food

256 posts

Maple Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

I’m spoiled in a lot of ways. Not the least of which is that I have family “in the biz.” Well, not that business. No, they’re not actors or in show business at all, but they are in the sugaring business.

And oh, the wonderful maple syrup they give me that’s boiled in that sugaring shack on the hill. This year the cold spring didn’t help the sap flow, and I fully anticipated not getting a bottle of syrup at all. But, sure enough. My mother called me and said the wonderful phrase, “Uncle Fred has a bottle of syrup for you.” Continue reading →

Recipe Sunday: Chicken and Veggie Skillet

I hate cleaning up after cooking. HATE IT. That is why, when I find a recipe that only gets one skillet dirty, I become a huge fan. The original recipe (which I found in the amah-zing Better Homes and Gardens Chicken Dinners magazine) calls for yellow squash, and does not include any onion and garlic, which I believe are a must for 90% of the dishes in my house. I also bought these great shiitake mushrooms at the grocery store and they complemented the other veggies nicely. Continue reading →

Recipe Sunday: Crab Cakes

There is nothing better than a crab cake that is almost all crab. Seems silly to have to make this distinction, but depending on where you go, some crab cakes are about 80% fillers and 20% crab meat. This recipe is mostly lump crab meat, with just enough binders to keep the crab from falling apart during frying. These crab cakes are great on a bed of fresh spinach, and topped with your favorite vinaigrette. Continue reading →

Recipe Sunday: Fried Pickles with Horseradish Habanero Dipping Sauce

A few years ago a group of us had a “fried dinner” party at a friend’s house. Fried chicken, fried okra and fried pickles were served, along with copious amounts of beer and wine. Our friends are southern, and they know how to fry. And drink beer. It was a most excellent dinner party.

As delicious as everything was, the fried pickles were a revelation. I’d never even heard of them, let along tasted the wonder that is deep fried dills. I wanted to eat the whole batch myself. Continue reading →

Recipe Sunday: Pasta Amatriciana

Today I am sharing with you my go-to pasta recipe. We eat this meal at least once a month, not only because it is delicious, but also because it is so easy to make. Everyone should have a go-to recipe that you make when you are tired and hungry, that only takes a few ingredients that you usually keep in your pantry. I think the original recipe came from Emeril, and I have tweaked it throughout the years. Continue reading →

Pork Carnitas in Slow Cooker

Recipe Sunday: Slow Cooker Carnitas

A few weeks ago I shared with you a recipe for chicken tostadas. Since then, I couldn’t stop thinking about making some slow-cooked pork carnitas to try with the tostada recipe. I looked around the web for some inspiration, and then decided to create my own concoction, since I wanted a slightly sweet carnitas. The best part is that we used the leftovers a few nights ago. We just added a little barbeque sauce and bam: pulled pork sandwiches. Gotta love a dish that can multi-task. Continue reading →