I love Indian food. It’s so deliciously warming and so different from the bland, midwestern diet I grew up on. I can thank my dear friend, Sarah, for introducing me to it. Over the years, she’s invited me along to to several church dinners, fundraisers, and outings to the short-lived a local Indian restaurant in […]
My Vegetarian Journey
Hi! I’m Melissa, a long-time vegetarian and a someday aspiring vegan. Vegetarianism has long been a part of my life and one of the things that put me in the “crunchy” category. My journey, however, has not been a straight shot. While I have a clear vision as to where I want to go, it’s […]
The Lazy Vegetarian’s Guide to Meal Planning
If you’re looking for easy meal ideas that don’t cost much and are simple crowd-pleasers, look no further! Here are several lazy vegetarian meal planning ideas.
Fast & Easy Family Friendly Party Menu
I love New Year’s Eve. It’s easily one of my favorite holidays; its celebration is short-lived, non-committal, requires zero travel, and celebratory beverages and staying up late are optional. The last few years my husband and I have started a new tradition with some friends: Deep Fried NYE. We find that it’s the perfect way […]
Funky Crunchy Mama’s Creamy Wild Rice Soup
If you’ve ever been up nort’, I’m guessing you’ve been introduced to a few local favorites: cheese curds — both squeaky and fried — a local Friday night fish fry (and hopefully the fish was a locally sourced walleye), and wild rice — probably in a soup, possibly in a pilaf, perhaps stuffed in mushrooms, […]
How to Use a Stalk of Celery
Celery. Does anyone really like celery? I’ve always kind of been on the fence as to whether I like it or not. Maybe it’s good or maybe it’s just necessary, but most of the time when I buy it, it sits in my refrigerator, unused, until it becomes so wilted that I finally just chuck […]
How to Keep Thanksgiving Simple
Man, oh man, can Thanksgiving be complicated! When my husband and I started dating, we’d pretty much split our day into three parts: his parents, my parents, and the bar. We’d eat too much at both sets of parents’, receive leftovers at both places, then dress up like truckers and digest with our friends from […]
Unexpectedly Spicy, Tangy Cranberry Sauce
I received this super delicious recipe for cranberry sauce from an old co-worker. I have no idea who she received it from, but it’s ah-may-zing and every year they’re a hit at our holiday gatherings. They’re quick to make, they freeze really well, and if you want exceptionally grateful guests, make enough to send some […]
Six Soup Making Tips and Tricks
I love making soup. I might even love making soup more than I love eating it. Savory, spicy, sweet and squashy, chunky or creamy, brothy or beany… it’s all so good! Over the years, I’ve heard a few people say that making soup is a lot of work. I wholeheartedly disagree; all you have to […]
Grandma Lori’s Midwestern Pasta Salad
I don’t know if you’ve ever seen an episode of How I Met Your Mother (none-the-less binged the entire show), but if you have, you’ll learn that Jason Segel’s character, Marshall Eriksen, is a midwestern boy from a stereotypical, oversized, Minnesota family. There’s an episode where Lily and Marshall return to St. Cloud and Marshall’s […]
