About Allison

Allison Ruth, mama to three hungry girls, blogs at Some the Wiser where she takes life as it comes and tries to learn a little something as she goes.
Whether she’s baking bread, sewing, or contemplating the fate of socks gone missing in the laundry, she looks for the peace and creativity life offers to everyone who is paying attention.

by Allison on April 24, 2013 • 38 Comments Dinner

Asparagus Goat Cheese Galette

Written by Allison of Some the Wiser.

Until recently, I thought pie was one of the best things life had to offer me. Pie, in all its shapes and sizes, is incredibly delicious. However, I’ve always wondered about the old saying “Easy as Pie” because the only thing that is easy about a pie is the eating of it.

Then, I discovered the galette. It’s like a pie but, I dare say, it’s better and perhaps even a bit easier than pie. The crust is buttery and flaky, but it’s not as finicky as pie crust and is pretty in its own simple, rustic way.

Best of all, you can fill it with any number of delicious fruits or vegetables, meats or cheeses, and the galette will be the star of the meal.

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by Allison on February 27, 2013 • 18 Comments Dinner

Roasted Beet and Garlic Pasta

Written by Allison of Some the Wiser

I accidentally fell in love with cooking. I wasn’t born with a desire to be in the kitchen, to test recipes and experiment with flavors. In fact, I spent many years microwaving rice packets when I was left to cook for myself. It wasn’t until I had people to care for that my kitchen love story began.

It didn’t happen overnight. Rather, I found myself in the kitchen more and more, a necessary part of raising hungry children, and then one day I realized I had fallen in love. I realized I could make my home a happier place just by making breakfast, serving dinner, cooking with care.

I was recently reminded of just how much my time in the kitchen blesses my family and my own life when I had to rush my four year old to the hospital emergency room. In a moment of Peter Pan excitement, she had leaped and met with disaster. All’s well that ends well, and twenty-two stitches later she was fine. Fine, but it took a while for this mama’s tender heart to stop thumping.

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by Allison on January 2, 2013 • 14 Comments Quick Bites

Quick Skillet Roasted Vegetables on Cheese Toast

Written by Allison of Some the Wiser.

Most of the time I feel good about my eating habits. I like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and we eat a lot of them most days of the week. However, after all of the holiday festivities from the past month, I feel like I need to re-focus my menu and food choices.

Considering all the candy canes and pumpkin pies I have consumed recently, it feels really good to cut out sugar this month and find my way back to the fresh produce aisle. It can be harder this time of year to find fresh vegetables, but although there isn’t as much variety in the winter, there are a lot of delicious ways to prepare root vegetables.

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by Allison on November 23, 2012 • 8 Comments Quick Bites

Using Thanksgiving Leftovers: Lemon Pepper Turkey Sandwiches

Written by Allison of Some the Wiser.

Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday. In my opinion, all holidays are about food, but the Thanksgiving holiday really is all about food! I have been so excited about the upcoming feast that I finalized my menu early and got a head start on the shopping and prep work. I’m feeling really prepared this year.

In fact, I’m feeling so prepared, that I’m already planning a menu for the days after the holiday is over. We will still have guests in town and lots of mouths to feed, so I’ve been thinking about ways to incorporate our Thanksgiving leftovers into post holiday meals that still taste fresh and interesting. I’m also remembering that after days of laboring in the kitchen for the big holiday feast, I want my post-holiday meals to be quick and easy so I can enjoy my friends and family for the weekend.

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by Allison on October 3, 2012 • 25 Comments Bakeshop

Oatmeal Applesauce Bread

Written by Simple Bites contributor Allison Ruth of Some the Wiser.

There is nothing more comforting to me than a loaf of homemade bread fresh from the oven. Just the smell of hot bread baking takes me back to my childhood, to Grandma in her faded apron, to after school snacks and my brother’s “famous sandwiches.”

I hope someday my own kids will catch a whiff of hot bread and think of home and happiness, which is why I carry on the labor of love and make bread from scratch.

With Autumn at our doorstep and cooler days just around the corner, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Somehow the seasonal business of canning applesauce coincided with a sudden shortage of sandwich bread and I decided to get creative.
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