Streusel-Topped Banana Bread With Maple Frosting. It’s been a long time since I’ve made banana bread. I keep tossing brown bananas into my freezer for smoothies but it’s been even longer since I’ve made smoothies so the freezer full of bananas. I was simply forced to make banana bread this week. I didn’t really have […]
Waldorf Salad. It appears I am not the only person on the planet who has the gift of making incredibly healthy food unhealthy. I am happy to carry on the tradition which has obviously been going on for decades. The proof? The Waldorf Salad – a must for every holiday table and a perfect snack […]
Yeast Biscuits and Country Gravy. When I am at my normal post, you will not see biscuits and gravy at the inn… until today. Today, the gravy was made with fresh herbs. Today, the biscuits were light and fluffy and moist. Today was lovely. Yeast Biscuits and Country Gravy Serves about 10 people with leftover […]
Sometimes seemingly simple things aren’t so simple like making perfect scrambled eggs – one of the most common and delicious dishes in all of the breakfast kingdom. Here’s an easy, gourmet twist on this breakfast comfort food just on time for your next breakfast. Perfect Scrambled Eggs With Fresh Herbs 3 tablespoons olive oil 12 […]
Braised Chicken With Dried Cherry Compote is gorgeous and festive and scrumptious. She is sexy upon a plate of arugula and impressive for your guests. Doubled or tripled, she is perfect for a shindig – for she is a party on a plate and in your mouth. Braised Chicken With Dried Cherry Compote Braised Chicken […]
It is Christmas cookie baking time and thumbprint cookies are the perfect choice. Thumbprints are the gems of the cookie kingdom. Thumbprint Cookies Makes 18 small cookies. Preheat oven to 350°F. 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup […]
Ever since we were featured in Evening Magazine, these homemade danish pastries have been my most requested recipe. It simply whisked across the screen for 30 seconds and people were in love. I don’t blame them. I figure I’ve frosted 58,923 of these in my life so far. They were popular at Scandia Bakery when […]
Making marzipan candies with my mom is one of my favorite childhood memories. Sometimes things look good for you but they’re not. You know, like Caesar salad and sledding from the back of an SUV. And, now, marzipan treats made to look like fruits and vegetables. I talked my mom into reliving one of my […]
Dear Seared Scallops With Pan Sauce, Sizzling hot and topped with glorious sauce… a buttery wine sauce. I love you dearly, our relationship is short-lived for you are far too delicious to stick around for very long. Sin-sear-ly, Deanna Seared Scallops With Pan Sauce Makes 2 servings or appetizers for 4. 1 pound scallops 2 […]
The beauty of Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnuts might seem too fancy to accomplish at home but it’s not as hard as it seems. With the right recipe and steps (for example, NEVER underestimate the importance of a preheated deep fryer), you can make these gorgeous flared masterpieces at home. The biggest secret is in allowing the […]
The leaves are almost gone but fear not, for I bring you glad tidings of fallish, mapley joy which shall last you throughout the Christmas cookie season called Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies. Move over acorns and junipers… it is time for the maple leaf sandwich cookie to shine. Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies Preheat oven to […]
Done with your hot turkey sandwich, turkey noodle soup, turkey fajita, and turkey pot pie? If you don’t want to freeze the leftover turkey, maybe something a little lighter and refreshing is in order. Da da da daaaaa I present thee with turkey salad on, well, a salad. Use dressing if you must but it may […]
This Mini Peanutty Chocolate Cheesecakes recipe came from a friend. One of my banking coworkers from the eighties was a saucy belly dancer with motherly love for the twenty-year-old me. She went on to write a few romance novels right after we parted ways, but I remember her for something far more delicious – her […]
Family is over for the weekend and bless-ed Bavarian Cream Doughnuts are the answer. They are, in fact, the answer to more things than one might even think. So while your family piles up on the sectional sofa to re-watch Star Wars – the good ones, not the new ones – for the gazillionth time, […]
Apricot Almond Mini Cakes. I love a gorgeous treat. I love cake. I love almonds. I love chocolate. I don’t love apricots but I do love apricot jam. These little sweets are another Scandia Bakery memory brought to life via my happy memories. These are perfect treats for the holidays. Or just because. Apricot Almond […]
Pressed Dill Potato Slices & Dill Dip. I admit it. I love to have fun with my food. This is especially true when I’m getting ready for a dinner party. What could make potatoes more fun? Well, I suppose almost anything would make basic spuds more exciting but I promise you that these pressed potato […]
Raspberry Jelly-Filled Doughnuts. Once you buy a deep fryer, there is no stopping the goodness. It starts with French fries then chicken strips then battered fish and, finally, the doughnut. The jelly-filled doughnut to be exact. Approximately 5,348 calories and 392 fat grams each. Or close. Raspberry Jelly-Filled Doughnuts 2 packages of yeast 2 tablespoons […]
