The Summerland Advocate-Messenger - Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community

I have no idea who invented chocolate cake, but I'm sure glad they did! Cake itself makes life better, but whoever decided to make it with chocolate deserves some kind of honor. In poking around...

I know all too well how easy it is to either: 1) skip breakfast, or 2) grab something on the run that isn't exactly the most nutritious food in the world. When I do make time for breakfast, I have a...

I have a confession to make: I’ve never really learned how to make pie crust. In fact, most of the pies I’ve served in my life have a connection to Pillsbury, Mrs. Smith or the bakery department f...

All that planning. All those lists. All that grocery shopping. All that prep. All that cooking. And now Thanksgiving dinner is done and you're looking at all those leftovers. Well, you are if you're...

Growing up, Thanksgiving was pretty laid back in my house. As I've mentioned before, I grew up in Oshkosh, but both of my parents were born and raised near Valentine and that's where most of their fam...

TERRI HAHN When I was a kid, the only squash I knew about was acorn. That little green thing that showed up every fall and mom baked with butter and brown sugar. It was pretty good and I still bake...

Halloween cookies With fall comes cooler weather and with cooler weather comes the season to bake. And what could be better than counting down the days to Halloween this weekend with holiday-themed...

I remember a story my mom used to tell about her coworker, Opal, and Opal's two little boys. One night, Opal asked the boys what they wanted for supper. One of the boys, about 4 or 5 years old,...

National Hispanic Heritage Month, with roots going back to 1968, is a period, from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans...

It’s been a weird summer, hasn’t it? Traditional Memorial Day programs were few and far between. Father’s Day was observed with proper “social distancing.” Fourth of July celebrations were...

A couple of weeks ago, a lifelong friend and I took a road trip through Western and North Central Nebraska. We checked out Chimney Rock, the Scotts Bluff National Monument, Toadstool Geologic Park...

Sandwiches have come a long way since the bologna-on-white-bread standard fare I used to take to Girl Scout day camp or Vacation Bible School. This past weekend I had two yummy sandwiches from a...

I love salads. My weekly grocery list always includes "salad mix, lettuce, fruits and veggies." It's a permanent line on the note app I have on my phone where I keep a running list. It doesn't matter...

My mom made the best potato salad ever. Now I know there are many of you reading this who are thinking, "Nope, I/my mom/grandma/Aunt Jane/whomever make the best salad. No question." And that's OK....

When you hear the word "barbecue," what's the first thing you think of? Throwing a couple of steaks or burgers on the grill and inviting the family over for a Father's Day cook-out (keeping socially...

Growing up, homemade ice cream was a special summer treat I always looked forward to. It was special because the only kind of ice cream freezer we had then was the kind you turned with a crank. And...

Although more and more of us tend to grill all year 'round, May and June have long been tagged as the start of the official grilling season. And with social distancing still the norm, many folks will...

By Terri Hahn With social distancing still the norm and the common sense move of "shelter in place," a big family gathering to celebrate Mom, Grandma and other important women in our lives probably...

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 and has become a time to celebrate Mexican culture. While Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of...

The grilled cheese sandwich. Pretty simple. Pretty straightforward. Take a couple of slices of buttered bread and a slice or two of your favorite cheese and heat it up on a griddle. What could be...