A bowl of slow cooker beef and mushroom stew garnished with a sprig of fresh parsley for color.

Slow Cooker Beef and Mushroom Stew

This Slow Cooker Beef and Mushroom Stew is the perfect comfort food for cooler evenings this fall. The best part is that because it’s a slow cooker recipe, dinner is ready when you walk through the door after a hard day at work or school.

Fall Harvest Gelatin Salad

Fall Harvest Gelatin Salad

Fall Harvest Gelatin Salad contains the flavors of fall. I know some of you may be questioning the veracity of that statement because there’s no pumpkin spice, or plain pumpkin, included in this recipe, but pumpkin spice isn’t the only flavor of fall. In fact, before pumpkin spice mania took the country by storm, there were cranberries, apples, and pecans. Those flavors, along with celery, […]

Seafood Salad

Simple Seafood Salad

Simple Seafood salad is something that I love.  It’s one of my favorite things to buy at the store, but I don’t do it often because it’s what I consider a luxury item.  I have been making crab salad at home for years, so I decided to try my hand at making a copycat of the seafood salad that’s available in the deli at my […]

Meditteranean Beans

Mediterranean Beans

Mediterranean Beans are a simple, yet tasty way to get beans on the table quickly.  These beans get their flavor from a mixture of herbs and vegetables.  When the Mediterranean beans are ready for serving, some good quality extra virgin olive oil is added to the pot to give it a definitive Mediterranean flair.   Because Mediterranean beans are made with small white beans, they cook […]

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

Spanish rice can be made many different ways. This version is one that I received from a friend of mine who is actually a Salvadoran. Perhaps, I should have called this recipe Salvadoran Rice instead of Spanish Rice. She called it Spanish rice, so I feel like I should honor her choice of name for the recipe, right? There are two other versions of a […]

Vegan Tuna Salad

Fishless Tuna Salad (Vegan)

Fishless Tuna Salad tastes just like the real thing.  In fact, one of my friends argued with me and insisted that this recipe wasn’t vegan. She was adamant that I was cheating, and she didn’t relent until I showed her the empty can.  We love tuna around here, so figuring out how to make a good tasting vegan version of fishless tuna salad was very […]

Asian "Tuna" Salad (VEGAN)

Asian “Tuna” Salad (Vegan)

Asian “Tuna” Salad doesn’t sound like a vegan recipe, but  it is.  The “fishless” tuna that I used for this recipe was Loma Linda Sesame Ginger Fishless Tuna.  I purchased this product as part of my pre-vegan shopping trip.  I wanted to make sure my pantry contained some simple ingredients that I could use to put together simple meals on nights when life is crazy.  […]

Homemade Clam Chowder

Homemade Clam Chowder

Today is Clam Chowder Day, and I’m putting together a pot full of homemade clam chowder for my family.  I have another recipe for clam chowder made from food storage items here on the Patty Cake’s Pantry website, but this time, I’m making it entirely from scratch.  Homemade Clam Chowder is delicious, and it’s surprisingly simple to prepare.  There’s really only minimal prep work necessary, […]

Chicken Enchilada Soup with Black Beans and Corn

Chicken Enchilada Soup with Black Beans and Corn

Chicken Enchilada Soup with Black Beans and Corn is a simple and delicious soup that ‘s great on these cold Winter evenings.  It’s also a figure friendly recipe.  We know you’re going to love this new version of Chicken Enchilada Soup with Black Beans and Corn. 

Tuna and Rice Salad

Tuna and Rice Salad

What do you do when you one have one can of Tuna and a lot of people to  serve? Do you run to the store for another one?  No!  Instead, add something extra to stretch it so that your Tuna Salad for three can become Tuna Salad for 6.   This little secret ingredient can also help to stretch your grocery dollars.