Grandma Leonia’s Orange Bread. This week I want to go back in time. Back to my pink bedroom with pink curtains and my white chenille bedspread. I want to go back to my Holly Hobby nightgown and homemade, knitted slippers that hurt my feet when I tried to walk in them. I’d even be willing […]
Whoever declared autumn to be a slow season for travel must not have realized that warm, fallish flavors are an innkeeper’s dream – especially Praline Pumpkin Crepes With Cream Cheese Filling. Everything cinnamon. Everything pumpkin, and yet, still, whipped cream. Oh, so much whipped cream. The foundation of every dessert known to man. Only, you […]
Applesauce Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting. What if you could take all of the fallish flavors of a comforting mug of apple cider and pack them into a glorious cake? What if you could then smother that cake in the world’s best cream cheese frosting? Well, preheat your ovens, pour a cup of coffee, […]
White Cheddar Cheese Ball. The best hors d’oeuvres are gorgeous, filled with flavor, easy to make, and able to be prepared ahead of your dinner parties. This cheese ball has it all. She is gorgeous, gourmet, and practical to prepare. Party on, my friends, party on in style. White Cheddar Cheese Ball 8 ounces cream […]
Glazed Pecan Danish. Happy. Happy. Joy. Joy. That’s how I feel every time I make pecan glazed danish for breakfast. Sweet. Nutty. So many adjectives. Adjectives people have used to describe me to be perfectly honest. Still trying to decide how I feel about that. Glazed Pecan Danish Makes 12 large danish. Danish Pastry 1/2 […]
Gingerbread Cookies With Apple Bourbon Frosting Gingerbread Cookies With Apple Bourbon Frosting Gingerbread Cookies Cream together: 1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup brown sugar Add: 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground Jamaican allspice (or allspice will work fine) 1 tablespoon ground cloves 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg […]
Sweet and Spicy Cornish Game Hens With Cornbread Stuffing. When I was single, I used to go for long drives in my pumpkin-orange, ’76 Chevette. I would drive until I got lost and then find my way back, making stops along the way to experience new stores and new restaurants. In losing myself, I would […]
Jalapeño Cornbread. Hot and tender. Sweet and interesting. Everything love should be packed into a cornbread. Jalapeño Cornbread Preheat oven to 350°F. 1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or put about a teaspoon of vinegar in regular milk) 2 large egg 1/8 cup sour cream 1/4 cup (half stick) unsalted butter, melted 1 1/2 cup flour 3/4 […]
Chocolaty Sweet Potato Sour Cream Coffee Cake. Fall. A time for all things, well, you know. Fallish. A time for to be thankful. A time for layers. A time for cashmere and raincoats. A time for blankets and boots. It is time to place the teeny tiny outfits on the top shelf and bring down […]
Black Bean Salad. If I were voted president, the world would be less consumed with guarding wetlands and more focused on saving cilantro fields for I have never met a cilantro dish I have not loved. Of course, if I were voted into office, Nutella crepes would be on the food pyramid, every ladies’ restroom […]
Make Beer Battered Cod Fish & Chips just like the ones from the pub at home. Beer Battered Cod Fish & Chips 4 cups canola, peanut, or vegetable oil (for frying) 1 cup flour 1/3 cup cornstarch 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus more for sprinkling 1o ounces of your favorite pilsner beer […]
Basic bran muffins… I’m sure we can all agree that there’s nothing quite like a sweet, moving experience. Hence, if all of the movies in the world were made for me, they would all have happy endings. As a matter of fact, I’m sure we could all use more happy endings in our daily life. […]
In high school, I worked at Scandia Bakery in Stanwood, Washington. One thing that impressed me most while working there was watching the lunch counter ladies make homemade cabbage patch soup. There’s just something about little tiny ladies lifting very large pots of ground meat and slicing vegetables by hand that just says love. Add […]
How does one deal with nervously wondering how one will come across on national television? How does one deal with helping one’s Dotter move out on the same weekend? Um. Well. One doesn’t. One organizes closets. One is extra chatty with guests. One makes comfort food. I feel better about the whole thing since my […]
These Recipes Featured on TV With Joey Fatone are among some of the most popular recipes from The Old Hen. They knocked Joey Fatone to his knees. Make Deanna’s recipes featured on TV with Joey Fatone! Scalloped Potatoes – “Better than one of those fancy restaurants.” Saucy Balsamic Burgers – AKA Saucy Ballz Northwest Salad – Light & […]
Warning: This Almond Raspberry Truffle Cakes recipe is to be reserved for the most special of days. The splurgiest of the splurges. The over-the-top occasions. Like, you know, when you read this blog post or somethin’. And, afterward, thou shalt eat a large, leafy green salad made of kale – not that fakey lettuce – to […]
