Are You Ready For Some Football? Yes, once again the Patriots have won me over. I won't pretend to know the finer points of football, in fact I’ve been caught more than once cheering at the wrong plays, (quite embarrassing!), but I know a “W” when I see one, and Brady and the boys have been racking them up! As New England enters into this weekend's AFC Championship battle against rivals The Baltimore Ravens, Patriot Nation is stoked: This game is going to be a BIG one.I have to admit I wasn't ‘all in’ at the beginning of this football season. Still bruised and smarting from the debacle that …

One morning in late November, I sat down with my cup of joe to peruse through my regular emails and scope out the latest Facebook status updates when I was stopped in my tracks by an astounding new photograph. You can say whatever you want, but a picture really is worth a thousand words. This particular photograph spoke volumes about health, change and transformation. It turns out my old friend, Susan Mercer, had a bet going with her son that if she committed and fulfilled an entire month of juicing to lose weight and get healthy, he would quit smoking. She threw herself into the challenge …

January is here, and so is Old Man Winter! There is nothing else like a snowy New England winter. These are the times when memories are made: Skating on the meadows and sledding at Topsfield Hill. Snowmen and frozen toes, and warming up in front of a toasty fireplace with a hot cup of cocoa. Seeing my kids pull out their winter boots and don their hats and mittens signals me to pull out my trusty crock pot. I know that after an entire day out playing in the snow, we will all just want dinner to appear. Slow cookers are also a great resource for working moms who, especially after the chaos the…

New Year’s Eve. It's the time of year to reflect on what went right, gain perspective on what didn’t, and resolve to make positive changes for the future; A night of sparkling expectation and excitement of things to come in 2013.To some, it’s all about the traditions. Looking forward to spending the evening with a particular group of friends or family, conversing, playing games or taking in the evening quietly at home. Perhaps you’re switching things up this year and having a destination New Years, catching the rays down south, or the powder up north. However you decide to spend First Night, …

I am thankful for family with connections, especially when the holidays roll around, and with it the need for new and interesting recipes. I am always on the lookout for that one great recipe to add into my annual holiday spread that just knocks everybody’s socks off-and this year, I think I’ve found it!My cousin Courtney Perkins is a baker at heart. It should come as no surprise, she comes by her passion honestly. As a child she was surrounded daily by scrumptious pastries, muffins and tea-cakes at the Wenham Tea House, where her family ran the restaurant for many years. In businesses for …

To Pin, or not to Pin-That is the question.Are you a pinner? I have officially become swept up with Pinterest. Yes, 2012 is the Year Of The Pin, for me. This cool online pinboard is a one-stop-idea-shop packed with great do-it-yourself craft’s, unique recipes and so much more. With so many fabulous ideas being shared out, especially during the holidays, I could be pinning for hours. If you haven’t discovered this latest internet craze, or are wondering what the hub-ub is about, let me try to explain:Remember when, as a teenager, you spent every last penny at the Paper Store in the square …

‘Tis the season...for dinner parties!You know that feeling of having a closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear? You stand and stare at the same, tired, worn outfits-but nothing seems to fit the bill. That was me one Saturday night trying to plan a dinner party menu: Tons of recipes, nothing fit.It sounds ridiculous, even to me now. But I became so nervous I was pacing and fretting, deliberating and debating over the menu options, to no end. I reminded myself to settle down, cook what I know. After all, if you just hit all the right notes-savory, salty, sweet and satisfying, you can’t go …

Thanksgiving Day is three days behind us and you're probably looking for some creative uses for the leftovers. Here's a popular 'Hey Danvers, What's for Dinner?" column that we are bringing you again in hopes that you find it useful. One huge benefit to every Thanksgiving Day celebration is the ton of leftovers to look forward to. Many of us will be eating turkey leftovers for days. Once the turkey dinner re-heat meal is consumed on day two, we will graduate to the much-anticipated turkey sandwich, slathered with mayonnaise and all the fixings including a healthy glob of cranberry sauce. But …

The Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving is known in our family as crunch time. Most Thanksgiving Eve’s see my loving husband running out for those last-minute, overlooked-but-imperative ingredients. In a good year, the menu has been pre-determined, and the necessary supplies acquired. We’re hoping for a good year. Of course we have saved all of our baking for this special night: “The fresher, the better.” And with so much to do in such little time, the oven is working overtime.  Part of the fun of the holidays is keeping up treasured family traditions. Back in the day, my dad’s contribution…

I try to keep an eye out for interesting recipes, but even more so now as we look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday. Over the past few years I’ve tried bringing one "surprise" dish to the table. Sometimes this works out geat - other times, not so much. But this year I think I’ve found it, and all due to an impromptu experiment with roasting pears. Here is the benefit of said experiment, the piece de resistance: Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup.  If you've never tried your hand at a squash soup, but always wanted to make one, this is the recipe for you. Easy, tasty and satisfying are …

