Cooking from scratch: healthier, cheaper, and a great creative outlet
I often use buttermilk when baking. The slight tang it adds can wake up a flavor profile. But I don't always have it on hand. There are 2 ways to make it at home; one in a pinch, one ongoing long term. What exactly is Buttermilk? Buttermilk is what remains after butter is made from … Continue reading Making Buttermilk at home
A while ago I read an article from an author who was remembering all the wonderful foods from her childhood. Unfortunately none of the recipes were passed down. Her mother and aunts considered them a secret. Yep, so secret that now the actual recipes & techniques were lost. To prevent this happening with my mother-in-law, … Continue reading Baking my Mom’s Secret Toll House Cookies
Autumn is pie weather - especially apple pie. The pick your own places are all open, and all kinds of varieties are showing up at the markets. Farmer markets have baskets full. I like apple pie made with 2 or 3 different varieties combined. I think it add dimension to the flavor. I personally do … Continue reading Autumn is for….Apple Pie!
Kale soup, or Caldo Verde, comes from northern Portugal. It's a perfect fall soup, filled with healthy vegetables and sausage. There are many variations, with and without potatoes, Linguiça (a Portuguese sausage), and different kinds of kale. I have a feeling that once a family recipe is developed it becomes tradition for that family. Autumn … Continue reading How to make an Easy Portuguese Kale Soup
I love cherries, and late spring/early summer is the season. Every store has them now. I typically buy quite a few to eat, bake and freeze. I wasted a simple dessert today, something easier than a pie. So I decided on a sweet dough, almost a pate sucre, and a quick turn on the range … Continue reading Making Cast Iron Cherry Almond Crumble
I wanted comfort food - pasta to be specific. But not the standard spaghetti and meatballs my husband favors. I wanted something gooey, filled with cheese, and baked. I had sausage in the fridge, along with mushrooms, mozzarella and Parmesan; and all the other staple ingredients in my pantry. Even a half loaf of Italian … Continue reading Incredible Sausage Mushroom Pasta Bake
I decided a few weeks ago I should make some refrigerator cookies and freeze them, so I could bake cookies on short notice...like when unexpected company stops by. These are regular refrigerator cookies - the kind you mix up, roll into a log and refrigerate until firm. Except I'm going to store them long term … Continue reading How to make Freezer Cookies
Sometimes I just don't have time to wait to things to be room temperature. This usually happens when I decide to make something on the spur of a moment. I read through the recipe and something needs to be soft or warm. Ugh. So I have found someways to speed things along. Warm up flour … Continue reading 5 Quick Tips for Room Temperature Items & Baking Clean up
I first saw this Chocolate flan cake on Food Network TV back when Sunny Anderson had her own show. It was probably one of the first times I ran to my computer and printed off a recipe that I saw someone make on TV. This part chocolate cake and part flan is simple to make, … Continue reading Magic Chocolate Flan Cake
Remember the jingle: "Two all beef patties, SPECIAL SAUCE, lettuce, cheese..." . Well, if you are old enough you know it (and you just sang it in your head too, didn't you?). Special Sauces infer a secret, a magical recipe, something only you can make. And you can, make your own that is. I've seen … Continue reading How to Make Your Own Special Sauce