In 1908, the Japanese invented monosodium glutamate to enhance food flavors, particularly meat-like flavors. Did you know we actually have glutamate receptors on our tongues? It’s the protein in food that the human body recognizes as meat. With the ability to hydrolize just about any protein to create free glutamic acid, we now had a way to create intense, meat-like flavors without any meat present.

To get those flavors before the invention of MSG, people the world over used bone broths. Now industry had created a way to short cut the lengthy and nourishing process of creating stocks from the bones of beef, chicken, lamb, pork, and fish. They could make food that tasted “just as good” at a fraction of the cost.

But at what cost to our health?

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As with most homemade salad dressings, Hot Bacon Dressing beats just about any dressing you’d find in your grocery store salad dressing aisle. It packs more flavor, uses healthier fats, and generally makes you feel like a world class chef when all you’ve done is a few simple steps.

Needless to say, I like making Hot Bacon Dressing for my family. It’s versatile, too. Sure, we use it as a salad dressing over greens, but we also use it as a dip for vegetables. We stir Hot Bacon Dressing into our tuna or egg salads to give them a little extra kick. We even use it to top steamed veggies like spinach or broccoli.

Go ahead. Get creative. You know your mouth is watering.

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New recipes delight me. Particularly the creative ones that really fit with the moods of the seasons. The recipes I’m sharing today all strike me as warm, inviting, and perfect for winter.

And they all have a creative or unusual twist — a little something special that makes them seem above average to me.

Hope you enjoy!

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Among parents, about the greatest endorsement for any recipe is “kids love it!” Thankfully, that’s true of one of my family’s favorites.

Who needs pasta, anyway?

Eggs poached in marinara sauce are the way to go! They may not look “pretty,” but they take mere minutes to prepare. And they’re delicious.

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Frozen meatballs come in handy. They dress up many an otherwise boring meal. Kids love them. And by using make ahead frozen meatballs, you can save yourself a lot of time in the kitchen.

If you look at the ingredients label on most pre-cooked frozen meatballs available at your grocery store, you probably will not want to eat another store bought frozen meatball again. Whether it’s soy meal adding texture or hidden MSG, the ingredients are scary.

That’s why I started making my own make ahead frozen meatballs. I cook them all up in a big batch (usually on a Saturday), then freeze them for later use. So easy!

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