I am a stay-at-home mama to two beautiful and busy girls. The oldest is almost 4 and her little sister is just over a year. I got my love of cooking from both sides of my family. On my mom’s side, my Norwegian roots make me want to make kransekake and marzipan. I crave lox and roe and real butter. My mom is and grandma was an amazing cook. On my dad’s side, my grandma had 10 children. I have 52 cousins (last I counted!) so there were always many mouths to feed. Grandma knew how to cook cheaply but well and feed a crowd. I have memories of visiting her in my aunt’s health food shop, where she would give me yogurt-covered raisins as a treat. So good food runs in my blood. It’s in every fiber of my being; in every cell. I like to feed my family as healthy, inexpensive, and close to natural as I can. Nutrition is always on my mind. So from me you can expect mostly healthy, unprocessed, but still tasty food to feed your family.
Cassie the closest in age out of all of my cousins. We spent some time together as kids but our lives went in different directions as our parents moved and had major life changes. We were reunited a few times but thanks to social media we are able to be close again, even though we aren’t physically close. We are both at similar times in our lives with young families. Cassie is a wonderful mom and wife. I know that she enjoys her job and loves to take care of her family. We have both had some wonderful examples of this sort of love of hearth and home from our family members and especially from our grandmother. We love talking food and family. We can’t wait to share our recipes!
Pen Pals and Cookin' Gals 
this looks like a nice “family affair”, welcome in the blog world 🙂 and thank you for visiting mine
regards, Oana
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Thank you! 🙂
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Dear Veronica; Cute baby you have there; about a year younger than my twin great grandsons. Now I’m gonna lay on you some advice (remember how much unsolicited advice is worth-0 ). Never-ever boil your ribs; less you are making soup stock ’cause that where all your flavor will be and who want Pork stock. Boiling is a sign of a very busy Mom trying to rush the BBQ process. Delegate. Draft that husband, I’m sure you can think up some convincing arguments that will make him “volunteer”. It takes 90 min. of your time and 5 hours of his that will be mostly waiting-have him a 6 pak. Follow this old man’s instructions: 1) Buy 1-2 racks ribs (14 rib rack of baby-backs are good but more difficult than country cut, just be sure and get meaty ones. 2) Buy (McCormick or Montreal pork rub ) or make ( ) rub. 3) Remove thin layer of sinew covering back of rack by siding fingers underneath. 4) Dry rack with paper towel, cut in TWO pieces ( to fit grill) ONLY, every cut dries ’em out more and that’s one of your major concerns. 5) Seal in plastic bag and put in fridge (your job is done), 6) 8-24 hours later instruct husband to crank up wood, charcoal or gas grill to 350F and using indirect heat (fire NOT under meat) and some smoke ( wrap a fist full of damp hickory chips in a one layer alum foil packs -4 or 5- and poke some holes) with a water pan on grill (trying to avoid dried out BBQ) smoke ribs 30 min /side. 7) Reduce heat to 225-250F. Keep smoke going-it’s a struggle at low temp-but give him a kiss-of-promise and tell him you know he can do it. Give him a 6-8 oz. spray bottle of water containing one Tbsp each Colgin hickory liquid smoke and L&P Wooster sauce to spray ribs every 20-30 minutes. Smoke ribs 2-2 1/2 hours. 8) Remove ribs, keep warm. Clear grill surface of wood, smoke bombs, water pan, etc. 9) Check on him, bring him a pan ( I use our oven drip pan) that will fit grill and hold both half-racks w/o stacking, contains a low cake rack and enough apple juice to cover bottom 1/8-1/4 inches; place ribs on cake rack above juice, cover and seal ribs in pan ( the Texas crutch) with two pieces heavy duty alum. foil. Place pan on grill at 240-260F , again indirect heat but juice should boil to steam ribs (212F). In 30 minute get burn ointment and visit him; have him open corner of pan—watch out for steam burns — to check it is containing juice-add juice if necessary and reseal. Apply ointment as necessary. Give him kiss and tell him how brave he is. Tell him you’ll be back from your chocolates and TV in an hour and half. 10) When time is up take your BBQ sauce to him; carefully open panfor steaqm to escape and remove ribs to open grill, meat down 10 minutes turn over and slather tops with your sauce or not, heat 10 min more, cool 5 minutes while juices migrate inside, ) then enjoy.
And next year when you both are enjoying your Sixth we will be enjoying our Sixtieth. Its been a great adventure, hope yours is equally as fulfilling and exciting. Christ is our guide and mentor – never failing through 7 years USAF, 6 university years, 5 continents, 4 homes, 3 children (blonde, burnette, redhead-we quit; God ran out if colors — but one was Blue Angel, one teacher, one artist-talk about diversity), 2 dogs, 1 marriage. Thirty-five years in aero-space: Sub to Supersonic, Man on the Moon, Desert Strom and more but I’d have to …..
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Hey rockeman3, thanks so much for your advice! I appreciate your efforts to teach me a new method, and I look forward to trying it out. Just one thing wrong with your instructions… I’m the grill-meister around here and hubby likes the chocolates. 😉 Yeah, yeah, we’re breakin’ all the rules. I admire your enthusiasm and your adventure. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us! Congratulations on all your accomplishments! I am excited to see what the next 55 hold for us. ❤ ~Veronica
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