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!”
A lot of people took time during their quarantine to learn to make fresh bread. I don’t know how many Pinterest posts I saw where people proudly showed off their sourdough starters. Rather than tackle that particular challenge, I decided to try my hand at some Asian dishes instead. As a lifelong Kansan, I haven’t …
Continue reading “Spicy Korean chicken is a great bite to ‘heat’”
It’s not often I can stump Joey with a recipe. He’s the king of the spice cabinet and my go to when I know a recipe needs “something,” but I can’t quite put my finger on it. So when I managed to completely confuse him this week, I was a little proud of myself. Well, …
Continue reading “This Greek pasta dish ‘itsio’ good, you have to try it”
Not long ago, I saw a spirited discussion on Facebook about online food bloggers. The general consensus was that nobody wanted to read the person’s back story and long-winded tales from the kitchen—they just wanted the recipe. Honestly, that made me a little sad. Not only because I was sure that means they are definitely …
Continue reading “Potatoes and ground beef make dinner a done ‘dillo’”
The vegetable section of our local grocery store has been calling to me lately. And now that our local farmer’s markets are in full swing, I’m sure I’ll be finding all kinds of reasons to bring home fresh produce. This past week, the siren’s song was coming from the zucchini. It was so pretty and …
Continue reading “Make summer meals direct from farm to ‘vege’table”
Joey and I have completely different styles when it comes to cooking. I’m a measurements person. He’s an “add it until it tastes right” person. I subscribe to the “clean as you go” philosophy. He waits until the meal is over. I search cookbooks and online for ingredients that meld well. He goes with his …
Continue reading “A one-pot meal won’t take up ‘mushroom’ in the kitchen”
One of the first meals Joey and I had inside a restaurant after we were officially vaccinated for COVID-19 was to try out some local spicy garlic ramen we heard about online. The restaurant serves its spicy ramen in levels, with each level getting progressively hotter. Joey started off asking for a relatively high number, …
Continue reading “Spicy ramen makes ‘miso’ happy”
As the extremely proud aunt of a fantastic three-year-old, I have been around for quite a few meals of macaroni and cheese the past several years. I definitely can’t argue with her taste in good food. Joey makes fun of me for ordering mac and cheese regularly, and while my niece’s dish of choice is …
Continue reading “Huge casserole will make you say, ‘Cheese, Louise!’”
While I have always thought of collard greens as something eaten mainly by southerners, an article from the website “What’s Cooking America” notes that even the ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed the leafy greens. For the U.S., the tradition of cooking collard greens with pork—often using a ham hock to simmer in the broth—came from …
Continue reading “Tasty collards will ‘leaf’ you wanting more”
With the weather finally warming up, it’s about the time of year when you begin meeting yourself coming and going, it seems. There are so many activities outdoors, and staying inside after the harsh winter on top of a pandemic makes me want to spend every moment I can out in the yard or taking …
Continue reading “Spring is time to come out of your shell”