Mimi’s Blog
My Poor Garden Getting Improvements
When Richard and I were looking for houses in Billings, I was drawn to this property, because of the large garden area in our backyard. We have a substantial backyard, and the garden must be 40' x 40'. All my life, I've dreamed of having a substantial vegetable...
Ben’s Fresh & Hot Salsa
My family loves salsa. If we're eating Mexican food, eggs, or just eating chips and salsa, we enjoy each fiery, garlicky bite. My first experience many years ago with salsa was prepared by my ex-mother-in-law. We were in Colorado Springs and she was making turkey...
Sweet & Hot Barbecue Sauce
I can't take credit for this luscious barbecue sauce. The original recipe is at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I was looking for a new recipe that was liquidy, not chunky, and I was happy to find this one. I used it in my recipe for Father's Day Ribs Fit for a King. I've...
A Visit to the Pryor Mountains
I've lived in Montana for ten years. Richard and I have traveled some throughout the state, but the majority of our adventures surround Yellowstone National Park, which we love and is only two hours away. But within easy reach, about 40 minutes from Billings, are...
Succulent Pork Tenderloin, Onions & Apples, for the Boss
Last week Richard asked me if I wanted to invite his boss for a Saturday dinner. Harold, my husband's 88-year old friend, was on his own for a few days while his wife went out of town for a granddaughter's high school graduation. As much as I love to cook and to...
Father’s Day Ribs Fit for a King
Who doesn't love barbecued pork ribs? I just love pork in any form. My mother made ribs for us on several occasions, but she used an entirely different technique. Mom cut the ribs into 2-3 rib portions, boiled the ribs until they were barely tender, cooked them for...
Perfect Sweet Potato Biscuits
My mother was a clever cook. Before it was chic to disguise vegetables into ordinary foodstuffs for young picky eaters, Mom used a variety of techniques to surreptitiously keep us climbing the food pyramid. Equipped with her trusty blender, she whirred a veritable...
Creamy Coleslaw Dressing – with a little kick
As easy as coleslaw seems to put together, I've found literally hundreds of recipes. Some folks like their cabbage finely shredded. Others like cabbage chopped in small pieces. There are variations with green onions, vinegar and sugar dressing, fennel - the...
Best Spaghetti and Awesome Meatballs
I can't imagine anything that appeals to all age groups more than a good bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. Pasta, the ultimate comfort food, paired with tender, garlicky meatballs, crunchy bread, and a glass of a nice red is heavenly fare. If there are any meatballs...
Dysfunctional Pizza Crust
After we switched over from satellite television to cable here in the Billings, I very much enjoyed watching "Bitchin' Kitchen," a theme based cooking show with none other than Canadian chef and comedian Nadia G. Not to be confused with June Cleaver, Nadia...
Jessica Apron Two
I'm getting ready for a trip to Indianapolis in a couple of weeks. At Christmas, I bought my daughter, Jessica, two apron patterns, and we went out shopping for fabric. My sister found the appliance fabric, which is so adorable. Just perfect for this project....
Best Ever Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
This is the best peanut butter cake I've ever baked. Richard loves peanut butter, so I've made several attempts over the years for a successful recipe. To me, there's never been enough peanut butter flavor, but this one did not disappoint. It's a rich sheet cake...