It seemed the holidays were barely behind us when E asked me to help her think of a 4-H Food Fair entry. Food Fair came earlier than usual this year and the theme was A Taste of Montana. After brainstorming some ideas, she and I decided that her creamy huckleberry fudge would be a winner. Hoping to sway […]
Recipes
Today in History: Pre-sliced Bread Ban and Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
Sliced bread from the grocery in Montana is different and I don’t mean in a good way. It’s not as soft and fresh as I am accustomed to buying in the south. Perhaps it is because there aren’t any commercial bakeries in town or maybe it is a regional preference of westerners to prefer stale […]
History of Christmas Cookie Traditions [3-Ingredient No-Bake Oreos Cookies and Cream Recipe]
Many of us love to bake, exchange, and eat Christmas cookies. But how many of us know the history behind this time-honored tradition? Let’s go back about 1,000 years to Medieval Europe where the practice of baking cookies at Christmastime originated. As you can imagine, sugar was a precious commodity in those times. People commonly […]
Welcome to My Neighborhood
I told E it was cold this morning and she should wear pants when we go for our walk. However, she did not. She left wearing shorts and we had barely reached the sidewalk when she said, “Wait a minute, I’ve got to go bundle up.” I waited out front and started raking leaves while […]
Marlene’s Easy Creole Red Beans and Rice Recipe
It’s a tradition to make a slow simmering pot of red beans on Mondays. At my house, if it’s Monday, more than likely, it’s red beans and rice for dinner. I may have moved thousands of miles away from my New Orleans roots, but my cooking habits have changed very little. Buffalo has been added to my menu, […]
Homemade Fireweed Honey Recipe
I made some fireweed honey, just like the Alaskan homesteaders used to do. As you can imagine, living on the frontier and away from civilization was tough. Foodstuffs normally found in stores were difficult to get. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. The homesteaders got creative and used what was readily available. […]
Homemade Milkshakes – An Old Fashioned Soda Shop, Norm’s News
Don’t you just love the magic of an old fashioned soda shop where you can take a step back in time and feel like a kid again? I do, and that’s why I love going to Norm’s News, but when I can’t get to Norm’s, I make homemade milkshakes at home. _________________________ Established in 1938, […]
Marlene’s Homemade Huckleberry Jam Recipe
Nothing compares to the wholesome goodness of a jar of homemade huckleberry jam. The aroma and flavor are out of this world! And the knowledge that you made it fresh yourself is very satisfying. Jump to Recipe ________________________________________________ Summers are warm and sunny in Montana, but the growing season is short. Everything grows like crazy […]
Black-Eyed Peas and Cabbage. Good Luck Foods for the New Year!
Living in northwestern Montana doesn’t keep us from our deep south traditions of eating cabbage and black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. Yes, it’s superstitious. But if you think about it many traditions are. For example, the custom of setting off fireworks on New Year’s Eve is believed to go back to ancient times when […]
Famous Coca-Cola Cake Recipe
Baking the famous Coca-Cola Cake reminded me of this 6 pack of Coke bottles that I’ve been saving. I’ve been holding on to them since the 1990s. Specifically, I’ve kept them because of their value as memorabilia. I like to remember things from different eras of my life and have saved them because I don’t […]