I have just returned from a Halloween party where the most disgusting, delicious, hilarious, and cleverly horrible dessert was served. Kitty Litter Cake.
Kitty Litter Cake is a concoction of demented minds, yet it garnered lots of laughs and marvels at how it actually mimics “the real thing,” even down to the tormented Tootsie Rolls used to imitate cat poop. Read the rest of this entry »
I use any excuse in the book to eat garlic, especially garlic mashed potatoes. So be it if I reek after eating a fine bowl of garlic mashed potatoes.
Some Things to Know About Garlic
- One finely minced raw garlic clove releases more flavor and aroma because more surfaces are exposed Read the rest of this entry »
As the weather becomes cooler and leaves begin to turn amber and red, it is time to pull out a favorite family recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies that my family has been making for many decades.
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are plump, cakelike cookies that have a moist and delicious pumpkin flavor accented by chocolate pieces throughout. I don’t know why, but they have a haunting flavor that draws me to them around Halloween time. The ghosts of ancestors past perhaps, who baked these cookies in the embers of burned witches … (just kidding!). Read the rest of this entry »
Every once in awhile, when I’m down in the dumps, I indulge in a favorite childhood delicacy known as a fried bologna sandwich. My fried bologna sandwich is pretty simple and doesn’t really need a family recipe or a family cookbook to prepare:
Fry a slice of bologna.
Add the fried bologna to a slice of bread.
Fold the bread in half (No mayo, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato required).
Eat the fried bologna sandwich. Read the rest of this entry »
There are many types of cooks. Some cooks are wonderful at creating new and unusual dishes with what’s in the pantry. Other cooks are more dependent upon recipes and products that are on the grocery store shelf. Still other cooks prefer the crafter method of making everything themselves (it definitely is one sure way to know exactly what you’re eating). Read the rest of this entry »
I was in the mood for vegetarian one day last week, so I peeked into the fridge and found a big bag of fresh spinach. Then I checked my canned goods pantry and found a big can of garbanzo beans in the back. (Probably intended to make hummus with them, but, well, that never happened.)
So, on to the fresh spinach and garbanzos dish I was about to create. What would make that taste good, I thought. How about adding some garlic, onion and tomatoes for some extra flavor, and a little lemon juice for sparkle? This spinach and garbanzos dish was beginning to remind me of some Mediterranean-style foods I’ve enjoyed. Read the rest of this entry »
This weekend I’m going to a birthday party. The invitation indicates a luau theme, so I plan to take my really easy, but delicious, Kalua Pork that I make in a crock pot.
Summer crock pot cooking is absolutely great since you don’t need to turn on the oven. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with baking or roasting during the summer (if your oven is well insulated). But baking or roasting during the summer just seems wrong when you can do many of the same recipes and get good results with summer crock pot cooking. Read the rest of this entry »
Call me old fashioned, but I like to write my menu planning ideas on a sheet of paper using my favorite pencil or pen of the day. Sometimes I feel guilty using a whole sheet of paper to jot down menu planning ideas. (Guess my green conservative ways leak out now and again.)
To curb my penchant for “give an inch take a mile” scribbling, I used to fold a whole sheet of paper in half, and then write my menu planning ideas on the vertical half sheet of paper. (By writing my menu planning ideas with the half-sheet positioned vertically, I felt I had more room to be creative.) Read the rest of this entry »
Every so often I like to use applesauce instead of butter or margarine (or oil) when making baked goods such as cookies or muffins. In addition to cutting down on my fat intake, the texture of the cookies or muffins made with applesauce tend to be no different than those made with butter or margarine.
Also, I found there really is no appreciable taste difference between cookies or muffins made with applesauce vs. cookies or muffins made with butter or margarine (or oil). To my mind, opening a can or jar of applesauce is easier than melting butter or margarine (no oily mess in the measuring cup to clean up). Read the rest of this entry »
With the arrival of summer comes a dilemma I always face. Do I make and drink standard unsweetened iced tea or indulge myself with iced sweet tea? Both are delightful on hot summer days and warm summer evenings.
In the winter, the choice is easy for me: hot tea with sugar and milk. Sometimes I’ll vary the taste with hot tea that features different flavors, such as:
- Chai (with its warm rich blend of cinnamon cardamom, and cloves)
- Fruit flavored teas (such as peach, mango, raspberry)
- Green teas (fresh leafy tasting)
- Flower-flavored teas (such as jasmine or rose)
- Herbal teas or tisanes (no caffeine style chamomile, mint, rose hip, or lemon verbena) Read the rest of this entry »
“1-2-3 is the basic recipe,” I said to Ruth, who was having a slight senior moment regarding how to cook rice. “One cup rice and two cups of water makes three cups of food.”
