It may feel impossible to imagine a salad as a feast, but whenever I make this dressing, I feel that all the notes of bitterness, creaminess, savory-ness and the bite from the garlic – along with the sweet crunch of romaine lettuce combine to make a whole, complete eating experience. This Caesar dressing is for garlic lovers. This has been my “house” dressing for years. It’s creamy and the garlic gives it a magnificent “bite”. The mustard and anchovy paste give it a depth of flavor that makes it unforgettable. You can make this dressing up to two days in […]
Yearly Archives: 2024
74 posts
A big pan of these vegetables disappears in seconds at my house. Whether we’re loading up large bowls of it and eating it while curled up on the sofa (comfort food!), scooping it up with crostini (baby toasts) or serving it at a side dish, this recipe is so easy, so simple and so very epically delicious.
This is my favorite kind of cornbread because the edges are slightly crackly and the insides are soft and cakey. The buttermilk makes this twangy and delectable. A family favorite!
A quick marinating process is all you need to get this flank steak started. It broils in just minutes making it a fast, easy and delicious dinner. Marinates in 2-4 hours – although you can marinate for longer if it’s convenient for you. I’ve served this with mushroom risotto, with mashed potatoes, atop a spinach salad, and most recently with vegetable lo mien. It’s always excellent.
This is a no-fuss gorgeous bread that you can make and serve on the same day. You’ll need to reserve about three hours start to finish for making this bread, although you’ll only need to work at it for a total of about ten minutes. I use my heavy duty stand mixer to make this bread.
These are the pancakes that my family has been making for decades. At first, I was the one who always made the pancakes. Then I taught my husband to make the pancakes and he took over for many years – as “breakfast time Daddy” – the fun dad who would make pancakes on a Saturday morning so I could sleep in. Then, the kids all learned how to make the pancakes, and now my husband and I can both sleep in (although he usually gets up earlier than I do). This is the pancake recipe that is tacked to […]
There are so many ways to make a roasted chicken great. This is my easiest, most simple way to prepare roasted chicken. Sometimes I think I like the flavor and texture of this chicken the most. You really taste the “chickeny” chicken here. The white pepper on this chicken is really good – I highly recommend using white pepper over black pepper for a simple chicken like this.
Even a reluctant carnivore will be transformed into an enthusiastic carnivore when a properly-cooked pork belly is presented. The ribbons of fat turn into lush, juicy bites of flavor and the crispy, crackly pork skin, bubbled to perfection, is the thing you never knew your teeth were wishing they could chomp into. Crunch, crunch, crunch. There are three things to remember when you are roasting a pork belly: 1) Score the skin into thin strips – as thin as you can get them. 2) The pork belly will not be perfectly level when sitting on just the pan. It will […]
For a long time I was of the mind that Irish Soda Bread had to be made as frugally as possible. Just some flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. As it’s a peasant’s bread, I was not too far off. Being 99.6% Irish myself, I felt as if I was betraying the struggle of my ancestors to be as “extra” as to add EGGS and SUGAR to my Irish Soda Bread. Oh, the horrors! “They didn’t have an egg to spare”, I argued with myself. “And they certainly didn’t have sugar”. For me, Irish Soda Bread was the bread […]
My family loves a good veg casserole. It’s a great way to familiarize young people to the textures and tastes of cooked vegetables. I serve this with any number of main dishes. It was wonderful with a roasted chicken tonight.
The easiest way to enjoy asparagus! I’m always happy to see fresh asparagus in the stores this time of year. This lightly-roasted asparagus is so delicious. Crispy, crunchy, with a tender flesh inside. You might just eat them right off the pan like finger food.
The easiest, best buttercream for icing and decorating cakes, cupcakes or cookies. This formulation tastes like vanilla ice cream!
HOT ARTICHOKE DIP: Looking for a last minute dish to take to a gathering? This is it! Everyone loves a hot artichoke dip. This whips up so fast, and it only needs to bake for about twenty minutes. It’s creamy, savory and has a flavorful kick thanks to the pepper, garlic powder and fresh chives. Be sure to use the canned artichokes packed in water, as opposed to the jarred artichokes packed in oil.
The buttercream makes these cookies so creamy and delicious. It, along with my tinted sugar method makes so many design possibilities that fun to make. To get a sparkly effect on your cookies, tint sugar with food coloring. I use a plastic bag to shake the sugar up with the food coloring to distribute the color quickly and uniformly. Sprinkle the tinted sugar on the cookies before you bake them. You will know that the cookies are perfectly cooked when they have lost their sheen, but are not hard yet. They will finish cooking on the pan once you take […]
We lived in New Orleans from 2010 to 2012. I have such happy memories of living there. The locals are welcoming and kind. It’s not hard to make a wonderful group of friends in Louisiana culture. I thoroughly enjoyed studying creole and cajun cooking while living in New Orleans. Opportunities to learn were everywhere and I found myself learning as much from a cajun mama in the grocery store (who was happy to stop and talk with me) as I did from formal classes. This is my recipe for king cake. I make it every year for my family now, […]
Like salt and vinegar chips only with the added green flavor and snap of fresh green beans. The almonds compliment this dish so well and make the overall flavor profile nutty, creamy, salty, puckery and fresh.
These nachos come together in less than thirty minutes and are a real crowd-pleaser! Set up a “nacho” buffet at your next get together. Idea: Put plenty of lettuce, some tomatoes, tortillas and refried beans on your buffet table so your guests can make salads, tacos and nachos with all the fixings.
Making hot wings couldn’t be easier with my roasting method. The seasonings are all natural and preservative-free. This meal/snack/noshing food can be ready in less than thirty minutes. Everyone in my house loves these!
I’m always encouraged by the deep healthy greens of fresh broccoli this time of year. The color is so rich, it’s almost a blue-green. It just FEELS healthy, even to look at. In the fall and winter, my focus always shifts to getting to bed early, and I’m naturally drawn to deep colors to eat like greens, purples and oranges. I feel this combination of extra sleep and nutrient rich foods has helped me fight off viruses in the past. This recipe uses one big head of broccoli, or two small heads of broccoli. I cut the florets and tender […]
Don’t be intimidated when considering this recipe. It comes together so quickly on the stove top, then is baked in the oven for a couple hours. The longest hands-on time you’ll spend on this recipe is about thirty minutes. This process works very well for me on a busy weekday. I can start the stew in the late afternoon and let it bake while I’m picking up the kids from activities.