We first enjoyed sweet potato muffins when we were in Colonial Williamsburg, where we stopped for a weekend before we headed to Hilton Head for a family vacation several years ago. We had a great time, except for how dang hot it was. I ended up buying a giant straw hat just to stop the sun from burning my face, shoulders and neck (even with sunscreen on). My husband bought a refillable mug and kept getting it reloaded with root beer to stay cool.

We love living history museums and this was a great one, except there was a LOT of walking, which is not so much fun with kids in the heat. We spent two days here and saw a witch trial, took a ghost tour, explored the governor’s palace and visited many working period shops in the “town” and petted some farm animals. My daughter declared that Patrick Henry was her hottie after passing him on the street where he was proclaiming “give me liberty or give me death.”. She came home with a tricorn hat to remember the experience.

We stayed at the Williamsburg Woodlands hotel in a nice little two room suite, which was like a lovely little Poconos-type resort with a game room, a mini golf course in the woods, and lots of green space. One night we dined at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern, a tavern George Washington often visited. This is where we had the muffins, and all of us enjoyed them immensely. After we came home, I hunted down a recipe and found it online somewhere (the tavern used to hand out the recipe to diners).  I do this a lot when we travel – enjoy something and come home to learn how to make it myself.

I have tweaked the recipe a bit over the years and it remains a family favorite, perfect for fall, and for Thanksgiving! Serve with honey butter.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 stick of butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes/yams (about one yam)

1/2 cup skim milk

optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray 12 regular size muffin tins with cooking spray (I use silicone tins). Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs, yam, and milk and mix completely. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and spices and mix until completely combined. If  using pecans, stir them in. Divide among muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Honey Butter

Mix 1 tablespoon honey with 4 tablespoons butter in a food processor. You can also use maple syrup instead of honey.

We first enjoyed sweet potato muffins when we were in Colonial Williamsburg, where we stopped for a weekend before we headed to Hilton Head for a family vacation several years ago. We had a great time, except for how dang hot it was. I ended up buying a giant straw hat just to stop the … Read more →

I only made one of these onions (in November Living, not online yet) because I knew I wouldn’t like it (I don’t like Italian sausage or fennel) and the kids wouldn’t eat it. I had hopes that Mr. MarthaAndMe might eat it, but he did not care for the onion. He thought the stuffing was good. I don’t quite understand the concept of eating an onion, even if it is stuffed. Maybe the rest of you liked it and we’re just weird? It wasn’t hard to make – just took some time. It was also pretty with the red color. Sassy Suppers chose this one, by the way.

I want to let everyone know we have a new member – Ashley at Lady Tailor. She will join in starting next week. Welcome Ashley!

I only made one of these onions (in November Living, not online yet) because I knew I wouldn’t like it (I don’t like Italian sausage or fennel) and the kids wouldn’t eat it. I had hopes that Mr. MarthaAndMe might eat it, but he did not care for the onion. He thought the stuffing was … Read more →

This fall dish would be perfect for Thanksgiving if you’re still looking for a side dish! It’s got lovely flavor from the apple and orange juice and the cinnamon warms it up. This is adapted from a recent recipe in Everyday Food Magazine.

I large parsnip, peeled and sliced thinly

1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced thinly

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp orange juice

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Salt and pepper to taste

pinch of onion powder

Place the parsnips and apples on the parchment. Sprinkle oil, orange juice and spices on top. Toss with your hands to combine. Fold the paper (see Technique page) and bake at 400 for 45 minutes.

This fall dish would be perfect for Thanksgiving if you’re still looking for a side dish! It’s got lovely flavor from the apple and orange juice and the cinnamon warms it up. This is adapted from a recent recipe in Everyday Food Magazine. I large parsnip, peeled and sliced thinly 1 apple, peeled, cored and … Read more →

I was making a really quick dinner recently but was just craving something that felt slow cooked. I came up with this moist, delicious chicken recipe that has a cider infused gravy. It was fantastic (yes, there was fighting over it at the table). Serve with some mashed or oven roasted potatoes (which will taste great with the gravy!).

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup cider

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tbsp butter

2 tsp Wondra

1/4 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400 and spray a small glass baking dish. Place the chicken breasts in it and pour cider over them. Sprinkle onion powder, rosemary, salt and pepper on chicken and dot with butter. Bake for 25 minutes until the breasts are cooked (165 degrees with a meat thermometer). Remove the breasts and heat the pan over a burner. Whisk in Wondra and broth until thick. Serve over chicken.

Super simple, but with a very complex flavor!

I was making a really quick dinner recently but was just craving something that felt slow cooked. I came up with this moist, delicious chicken recipe that has a cider infused gravy. It was fantastic (yes, there was fighting over it at the table). Serve with some mashed or oven roasted potatoes (which will taste … Read more →

My publisher is offering a 99 cent ebook filled with my parchment paper recipes for Thanksgiving. Imagine cooking Thanksgiving and having no pots and pans to wash afterwards! It’s available only through Nov. 19.

My publisher is offering a 99 cent ebook filled with my parchment paper recipes for Thanksgiving. Imagine cooking Thanksgiving and having no pots and pans to wash afterwards! It’s available only through Nov. 19.  

I used halibut in this dish, but any firm white fleshed fish will work. The parsley I used came from my bunch of parsley root, which I blogged about on my other food blog.

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

2 6-ounce halibut fillets

1/2 bunch parsley

1/8 small onion

1/4 cup light sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

8 baby carrots

2 tablespoons skim milk

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

Preheat oven to 400. Cut a 25 inch piece of parchment and place the rice in the center, roughly the size of the two pieces of fish. Top with fish. Place all the other ingredients in a small food processor and process until pureed (or you can chop the parsley, onion, and carrots and mix other ingredients with them). Pour the sauce over the fish. Fold the parchment (see Technique page of this site) and bake for 20 minutes.

