katherinesandifer

Spinach Madeline

I don’t love everything about living in the South. August, for instance, is truly terrible. And every time I go over when to use “good” and when to use “well” in my ACT prep class, at least one student says “That just doesn’t sound right!” My standard answer: “You live in northeast Louisiana. You probablyContinue reading “Spinach Madeline”

Cornbread Dressing

Thanksgiving was one of my mom’s favorite holidays. No present-buying stress… just good food and all of her family around us. She hosted every year — her family, my dad’s family, neighbors, friends — everyone was always welcome and we usually had over 20 people there. My Uncle Bill always smoked the turkey and broughtContinue reading “Cornbread Dressing”

Apple Cranberry Streusel Pie

My husband is a “cake person,” but I am a “pie person.” The boys claim to be cake people, too, so for most of the year when we celebrate birthdays, report cards, and soccer victories, it tends to be with cake. But Thanksgiving is when all my pie loving goes on display. I start experimentingContinue reading “Apple Cranberry Streusel Pie”

Shortbread Hearts

You know who I don’t envy on Valentine’s Day? Elementary school teachers. All those sugared-up kids. Meddling class moms. Sliding cupcakes sent from home. Artistically-challenged nine-year-olds who can’t cut a paper heart to save their lives (why yes, that was me!). Kids who insist on writing in the “To” part of the Valentine, despite specificContinue reading “Shortbread Hearts”

Sweet and Spicy Pecans

One of our pandemic adventures was to purchase a new rental property, this one on a lake a little over an hour from where we live. When we were looking, I was focusing on deep water and open floor plans; my husband’s main goal was finding something that required minimal repairs, since it was quiteContinue reading “Sweet and Spicy Pecans”

Venison Roast

People say that kids change you, but at the beginning of this adventure, I thought I’d be the one that primarily did the molding. Instead, they have changed quite a few of my likes and dislikes over the years. I never knew how much I’d love soccer, until my kids loved it first. I lookContinue reading “Venison Roast”

King Cake

Today, it snowed in Louisiana! For the uninitiated, this means School is cancelled because we know we don’t have the equipment or skills to drive safely Kids everywhere dress in repurposed camo hunting clothes (the only cold weather waterproof things my kids own) We slide down levees (because they are easily the biggest hills inContinue reading “King Cake”

Basic Cornbread

Happy New Year! Tomorrow, I go back to school. (Lesson plans? What lesson plans? I think I’ll write a blog post instead). I’ve read lots of books and cleaned out my pantry and closet, so I guess I’m as ready for a new semester as I ever am. Everyone — my family included — isContinue reading “Basic Cornbread”

Itty Bitty Sugar Cookies

My recipe for these reads “Sugar Cookies by Mern,” but my kids have always called them “the itty bitty sugar cookies.” Mern was the grandmother of one of my best friends growing up, and in my mind, she remains the quintessential Southern belle — gracious and lovely. My only regret is that I have theContinue reading “Itty Bitty Sugar Cookies”

Pound Cake

I love Christmas cards. I love getting them in the mail, and I love taking them of my kids each year. I frame the old ones, and when I pull them out of the attic each year, they always make me smile. I also love that as my kids grow, the photo-taking process is soContinue reading “Pound Cake”