Green Chili-the other Condiment

Let's continue with the Mexican food theme. Growing up in Colorado having Mexican food at least once a week was a must. We went to Pobre Pancho's in Ft. Collins, Colorado, which sadly is no longer there. I still dream about the paco machos. The paco macho was a cheese enchilada inside a bean burrito smothered. Now when I'm in Colorado, we go to Maria's in Grand Junction, and I get the amazing stuffed sopapilla smothered.

Smothered, what does that mean? It’s green or red chili ladled on top. It's the ketchup to French fries, it's the gravy to Thanksgiving dinner. It means if you have Mexican food for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, green chili (in my case) is present. When I moved to Boston, I was shocked to realize they didn't know what green chili was. UGH! So I set out to come up with my own recipe. After combining a recipe from a great Colorado cookbook and a restaurant in Denver called Sam's #3, and adapting it for my vegetarian daughter, I think I got it. Here's what I came up with. Again, adapt it to your liking, make it your own. My recipes, as always, are mere suggestions.

So take this wonderful condiment and:

  • Top a burrito

  • Make pozole soup by adding hominy to it

  • Dunk your chips or taquitos in it

  • Make huevos rancheros

I guess what I'm trying to say is squeeze it, ladle it, dunk it, or just eat it with a spoon!

Side note: If in Colorado, go to Maria's Mexican Cafe in Grand Junction, Sam's #3 and Brewery Bar in Denver and Los Dos Potrillos in Centennial.


Beans Beans Beans

Beans Beans Beans The more you eat…

Ugh, someone had to say it. Truth is, beans are a very healthy food. They are high in protein, fiber, iron and antioxidants. So why wouldn't you eat them and get excited about it?

One of the best gifts Jeff and I ever got was from some great people from Ohio. The gift was a box of beans from Rancho Gordo. www.ranchogordo.com Their website is amazing. It's full of recipes. You may not have all the ingredients and that is OK. I am going to say this over and over: Use what you have, be creative and make it your own! Their recipes are wonderful but we may not have the exact spices they are calling for. For example, if I am making Mexican food I use cumin, oregano and always garlic. Oh and salt and pepper.

I saw their recipe of their Christmas lima stew. I didn't have caraway seeds but I had dill with celery seed. I topped the stew with olive tapenade, onion jam and chimichurri. I used their idea, made it my own and it was delicious.

I made a pot of pinto beans that I made into the light version of refried beans. These can be used for burritos, tacos, tostadas and taquitos. They can also be on a great avocado toast and huevos rancheros. All can be delicious because beans were made from scratch with your flavors. It takes a little more time but tastes so much better.

So let's get on the Bean Train- Toot Toot!


Marvelous Molli and her Many Pancakes

April 2025

I’m a little late with this huge shoutout to my incredibly creative daughter, Molli, who encouraged me to start this blog!

Back in 4th grade, Molli decided to become a vegetarian, which was a bit of a challenge at first—but we all learned to love eating her way too. All three of my kids have become amazing cooks. Molli can cook, but her true specialties are art, creativity, and web design. If you’d like to check out her work, visit www.mollimorris.com.

Molli and her father made these pancakes for our family Christmas cooking competition. She put her creative skills to work and—rather than using the suggested ¾ cup of blue cornmeal—she added an entire bag. The recipe was meant to serve four, but we ended up with enough pancakes for 50! Luckily, they were delicious…and we had leftovers for days.


Artistic spark at age 3

Sunshine on a Plate

March 2025

Morning Glory
Up and at ‘em!
Wake up, Sleepyhead!

I love breakfast, and I love going out for breakfast. One of my favorite spots in Victoria, BC, is the Blue Fox. Their savory dishes are amazing, but I always have to end my meal with Oranges del Sol—pancakes or French toast topped with oranges, vanilla bean cream, pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s pure heaven on a plate.

I could probably eat these flavors every day, but I don’t want to be that person who goes to a restaurant daily. (Starbucks doesn’t count!) There’s just something magical about these flavor combinations.

So, I started experimenting with different variations using the same flavor profile. I even made everyday oatmeal with oranges and pecans—YUM! But my absolute favorite so far? My French toast and oatmeal cookies.

By the way, Oranges del Sol translates to Oranges of the Sun.

So go ahead—take a bite, close your eyes, and let the flavors whisk you away to somewhere sunny, tropical, and magical.

Trust me.

Many Recipes One Family

March, 2025

Family—it’s the foundation of society, traditionally made up of two parents raising their children. But it can also mean a group of things connected by common characteristics. These are just a few definitions from Merriam-Webster.

What is a family? It’s difficult to define and highly subjective.

In many ways, family is like a recipe. Sometimes, a family recipe needs to be adjusted—whether to accommodate different ingredients or individual tastes—but its foundation remains the same. I have three wonderful children, each with their own unique personalities and preferences. Even though they come from the same family, they each bring something special to the table.

That’s why I’ve taken a classic M&M cookie recipe and adapted it to fit their tastes. Hopefully, you’ll give it a try or even create your own version! The base recipe is already pretty delicious—so have fun and enjoy!

Themes

March, 2025

I’ve always loved a good theme! Growing up, Halloween was always a big family affair, and every birthday party had a theme too. It became such a thing in our family that Jeff once gave me a homemade jelly roll—along with tickets to a Jelly Roll concert! This Valentine’s Day, I kept the tradition going by putting my own spin on Zoe François’ pavlova recipe to make the day extra special.

Pavlova

February, 2025

Bake pavlova recipe from Zoe Bakes Cakes. 

When assembling, I make mine into a hear shape

After cooled put her lemon curd on the pavlova, leaving 1 inch edge

On top of the lemon curd is my new favorite whip cream invention 

In a stand up mixer with wisk attachment add one individual serving of lemon yougurt, add lemon zest, a teaspoon of honey. 

Start the mixer on low. Slowly add a cup of real whipping cream

Increase the speed until soft peaks, the consistency of whipping cream

Spread whipping cream on top of the lemon curd and arrange fresh berries on top in a decorative manner

Yummy! 

Add any left over whipping cream to berries and granola for a breakfast parfait 

PccC

February, 2025

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, this is what started it all—everyone wants this recipe. I believe in sharing both the love and the cookie. This cookie is the most requested by family and friends. I only make it in the fall unless someone really wants it. My youngest is coming back from overseas, having missed two falls, so the next batch will be made in April.

The recipes in this blog are a mix of my own creations and adaptations from others, but each one is made with love.