Mediterranean Pesto Pasta Salad. What does one serve at a party in the fall? Why, a summer-y Mediterranean Pesto Pasta Salad, of course. Who would do such a thing? Maybe a person who just can’t let go of summer. Maybe a person who plays Christmas music in October. Maybe a confused person. Or maybe someone who […]
If you love cooking and eating and watching movies about people cooking & eating, here’s a list that started as a carefully chosen list of 14 calorie-free goodies just for you; but, as new movies present themselves, this list is forever growing. Julie & Julia The Lunchbox Big Night The Trip The Trip to […]
Ham and Cheese Quiche. Amen. They say Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche, but real men like this ham and cheese quiche. It’s simple, delicious, and surprisingly manly. Ham and Cheese Quiche Serves 6-8. Preheat oven to 350°F. 1 Pillsbury pie crust (or 1/2 this homemade recipe) 10 large eggs 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup flour 8 ounces […]
This classic French Dressing is even better homemade. Pair it with your favorite salad. It goes especially well with a traditional chef’s salad. French Dressing 3/4 cup olive (or sunflower or vegetable) oil 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons grated sweet onion 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon paprika […]
Meet Smoked Salmon Flatbread. She’s light, refreshing, and a little smokey. Smoked Salmon Flatbread You can use two 12-inch Boboli pizza crusts or make this easy homemade flatbread. Preheat oven to 425°F. Flatbread 3/4 cup warm water (no hotter than 110°F degrees) 2 teaspoons yeast 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon salt […]
Apple Pecan Bread Pudding. I confess. I cannot stop making bread pudding for it is one of the most fascinating of all the breakfast dessert kingdom. It is economical; yet, when made correctly, glamorously even, it is far more wild than it looks. Apple Pecan Bread Pudding 1 loaf of French bread (about 1 pound) […]
My love for people with accents (since I, of course, do not have one) began when I would travel around the country to camps. My friends and I would sit and listen to our newly acquired friends from different states for hours. We’d all laugh together about how different we sounded. North Dakota was one […]
Fresh Peach Salsa You don’t need a party to enjoy confetti. In the same way, you don’t need a shindig to enjoy peach salsa. For it is a party in a bowl. Fresh Peach Salsa 3 peaches 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced 1/2 red bell pepper, minced 1 small red onion, minced 1 bunch of cilantro […]
Sometimes there are just not enough words to describe the good things in life. This especially applies to butterscotch desserts. These pretty pumpkin-spiced butterscotch pudding parfaits made their debut this week at the Puyallup Fair. I demonstrated these and a few other cozy fall recipes in the home arts department. If you were there, thank […]
Le French onion soup is a very easy soup to make but it is time-consuming. The onions are cooked over low heat so they can caramelize to a dark brown, yet not burn while on their way to their culinary destiny – a destiny that will make many people réjouissant. French Onion Soup 8 tablespoons […]
Nutella Crepes Topped With Fresh Berries and Almond Whipped Cream. Because no American can get enough French crepes. Because it’s Sunday. Because they are darling. Just out of the pan crepes filled with Nutella, topped with homemade whipped cream, fresh berries, slivered almonds, and dusted with powdered sugar. Because, well, just because. Nutella Crepes Topped […]
Roasted chicken is the perfect dinner. This perfectly browned bird covered in Mexican spices and rice loaded with fresh confetti touches is a nice change from the typical herbed chicken. A cozy and easy-to-make combination. So easy, in fact, you can cook it while taking a much-needed nap. Not that I would know this first […]
It was a lovely day to have a first day of the fair. The only place you can buy an ice cream cone from the Washington Dairy Association right next to the stinky cow barns. The Washington State Fair to be exact. There are so many things to see and do and eat. They always […]
Homemade Blackberry Pie. If there’s one thing a girl needs to know how to bake, it’s a Homemade Blackberry Pie. The good news is that it’s easier than it looks. Not to mention, it’s practically free if you have berries growing nearby. Don’t worry, you don’t have to make it perfect. There is something, well, […]
Have you heard met Parisian Hot Chocolate (also known as Le Chocolat Chaud) yet? Well, now you have. You’re welcome. Parisian Hot Chocolate Makes about 4 six-ounce servings. 2 cups whole milk 1 teaspoons vanilla 10 ounces 65-70% chocolate (I recommend Valrhona Chocolate Guanaja 70%), broken or chopped into small pieces Dash of flaky salt […]
Pumpkin Pecan Cream Cheese Bread Pudding With Warm Caramel Sauce Because you can never get enough pumpkin after Labor Day. Because guests are oooing and ahhhing over this bread pudding once again. Because I meant to blog this two years ago when I created it. And because I finally found my handwritten recipe, I’m sharing […]
Dawn’s Candy and Cake in Lynnwood, Washington. Every once and a while you happen upon something you never needed to know but are oh so glad you found out. I am still grieving the closure of Paper Zone. I’ll never forget when I discovered this crazy, amazing paper supply store. I would never settle for […]
