connecticut is best known for it's hamburgers. Here's our recipe for a Bacon Melt, which I think would be excellent with a beef patty tucked underneath all that ham!

Bacon Melt

Rhode Island - I am not exactly sure what Coffee Milk is, but that's what Rhode Island claims fame for. I'm guessing it's essentially half coffee and half milk. Here's our homemade Cappuccino Mix.

Cappuccino Mix

Massachusetts - Last this week but not least, Massachusetts revels in its Clam Chowder popularity. We've got clam chowder recipes on the site, but no pictures. Here's our Ham & Bean Soup to tempt you over!

Ham & Bean Soup

Enjoy these recipes and stay tuned for next week's final visit to Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine! Bet you can't guess what they are famous for?! Connect with us on Facebook to share your favorite state food, or visit Alicia's Recipes for more great recipe ideas!

Southern Comfort Foods

We are in the home stretch of our tour across the US, visiting each state to find out what foods they are most famous for. We've been from the Northwest and Southwest states all the way to the Gulf coast. As we travel up the Eastern sea board state by lovely state, we'll take a brief stop in each one to enjoy the food!

Wouldn't you know it? Kentucky is famous for its fried chicken, so I dug up the best and most simple recipe I could find just in case you want to enjoy some soon!

Real Simple Fried Chicken

Tennessee was a a little bit of a surprise with it's love of tomatoes but I thought you might enjoy something a little different featuring this funny fruit.

Tomato Soup Salad

In North Carolina they enjoy something called "dry barbecue." I'm not entirely sure if that's a type of preparation or cooking process, or if it refers to the ingredients. Either way, I figured our short ribs would get you in the mood for barbecue!

Baked BBQ Beef Short Ribs

In South Carolina, their favorite famous food is something called Benne Wafers (a crispy Sesame Seed Cookie). These breakfast cookies were the closest recipe I had on hand and I think they'll do the trick.

Breakfast Cookies

Last but not least, let's venture into Virginia and enjoy some ham, because those Virginians certainly do. I added our Honey & Brown Sugar Ham recipe to "ham up" your weekend menu.

Honey & Brown Sugar Ham

I hope you enjoyed this week's state by state food exploration. Connect with us on Facebook and share your favorite state and it's food or visit Alicia's Recipes to find more food ideas you will love!

Easter Dinner Ideas!

Buttermilk Rolls

With Easter just a few days away, have you thought about your menu?  We have some ideas to simplify Easter dinner preparations, whether you are entertaining a crowd or small group of friends.  All you have to do is decide on ham or...ham!

Marinated Noodle Salad

Not to be outdone by it's more popular sister dish Macaroni Salad, this Marinated Noodle Salad is a fresh take on a traditional notion that Easter dinner requires a side dish made with pasta!  (Who am I to argue with tradition?  I happen to love pasta salad in any form it takes.)  

Ham & Potato Casserole

Because we know you just can't ever have enough ham or potatoes for Easter dinner, we included a nice casserole in our menu list that covers both!  This casserole is no slouch - easy to make, easy to bake!

Coconut Upside Down Cake

And lest we forget an appealing dessert to finish off your Easter dinner, we give you our Coconut Upside Down Cake, which we are absolutely nutty about.  Bake one and you will see why!  You should have everything you need to create a fabulous Easter dinner!  Now go, and buy that ham!

We love feedback and photos so send us some!

Mardi Gras Madness!

Happy Mardi Gras Y'all!  Whether you plan to whoop it up next week on Tuesday, or prefer a more subdued celebration, I've put together some colorful dishes to help you pass the time!  Share them with a crowd or keep them to yourself.  Either way I think you will enjoy my "Fat Tuesday" contributions.

BLT Pasta Salad

It's colorful and has bacon and pasta in it!  What could be more enjoyable for lunch or a light dinner on Mardi Gras than a BLT Pasta Salad?  (Just don't use it as an excuse to party too hard!)

Chicken Cacciatore

According to my research, Jumbalaya and Gumbo are traditional Mardi Gras fair, but I am sure the Italians won't mind me serving up some cacciatore on Fat Tuesday just for a little fun!

Ham & Cheese Stuffed Potatoes

And if you are a down home American traditionalist foodie, you will appreciate this delicious carb concoction come Tuesday.  It's an all in one American grass-roots salute to Mardi Gras!  Yeehaw!

Enjoy!  We love feedback and photos!

Food In A Pan!

As January comes to a close, and in the spirit of economy, this week I have selected some tasty recipes to feature that: are simple to prepare, will fiscally feed your family, and satisfy even finicky taste buds.  Enjoy our food in a pan theme this week!

Beef And Noodle Casserole

There is something to be said for simple and homey, like this beef and noodle casserole.  It reminds me of my mom's cooking, and the scent of casseroles baking in her oven.  Casseroles are making a come back!

Boston Market Meatloaf

Yummy.  You can't say Boston Market and meatloaf in the same sentence and not smile.  If you haven't had their meatloaf, I highly recommend Boston Market.  It is worth every bite to go to a restaurant and actually order meatloaf off the menu.  Plus, now you can make it at home!

Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake

Another delicious dish that cooks up nice and easy in a pan, this cheesy ham and potato concoction will surprise and please your family at the dinner table this week.  Give it a try.  I am on a one woman mission to bring back the art of casseroles and food in a pan!

Enjoy!  Remember, we love feedback and photos!

Traditional Americana New Year's Dishes

Happy New Year (in a few days)!  I took the liberty of researching some traditional American New Year's recipes and came up with some pretty interesting information.  First, I learned that Ham & Pork are traditional New Year's dishes in several countries around the world and the USA.