“Oh yes,” Ruth said. “I was thinking 3 cups of water to one cup rice was how my mother used to make rice. It was always so moist and tender. I forgot the 1-2-3 rule.”
“Well, all I know is that one cup of rice can feed three people. I play The Rice Game quite a bit, and it is amazing how one cup of rice can swell up and make a difference for people in so many countries. It is one staple that truly has global reach.”
That little conversation got me thinking about all the rice in the world, and how odd it is that June brides of the past could waste such a precious food by having guests throw rice at weddings. (While I understand the custom, I much prefer the more recent rose petal tossing or bubble blowing activities at weddings instead of getting whacked in the eyes by errant grains of rice.) Read the rest of this entry »
Last weekend I was invited to a poolside birthday party for a lovely girl who was turning 12 years old. I asked what I could bring, suggesting a salad to go along with the hamburgers and hot dogs on the menu. Julie brightened up and volunteered: “My favorite is Greek Salad.”
So, Greek Salad it was.
With ripe tomatoes and cucumbers hitting supermarkets just about now, Greek Salad was a good choice for a crowd. It always holds well, and has a fresh taste. Known in Greece mainly as country salad, or horiatiki, the Greek Salad we know here is basically a combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives, all dressed up with an olive oil and vinegar blend. Read the rest of this entry »
How do you decide whether to use sour cream or cream cheese to top a baked potato? Well, I don’t decide. I use both to make my baked potato toppers. I make a basic baked potato topper recipe by beating together an 8 ounce package of regular cream cheese (that’s been softened), and an 8 ounce carton of dairy sour cream. All the lumps should be gone and the remaining mixture should be on the fluffy side.
Then, depending upon my mood or taste craving for the moment, I use the basic mixture to create several flavorful baked potato toppers. Baked potatoes are always great to eat, whether baked in traditional oven or microwave (a good summer alternative). Read the rest of this entry »
«««««
My favorite brunch is very easy to put together, and is perfect for a special occasion such as Mother’s Day. There are no crowds, no lines, no reservations to contend with, and no enormous check to divvy up among the kids. Dress up the table with flowers, real china and linens, play some piano or harp music in the background, and your Mom will think she’s having a 5-Star Mother’s Day brunch experience.
Here’s the menu and instructions for your 5-Star Mother’s Day brunch at home. It’s a great menu to include in your family cookbook. Feel free to improvise with your Mom’s favorite tastes, as desired: Read the rest of this entry »
At least once a week I like to have a vegetarian dinner using fresh vegetables and fruits for the meal. One day last week I didn’t feel like running to the supermarket, so I decided to use some squash that I’d neglected in the fridge for a few days. It was still in good shape, so I grated it and made up some squash fritters. Here is the simple recipe, written down as I completed each step: Read the rest of this entry »
My friend, Ruth, and I are often invited by friends and neighbors to various social events in our lovely community. More than likely we bring along a tidbit to share, depending on the occasion.
During one of our most recent outings, we were delighted to enjoy a fabulously refreshing cake brought by one of the ladies who was visiting from North Carolina. Both Ruth and I gushed over the cake, and Junie-Belle was glad to share the recipe.
She said this cake was called Pea Pickin’ Cake or Pig Pickin’ Cake back home at potlucks (depending on whether the gathering was for collecting fresh peas from the garden, or an outdoor pork barbecue party where the pig is cooked till it falls off the bone). Read the rest of this entry »
Okay, okay, I may be late on this topic since it is after St. Patrick’s Day, but this is one Irish coffee recipe you’ll want to include in your next family cookbook. For this year’s “wearin’ o’ the green” celebration, I enjoyed a wonderful Irish coffee made from a distant cousin’s recipe (who is a fabulous bartender and cook).
This Irish coffee recipe is easy and can be adjusted to taste. It can also be made with regular or sugar-free coffee flavorings for those who wish to avoid the alcohol, sugar and calories: Read the rest of this entry »
The other day after making my Matilda’s Pretty Good Lasagna, my taste buds drifted over from savory to wanting something sweet and creamy. So, I thumbed through the printed copy of my family cookbook and came across a Tiramisu Twinkie dessert recipe that I had quite forgotten about (but would have gone perfectly with the lasagna).
The Tiramisu Twinkie recipe reminded me of the days when tiramisu was the dessert rage of the decade after the 1993 movie “Sleepless in Seattle” introduced the word tiramisu to Americans (tiramisu had been enjoyed in Italy and some other countries, I’m told. I do remember thinking that “tiramisu” sounded much more Japanese than Italian for “pick-me-up”). Read the rest of this entry »
Remember how much fun it used to be to make lasagna? Cooking the sauce, then the slippery lasagna noodles, and then layering it all with ricotta cheese. What a great comfort food that used to be in our household, and one that generated about 12 lasagna recipes in my family cookbook from relatives and friends.
