Spicy Sweet Potato, Peanut & Kale Soup is a warm, rich, comfort seasoned with sweet curry and tumeric. And it’s thickened with peanut butter, not butter-flour-cream so it’s healthy, too! It’s gluten-free. This soup would be perfect to serve during the holidays.

Old Fashioned Cube Steak with Tomato Gravy is an old-timey dish inspired by Mom’s roast beef recipe minus the soup. I’m also paying homage to my Midwestern roots where hearty meals are a staple. A family favorite served with lots of mashed potatoes.

My mother, Shirley, was a pie master. She could mix up crust for a double-crust pie in a matter of seconds. It was always the same recipe: 2 cups all-purpose flour mixed with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (sugar if she was making a sweet pie); 2/3 cup Crisco; and 3-4 tablespoons ice-cold water. Her’s was always perfect. Perfectly flavored, perfectly crimped, and perfectly browned. Mom didn’t make savory pies often, but this recipe was one of our favorites.

This dish is inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Steakhouse Pasta. It’s filled with flavor from tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach and a creamy, cheesy sauce perfect for pasta. Delicious and so satisfying!

Tender and juicy chicken roasted with onions, carrots, tomatoes, and capers served over a bed of hot fluffy rice. Cibo di comodità – true Italian comfort food.