The Recipe Exchange
Readers sometimes wonder how The Connection chooses which recipes to publish, and though the criteria are far from strict, we generally look at a few factors: First, and most important, do the recipes on these pages guide readers in creating something they will want to eat and serve to friends and family? If the answer is no, you will not see it here.
We also consider the difficulty level of recipes and try to include an even mixture of both simple-to-prepare recipes (some salad and fresh-produce recipes are more about assembly and don’t require cooking or baking at all) and more difficult dishes. It is rare that we include recipes that require preparation spanning several hours or lots of expert know-how, so if we do, our food editor is pretty confident that the time and effort will be worth it.
For the most part, recipes we gravitate toward do not require specialty shopping for tools or ingredients, and nearly everything is fairly budget friendly. Most of the selections you’ll find here are based on either traditional favorites for a particular time of year, or what is growing in the fields and readily available at the supermarket or the farmers market. Much of what we write about are recipes our food editor has made hundreds of times with consistent results. We do experiment with new things too, and if it’s tasty, you’ll probably read about it here.
Finally, we are thrilled to say that this column is interactive, and sometimes readers catch something we’ve missed, give feedback for how a recipe could be improved, or simply contact us to let us know they have particularly enjoyed something they have read here in their own kitchen. Please join in!
We hope you enjoy our collaboration with other cooks, testing their recipes and sharing the enjoyment that results.
I eat lunch every day. I am sure there are some readers who might find this a strange thing to “admit” – I mean, most people do, right? But there you have it, since the early 1970s, I have eaten lunch nearly every day. I love to eat lunch – it is a nice chance…
Celery has had sort of a renaissance in the last few years. Prior to 2019, I mostly thought of celery as a delivery mechanism for peanut butter or as the last thing on any vegetable tray—unwanted and uneaten. Sure, I enjoyed it in the background of soup or stew, cooked to near-mushiness along with an…
This is the time of year when I usually find myself with a fridge full of hard-boiled eggs. Even though my kids are all adults now, it is not at all unusual for them to nostalgically head to the store for a decorating kit and then draft me into helping them boil and dip dye…
I have a confession to make: I secretly love Valentine’s Day, cheesy though it may be. It comes smack in the middle of winter, when things are often dreary, giving me something to look forward to. I also love to make a little something that I can gift to others – nothing too expensive or…
Hanukkah begins on December 18 this year, just a few days before the shortest day on the calendar – a joyful celebration of light during dark times. I don’t celebrate Hanukkah, but as a kid I spent quite a bit of time with friends who did, playing dreidel games to win chocolate coins and lighting…
Some foods are inextricably linked with certain times of the year. I can’t eat a slice of fresh tomato without being transported to summer – even if I’m eating said tomato during a snowstorm. Asparagus is always the first vegetable I eat after a long winter of ho-hum produce, so in my mind it’s a…
I’ve spent most of my life living in the West, but it wasn’t until I moved to Colorado that I discovered green chile. Of course I had eaten green chiles, usually as part of a Mexican dish, but when I moved to Colorado and saw it featured on restaurant menus in nearly every local joint…
A summer refresher that’s as cool as a cucumber Longtime readers of this column will know that I have a serious obsession with Trader Joe’s (TJ’s). One of the happiest moments of my life was when I covered the opening of the south metro’s first location in Greenwood Village several years ago. I was one…
I, like most humans, love a taco. There’s something deeply satisfying about the near-perfection contained in the simple ingredients that comprise a taco. Eight years ago, The Lego Movie – which features a plot line that hinges on “Taco Tuesday” – became firmly embedded in our family culture (my kids were big fans). As a…
Since I can remember, I have loved having a new toy. I have lived half a century, and I still get excited when I open a box, painstakingly unpack some new treasure, and take it out for a whirl. I get toys for all the parts of my house, but of course my favorite gadgets…
for a spring feast Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love spring. Even though I’ve experienced the change of seasons more times than I care to admit, there’s always something miraculous about green grass and blossoms on the trees. After a long, cold winter, sunshine and warmth enough to venture out without a coat…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love the television show “Friends.” I was an avid fan back in the day, often hosting watch parties in my tiny apartment with my own real-life cadre of friends. There are hundreds of quotes from the show that I still sprinkle liberally in casual conversation. Because Monica was…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett There was a time, a long time ago, when Valentine’s Day meant I would be getting dressed up and heading out to eat something delicious, possibly after being gifted a dozen roses or a box of chocolate truffles. Of course, said dinner would have been consumed after a long…
