It’s common for us to make this in addition to [Texas sheet cake]() for gatherings, to have an alternative to chocolate. It also pairs well with vanilla ice cream.

This is the recipe we frequently use for family gatherings. It pairs great with vanilla ice cream.

My youngest daughter requested this dish for dinner for her birthday, so I figured I’d better get the recipe recorded. It used to be a regular in our house, but I haven’t made it in years. It’s our variation of the [Pioneer Woman recipe](https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11729/chicken-spaghetti-recipe/), based on our family’s tastes and my preferences for ease of preparation. I usually start with a rotisserie chicken, remove all of the meat, and then simmer everything else remaining in a large saucepan to make the broth for the pasta.

Toad in the Hole is a classic British dish that consists of sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter. Any uncooked pork dinner sausage can be used, though the traditional choice would be English bangers. Unfortunately, finding them in the US has proven a challenge. In this case, I used the Irish Garlic sausages I found just before St. Patrick’s Day. The onion gravy is what really makes this dish, anyway.

Each year we follow our longstanding tradition of making corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, but I need to record just how I do that before I forget (again). This covers all the bases, plus a few extras, and it makes a lot of leftovers. But it does take a large Instant Pot (8 quart). All you need to add is [Irish soda bread]() and Kerrygold Irish butter to complete your feast.

As Marti Gras came around again this year, I wanted something lighter than [gumbo]() or [jambalaya](). I used to eat oyster po’ boys in Provo, Utah (of all places), and I’d once had a shrimp po’ boy in Phoenix. So I decided to give it a shot, but it had to be simple and easy. This meets that requirement, taking less than 30 minutes start to finish. I wouldn’t call it authentic, but it tastes great. The shrimp was frozen from a bag, the condiments from store-bought, squeeze bottles, and instead of a baguette, I used steak rolls from Walmart.

We used to make this all the time, but when I was recently asked to bring it to a “breakfast for supper” family meal, I couldn’t come up with the recipe. I found one online that was as close as I could remember, and tweaked it just a bit. At least now I know where to find it!

When I lived in the Phoenix East Valley, I used to order P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps (especially for takeout) on a pretty regular basis. This is a pretty close approximation of that dish, with a lot more vegetables. When I’m willing to put in the effort to make it myself.

My wife used to occasionally make _monkey bread_ for breakfast on holidays, but she hasn’t done so for a number of years. When I came across [this recipe from Chef John](https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2024/11/monkey-bread-set-it-down-and-get-out-of.html), I decided to make it to go with Thanksgiving dinner this year, instead of yet another pie.

My daughter-in-law makes these rolls for many of our family dinners. Since they can’t be with us this Thanksgiving, I asked for the recipe so we can still have them. However, I changed the proportions to fill a full sheet pan instead of a 9x13 pan, and I’ll probably make 2 of those. They’re so good!

This is probably a bit stronger in the curry direction than most soups of this type, but hey, I _like_ curries.

My mother and sister swear by this recipe. I’m just exstatic that it doesn’t require me to peel the tomatoes. Peeling tomatoes sucks. And peaches. Removing thin skin from soft fruit is awful, and having to dip them in boiling water to do so is even worse. Good ridance!

I love wings, but I hate deep fat frying. While not as crispy as the real thing, these wings are a good substitute. The air fryer renders the fat out of the skin, and the wings are still juicy and flavorful. The sauce is a simple buffalo sauce, but you can use any sauce you like.

As I’ve stated before, with the exception of [Elephant Ears](), I _almost never_ deep fat fry anything at home. But this year as fall rolled around and I started craving foods from the state fair, I decided I needed to come up with some alternatives. There is no way I’m driving for an hour, paying to get in, then standing in line and paying what they command for abberant food experiments. I no longer have that kind of energy or patience.

I _almost never_ deep fat fry anything at home. It’s just not worth the effort and mess. But I do like doughnuts. So I searched around until I found something that would work in the air fryer. They're far from gourmet, but they're quick and easy, and my youngest daughter even told me that they were better than what I usually get from the grocery store bakery.

Among Latter-day Saints, this is a common dish served for the family at funerals. Usually made with cream of chicken soup and sour cream, I needed a lower calorie version that still tasted good. This is reasonably good, and pairs well with lean ham or turkey.

When I got tired of eating All-Bran Buds with fruit every day for breakfast, I moved to this high protien alternative.

This is still a small batch of cookies, but with a much more complex (maybe even acquired) taste. The sourdough starter adds a tangy flavor to the cookies, and the texture is a bit chewier than the classic version. This is solely for flavor, not leavening.

When I want a small batch of cookies, without oatmeal.

I’m not sure I’d ever made a real gumbo before, but when I realized it was Marti Gras, I decided I had to do _something_. This is true comfort food, and much more in my wheelhouse than beniets or king cake.