I was supposed to be taking the night off. Don was at work, and I had the house to myself for the evening (which certainly is not a common occurrence). I had considered diving head first into a bag of chips for dinner, but then I got the dreaded phone call: Don needed me to […]
We found ourselves with an unusual set of circumstances – a rare Saturday night with no work and no plans with friends. What better opportunity for a date night? Unfortunately, it was the first of the month – the mortgage was paid, and not much was left over for dinner and a movie. So date […]
I’ve discovered there are two things that people are always impressed to find out that you made from scratch: the first is marshmallows, and the other is crackers. “Oh, my God! I can’t believe you made those! I wouldn’t even know how to start.” I’ve heard it several times, and it always surprises me. I’ve […]
Some good friends are getting ready to head north for the summer (that’s the problem with living in Florida: no one else lives here year-round), so we decided to get together for one last dinner party before they head to the Arctic Circle (OK, they’re summering in New Hampshire, but that’s close enough for me). Even […]
I’ve mentioned before that I am the resident caterer for my group of friends. I’ve done birthday parties, anniversary parties, surprise birthday parties, more birthday parties, but this one was a first – my friend, Robin, called up and asked me to cater her geocache party. If you knew Robin, you’d know that this is […]
You know, the path to hell is paved with good intentions. In my quest to use as many strawberries while they are in season, I end up with an overabundance of Balsamic Strawberry Preserves. I just trade one problem for another (the story of my life). So with a plethora of preserves, I had to […]
For some reason, strawberry season seems to have gone on much longer than normal this year –and of course, I always buy too much and end up trying to figure out what to do with it all. I end up slicing and freezing a ton, but I also keep a supply of homemade preserves in […]
There’s something about a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast that just makes the morning better. Granted, you can’t do it every morning, but a weekend indulgence is just the time to reacquaint myself with my rural roots. When I was a kid, the best thing in the world was to spend the night at my grandparents’ house. It […]
I’ve been in a rice rut lately. I’ve got long grain, short grain, white, brown. I’m tired of rice. I love quinoa, but unfortunately quinoa is a little out of the budget for the immediate future. So while I was roaming through the grocery store this week, I noticed pearled barley. I’ve used barley once […]
I’ve mentioned before that I grew up in the rural Midwest (Bedford, Indiana, to be exact). Catfish was a part of everyday life. You could order it any way you wanted – as long as it was fried. I think I was pushing 40 before I found out that there wasn’t a law preventing you […]
Quick and easy
I always tell people that there are two seasons in Florida: 1) summer; and 2) Oh, My God, It’s Hot! We have definitely transitioned into the second season around here. I mean, when the overnight low only gets to 85 degrees, it’s definitely time to find a way to make dinner without turning on the […]
Mango and Blueberry Galette (or is it Crostada?) I’ve got a friend who owns a bakery. She makes these wonderful dessert bites; little hors d’oeuvres that seem like they should be on display rather than eaten. Unfortunately, I have neither the skill nor the patience for that. My desserts lean heavily towards the rustic. It […]
Asian Marinated Pork Remember Willie Wonka and his Everlasting Gobstoppers? Well, I have the propane tank equivalent. We last traded out the propane tank in September – nearly 11 months ago. Granted, we didn’t use it prodigiously throughout the winter (it was freaking cold this year – even if you did live in Florida), but the thing […]
Noodles and Green Beans with Asian Peanut Sauce When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to eat was pasta and peanut butter. I don’t even know where I got the idea. Mom didn’t make it, my brothers didn’t eat it, but I absolutely loved it. In fact, I think my brothers’ collective […]
Just like the 19th century artifact that unlocked the secret of Egyptian hieroglyphics, I have finally stumbled upon the secret to making great scones. You know, fluffy and moist on the inside while simultaneously being a little crunchy on the outside with that great looking, craggly crater that forms on the top. I’ve tried recipes […]
Dry rubs and grill seasonings are a handy thing, aren’t they? But I just can’t bring myself to buy the premixed things off of the grocery store shelves. Why? Because A) you don’t know what they’ll taste like until you get them home and open them up; B) they’re mostly salt; and C) they end […]
I had one of those moments the other day. I don’t like to talk about it too much because it’s kind of embarrassing, even though it happens to all of us. Luckily the moments are rare and mostly fleeting – I decided to make a virtuous dessert. I don’t know what possessed me. I’d like […]
The blueberries are starting to roll in from the Florida fields, and I once again have the opportunity to cook with fresh berries. (Yea!) For some reason, it seems like I eat healthier when I can incorporate fresh berries into my diet: berries for breakfast, berries for dessert, and berries seem to find their way […]
I really like to bake. I’m not good at it, but I like it. I think that part of the trouble is the demanding precision that good baking requires. I’m a kitchen designer by trade – it requires me to be exacting all day long. You would think that those skills would translate into good […]