Grain salad for lunch or dinner Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I’m starting the new year with a dramatic change in my life. My nest, which has been happily filled with children for the last two decades, is now partially empty. One of my chicks left for college in the fall, and another one…
A grown-up take on a childhood favorite Article and photo by Lisa Crockett This time of year is full of food nostalgia. Most of us, even the Scroogiest among us, have a few seasonal favorite foods come December. Whether it’s your grandmother’s sensational cornbread stuffing or your dad’s shrimp jambalaya, the holidays are all about…
Thanksgiving desserts that are pie perfect Article and photos by Lisa Crockett Whoever coined the phrase “easy as pie” was a liar. Pie, which in my opinion is one of the top five desserts ever invented, is anything but easy to make. I should know, as I’ve spent months of my life working to perfect…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I’m a proud member of Generation X. According to the latest vernacular, this makes me very likely to be “cheugy.” This nonsense word is meant as an insult and conveys disdain for all things conformist, basic, and middle-aged (side hair parts and low-rise jeans are particular targets). For the…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Nothing delights me more than using up every scrap of food I buy. I’m not always successful, and when I fail, I feel a pang of guilt for every mushy strawberry, black banana, or stale piece of bread. As a result, late summer is always a time of difficult…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Brats on the grill are practically synonymous with summer, particularly the celebrations that take place in July. A quick trip to Tony’s for whatever is fresh and tasty from the butcher and the deli, some drinks in the cooler, a few pints of ice cream and cones, and you’re…
Article and photos by Lisa Crockett National Doughnut Day is June 4, so doughnut shops and bakeries far and wide will be offering their best, tastiest treats in celebration. Doughnut Day is oddly nostalgic for me – when my children were small, June often meant that our preschool or playgroup hosted a “Doughnuts with Dad”…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas and I make no apologies for that. I love all kinds of delicious foods, but in the end, if I have to make a choice, the dessert course is what really has my heart. I’m also a bit of a…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love magazines in much the same way I love to see old friends – they are filled with things I find interesting and they are always there for me when I need them. I like travel magazines, news magazines and craft magazines. Heck, one year I somehow ended…
Article and photos by Lisa Crockett I have, as far as I can tell, no Irish blood. I don’t have red hair, green eyes, or particularly good luck. In March though, everyone is a bit Irish. I’ve perfected a handful of delicacies from the Emerald Isle that I cook just once a year on the…
Rice so nice you’ll eat it twice Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I’ve been logging more than my share of TV hours lately. Luckily, the folks at Netflix launched some new selections last month, saving me from a sad, rerun filled existence. One series, “Best Leftovers Ever” is a particularly relevant show, given that…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I’m on a roll. I’m in the zone. I’m eating to live, not living to eat. These are all the things I tell myself when the New Year rolls around. It’s time to get things back on track, to right the ship, to square things away. Only this year,…
Holiday pancake mix for festive gifting Article and photo by Lisa Crockett It’s the time of year when indulgence is on the menu, and no holiday tradition embodies this idea more than a delicious breakfast. What’s more celebratory than starting the day with special once-a-year treats in the company of family and friends? As an…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett One of the things I love about food and cooking is that it’s a great way to bring very different things together and discover how to make a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Restaurant chefs do this all the time, combining flavors from different…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett It’s a transitional time of year. Shorter days and changing colors signal the end of one season and the beginning of another, and with this change in the weather, I find myself shifting gears in the kitchen. Grilled meats are replaced by hearty stews and warming soups. Baked goods…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I spent my childhood years living just outside of San Francisco. Sourdough bread is a symbol of that city, and I think it must be somehow encoded in my DNA that it is the standard by which all other breads are to be judged. San Francisco sourdough is the…
A baker’s saga Article and photos by Lisa Crockett Sourdough is very on-trend right now. Everyone, it seems, is whipping up their own starter (or getting some from a friend) and then turning out artisan loaves worthy of the cover of Bon Appetit magazine. Upon deciding that I too would partake of this particular fad…
