making life delicious blog
My guys love a good, hearty bowl of pasta, especially if there is some meat or meatballs to go with it. We start our sauce early and let it simmer all day, checking occasionally to see how it’s going, and waiting until all the flavors have bloomed to add salt or pepper near the end. [...]
I remember very clearly the first time I had Ro*Tel®. I was spending a summer working in Arkansas, and the family I stayed with made the now-(in)famous Velveeta and Ro*Tel dip. This was back in the 80s when thick and gooey cheese-coated nachos was all the rage at sporting events and sports bars, and I [...]
Is Sunday dinner/supper the most important meal of the week for your family? It was when I was growing up. I always looked forward to Mom’s pot roast, or fried chicken, or whatever special she had planned for the day. Sometimes Dad had to go to work, but I remember sitting down together as a [...]
Some days we just want good Chinese food like you would get for takeout. Nothing fancy or esoteric, just some of our favorite Chinese restaurant dishes, such as kung pao chicken, hot and sour soup, egg drop soup, Mongolian beef, sesame chicken, char siu pork, and dan dan noodles. If you love Chinese takeout, then [...]
Life is crazy enough during the holidays without adding complicated meals on top of the craziness. I try to keep weeknight meals easy any time of the year, but especially during December. This recipe for steak tips with mushroom pepper gravy from Cooking Light is an easy favorite, one that Hockey Guy requests regularly. It’s [...]
Thai yellow curry paste is a refrigerator staple in our house, one that I dip into on a regular basis. It has a milder curry flavor, not as hot as panang, green, or red curry paste, and is great with vegetarian or vegan curries. I use it to spice up coconut curries, rice, and even [...]
We are big fans of robust Caribbean spices. Allspice, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger are all staples in our pantry and add tons of flavor to both savory and sweet dishes. They are an important part of the iconic jerk spice mix, which we rub all over grilled meats, and they are a perfect addition [...]
Last week we quickly harvested the last of our summer garden just before the night temperatures plunged into the 30s. We had baskets full of fresh basil to process and share with friends. I chopped and froze a bunch of tomatoes, threw several in this dish, and our kitchen counters are still completely covered with [...]
The Ticonderoga Farms Fig Feast is in its second year, and had a happy crowd waiting to enjoy the farm-fresh figs. This year visitors were treated to Chef Patierno of Girasole and Panino demonstrating how to make his beautiful fig tart. As he talked about the tart, he had many good things to say about [...]
“Mommy, you know me so well!” That’s what I hear from Top Gun every time I tell him that we are having Chinese food for dinner. Seeing the excitement on his face always make me smile and feel happy that I’m making his favorite dishes, and that he has an adventurous palate and likes a [...]
It's spring in the U.S. and the following foods may be in season in your area:
artichokes, fennel, fiddleheads, radishes, broccoli, rhubarb, kale, cresses, spinach, spring lettuces, chard, cabbages, chives, cilantro, collards, tatsoi, mustard greens, spring onions, asparagus, rosemary, wild garlic, ramps, strawberries, blueberries, cherries
Eat fresh seasonal produce to stay healthy and help your food budget.Learn more about seasonal and sustainable cooking at Sustainable Table - In the Kitchen.