Marinated Pork Loin Roast

Why pork, you may ask?  Apparently, wild boar was often hunted, killed, and eaten throughout the cold winter months, right around New Year's, in Europe (think England, Germany, Poland) and thus became the staple feast dish at New Year's.

Cider Orange Ham

Also, pork and ham are customary New Year's main courses because pigs apparently root or dig with their noses to the ground moving forward, a preferred metaphor for approaching the new year.  This also explains why chicken, and birds in general did not make the traditional New Year's recipe list or tables.  Chickens and turkeys scratch the ground with their feet in a backwards motion, supposedly not bringing good luck to the eater of said chicken.

Salmon Cakes

Which brings me to the last bit of research.  I discovered that fish (all kinds) are considered quite lucky in most cultures (think Japan, Asia, South Pacific Islands, etc) to eat at New Year's, as they represent all sorts of metaphors for moving forward, swimming upstream and any other fish metaphor you want to add.  In North America, eating Salmon, Cod, Herring and Halibut at New Year's is considered to bring you good luck for the next year and signifies prosperity.

Hopefully you have enjoyed your little history lesson about New Year's dishes and found a recipe tempting enough for you to try!  We enjoy feedback and sharing photo results of recipes.

Christmas Is Coming...

The Goose is getting fat...and probably so will we!  Here are some delightfully fattening recipes to get your holiday groove on with.  Feed them to your family, the neighbors, your co-workers, and anyone else you can think of!

Enjoy the season.  (Don't worry!  We can all start training for a marathon together, after January 1st!)

Buttermilk Lemon Cake

Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake

Cherry Peanut Butter Balls

Exciting Side Dishes!

Thanksgiving is officially just around the corner (next Thursday) and that means thawing the turkey, crafting a menu and pie design...just to name a few tasks at hand. You must also decide which side dishes to save and which to scrap in favor of something new. (Yes, use your family as guinea pigs!) Try one of these sides, they are sure to please the most discriminating palates.

Southwestern Macaroni

Slow Cooked Ham & Scalloped Potatoes

Onion Roasted Potatoes

Remember to post a picture of your results on our website.  We love to see what's for dinner at your home!

Baked Ham with Pepsi Cola Sauce

Today's recipe is...

Baked Ham with Pepsi Cola Sauce

12 oz. Pepsi Cola
1 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. mustard
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco sauce
1 mashed clove garlic

Mix together. 1/2 semi boneless or boneless ham, can also be used for canned ham. Ham scored and studded with cloves, bake in moderate oven 325 degrees for 1 hour. Baste with sauce. Baste with sauce very 15 minutes. When serving, use sauce over sliced ham.

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Baked Ham and Piquant Orange Sauce

Today's recipe is...

Baked Ham and Piquant Orange Sauce

5 lb. smoked ham
Whole cloves
Brown sugar
6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
6 oz. sliced onions
2 tbsp. water
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cubes instant beef bouillon
3 c. water
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 tsp. orange peel
2 tsp. mustard

Place ham on rack in roasting pan. Score ham with knife. Stud with cloves, sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake at 325 degrees 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Baste with orange juice. In non-stick skillet, heat onions, garlic, broth until slightly brown. Add water and tomato paste, cook until sauce is reduced 1/3. Stir in mustard and orange peel. Makes 12 servings.


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Ham Salad

Today's recipe is...

Ham Salad

3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. mustard
1/2 c. milk
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 can Spam or ham (diced)
1/2 c. diced celery
1/2 c. chopped pickles
2 cans shoe string potatoes

Blend mayonnaise, mustard, milk and Tabasco sauce. Add Spam, pickles and celery. Chill. Immediately before serving, add shoe string potatoes and mix just so they stick together. Serve on lettuce leaves.

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Baked Ham with Orange Raisin Sauce

Today's recipe is...

Baked Ham with Orange Raisin Sauce

1 ham
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. flour
2 lg. oranges (remove seeds)
2 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp. brown vinegar
3 tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. raisins
2 tbsp. butter

Bake your ham. The sauce for the ham is made by putting 2 cups of water in a saucepan, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of flour; stir constantly until mixture boils and becomes clear. Grate oranges and use the grated rinds along with orange juice; add to saucepan. Add butter, brown vinegar, cinnamon and raisins. Boil 20 minutes. This sauce should be put over thick sliced ham.


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Baked Ham With Golden Raisin Glaze

Today's recipe is a delicious version of baked ham, a traditional meal served during Easter in the United States.

Baked Ham With Golden Raisin Glaze

1 (10 lb.) ham
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. rum
1/2 c. apple jelly
1/2 c. orange juice
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. mustard

Bake ham according to the oven temperature and cooking time indicated on the label. While the ham bakes, prepare the glaze. In saucepan combine raisins, rum, apple jelly and orange juice. Cook until jelly melts. Mix together cornstarch, brown sugar, and dry mustard and blend into the rum mixture. Cook and stir over low heat until is thickened. Spoon glaze over top and sides of ham during the last 30 minutes in the oven. Serve warm. Serves 10 people.


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Ham And Bean Soup

Today's recipe is perfect for that leftover ham in the freezer.

Ham And Bean Soup

1 pound of white beans like Great Northern
2 quarts of water
2-3 pounds of ham shanks or leftover ham pieces, each shank cut into 2 or 3 sections
1 cup of diced onions
1 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, diced
Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup Fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans in at least 2 quarts of cold water for about 2 hrs. Drain the water. Put the ham shank pieces in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about an hour. Add the chopped vegetables and beans. Cook for another hour, until the vegetables are soft and the ham meat easily pulls away from the bone. Add 6 drops of Tabasco sauce and the parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 8.


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