This crack slaw recipe has become a staple in my meal plan. I originally started cooking with cabbage when I had digestion issues. Cabbage helps heal your stomach lining, including ulcers. It’s also often given to those who suffer from acid reflex or hiatal hernia.

Crack slaw is simply an egg role in a bowl. People just call it crack slaw because it’s so tasty, you can’t stop eating it!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been eating fish. Growing up in Alaska, every summer my family would pack up the van and drive several hours to the Kenai River in Soldotna.

Boy, I have a lot of memories there! Like the time, a salmon pulled so hard that it ripped the rod right out of my brother-in-law’s hands. Of course, he dived after it. Completely soaked head-to-toe, but he got it back (I think…I was laughing too hard to actually care about the outcome.)

I recently had too much pesto on my hands so I tried experimenting with a new stuffed chicken recipe. I always thought rolled or stuffed chicken was difficult to make but this one is very simple. In fact, I made this last night and to prep and cook took 35 minutes.

You can serve it over brown rice or, my favorite, farro with carrots. Farro is a barley-like, ancient Italian grain. I usually purchase it from HomeGoods (or one of their sister stores). The one in the picture below is from Pereg Natural Foods and is their mushroom and rosemary blend.

Do you have any holiday traditions that make you feel the joy of Christmas? Maybe it’s a scent that brings back the giddiness of being seven-years-old and knowing Santa was going to bring you some awesome toys this month. Or an event you go to every December that ushers in holiday cheer!

Growing up, my family had some awesome Christmas traditions. We got to buy a unique ornament for the tree each year. We also decked out our house with lights, singing bells, snowmen and garland. And we ALWAYS made my mother’s sugar cookies. It took the entire day because we would never just make enough for us…we had to make them for our neighbors and friends as well. But part of the joy of baking and decorating the cookies was being able to share our delicious labor of love with our friends.

Thanksgiving is a fond family memory for me. My mom and dad would spend the entire day (and sometimes the day before) baking pies and cooking the meal.

We would always have the same menu. A large juicy turkey with flavorful gravy and delicious stuffing. My mom would make several different types of herb bread a few days before and the house would always smell wonderful! It was my sisters and mine task to rip up the bread so it was ready to be made into stuffing. I’m pretty sure my mom would always make an extra loaf for us to rip since we would eat every other piece. We also had a nutty cranberry casserole topped with cream cheese, green beans and of course sweet potato casserole. I eventually want to share all these recipes with you but for this year I’m sharing one of my favorite dishes and what I believe is the best sweet potato casserole!

Do you have a best recipe? You know, a ‘been in my family forever’ recipe. One that whenever friends or long-distance relatives come to visit, this recipe must be on the menu.

Well, my friends, this is THAT recipe for me. The famous, award-winning Whitecavage fish chowder!

My father (who’s an excellent chef and taught me so much about cooking…and life) gave me this recipe when I went to visit my boyfriend’s parents (now husband) for the first time. I made this delicious salmon chowder for them and they have loved me ever since.

Now, before you scamper off, even if you don’t like fish, I promise you’ll love this recipe. Even if you’re not a soup person, I promise you’ll love this recipe. I’ve made this fish chowder for people who have said they were both not a fish or soup person and I have successfully converted them! That’s why I’m making the very bold claim that this is the best fish chowder recipe on the web.

Our basil is huge this summer! Basil is my favorite herb to grow. It’s pretty hardy and can be used in so many recipes. You can even use the flowers on basil plants for tea or to dress up a salad.

Since we have so much basil (and I hate seeing good things go to waste), I decided to try my hand at a few pesto recipes. A classic pesto recipe calls for olive oil, basil leaves, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese and pine nuts. But I wanted something different. So here’s my nutty pesto recipe, which you can add to chicken, asparagus and sweet potatoes like I did or even just freeze in ice trays and save for any future recipe you need a little pesto for.

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Ingredients:

1 cup fresh basil leaves
2-3 tablespoons of almond oil (olive oil also works)
1 garlic clove, mashed
2-3 tablespoons of cashews and/or walnuts
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

2 chicken breasts (I prefer organic, like Bell & Evans chicken), cut into bite sized pieces
1 small bunch of asparagus, chop into bite sized pieces
1 sweet potato, skinned and chopped into bite sized pieces

*This recipe makes enough for 2-3 people.

Directions:

In a medium sized pot, bring to a boil about 3 cups of water (or just enough to cover the bottom with about an inch of water). Place cut and peeled sweet potatoes in pot and cover with lid. I use a stack and steam pot so while the sweet potatoes are steaming below, I place in the upper part the cut asparagus. Occasionally check the water on the bottom part as it cooks to make sure it doesn’t run out and start burning the potatoes.

In a food processor, add the garlic, basil leaves, oil, parmesan cheese and nuts. Blend till all mixed together and it forms a paste. Viola! You got pesto!

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat place some olive oil and then your chopped chicken. Occasional stir till pieces are evenly cooked.

Check the asparagus about 5 minutes after the water started boiling. Try a piece (but don’t burn your mouth) to make sure it’s cooked (should have a bright green look and a slight crunch, if it’s mushy you cooked too long). The sweet potatoes will most likely be done about 5-10 minutes after the water started boiling as well. To test, use a fork to poke into one of the pieces. It should go through the middle easily (you don’t want the sweet potato to be too soft…we’re not making mashed!) Drain the water.

By now the chicken should be done. Cut one piece in half with a fork to make sure it’s cooked through. Drain out any juices in the skillet from the chicken (I like to use the lid to cap over but just a sliver on the bottom for the juices to pour out but you keep the chicken in the skillet). Add the asparagus, sweet potato and pesto. Give a few good stirs and then serve.

Enjoy!