When I heard we were due for a big Halloween storm, I have to admit, I was underwhelmed. Like the boy who cried "Wolf!" one time too many, I'd been jaded by false weather reports and the ensuing media-induced frenzy. So I didn't prepare. At all. I did not run to market for that gallon of milk, nor loaf of bread. I did not buy three cases of bottled water, "just in case," or test flashlights for functionality.  When the sky turned an ominous black, and the howling winds rattled the windows, shaking the foundation in an effort to trick us into believing we were in the path of an oncoming train…

Have you ever tried pumpkin ravioli? The delicious flavors of pumpkin and spice smothered in a rich cream sauce is one of our guilty pleasures every season, and a sure treat when dining out. The most gratifying feeling for me is bringing home that dining out experience, without leaving our dining room. I’m nothing if not realistic. As your run-of-the-mill home cook, I’m not up to the challenge of pasta-making, let’s not get silly. But I thought,” Why not try to eek out the same delicious flavors another way?” I decided to try to replicate the flavors of a pumpkin ravioli in a pasta sauce to …

If you've never tried pizza of the breakfast persuasion, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try with your family - tonight. "What's that," you say, "pizza for breakfast?" Now, we've all had cold, leftover pizza for breakfast, and believe me - that is not what this recipe is about. I'm talking about eggs, bacon and melted cheese pizza- and that, my friends, is what's for dinner! I sampled a slice of this deliciousness while on a short family jaunt up to moose country. We were heading to the White Mountains for a destination wedding, and decided to pit-stop at my aunts house at the half …

Autumn colors are just beginning to pop in the trees, while the crisp breeze sweeps up fallen leaves, and swirls them haphazardly through the air.  These are the scenes of fall, and as much as I desire to marvel in all of Mother Nature’s bounty, I am blessed with the season’s other gifts. Yes, fall has arrived in all her glory, and with it: Flu season. “Everything's going around,” or so I hear, and even though everyone seems to have had It - it doesn’t make me feel any better. I can’t even fake it.Moms (and dads!) can’t get sick. This mantra replays over and again in my mind as I make my best…

Who said your side dish can’t double as your meal? With autumn weather in full swing, warm risotto is the perfect go-to comfort food, especially when paired with seasonal vegetables, like roasted butternut squash seasoned with just a hint of cinnamon. Of course, a little bacon always makes it better; and while we’re at it, how about tossing in a handful of jumbo shrimp? Sounds like a meal to me!Risotto is an Italian rice dish made by first sauteing the rice in olive oil or butter, before slowly and continuously adding broth for the rice to absorb. It lends itself to being the perfect base for…

If you're gearing up for a healthy and fit fall, think fish. There are many health benefits to adding more fish into your diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture 2010 Dietary Guidelines state Americans typically eat only 3.5 oz. of fish per week, but to boost immunity and achieve the necessary intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and nutrients for healthy cardiovascular and nervous systems, 8 oz. is necessary. For these busy school days it's just so much easier to toss a handful of frozen chicken nuggets on a cookie sheet than to prepare a big meal. Just thinking about what to make for …

Whenever we get a chance to dine out we are always trying new and interesting dishes. I recently went to Nine Elm and had the most amazing dinner, as always. But it was the appetizer that, for me, nearly stole the show. What was this amazing little appetizer that left such an impression? Bacon wrapped dates. Yup, seems a little weird, right? I have had all kinds of bacon wrapped appetizers, from pineapple, to shrimp, to chicken...but dates in a blanket? Chef Matt Sanidas is known for his creative flare, and yet it was the simplicity of this dish that impressed me. The dates are stuffed with …

Have you ever been transported to a different country just by taste?We discovered Vinny Testa’s at the Liberty Tree Mall, or Vinny’s, as we liked to call it, by chance, and quickly grew to love the fresh Italian flavors as much as the atmosphere. In fact, all four of my children practically grew up in their high chairs we were there so often. At least weekly, and sometimes, like during the Christmas shopping rush, twice in one month, we indulged in their homestyle Italian fare. Finer dining it was not, but fresh, flavorful and family-friendly. Those were the days! I always looked forward to a…

Calling all parents: Am I alone in feeling like it all comes down to me at the end of the day to put food on the table that is healthy, tasty and satisfying? I love the lazy days of summer as much as my kids do - it's fun to forget about being a mom for a while. But with all fun in the sun to be had, I find at the end of a hot day at the pool, beach or wherever else we find ourselves, it's daunting to think about getting involved in a big meal production. I have to remind myself that dinner isn't meant to be a chore - and doesn't have to be. The best meals are the ones the kids actually ask …

For me, summer means seafood. We are a big seafood family; scallops, steamers, shrimp, oysters and the creme de la creme: lobster. Perhaps, in part, because a lot of our family members are originally from Gloucester, but we started our kids on seafood at a very young age, just like our parents did with us. As a result-they will eat anything. On the one hand, I’m thrilled that they aren’t picky eaters, on the other, it can get expensive when even the youngest of them is whining for lobster!With lobster prices falling, lately, I decided there was no time like the present to satisfy the cravings…