To beat the summertime heat Article and photo by Lisa Crockett A few days ago, a near-tragedy struck our household. I had my taste buds set for something light and tropical. I marinated some chicken, sliced up a pineapple, and then put everything back in the fridge for a quick marinade. The beauty of a…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett There are some recipes that are kind of magical, taking the simplest of ingredients and turning them into something special: BLT sandwiches, pasta with Parmesan and cream or a perfectly cooked omelet. I love all of these dishes because I can make them quickly and they never fail to…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett For me, the ultimate expression of love is cooking something delicious for someone. For obvious reasons, my ability to do that has been severely curtailed in recent weeks. In the absence of the ability to actually cook for my loved ones, sharing recipes is the next best thing. It…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett What’s your favorite first-day-of-April prank? Salt in the sugar bowl? A quick phone call to see if your neighbor’s refrigerator is running? The beginning of the month is a fun, slightly silly, way to welcome the month when spring comes into full flower. It’s perfect then, that a dessert…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I have an aspirational collection of cookbooks. Sure, the internet is a virtually limitless source of ideas and inspiration for what I might do next in my kitchen, but there’s something delightful about paging through a cookbook, especially one filled with exotic ingredients and luscious photography. My friends and…
A tale of making a classic dish my own Article and photo by Lisa Crockett This is comfort food season. It’s the time of year when I crave things that are hearty, filled with flavor, and – most importantly – warm. Mardi Gras takes place this month, bringing with it the flavors of the south:…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett There’s a freshness to a new year. A blank slate, a clean canvas, a whole host of new possibilities just waiting to be discovered. For many of us, the new year means resolutions, a way to re-set after a month of parties and late nights filled with overindulgence. Daylight…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love cranberries, with their quintessentially American flavor and deep red color. To me, they just scream “holiday.” I love cranberry sauce, cranberry bars and cranberry bread. The tart flavor of the berries is such a nice contrast to the heavier offerings that abound this time of year, their…
Article and photos by Lisa Crockett October is the month of orange, one last burst of color as the season changes. It’s such a fallish hue, with the cozy connotation of the falling leaves and jack-o’-lanterns that are the hallmark of the season. I love all the orange foods: pumpkin, butternut squash, oranges (of course)…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Nothing encapsulates the feeling of early fall quite like an apple. Crisp and sweet, a fresh fall apple is one of nature’s most divine creations. Some of my favorite September indulgences are spicy apple desserts like apple crisp and apple pie, either one warm from the oven and dripping…
Article and photos by Lisa Crockett December is a cookie month, and I have lots of favorites. For years, my standby has been a to-die-for sugar cookie with lovely flavor and enough texture to hold even intricate holiday shapes (you can find that amazing recipe in The Castle Pines Connection archives from the February 2013…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I recently spent an afternoon with one of my children at an international fair. It was an amazing day full of experimenting with different languages, watching various cultural performances of singing and dancing, and generally learning more about the larger world. While I loved the theme of peace and…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Each month as I decide what foods to write about, I take into consideration what is fresh and appealing, and also what might fit into whatever holidays or other events are happening that month. July is, of course, a month of all things patriotic. It would seem that Mother…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett June is all about dad (Father’s Day is June 16), so I’m always looking for good “man food” to rustle up around this time of year. Starting in June, the grill gets turned on just about every day at our house, so it’s a given that on Father’s Day,…
Eaten alone or paired with a delicious cheese and/or fruit combination, these tasty homemade crackers will not disappoint. Article and photos by Lisa Crockett I was recently gifted a beautiful block of artisanal cheddar cheese. I nibbled a corner and decided that what I really needed to complement this gift was a nice crunchy cracker…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett One of the reasons I like to cook is that I can do something a little out of the ordinary without too much risk, fuss or expense. A beautiful bowl of home-cooked Italian pasta, for instance, is much cheaper than a plane ticket to Rome. Producing a bowl of…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I have a love hate relationship with bananas. Most of the time, I love them. They’re nutritious enough that I feel pretty virtuous when I eat them, but sweet enough that they almost seem like a treat (particularly if they are frozen or schmeared with a bit of peanut…
