This month marks 10 years since I moved to Charlotte. I love it here more and more with each passing year. I am always exploring what is new, continuing my patronage at my favorite places, and really, expansion of all kinds has taken place over the last decade. I try not to think of the [...]

There was a time when extra overripe bananas meant the pleasure or pressure to bake. Once I made the banana ice scream recipe from the Vitamix cookbook, I realized that bananas were just as useful frozen as any other frozen fruit. This is an easy way to preserve those spare bananas without them sticking together! [...]

  There was a time when I had a 2 year old that had a picky palate only pacified by store bought ranch dressing. Oh how many foods he ate with the help of this popular American condiment. I tried to find the healthiest version that I could, either organic, lower in sodium, or with [...]