As soon as the weekly forecast came out, telling us that the opening weekend of football would be perfect for spending some time outside, Joey announced we were going to invite some folks to watch the games and throw some food on the smoker. Of course, I had to stick my nose in and announce …
Continue reading “Kick football season off with a bang by making shotgun shells”
This summer, we have had the privilege of welcoming an intern from the University of Kansas into our newsroom. It’s amazing how quickly someone can go from being a stranger to being part of the family, and that’s definitely been the case with Will. So, with his final day looming this week, Joey and I …
Continue reading “You won’t want to hush about this week’s southern dish”
An article by Eliana Rivero goes into great detail about some of the cultural dishes of Cuba, including a dish I decided to try for this week’s column, congri. According to Rivero, “The name comes from the Creole French words congo and ris (beans and rice) to produce what today is widely consumed by Cubans …
Continue reading “Everyone will want to ‘congri’gate around your table for this dish”
When we were stuck in the house for lockdowns at the start of the pandemic, I (like everyone else) started getting a bit stir crazy and began looking for ways to reorganize different parts of our house. One of my first projects was my horribly organized spice cabinet. The way it was all stacked in, …
Continue reading “‘Tajin’ up the flavor with yummy seasoned rice”
Even though I try not to heat up the house with my oven too often in the summer, I am definitely willing to make an exception for the right recipe. Last week, that exception came when I decided I didn’t want one of the typical cold summer sides like coleslaw, potato salad or a green …
Continue reading “Roasted vegetables will be the ‘bell’ of the ball this summer”
I’ve written before that I have some random, mostly mild food allergies that make certain recipes difficult for me. Specifically, tomatoes cause me trouble, and I have to limit how often I include them in my diet, no matter how much I love them. Because of that, I’m sympathetic to readers who sometimes email me …
Continue reading “Customizable pasta dish is worth every ‘penne’”
An article on the website “Atlas Obscura” called “What the Heck Is Crab Rangoon Anyway?” lays out the history of the crispy little Chinese restaurant staple. The article notes that while crab rangoon are not from China, they’re an invention by Chinese-Americans, who began serving Chinese dishes to Americans of other backgrounds when they came …
Continue reading “Air fryer rangoon can keep you from ‘wonton’ eating”
In an online article, author Ossiana Tepfenhart explains that there are lots of foods we now consider “fancy” that were once “poor man’s food.” Dishes that fit the bill include lobster, oysters and even caviar. Another dish that she could have included? Ratatouille. The summer stew, native to Nice, France, was once considered a humble …
Continue reading “Want to be a French chef? You can d’ouille’ it!”
Joey and I tied the knot back in 2010, which meant our 10-year anniversary was pretty anticlimactic last summer with COVID in our backyard. No date night out on the town. No restaurant dinner. We still enjoyed one another’s company (I mean, it’s not like we could be apart while quarantined in the same house.), …
Continue reading “Sweet peppers are the stuff of dreams”
When it comes to cooking indoors, Joey and I share the load pretty evenly. We each take on lunch or dinner regularly, with both of us having our specialties. But when it comes to cooking outside, I definitely fall far behind. Joey has really perfected the use of his kamado-style grill, mostly opting to create …
Continue reading “Grilling cheese is more than just o’queso’”