Chocolate lava cake for a sweet celebration Article and photos by Lisa Crockett In this issue, The Connection is taking a look back at its past. As the writer who handles most of the food stories here, of course I have been thinking about how to mark the occasion with food. As in many other…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Like a fresh coat of snow, the new year offers a blank slate. Now is the time for contemplation and simplification. Perhaps this year you’ve decided on resolutions pertaining to healthy habits or sticking to a budget. Maybe instead of formal resolutions, you’ve simply decided to be open to…
Turkey hand pies Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love Thanksgiving. I love a day devoted to gratitude. I love a day devoted to national pride. I love a day devoted to eating delicious, once-a-year treats. After weeks of preparing, planning menus, stirring cranberries as they stew on the stove, reviewing seldom-used recipes, and…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett It’s that time of year when I stock up on candy for little ghosts and goblins, where there is sugar in every nook and cranny of my life. It’s one of my favorite times of year, except that my initial supply of goodies for the trick-or-treaters has never actually…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Every once in a while, I encounter a recipe so strange, I simply have to try it. A few years ago, this column featured a salad of fresh mozzarella tossed with basil, olive oil and chopped peaches, which was also the result of me thinking, “That can’t possibly be…
Article and photos by Lisa Crockett Sometime this month, it’s likely that my oven will go on hiatus for six or eight weeks. I can usually be found at the backyard grill on a warm June day, making an effort to leave the heat and the mess outdoors where they belong this time of year.…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett One of the classic and repeated punchline topics on the beloved 90s sitcom “Friends” is the character Joey’s love for sandwiches. They are his favorite food, and across all 10 seasons, he can be found wolfing down a meatball sub or an Italian hoagie at inopportune times. It is…
Article and photo by Lisa Crocket Eggs are an important part of my diet. They’re almost miraculous: cheap, tasty, nutritious and fast. With the notable exception of a period when I dedicated myself to strict paleo eating, and therefore eggs for breakfast almost every day, I almost never tire of eggs. Most weeks, eggs land…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Crock-Pots, generally a pretty ho-hum kitchen tool, have been making headlines lately due to their involvement in the (fictional) tragedy that took the life of a (fictional) popular family man on NBC’s hit drama series “This is Us.” For their part, the Crock-Pot company seems to have taken the…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett My relationship with Valentines Day is complicated. I am always ambivalent about this “Hallmark holiday,” waffling between protesting the naked commercialism it’s based on and embracing an opportunity to treat the people I love with a little something special. Valentine’s Day also lands firmly in my New Year’s “get…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett A new year has arrived, and that means it is time to get back on track. More than a month of butter, cream, flour and sugar are again on the books. As always, it was a lot of fun. As always, I’m ready for the clean slate that January…
A one-pan meal worth giving thanks for Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Last year, my family and I went out for Thanksgiving dinner. There, I said it. As a dedicated home cook, I feel a little like a traitor to the cause, but going out for Thanksgiving was, in a word, awesome. No prep…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett This is the time of year when all the good things happen: leaves turn, football is in full swing and Halloween is just around the corner. Food is particularly delicious now, too, with the abundance of the harvest gathered and a multitude of choices at every market and produce…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett It’s harvest time, and after a trip to the farmers market, my kitchen is a veritable vegetable wonderland. Zucchini and eggplant are sliced and roasted, corn is slapped on the grill and given a slather of butter and a sprinkle of salt. Carrots and cucumbers just get sliced and…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Grilling really is the perfect way to prepare food. It’s fast, it produces delicious results and it cleans up with a minimum of fuss. The moment the mercury on the thermometer rises above 75 degrees, the grill is my go-to for delicious and fast meal prep. All summer we…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Lately, I’ve been binge watching a Netflix show called “The Great British Bake Off.” It’s a familiar reality show format, with a group of contestants assembled to face a weekly baking challenge. After all but three of the amateur bakers are sent home, a grand finale is held where…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I like to cook, I like to eat, and I like to feed the people that I love. So, you might think that dinner at my house is a consistently blissful affair. Alas, real life has a pesky way of interfering with what should otherwise be a pleasant way…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Most of the time when I cook, I am either following someone else’s recipe or riffing on something someone else thought of. Every once in a while, though, I come up with something that is my own, unique creation. Don’t get me wrong, I am not inventing molecular