The parsley gives this dish an amazing vibrant and slightly spicy flavor. It’s tastes so fresh and alive that it will wake you up!

I used halibut in this dish, but any firm white fleshed fish will work. The parsley I used came from my bunch of parsley root, which I blogged about on my other food blog. 1 1/2 cups cooked rice 2 6-ounce halibut fillets 1/2 bunch parsley 1/8 small onion 1/4 cup light sour cream 1 … Read more →

I love cooking with pumpkin. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin muffins are in my fall and winter rotation. Sunday mornings are when we have our “big breakfasts” at my house – pancakes, waffles, or French toast with bacon and/or sausage. It’s infinitely complicated because some people need their bacon practically raw, while others prefer it very, very well done. Mr. MarthaAndMe always has bacon duty and it is a toss up if it will burn – we buy organic uncured bacon which somehow goes from raw to black in the microwave in an instant. Don’t get me started on the sausage either. We have to make two kinds – those frozen little ones and fresh apple maple chicken sausages – to please everyone.

Pancakes aren’t always a slamdunk. Plain goes over well, as do my oatmeal pancakes. Mr. MarthaAndMe and I like blueberry pancakes and I adore buckwheat pancakes, but the kids won’t touch them. I would never in a million years eat chocolate chip pancakes but the kids love them. So, you can see that breakfast isn’t a simple task.

This past Sunday I decided to put together some pumpkin pancakes, thinking that everyone would eat them since the kids love anything with pumpkin. Silly me. Dude Martha complained that he liked pumpkin, just not in his pancakes, and would not try them. 3 out of 4 of us did eat it and loved it.

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (from a can)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ginger

pinch nutmeg

Mix and cook on a griddle or in large pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Try to spread the batter out when you pour it. If the pancakes are very thick, they take much longer to cook through. Makes 10-12 pancakes. Serve with maple syrup.

I love cooking with pumpkin. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin muffins are in my fall and winter rotation. Sunday mornings are when we have our “big breakfasts” at my house – pancakes, waffles, or French toast with bacon and/or sausage. It’s infinitely complicated because some people need their bacon practically raw, while … Read more →

Rapini is also called broccoli rabe.  I love trying new and different veggies, so I was excited to give this a try. In this recipe, I’ve made it into a meal by including tuna and beans. Grate some Parmesan cheese over this if you like.

Half bunch of rapini

1 can tuna in water, undrained

7.5 ounce can of chickpeas, drained

3 sundried tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons chicken broth

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cut about a 40 inch piece of parchment paper (if you want to use a standard size piece -see Technique page on this blog- then you need to cut the rapini in half before placing on the parchment). Place the rapini on the parchment. Pour tuna and water over the rapini. Add the beans and tomatoes. Sprinkle minced garlic on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle olive oil on top. Mix chicken broth and cornstarch and pour on top. Fold the parchment (see Technique page) and bake for 20 minutes, or until rapini is tender. Serves 4.

This recipe feels very hearty and is great with some Italian bread.

Rapini is also called broccoli rabe.  I love trying new and different veggies, so I was excited to give this a try. In this recipe, I’ve made it into a meal by including tuna and beans. Grate some Parmesan cheese over this if you like. Half bunch of rapini 1 can tuna in water, undrained … Read more →

There was a recipe for stuffed acorn squash in October Everyday Food. I was interested, but didn’t like the stuffing, so I decided to make my own.

1 acorn squash

2 ounces pancetta

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

1/4 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper

2 cups of packed kale leaves

2 slices whole wheat bread, torn into 1 inch pieces

2 tablespoons cream

1 tablespoon chicken broth

1/4 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Cut the squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for an hour and 15 minutes, until the squash is soft.

Cook the pancetta. Remove it, leaving the drippings. Cook onion over medium high heat until soft and translucent (about 3-4 minutes). Add thyme, salt and pepper. Stir in kale, reduce heat to medium and cover for about 3 minutes, until kale is softened. Stir in bread, cream, broth, pancetta, and cheese and stir until combined. Stuff into squash and bake at 400 for 10 minutes until slightly browned on top.

I really liked this. I like acorn squash to begin with, but this added color and flavor to it in a big way. You don’t even realize it has kale in this (good if you have kids). The pancetta and cheese add a lot of nice flavor to it. Definitely something worth making!

There was a recipe for stuffed acorn squash in October Everyday Food. I was interested, but didn’t like the stuffing, so I decided to make my own. 1 acorn squash 2 ounces pancetta 1/2 cup diced sweet onion 1/4 teaspoon thyme salt and pepper 2 cups of packed kale leaves 2 slices whole wheat bread, … Read more →

Here’s a great little salmon dish that has lots of veggies and lots of flavor. And it’s incredibly easy to make in parchment!

1 salmon fillet (about 6 ounces)

1/2 cup cooked or frozen broccoli

1/2 cup frozen artichoke heart quarters, thawed

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons ranch dressing

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 pinches Old Bay Seasoning

Place the salmon on the parchment and top with the broccoli and artichoke hearts. Mix other ingredients in a small bowl, then pour over salmon and vegetables. Fold the parchment (See Technique page on this blog) and bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on thickness of your salmon) at 400.

Here’s a great little salmon dish that has lots of veggies and lots of flavor. And it’s incredibly easy to make in parchment! 1 salmon fillet (about 6 ounces) 1/2 cup cooked or frozen broccoli 1/2 cup frozen artichoke heart quarters, thawed 1/4 cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoons ranch dressing salt and pepper 1 teaspoon … Read more →