Foodie Forum

Happy New Year! For a self-proclaimed foodie like me, part of the Love (of this issue’s Love Your Life theme) is definitely shared in the kitchen. Over the Christmas break, our family got to enjoy some of our favorite things, which included our long-held tradition of family pizza/game night. Our evening was inspired by the movie The Hundred Foot Journey. I follow the same pizza recipe that my husband grew up with; it was passed down to me from my mother-in-law. Try this or a similar family tradition with your own loved ones. And then find us on Facebook to …

A merry Christmas season and happy New Year to all, I hope this installment finds you enjoying time with loved ones. Although this time of year can be very stressful, for me, I can’t think of a better place to be than in the kitchen baking cookies with my family or preparing appetizers or meals to share with family and friends. I like to serve this frittata at our annual Bible study Christmas celebration, and I acquired the coffee cake recipe from my friend Sue. (Thanks, Sue!) I hope you enjoy! Please share your favorite holiday and winter recipes on …

A blessed fall and Thanksgiving to you and your family. This is a great time of year to cook up some comfort food. I realize it might take some “courage” to invest the time to make this labor-intensive lasagna, but it is well worth it. I usually double this recipe to make two 8×8” pans and a 9×13” pan, freezing two and baking the other right away. Also, I have included a dessert I make for book club. I hope you enjoy it! Please share some of your favorite fall desserts on our Facebook page. Bon Appetit, Lanette How to …

These two recipes are perfect for this Community of Women issue. My recipe box and many cookbooks are brimming with recipes from friends, family, and coworkers from the three time zones we have lived in over the years. What a great way to remember special people. The first recipe is so fitting for this time of year. Tomatoes and basil are at their peak. More importantly, this recipe is from my sister, who would have been celebrating her 53rd birthday this September. She notably influenced my foodie journey. I received the second recipe last year (thanks Susan via Sherri) after blueberry …

Summer is here, and that means time to enjoy the outdoors. These two recipes are easily portable. The chicken recipe works well for picnics, sack lunches, or dinner on the patio. Please share your favorite chicken recipes on our Facebook page. Bon Appetit, Lanette How to make Finger Chicken and Greek Lemon Pasta Salad by: Lanette Hesse

Recently, our family dined at Altoona Family Restaurant for Saturday breakfast. My kids love the waffles, and I am an Eggs Benedict fan. It got me thinking about great breakfasts/brunches. I wish we had time for a home-cooked breakfast every morning. Most school days, I hand my kids a piece of toast on their way out the door. When we do take the time for a breakfast or brunch, it’s traditional pancakes and bacon or one of my favorite recipes below. I like to buy local when possible—like Kim Ayres for eggs and Blueberry Ridge Orchard and Appledore Woods Berry …

Happy New Year to all. A new year brings new ideas, so I want to share a couple of recipes new and old. I got the idea for lettuce wraps from my friend, Susie, at a birthday celebration and began researching different recipes. There are so many variations, plus they are family and lunch box friendly. I serve these wraps with an old favorite recipe of mine that I originally got from my mother-in-law, but have “remodeled” with a timesaving step. Please share your favorite wrap recipes on our Facebook page. Bon Appetit, Lanette How to make Chicken Lettuce Wraps …

My wish for each of you this Christmas season is to be present in the kitchen, making or enjoying food with the ones you love. I know I plan to. One of our family traditions is baking Christmas sugar cookies. I have made the same cookies every single year of the 24 years my husband and I have been married. I have so many fond memories of decorating those cookies with our children and various friends over the years. You can find our family cookie recipe on the 5ive for Women Facebook page. Here are a couple of savory recipes to help you enjoy time with your family. Happy Thanksgiving and …