I started a tradition when my nieces (and later my nephew) were very young. Every year at Christmas, I took them to lunch at a restaurant and then we went shopping for toys and food for all the folks who didn’t have as much at Christmas as we always have. When the girls were very little, I didn’t have much experience handling kids on my own, so I chose a popular chain … [Read more...] about Monte Cristo Casserole
swiss cheese
Pastrami on Rye Pasta Bake
Tis the season for the rich, comforting pasta bake. It’s cold and gray, but not so much frigid winter as that doleful in between. I still want the warmth and comfort of cozy, hearty food, but I am growing tired of winter greens and roots and the spring bounty hasn’t sprung yet. I’ve souped and stewed, and I have depleted my stock of frozen-in-summer vegetables. So it’s time to … [Read more...] about Pastrami on Rye Pasta Bake