Welcome To My Picnic Life

10 Tempting Food Gifts for Valentine’s Day

Tempt your Valentine with one of these fun and tasty food gifts! Whether your spouse or child, friend or hostess, there is a sweet treat for all.… Continue reading →

February 9, 2019

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Build-Your-Own Oatmeal Bowls

Warm, toasty, nutritious, simple and customizable … oatmeal is the perfect breakfast. Using steel-cut oats and an overnight soaking method, everyone in your family can create their own perfect bowl!… Continue reading →

January 16, 2019

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Instant Pot Egg Bites

Get that Instant Pot ready (or some mini-muffin pans) to make these nutritious and convenient egg bites. Get the recipe here and put your family’s favorite spin on each batch.… Continue reading →

January 10, 2019

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Grandma Glienke’s German Honey Cookies

German Honey Cookies (Lebkuchen) are soft and chewy with a hint of cinnamon and cloves. Keep reading to get the recipe, the history and the reason I treasure these cookies.… Continue reading →

December 6, 2018December 10, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Pomegranate and Rosemary Moscow Mule

Lift your holiday (or ordinary day) spirits with this beautiful cocktail starring a ruby-red simple syrup. Pomegranates, oranges, lime and a hint of rosemary are a perfect combination for a twist on the traditional Moscow Mule.… Continue reading →

November 15, 2018November 15, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Everyday’s a Holiday Pomegranate Fruit Salad

Fresh fruit salad gets a holiday makeover with a touch of a tangy pomegranate and orange syrup. This recipe is sure to be a success at any holiday, special occasion or weeknight meal!… Continue reading →

November 13, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

DECONSTRUCTED SPECIALTY BURGERS ...

Recipes

Tis The Season

Squash Soup – What? No Marshmallows?

Until a few years ago, if you asked me, “do you like squash?” I would have told you that I did and in my mind I would see Acorn squash. Not Butternut. Not Spaghetti. Certainly not Delicata or Patty Pan. Just Acorn. If you asked me how to prepare it, I would have described how… Continue reading →

November 6, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Turkey Poblano Chili

Everybody has their favorite chili. It’s one of those “my mom’s better than you mom” kind of things. For the record … MY mom makes THE BEST chili. This is not up for discussion. Maybe your mom didn’t make your favorite chili (shhhhh … I won’t tell). Maybe your favorite chili comes from a spouse or… Continue reading →

February 2, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Pigskin Soup

Yes it is a strange name for soup, but I think you will like the reason. I was recently asked to write some articles for the Iowa Food and Family Project‘s monthly newsletter. Beyond excited to have the opportunity to write for this organization that supports and promotes things that I value … Iowa, food,… Continue reading →

January 31, 2018February 1, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Hearty Beef & Vegetable Soup

Hearty. I have been making this soup for about 7 years now and “hearty” is always the word that comes to mind as I make it and as I eat it. It is an incredibly simple recipe. It is full of incredibly simple ingredients. It tastes anything but simple. It is hearty. I had to… Continue reading →

January 29, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Farm to Table: Six Secrets To Satisfying Soup

Winter in Iowa: love it or hate it? I love it … as long as it’s not below 20 degrees, at least 6 inches of snow is on the ground, the wind stays below 10 mph, and ice doesn’t cause problems with the tread of my shoes or my tires. Yep, I love it alright… Continue reading →

January 25, 2018February 2, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

French Dip Soup in a Beer Bread Bowl

Is it any wonder that “soul” and “soup” differ by only one, final letter? French Dip sandwiches transformed into veggie-loaded, comfort-giving soup … it’s what’s for dinner!… Continue reading →

January 24, 2017January 26, 2017

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Be Foodventurous!

Foodventurous: Miami

September is not the month this Iowa girl would pick for a trip to Miami. Cooler temps and turning leaves typically have me pulling out flannel shirts and making chili and molasses cookies. However, when an opportunity to spend a few days in southern Florida presented itself, I pulled out my swimsuit and sunscreen and… Continue reading →

October 4, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Foodventurous: Wallace Country Life Center

If you grew up on a farm in the midwest, chances are one of the publications prominently displayed in your home was Wallaces’ Farmer. If you are a history buff, the name “Wallace” triggers thoughts of Vice Presidents and Secretaries of Agriculture. Go to college in the late 70’s or early 80’s? Remember punch cards… Continue reading →

May 29, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Foodventurous: Mankato

If I invited you to share a picnic with me and gave you the opportunity to choose one of the following settings, which would you choose? Wine & Live Music Waterfalls & Pie Military Tanks & Beef Jerky Did you think I was going to make it easy for you to choose? What if I… Continue reading →

April 23, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Foodventurous: Olive Oil in Lazio

Which travel personality are you? Are you the laid-back, we’ll-figure-it-out-as-we-go type? Or are you like me … Type A, FOMO (fear-of-missing-out), Google-obsessed planner? You can imagine then that a trip to Rome as the master-planner for 6 people might send me into overdrive. It did. Prioritization became a must … “everyone pick ONE thing you… Continue reading →

February 7, 2018February 10, 2018

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Foodventurous: Rome

Just how exactly does one put Rome into words? Even if I narrow it down to “food in Rome”, it is still an overwhelming task. Having just returned from a week in Italy and placing a magnificent check-mark next to one of my upper-tier bucket list items, I find myself trying to pick just the… Continue reading →

December 1, 2017December 4, 2017

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

Farm Crawl 2017

Whether you consider it a “crawl” from farm to farm because of all the gravel roads and traffic, or a “crawl” because that’s all you can do at the end of the tour, it doesn’t matter. A beautiful fall day spent touring farms showcasing Iowa agriculture, arts, people and food is a good day. I… Continue reading →

October 8, 2017October 25, 2017

Anita Hinkeldey McVey

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