It has been YEARS since I made a lasagna recipe from the family cookbook. After awhile it seemed almost too costly and labor intensive to bother. But I got to thinking that making a big batch and freezing it into smaller portions certainly would be cheaper than those expensive brand-name prepared lasagnas I’ve come to rely upon in the frozen food section of the supermarket. (I admit that 2 trays of the stuff in a large pan has been a lifesaver for many a potluck contribution.) Read the rest of this entry »
The following biscuit recipe appeared a little photocopied newspaper called the Troy (Texas) Country Sun that inspired me to write today’s column about homemade biscuits. The biscuit recipe was attributed to George Patterson. We don’t know if George has made a family cookbook yet, but this would be a great homemade biscuit recipe to include in any family cookbook:
My favorite chocolate cherry cake bars are the best chocolate cherry dessert treat you can make for St. Valentine’s Day. No kidding. I have yet to get a complaint from anyone eating this richly flavorful chocolate cherry dessert treat.
Although this recipe for chocolate cherry cake bars is contained within my Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software, I thought I would offer it here on my blog to those of you who haven’t seen all my wonderful recipes that come with the cookbook software. (You always have the option to delete any or all of my recipes, of course, but that would really hurt my feelings…sob!)
Anyway, if you want to impress, serve these delicious chocolate cherry cake bars to whomever is your heart’s desire: Read the rest of this entry »
Do dog biscuit recipes belong in your family cookbook? Good question! I guess it depends upon how you think of your dog, and if you have ever used recipes for such things as dog biscuits.
Below are some ways you can tell if a dog biscuit recipe or other dog food recipes are likely candidates to put in your family cookbook.
Do you think of your dog as:
A Member of the Family
Your dog is inside with his human pack more than outside chasing the birds or snapping at bees. You have to clean up dog hair off the floor and furniture constantly. Your dog sleeps in the house, perhaps in a family members’ bedroom. Chances are your dog ranks high on the love scale in your family, and probably gets home-cooked treats now and then, perhaps even scraps from the table. Dog biscuit and dog food recipes probably could have a section in the family cookbook without anyone raising an eyebrow at the notion. Read the rest of this entry »
Wow, Superbowl 43, here we come!
When the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers meet at Raymond James Stadium for the Superbowl in Tampa, Florida on Sunday, February 1, you can bet your sweet bippie there will be plenty of fans at home wearing Red & White or Black & Gold jerseys to cheer their favorite Superbowl team to victory. (I put the details in here so those of you who haven’t a clue who is playing can at least know the basics.)
With more attention focused on the Superbowl scoreboard and the Superbowl commercials, there’s really no need to stress out over elaborate and expensive Superbowl food for friends, family, or party guests. Dig out those family recipes (from your family recipe cookbook, of course) and find some comfort foods that are easy and kind to your budget. (I have visions of melted Velveeta and diced Spam surfacing, but let’s be more optimistic that your family cookbook has some different and clever options.)
Around my house, instead of hot dogs, hamburgers or pizza, we plan to serve some hearty soups and sandwiches along with sliced vegetables and a homemade blue cheese dip. Here are 2 easy Superbowl Soups and 2 easy Superbowl Sandwiches that will be on my Superbowl Supper table: Read the rest of this entry »
Dig out the old Thermos® and join the crowd. Taking a brown bag lunch to work is now the smart thing to do. But, do ideas for brown bag lunches fit in a family cookbook? Why not? It’s time to think outside the lunchbox, and to think outside the traditional family recipe cookbook.
When you think about it, the same ideas used for picnic dining can be applied to workplace dining. (Think “Picnics & Bag Lunches” for your section heading). Not only do brown bag lunches make it easier to commune with co-workers, you can save a bundle every week just by taking your lunch to work. Read the rest of this entry »
A long-standing source of giggling for me has been my sister and spinach.
Yes, I know. How could spinach be funny?
Well, consider this scenario: We were in a chain ‘pie-type’ restaurant for breakfast and she ordered a Florentine omelet. (With “florentine” you know you are getting spinach, just like “veronique” means green seedless grapes are in the dish, right?)
The perfectly done 3-egg omelet came glistening to the table promising a heady blend of Swiss cheese, spinach, and mushrooms. Astonished at the presentation and taste, my sister said “Wow, they used fresh spinach.” A few minutes later she said “Wow, they used fresh spinach.” Half-way finished with her breakfast, she said “Wow, they used fresh spinach.” (Well, maybe you had to be there…)
Now, whenever we see anything related to fresh spinach, we giggle “Wow, fresh spinach!” to one another, much to most eavesdroppers’ utter confusion. Read the rest of this entry »
|
A consistent curiosity of cookbooks is that subsequent editions are almost always longer than earlier versions. It seems that no one ever shortens a cookbook.
—
