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Janet's Notebook

Lighten Things Up in 2012 With Tasty Salad Ideas

“Food is an important part of a balanced diet,” once quipped author Fran Lebowitz. I love this quote. In fact, I have it printed out and stuck up on my fridge (with my favorite magnet.) Food plain makes me happy,...

Janet's Notebook

Cooking Up A Delicious and Healthy New Year

I recently read an editorial piece written by a gentleman who was adamant that moderation is the key to happiness. While at first it seemed like a whopper of a contradiction, I thought about it some more and really like...

Janet's Notebook

Go-To Party Starters For A Memorable New Year

Nothing gets a party started like platters piled high with plentiful treats. Well-chosen appetizers can really set the tone of a get-together. From casual dips to fancy pastries, Blue Ribbon recipes make every event the pinnacle of good taste!So many...

Janet's Notebook

Spread Holiday Cheer With Festive Christmas Eve Treats

This jolly ol' soul simply loves this time of year! Not only is it "food season," filled with loads of cooking and holiday treats, but it's also FAMILY season! Kin from all corners are making their way back home to...

Janet's Notebook

Bundt Cakes Add Flavor and Flair to Holidays

This time of year I tend to get pretty sentimental about favorite recipes. They're like familiar friends that we welcome back into the kitchen for the holidays each year. A favorite festive guest at my table has always been the...

Janet's Notebook

Decadent Gooey Butter Cake Takes Top Honors in Just A Pinch Baking Contest

Home cook Melissa Sperka had us at "gooey butter cake." The Greensboro, NC mom and part-time blogger is the most recent Just A Pinch contest winner! Her phenomenally decadent Caramel, Chocolate and Almond Gooey Butter Cake beat out nearly 900...

Janet's Notebook

Recipes Bring A Touch of Sweetness to the Community

A sign in Linda Harvey's kitchen reads, "TOGETHER: a great place to be." The kitchen is warm and alive with activity as a big meal is about to be served. And I do mean a BIG meal. This is the...

Janet's Notebook

The Great Stuffing Debate: Where Everyone Is A Winner!

Do you use cornbread or white bread? Is it called stuffing or dressing? Ah yes, it's that time of year again! This delicious debate is making waves in kitchens all across the country and we just love hearing what you...

Janet's Notebook

Cranberries Serve Up Tradition and Innovation This Holiday Season

"I have always loved cranberries!" exclaims home cook Carol Junkins of Hanson, MA. Fondly referred to by us at Just A Pinch as "The Cranberry Queen", Carol has shared many of her favorite cranberry recipes with the Club. Her concoctions...

Janet's Notebook

Florida Contest Winner Brings Ray of Sunshine to Blue Ribbon Grilling Showcase

"Never trust a skinny cook," laughs Florida cook Sherri Logan Williams. Wrapped in her Just A Pinch apron and with a twinkle in her eye, Sherri is front and center as guest of honor at the most recent Just A...

Janet's Notebook

Bring Comfort to Your Holiday Table with Nostalgic Pudding Recipes

Pudding? Boring? Never! The varieties are endless... and so easy! Chances are a bowl of pudding served down South is going to be laced with golden slices of banana and a healthy crunch of vanilla cookies. New England cooks make...

Janet's Notebook

Community Cookbooks Spark Creativity, Preserve Traditions

"How did your cookbook collection start?" asks home cook Kathy Sterling in her Just A Pinch online discussion group, Cookbook Collectors Corner. "Perhaps someone gave you a gift and it started your romance with cookbooks, or you inherited your family...

Janet's Notebook

Creamy Chowders Warm Body and Soul on Cool Autumn Evenings

Controversy is not usually my cup of tea. (I'm more of an Earl Grey gal). However, I am compelled to make an exception when the subject at hand is one near and dear to my heart: chowder. That's right, chowder!...

Janet's Notebook

Pumpkin, the Flavor of Fall

There's been big news around the Test Kitchen: pumpkin is back! Like wearing white after Labor Day, we have been needlessly - yet religiously - bound by the culinary conventions of the seasons... abstaining from all things pumpkin since that...

Janet's Notebook

Hearty Pastas That Heat Up the Kitchen… and Your Imagination

While I am a firm believer that pure and simple is often best, there are times when a gal just needs to mix things up a bit! Such is occasionally the case in the world of pasta. Marinara is my...

Janet's Notebook

Going Nuts for Sweet Almond Desserts!

Once upon a time in a land far, far away I had a kringle. And not just any kringle, but the most deliciously creamy almond kringle ever made. These traditional Scandinavian pastries are a delicacy in the northern part of...

Janet's Notebook

2, 4, 6, 8! Let’s Get Ready to Tailgate!

This time last year the Crew and I were happily up to our elbows in entries for the Just A Pinch Sporty Snack Showdown recipe contest. We received so many wonderful entries - including Gail Herbest's Grand Champ Antipasto Squares...

Janet's Notebook

Eating Your Veggies Never Tasted So Good!

With warm weather beginning to wane - at least in theory - it becomes all the more enjoyable to savor those brave veggies still popping up in the garden. Mama always said to eat your veggies and now, thanks to...

Janet's Notebook

Grandma’s Table: Creating A Legacy Of Love Through Food

It's official... September brings us National Grandparents Day! While technically observed on September 11 this year, I see no reason whatsoever to limit ourselves! Granted, this grandma may be a wee bit biased, but I think we should be celebrating...

Janet's Notebook

Smokin’ Ribs Recipe Wins Just A Pinch Grill Contest!

Let me say, it surely is a good thing that the Kitchen Crew is made up of enthusiastic eaters! We had our plates chock full of good eats recently as we grilled our way through the many delicious dishes entered...