The Mercantile

A few years back I received The Pioneer Woman's first cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks, as a gift for Christmas. 

I love it and have since bought for myself or received as gifts all her other cookbooks!

The Pioneer Woman or Ree Drummond also has her own blog and recently opened a shop called The Mercantile in her hometown of Pawhuska, Oklahoma.

Ree and her husband Ladd purchased an old red brick building in downtown Pawhuska and had it completely remodeled.  

And the results are stunning. 

I just love old red brick buildings and am always so happy to see them rescued from demolition.

Cheesy Bacon Dip

Summer is nearly here along with endless barbecues, July 4th parties and family gatherings.  Looking for recipes to take along I thumbed through a cookbook my daughter Alexis gave me for Christmas last year.  

Trisha Yearwood’s cookbook Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood is full of really yummy recipes which were passed down through the years from Trisha’s mother, aunts, cousins, and longtime friends.  I love those kinds of recipes.
 

Johnny Marzetti Recipe and History

I have been making Johnny Marzetti for years and years.  Recently my son asked if I have all my recipes in our family cookbook. 

On further inspection of my cookbook, (a Scrapbook Cookbook I made), I realized that I have not added recipes I use often and know from memory.  For instance my deviled eggs recipe is missing, simply because I just whip them up.   So for the last couple of weeks I have been trying to add recipes that I know the kids love, but I have neglected to write down. 
One of those happens to be the Johnny Marzetti.  I decided to find out a little history on the creation of such an easy, delicious and well known recipe and was surprised to find out it was created right here in Ohio. 

Cookbook Scrapbook

When working full time, I needed to make folders for presentation purposes, to show clients what I could do for them.

One day the thought came to me that I could easily use the same concept for a recipe binder.
I have many recipes, some typed, some recipes hand written on index cards or scraps of paper and even recipes torn out of magazines. Retyping all of them as word documents on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper and putting them in a binder will make it much easier to read and find!


The concept is quite basic, easy and fun to do.

What you'll need:

• A three ring binder
• Clear sheet protectors
• Clear sheet protectors with tabs
• Scrapbooking paper, magazine pages or color paper
• Scissors and a glue stick
• Recipes

Saturday Waffle Breakfast

Easy Waffle Recipe with Homemade Maple Syrup 


My homemade syrup
from the maple trees in the back ground

Making all that homemade syrup got me thinking about recipes using fresh maple syrup! Waffles and pancakes are always a hit at our house, but I have never been a big fan of waffles.

And listen, I am guilty. Until recently, if you searched my pantry, you would find a box of Hungry Jack Instant Pancake and Waffle mix. That may be the cause of my attitude towards pancakes and waffles, the coming from a box taste.

I admit, I've never really read the ingredients on instant pancake and waffle mixes except the directions.
I had no idea what the ingredients even were!
We have been trying to eat healthier in the last few years and reading more and more labels of the food we buy. The fewer the ingredients (and ingredients I can actually pronounce) is at the top of the list for me.