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By Roxanne Benner
My husband and I are empty nesters who work full-time and live in Mount Holly Springs, PA. Between our love for hiking and doing activities that allow us to recharge after the daily grind, we spend a lot of time in the kitchen together. We typically prefer to cook at home rather than go out to a restaurant, and Savory Magazine has been a major player in these special evenings of cooking together. It’s never a problem for both of us to be in the kitchen at the same time—we really enjoy it!
We find cooking at home allows us to control the ingredients that go into our food, limiting things like sodium and fat that we like to cut down on, and really leaning into some of the veggies and proteins we both love. A home-cooked meal has always been important to us, and my family has always enjoyed meals together. Ever since I was little, on Sundays, we’d meet at my Italian grandmother’s house for pasta and meatballs as a big family. I still try to keep this tradition with my extended family when I can. I enjoy spending time with my family, and food is always a good reason to get together.
When I want to experiment with different recipes, I always turn to Savory Magazine. All of the ingredients are easily found at my local food store. But the main reason I love Savory is that the recipes are just so easy to make, and always delicious. The magazine sparks ideas and gives my husband and me a chance to try something new. We especially love the photos that go along with the recipes and that they are often targeted for the time of year, so that we can feel festive about the season.
When planning what I’m going to cook, I’ll often pick up the latest issue of Savory and plan an entire week’s worth of meals. I’ll select four or five of my favorites and put together a grocery list for the week. I’m an in-store shopper, but you can also shop online and even have the recipes automatically load ingredients into your cart. Savory is also tailored for any cook at any level! My mom (a seasoned cook) and my daughter (a beginner cook) both love the magazine, too.
Some of my favorite recipes are the French Toast Bake for Christmas Morning or the French Toast Muffins from September 2024. Both great ideas and something new to try.
Roxanne Benner lives in Mount Holly Springs, PA, with her husband and two very energetic boxer dogs, Champ and Jade. She enjoys hiking, the beach, and simple activities to unplug from the daily grind. She works full-time and is a proud 23-year employee of Ahold Delhaize USA, where she is currently the Analyst of Redemption Reporting. Her favorite fun fact is that she has an identical twin sister.
