I swear by peppermint essential oil - rub a few drops on your belly and also sniff  0n a cloth. I am NOT AT ALL an “essential oil person” if you know what I mean. But that technique always works for me. It’s weird. 

I use ancho and guajillo peppers (about half and half). When I’m making chile sauce I just make a big batch and freeze. Then you’re ready for chili or enchilada sauce or other sauces for meals. It doesn’t take much more time than a small batch. In any case, I make the chile sauce in advance. Not the day of. My sauce…

Ina Garten consistently delivers. Just basic good food. I, of course, watch youtubers frequently when I’m menu planning or dealing with an ingredient. I don’t normally follow the recipes exactly - but consider them a jumping off point! Very helpful. I guess the one dish I got from Ina is a baked shrimp and orzo with…

We have lots of affordable, delicous options in our coastal city - but in our case (and before) we questioned the value/quality of eating out. This has mainly shut down any desire for “fine dining,” which we weren’t into before anyway. Restaurant meals are for either a) convience or b) social occasion.

I haven’t found that to be true. But we don’t eat meat (we do eat seafood) and I do some shopping at our local International markets. I haven’t even noticed much difference in produce. Seafood is higher, but not horribly so. The main thing I’ve noticed - empty shelves for certain items I used to buy regularly.

They each have their place.

Back when I ate meat, I loved the McDLT! Cool side cool - hot side hot. Yeah...those big foam containers. Seems like they could do it again with just cardboard containers. 

Our aniversary is on Feb 15, so every year my husband buys me an armful of half price bouquets! I’m not a lover of sweets so he just dives into the clearance rack looking for something he likes.

I know. It’s sad that the dairy industry got ahold of the USDA in this way, especially since alternative milks have more calcium than dairy milk. Lower in protein though, but that doesn’t really matter when a good number of children don’t actually drink the milk - it goes straight into the trash. Honestly, the whole…

Sounds great!

Buttermilk also lasts a REALLY long time in the fridge - far beyond the use by date. It’s good for dressings, cornbread, quick breads/muffins, buttermilk French Toast, buttermilk pie, as the “wet” in any dredge, for soaking fish (with Crystal hot sauce) before frying...I’ve even made buttermilk soap. 

When I’m making Southern-style green beans, I cook the green beans with tomatoes for quite a long time, until they are soft. I also cook them other more chefy ways...but the overcooked green beans are part of my heritage!)

Have you been to a school cafeteria recently? I think some of the middle schools and high schools might have more options, but in elementary school it’s bare bones and barely edible, mostly pre-packaged and highly processed. It’s nothing I would eat or serve to anyone. 

I wish schools would start offering alternative milks. As a volunteer, I’ve seen a number of lactose intolerant children (many African American) lined up against the wall waiting for a worker to bring them cups of almond milk. Plus, fewer and fewer children are drinking dairy milk. My kids never really drank it. It…

We all do the best we can. There’s nothing wrong with going back and forth or deciding to add certain foods back. Life is hard! Babies are awesome...and difficult. My husband eats meat sometimes when he’s not in our home. It’s fine! I think it’s about balance and trying to make healthy choices when that’s possible. A…

I hope you’ll continue to try plants. Some are more palatable for picky eaters than others and for many it’s a texture thing. But plants are good for you and if prepared well, they are delicious. Sometimes it just takes multiple exposures to new foods for you to learn to like them. (My husband now adores avocados and…

I know right?! It’s the stupid-easy most delicious recipe ever! 3 ingredients. Someone described it as “grown up mac and cheese” and I think they’re right.

When did vegan replace vegetarian as the goal? It seems all the focus is on vegan - which is definitely more difficult and expensive to maintain than an ovo lacto vegetarian diet.

Y’all. It is and always will be - BLT dip. A pound of bacon, fried up and chopped, mayonnaise and sour cream (about half and half), diced green onions, lemon zest (trust me). Topped with diced tomatoes, finely minced white onions and shredded lettuce. Don’t think about adding cheese. Muddies the flavors - sometimes…

Just reading the headline, I was going to say Stephen Colbert too! Maybe Nancy Pelosi then. Just so I could get a grip on WTF is in the minds of the Democratic Party and the opposition.