I was browsing Amazon.com for cookbooks, when I had an amazing idea: Why not test-drive these books before buying? So, I went to my library’s Web site and requested every cookbook on my Amazon wish list. A few days later I was trekking home (in the rain) with 50 pounds of borrowed cookbooks, ready to […]
Entries Tagged as 'recipes'
The Best Molasses Cookies
November 22nd, 2009 · 70 Comments
Tags: baking · dessert · recipes
The Perfect Rhubarb Pie
June 7th, 2009 · 55 Comments
I always say my favorite pie is rhubarb (without strawberries), but when I happened to think about it recently, I couldn’t remember the last time I had baked or even eaten a rhubarb pie. And with the ultra short rhubarb season upon us, I knew I had to get baking!
So, I was thrilled when a […]
Tags: baking · dessert · recipes · weekend project
Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries
April 6th, 2009 · 71 Comments
I was so amazed by this dessert – it’s unlike anything I’ve ever eaten! The base is a meringue that’s crisp on the outside and marshmallowy on the inside. To use the leftover egg yolks, you make a lemon curd to spread on top. Add in whipping cream and your berries of choice, and it’s […]
Tags: baking · dessert · fruit · recipes
Indoor Baby-Back Ribs
March 29th, 2009 · 57 Comments
Me: “Do you think we can get a smoker?”
Geoff: “We can’t really smoke inside!”
We went on to debate smoking meat in the park or propping a grill out on the fire escape, but for now, indoor oven-braised baby-back ribs are the closest I’m going to get to home-made BBQ.
I’ve had my eye on the Fairway […]
Tags: dinner · recipes · salad · weekend project
Chocolate Mocha Brownies
February 11th, 2009 · 65 Comments
I have to admit that I hardly ever make brownies from scratch. I usually make whatever mix is handy, most recently a Betty Crocker version from the local grocery store, bought in a craving-induced after-work stop. They were bad. So now I keep an emergency mix of my favorite variety on hand – Trader Joe’s […]
Tags: baking · dessert · quick fix · recipes
Mario’s Meatballs
February 10th, 2009 · 71 Comments
I love meatballs, but I hardly ever make them. Left to my own uninspired devices I’m more likely to quickly brown beef, add a jar of marinara sauce and call it dinner. It’s my Midwestern version of “Pasta Bolognese” – my “again!?” dinner that Geoff is continually forced to veto. So, I decided to put […]
Tags: dinner · italian · recipes · weekend project
Souffléed Macaroni and Cheese
February 1st, 2009 · 80 Comments
I first heard the name “Clementine Paddleford” last year, as I uploaded old article to the Gourmet Web site. She wrote a column called “Food Flashes” in the 1940’s. Today, they’re great to read because of the history – the country was a very different place back then. You can check them out here.
Tags: cheese log · dinner · french · quick fix · recipes
Grandpa’s New Cardamom Sour-Cream Waffles
January 16th, 2009 · 45 Comments
The undisputed pancake and waffle king in my family is Grandpa Chuck. Now, Grandpa has been making breakfast feasts using the same tried-and-true pancake recipes for as long as I can remember. So I was amazed when we got into a conversation about pancake recipe experimentation – debating the merits of sour cream vs. buttermilk […]
Tags: breakfast · quick fix · recipes
Poppy Seed Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting
January 11th, 2009 · 82 Comments
This recipe is a classic in my family, part of long-standing tradition. I don’t know where it came from exactly, but Grandma Lois used to make this Czech dessert a couple times every year. It’s one of my Dad’s and Grandpa Ernie’s favorites.
Tags: baking · dessert · recipes · weekend project
Healthy Breakfast: Banana-Walnut Oatmeal
January 1st, 2009 · 66 Comments
Okay, I’ll admit it. A steady diet of Christmas cookies and holiday buffets has made my favorite pair of jeans a little snug. So, I decided to start 2009 right, with a healthy bowl of oatmeal and a banana – mixed together!