gastronomy…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Ah, love is in the air. It’s the time to grab the scissors and construction paper to make a homemade card for the one who’s stolen our heart, and it’s also the perfect time to think about how best to keep that heart healthy and strong. February is American…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett January is a fresh start, a clean slate, a new beginning. Once the holiday decorations are safely stored for another year and I’ve had a little time to clean and organize, I look forward to the mental quiet that January brings. Snow softly falling, social gatherings dwindling, and time…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love to give a gift from my kitchen this time of year. I think it’s a lovely way to show my affection at a reasonable cost, while not burdening my recipients with an item they’ll have to store or feel compelled to display. It’s a perfect plan, except…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett It’s here, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Crocktober. It’s the time of year when we dust off the slow cooker and put it on regular rotation in the kitchen. There’s a chill in the air, leaves on the ground, Halloween candy in the store; the perfect kind…
September 1, 2016 Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Early fall is apple season. One of my favorite treats is an apple picked in the wee hours on the Western Slope, then delivered to the farmers market, and then my kitchen in time for dinner. You can buy decent apples nearly year-round, but the apples…
Spring into the season with this colorful and tasty dish Article and photo by Lisa Crockett When I was a teenager, I made most of my spending money babysitting. One family’s home was particularly fun for me to work at because I knew there would nearly always be something good tucked away in the fridge…
Stress-free cookies for the holidays by Lisa Crockett It happens every year. I have big plans. Plans that include a clean house, happy children (always dressed in something cute and pristine), and wonderful smells coming from the kitchen, announcing something special and different about December. In reality, I usually hit the wall sometime around…
Chocolate Refrigerator Roll Cake Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love cake. All kinds of cake. But the dog days of summer don’t exactly make me long to turn on the oven. This time of year usually has me pulling out the ice cream maker to whip up a batch of something cold and…
Have a happy, lay-low, and hoppin’ New Year Article and photo by Lisa Crockett New Year’s Day has always been kind of a non-starter for me as a holiday. It comes at the end of a long string of days I love – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas (both ‘Eve’ and ‘Day’.) I even love holidays I…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Every once in a while, I get curious about how other cultures express their traditions in the kitchen. To satisfy that curiosity, I have made my fair share of globe-spanning tidbits. Though I do not generally have these exotic dishes as part of my regular dinnertime rotation, I have…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love a good snack. This time of year is perfect for a cozy evening in, binge watching Netflix while the temperatures take a nosedive outside. But a good comedy or a moving drama without a little something to nibble on is sort of lackluster, if you ask me. …
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Brinner (“breakfast for dinner”) is one of my favorite meals. Breakfast foods are delicious and simple to make, and on a cold winter night they are a quick way to satisfy the whole family without a lot of fuss. When the weather is unpredictable, brinner is a great way…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love a cozy dinner this time of year, something warm and simple, but still hearty and satisfying. Daylight is in short supply, but meals that feel comforting and nourishing can help compensate for the otherwise dreary nature of what is happening outside. This season is full of hustle…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett It’s become sort of fashionable to disrespect pumpkin this time of year, mocking its widespread popularity. I recently saw a photo of a Mexican restaurant featuring a marquee sign that read “Pumpkin Spice Tacos Are Here!” I inwardly groaned, trying to imagine how that would taste, before I read…
Seven layer bar done better; an old classic transformed Article and photos by Lisa Crockett I have been on a quest for years. As a kid, I determined that the world’s most perfect food was a chocolate chip cookie. In fact, cookies were the first food I learned to cook on my own, which enabled…
Pasta perfect for summer’s end Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love noodles, I really, really do. When I was a teenager, someone had the genius idea to transform the backyard barbecue-style macaroni salad (which I liked pretty well, honestly) into something that seemed somehow more sophisticated. Continental, even. Instead of calling it “spaghetti”…
Article and photos by Lisa Crockett When I was a kid, my dad made breakfast every Saturday. He made excellent pancakes and waffles, and often added special ingredients like mashed banana to give his creations a little something extra. French toast and scrambled eggs made the Saturday menu from time to time too. In the…
