frannie's faves

As soon as I showed any interest in helping out in the kitchen, I spent a few days leading up to each Christmas celebration helping my grandma make batch after batch of candy.

favorite five

Now that you know what everyone else loved this year, I'll share with you what I deem to be my personal favorites for 2015.

hit six

In researching my top posts for the year, I learned that my most-viewed posts were actually old ones from previous years. Either my blogging skills are deteriorating or everyone else is just putting out better content. My bet is that it's a little of the former and a lot of the latter.

experience the myth

My beau has undeniably broadened my dining and cooking horizons (it's hard to believe I'd never eaten a scallop or baked a chicken wing before he came around!). The latest thing that he's made me realize is really truly awesome is Greek yogurt.

chili out!

I love soup.

maximum productivity (and a novica giveaway!)

When it's time to buckle down and get serious about cookie production (and by that, I mean simply that December begins), I like to set myself up so that my cookie-making is as efficient as possible.

what berry?

First impressions are undeniably important, whether or not we fully realize it at the time.

cookie duty

Even though cookies are more often the main focus of the Christmas dessert table (and a foolproof and always appreciated gift!), they ended up being the most convenient and best option for me to provide for all of our Thanksgiving festivities.

thanksgiving ninja

Mark this year, 2015, as the year I finally came to appreciate cranberry sauce.

gratins are great.

How do you define a gratin? Wikipedia says it's an ingredient topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and butter, usually prepared in a shallow dish of some kind. That covers a lot of ground, I'd say.

jumping through hoops for a coop

While it's legal to have backyard chickens in my city, there are restrictions and requirements out the wazoo.

cookies and kongs (and a krusteaz #giveaway)

I wish I could say I was the kind of person who was so serious about cooking that she never took shortcuts in the kitchen, but that would be a lie. Sometimes, nay, most of the time, I appreciate a quick fix.

brussels sprouted out

I have a definite tipping point when it comes to any given foodstuff.

enough is enough!

I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but if I don't see another tomato for 6-12 months, that would be fine with me.

we have the fruits.

I've been on a real banana bread tear lately and obviously can never be convinced that I've achieved banana bread perfection.

we have the meats.

As a kid, I didn't much care for pot roast.

As any good mother would do, Mamster always put some on my plate anyway, but it didn't always end up in my stomach.

peanut butter and... #OXOGoodCookies

Let's do some word association, shall we? When I say "PB and...", what comes to mind?

black and tan orange

Any dish made using black beans and sweet potatoes seems extra appropriate for Halloween (or for fans of the Bengals, Beavers, or Orioles). What luck that sweet potatoes are at their finest in late October and November!

smitten.

And really, can you blame me?

grazy in love

My name is Grace, and I'm a grazer.

it's here!

I teased you about The Casual Veggie last week, and now it's officially for sale!

almost too much of a good thing

Part of me feels like it should be illegal to include butter, sour cream, bacon, and cheese all in the same dish.

But that's just sensible Grace. I don't listen to her very often.*

it isn't dead, it's just resting

Chivalry, that is.

I definitely don't want to get into any sort of conversation about feminism (and people who know me might suggest that I usually don't want to get into any sort of conversation at all...), though I might be dancing around the topic a bit in this post. You've been warned.

poultry panacea

Here's the scenario: You're lethargic and can feel yourself getting sick, AND the weather outside is frightful (officially scratching Joaquin off the list for potential dog and/or baby names). What's for dinner?

the casual veggie

If you go meat-free at least one day per week, you might be a casual vegetarian.

scaling the precipice like a couple of mountain goats

My fiancé and I recently took a trip up north into Maine. Neither of us had been to the Pine Tree State before and were eager to see some moosen take in some awesome sights...and perhaps a bite or 50 of lobster.

martha, martha, martha!

New products and a new partnership!

time to face facts

Fall isn't creeping in, it's sprinting!

the next big baby name?

Chutney. That's my prediction, anyway. After some of the ones I've seen, it's not out of the question, amiright?

it's so hard to say goodbye

I can't help but feel somewhat agitated by all the pumpkin recipes I'm already seeing*. It's still summer, folks! Please don't wish it away before it's over!

*I blame Starbucks completely a little--this pumpkin spice latte craze is madness indeed.

grounded for life

Should I invest in a meat grinder? I'm considering it.

when i dip you dip we dip

Most people know about 7-layer dip. They've made it, seen it, tasted it, or at least heard about it, I'm sure. If you're among those who haven't tried it, don't worry--I've eaten enough of it over my lifetime to compensate.

beam me up, scotchie (plus a #giveaway)

I think I've always been a fan of oatmeal scotchies, and they've had the honor of being deemed my number one cookie once or twice.

saved by the sauce

Okay, so even though my honey likes his pork shoulder without any glitz or glamour, I'm only human. I occasionally often make mistakes.

millions of peaches

I think that if you say you love peaches, you have accepted (and perhaps relish) the fact that you can't eat one without getting its juices all over yourself.

still single...(and an outstanding #giveaway!)

Single serve, that is.

krim reaper

Even though I haven't been what would be considered a bona fide scientist for several years, I don't think I'll ever stop overanalyzing problems and running experiments to prove or disprove a hypothesis. The setting and equipment (and necessary degree of precision) are just a little bit different than they were in my school days.

maybe he won't notice...

There are some food-related things that I like to remain unchanged (...until I suddenly get tired of those items and want something completely different). These things include but are not limited to my weekday breakfast (Lucky Charms, if you must know, which replaced a years-long obsession with Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds) and my before-bed treat (creamsicles for the win!)(previously a homemade caramel steamer,for which it's entirely too hot right now).

beginner's luck

I was having a conversation with a coworker the other day and we somehow found ourselves discussing casinos.

rotten luck, rotten plants

My family is full of green-thumbed gardeners, and they all told us* we were nuts to nurture five squash plants for two people. They might've been right, but we'll never know.

a restorative condiment

Lest you be misled as I was, balsamic vinegar is not made from the balsam flower (which, incidentally, is quite lovely).

pickled tink

Just a little spoonerism for youse guys on this balmy Monday morning.

it's rotini jerry!*

If I had had some fusilli in my pantry, I would've used it.

*I think I reference Seinfeld on this blog more than anything else, not that there's anything wrong with that. I maintain that it's the best sitcom ever made.

peter piper picked...

...a peck of purple peppers!

freezer jam's my jam

It concerns me that there are people who have never heard of pectin.

sweeties for my sweetie (and me!)

As predicted, we're nearly up to our eyeballs in tiny tomatoes...

...and I'm glad.

oh, bulgur off

Just kidding! Stay! Stay and read about my foray into the world of bulgur wheat!

fireworks!

Have a dynamite (and safe) 4th of July, everyone!

My go-to last-minute dessert? Cupcakes. Always cupcakes.

just add lettuce

I couldn't decide whether to call this a salsa or a salad. Ultimately, I think it could be either, depending on how you eat it.