I hope everyone has had a wonderful and safe Memorial Day. I had the joy of attending my brother’s annual “Big A** Barbeque” this year. (He actually calls it Big A** BBQ, I am not making fun of people with big bottoms.) I was a bit concerned about showing up given that my smaller hinny …
Foodie
Béchamel”t” in Your Mouth Mac & Cheese: Mother Sauces Part II
Why were the Mother Sauces developed? Funny you should ask. In the 19th century, Mother Sauces were prepared as a cost saving measure. Huge quantities were produced and then divided into smaller portions. From there, different ingredients were added to add variety to the meals. Béchamel (or white sauce for people who don’t like fancy …
Espagnole: Mother Sauces Part I
In classic French cooking there are five “building block” sauces or the Mother Sauces. I will make an attempt to talk about all of them over the next few weeks but today I want to concentrate on one, Espagnole Sauce. Sounds like it should be something with Spanish flavors, right? WRONG! I thought that too …
Master of My Romaine
I really wasn’t sure if I was going to post this recipe or not. It includes a subject that some people consider “wrong” or “shameful”. I am not one to hide from controversy so I am going to just toss it out there Seinfeld-style. Yes, you guessed it. I want to talk about maceration. (It’s …
Pizza Rigatoni
I think you may need to sit down before you read the next sentence. I’m not sure if I have admitted this before but there are nights that I don’t feel like cooking. (GASP!) It may happen because I am overtired or under inspired. Either way, I still have to figure out how to put …
Spaghetti with Seared Scallops, Fennel and Tomatoes
Living in a small town in the Midwest, there is a challenge finding fresh, quality seafood. Our markets carry a lot of fish but it is usually “thawed” out from frozen. I actually prefer to purchase the flash frozen fish because then I know exactly how long it has thawed and the source of the …
Tarra”gone” Chicken
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I love a good chicken recipe. It still amazes me that one piece of meat can marry so well with an abundance of flavors and cooking techniques. With that said, nothing compliments a chicken breast better than a nice rich sauce. (Actually, I bet there are some roosters …
Salmon Hash Hits the Runway
My last recipe post was probably the easiest recipe I have in my binder. Today’s recipe is probably my most involved. Notice that I didn’t say “hardest” because it really isn’t a difficult recipe. It just has a bunch of steps (5 to be exact). The decadence of all of the flavors all on one …
Any Way You Spread It
I was given a challenge this past week. I was asked if I could post a recipe that had less than five ingredients. Actually, I wasn’t really asked. It was more of a sarcastic comment from a friend that I chose to hear as a challenge. Some people I know (and love) claim that their …
My Crowning Glory-Beef Wellington
I know everyone probably has had their fill about the royal wedding today between Prince William and Kate Middleton. I, personally, was getting annoyed with the news programs inundating us with every microscopic detail. I think the only thing they didn’t cover were the style and color of her bloomers. But I confess, the first …