Holy guacamole! Chipotle Mexican Grill recently released the recipe for its famous signature guacamole. With six simple ingredients (avocados, lime juice, cilantro, red onion, jalapeño, and salt), guacamole perfection can be achieved in a matter of minutes. The recipe can be found online. Article and photo by Lisa Crockett A few weeks ago, my kids…
Fresh, wonderful water to quench your thirst Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I am thirsty all the time. It’s rare to find me without something to sip on all day and into the night. I would like to say that I’m virtuous enough to limit my drink choices to abundant amounts of ice water…
A dozen delicious easy eggs Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I love breakfast. I can’t think of a single breakfast food that doesn’t appeal to me, no matter what time of day I’m eating. I also love it when people make breakfast, serve it to me, and then do all the dishes. In fact,…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I made my first carrot cake in 1991. I was a poor college student, bored on a Sunday afternoon and craving a treat. I flipped through my lone cookbook and found a recipe that could be made entirely of things I already had on hand. It would also help…
Making yogurt cheese means gathering a few simple supplies: cheesecloth, a strainer, plain Greek Yogurt and a mixing bowl. Greek yogurt spends a day in the fridge draining through cheesecloth and a strainer to produce a light, creamy spread. Article and photos by Lisa Crockett The holidays are over, Valentine’s Day is a memory and…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett When I turned eleven years old, my dad took me out for lunch to celebrate. I still remember what I ate: a perfect filet mignon, a baked potato, and for dessert, something I had never tried: chocolate torte. It was my first encounter with a “flourless” chocolate cake. I…
Belly up to the bar; hot chocolate, that is! Article and photos by Lisa Crockett The holidays are here and party season is in full swing. Calendars are filling up and time is short, so I’m always looking for things I can do to show my love that are quick, easy and foolproof. With that…
Oven-free stuffing worth getting stuffed on Article and photos by Lisa Crockett Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year. A day dedicated to food, friends, and family. Most of us have sacred foods for this day, recipes that must never be tampered with or substituted. I am a firm believer in ritual…
Rich and sweet: favorite flavors for fall Article and photos by Lisa Crockett The days are getting shorter, and in no time at all little ghosts and goblins will be haunting the neighborhoods of Castle Pines. Grocery store shelves are brimming with brightly packaged sugary treats for trick-or-treaters. I will be the first to admit…
Just peachy: fresh, late-summer delights Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Harvest is in full swing. With the bounty that is available at the supermarket and the farmers market, it can be hard to decide what’s best to have for dinner. Corn, beets, potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and more zucchini than you can shake a…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett I t’s August. For many of us, this month marks a return to normal life – if not right this minute, then soon. School starts, vacations wind down, and after the dog days, a hint of fall is in the air. But it’s still summer. Still time for long,…
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Barbecue is the quintessential Father’s Day meal. It’s sort of stereotypical “man food” – meat is featured heavily and depending on the heat of the sauce, the meal can also double as a test of stamina. Father’s Day is also a great time to make, rather than buy, your…
A fiesta in your mouth for Cinco de Mayo Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of the victory of the Mexican Army over French forces in the Battle of Puebla in May, 1862. And while the holiday is observed in some parts of Mexico, it’s a much bigger holiday…
Light and lemony for springtime Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Every season has its celebrations and I love them all. In my opinion, a good celebration always includes some kind of special dessert. Pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, cookies at Christmas, and chocolate truffles on Valentine’s Day are a few of my favorites. This time…
Heating things up in the cold Aimee and Hannah Goodrich took first place in the chili cookoff. They competed against seven other entries and were excited to take home the blue ribbon! Article and photos by Amy Shanahan The second annual Winterfest and chili cookoff in Castle Pines Village (CPV) was a huge success despite…
Hearty and heart healthy granola for your valentine Article and photo by Lisa Crockett There are lots of ways to show someone that you love them, but my hands-down favorite way to express affection, friendship and love is by whipping up a treat in the kitchen. The smell of cinnamon and sugar wafting through the…
Waking to a waffle wonderland on Christmas morning Article and photo by Lisa Crockett When I was a kid, Saturday was pancake and waffle day. My dad was the resident breakfast chef, and I was always eager to lend a hand stirring or sifting, relishing the chance to pour syrup over a steamy stack. My…
Make quick work of the evening meal with a slow cooker Article and photo by Lisa Crockett The days are shorter and cooler temperatures are here. Leaves are falling off the trees and pumpkins and scarecrows dot the neighborhoods of Castle Pines, an announcement of the coming of fall. Something about this time of year…