Recipes for side dishes.
When I first moved out on my own, one of the first items I acquired for my kitchen was a deep fat fryer. I’m a sucker for anything fried, but I could eat French fries every day and never get sick of them. Joey makes fun of me, because if there is any kind of …
Continue reading “Fryer lets you ‘air’ in the side of less oil”
A few weeks ago, I was a bridesmaid in a good friend’s socially distanced wedding, and in preparation for the big day, I did something I have never done before: get a manicure. I opted for French tips—a layer of very light pink on the bottom and white for the ends of each nail. It …
Continue reading “This will make you ‘patty’ yourself on the back for a dinner well done”
I was unloading some groceries a few evenings ago, and Joey came to inspect what I was pulling out of the bags. Noting that there was a salsa I don’t normally buy, a container of tomatoes and a box of pasta, he immediately asked what new recipe I was trying for dinner. After being the …
Continue reading “Making a cold version of tacos isn’t mission im’pasta’ble”
Over the years, I have to confess that I have tended to order off of the side dishes part of the menu for a lot of my meals. Particularly at Chinese restaurants, I’ve been known to just buy an order of fried rice for lunch and skip over the entrees completely. It’s one of my …
Continue reading “For dinner tonight, choose to go with the grain”
Despite all the craziness at the grocery store lately, I decided to head out to our local spot to get supplies for a new recipe I wanted to try. We were going to have some specialty German sausage for dinner, graciously shared with us by a friend, and I wanted to get something traditional to …
During a recent lazy weekend, we were getting a meal ready to eat in front of the television to watch a basketball game. As is often the case, Joey and I decided to share duties in the kitchen to get our meal prepared. Joey was going to cook a rack of ribs, and I told …
Despite it being the week before Christmas, I have yet to make my normal pile of sweets. I generally bake at least a double batch of peppernuts, and there’s often something that requires melting almond bark in my double boiler and spreading waxed paper on every open counter space. I actually have a variety of …
Continue reading “You’ll be sweet on these roasted potatoes”
This is the first year of major holidays our family will celebrate without my maternal grandparents. Thanksgiving was a tough transition to the new normal, and I know Christmas will be even more difficult. When my paternal grandmother passed away several years ago, I began taking solace in using her pie pans every holiday season. …
Continue reading “Recipe traditions can provide a ‘berry’ Christmas”
I recently found myself going on a whirlwind trip through the grocery store, quickly grabbing something to make for dinner on my way home from work. Joey and I were all geared up to watch a basketball game, and I (of course) ended up getting caught in the office far later than I wanted. And …
Continue reading “Sometimes speed is what cooking is all a’sprout’”
On our honeymoon, Joey and I visited a great Italian restaurant in New York City. It was the most expensive meal of our vacation, with us spending a generous gift from a family member that was earmarked for just that purpose. The place wasn’t all that fancy to look at, but when your waiter is …
