The Ways of Her Home

Embracing the homeward call

New Year’s Day 2025

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Our daughter and son-in-law were in town for New Year's week, so we invited the grandparents to join us for a New Year's Day lunch. This was our New Year's Day table— natural country winter vibes. And this was our New Year's Day group! We made sure our meal included the customary pork, collards, and black-eyed peas, not so much for superstition but for good 'ole tradition. My husband grilled the pork, my daughter cooked the collard greens, and I made cheese grits, peas, and cornbread. I’ve got to share this new-to-me recipe for black-eyed peas because it was so good. I usually make black-eyed peas in ... Read more

The Art of Sourdough

I've been working on loading my vacation photos, but I have a lot, and my phone is slooowww right now, so today, just for fun, I thought I'd just share some sourdough loaf photos that I already had in my blog's media file. I have a lot of fun with sourdough and trying new shapes and designs has been a bit of a new hobby for me the past year. I feel as though I am using my art degree and feeding my family at the same time, ha! The above loaf can either be seen as Christmas trees or leaves--you decide! Below is a regular sourdough loaf with cherries, honey goat cheese, and dark chocolate folded in. This is a delicious breakfast loaf! I've also enjoyed making seasonal ... Read more

Wrapping Up Apple Month 🍏🍎

Hello and HAPPY FALL! I'm so happy we can officially say it's fall now! Today's post will be my last of the September apple recipes. I have 2 new recipes to share and then I'll give a quick run-down of all the apple recipes on my blog so you can have them in one post. Ok, here goes! Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie Anyone opposed to starting with dessert? Good because I've got a delicious one to share today. It's Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie and I try to make it sometime during the fall or for Thanksgiving. It is just heavenly! This recipe is by Brown Eyed Baker, and you can find the link here. Next is a savory Apple and Cheddar Stuffed Chicken that I love to make in ... Read more

Apple Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Here's an easy and delicious recipe for a salad that suits the season! I like to put out the following ingredients and let everyone build it the way they want: Fresh spinach Chopped grilled chicken Chopped bacon Blue cheese Toasted pecans Sliced apples (pears are delicious too!) Dried cranberries Apple cider vinaigrette— this one is delicious! I serve this salad as a whole meal with the chopped chicken or as a side to a chicken or pork dish. I love the flavors and textures in this salad! The sweet apples, savory bacon, pungent blue cheese, chewy cranberries, crunchy pecans, and tangy vinaigrette— it’s my idea of a perfect salad! ... Read more

Apple Brie Stuffed Chicken

Hey friends, I've got a delicious apple recipe today that you can put on your September "Apple Month" menu! Last night I was going to make a cheddar apple stuffed chicken recipe that is one of our favorite fall meals but decided late in the day to switch to a new recipe with brie cheese that I've wanted to try. This recipe is all over the internet so I wouldn't even know who to give credit to, and I made my own adjustments anyway. I'll give you a little run-through with photos and then attach the printable recipe. I washed and patted dry 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut slits into them to create a pocket. Then I seasoned them lightly with salt and pepper, both sides plus ... Read more

The Story of Two Apple Cakes

Happy September, everyone! And Happy Apple Month!! I'm excited to have apples back in season and back on my table in the form of different recipes. My first apple post this year has a little history behind it so this is the story of two apple cakes which starts with the story of two cookbooks. In high school, I worked in the food court of a mall.  My manager's husband worked at a bank and so at Christmastime when she bagged up some goodies for the employees, she included his bank's cookbook called All Aboard, Alabama. I can assure you that I was the only 16-year-old working at that yogurt shop that was actually thrilled to be given a cookbook for a Christmas bonus, ha! I had cooked ... Read more

Fruit Yogurt Smoothies

Smoothies are a favorite in the breakfast rotation around here. My daughter takes hers on-the-go so she can drink it on her way to her preschool job. My son likes his with a muffin or some toast before we begin our school day. I'll usually save mine to sip on throughout the midmorning while we're doing school. I recently had a request to share my smoothie recipe (Hi, Laura!). I know some of you may already have a favorite smoothie recipe, but if not, here's our quick go-to smoothie! Fruit Yogurt Smoothie In a blender, combine: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (regular yogurt works too--just use less or no milk) 1/4 cup milk (more if preferred thinner) 1 frozen banana, broken ... Read more

Kids in the Kitchen, Part 2: Get Them Eating!

Maybe the title of this post should be "Get Them Trying" because I can't make any guarantees, ha! But I have something to share today that I found in my recipe binders while cleaning out. It was a fun little experiment I did with my girls when they were young and I was trying to find healthy(-ish) recipes they could enjoy. I made these cards that I called "New Recipe Survey" and placed them on the dinner table anytime I tried a new recipe. I found that my girls were more enthusiastic about trying a new food if they could leave a review. It was fun for them and gave them the opportunity to respectfully offer their input. Above is what a blank card looked like and below are some of ... Read more