This is a variation of the classic American dish, Macaroni-and-Cheese. The variation from the classic recipe in this one is that I used four cheeses…cheddar, Parmesan, Fontinella, and Gorgonzola. It is–if I do say so myself–mouthwatering delicious. And while this may not be the heart-healthiest meal you can eat it is easy to make, versatile,Continue reading “Macaroni and Four Cheeses”
Tag Archives: cooking as therapy
The Reward…
As summer begins to wind down the tomatoes and peppers are coming to full fruition. And one of the rewards each summer is tomato sauce. I make it a few times throughout the season and then usually one bigger pot…which was today. I made about 3 gallons of sauce “hillbilly style” (cooked it outside asContinue reading “The Reward…”
Three-Color Gazpacho Shooter
Tonight we’ll serve these gazpacho shooters as a component of a cocktail party menu…pureed gazpacho made from perfectly ripe red and yellow tomatoes topped with yogurt and green onion puree. Easy to make, delicious, nutritious…and pleasing to look at. There’s a basic gazpacho recipe below (omit the breadcrumbs to puree it smooth) but if you’dContinue reading “Three-Color Gazpacho Shooter”
Salade Niçoise
Mmm…I love this salad; delicious; one of my favorites. I’ve also been fortunate enough to visit the beautiful city of Nice on a couple occasions, which of course is the namesake of this particular recipe. Anyhow, we served this salad for a luncheon today and thought it appropriate to post the recipe…it is also theContinue reading “Salade Niçoise”
This is Just One Reason I like to Grow Food
There are of course so many reasons why a person should grow at least some of their own food. I do it to save a bit of money, to keep me connected to the earth, but mostly because the food tastes so damn good. This recipe is a perfect example. It is, of course, theContinue reading “This is Just One Reason I like to Grow Food”
Substitutions and Experimentation…there’s more that one way to make a cheesy cracker
This recipe is the outcome of substitution and experimentation with ingredients to alter a recipe to fit my needs…and the outcome–if I do say so myself–is outstanding. But as usual I’m jumping ahead; let me begin again. Next week I’ll be serving a cocktail party showcasing the heirloom tomatoes from Tom Towers Farm. He gaveContinue reading “Substitutions and Experimentation…there’s more that one way to make a cheesy cracker”
A Food Photo and a Parallel Universe
Just a quick note… The above is a photo of something I made as a side dish for dinner last night….tomatoes, peppers, onions, and whole garlic cloves basted and braised slowly in a cast iron Dutch Oven just five feet from where they grew. Delicious (and easy)…my mouth waters as I type these words. It’sContinue reading “A Food Photo and a Parallel Universe”
Food Not Lawns
Though I have a small garden in the front of my house this (pictured above) was plucked this evening from the garden in the rear of the house. Beautiful, isn’t it. I have only about six broccoli plants (two out front and four in the back) but this time of year it grows almost quickerContinue reading “Food Not Lawns”
Bursting with Color and Flavor…
Beautiful aren’t they…just picked this morning. Like much of the nation it has been hot in Western New York and the vegetable plants are loving it. Yesterday when I picked a perfectly ripe tomato for dinner it was not just warm from the sun but actually hot to the touch…it felt like it was cooked,Continue reading “Bursting with Color and Flavor…”
Moudardara (Lebanese Lentils and Rice)
This recipe is classic Middle Eastern Food. It is also easy to make and so delicious that you won’t be able to stop eating it. The recipe I’ve included here, of course, is a variation on the traditional. This is a dish that is often eaten during Lent and for that reason usually remains vegetarian,Continue reading “Moudardara (Lebanese Lentils and Rice)”
The Ezekiel Bread that Almost Wasn’t…
In order to explain the title of this post I have to tell a brief story. And the reason I tell this story is that I am a firm believer that good food can come out of mishap, or at least a near mishap. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The above picture is thatContinue reading “The Ezekiel Bread that Almost Wasn’t…”
Gazpacho Blanco (receta y fotos)
All I really need to say in this post is that this soup is really simple to make and delicious and that you should make it. But I’ll say just a few more things. I made this for a luncheon I served at work today. It is a cool and refreshing soup, but also oneContinue reading “Gazpacho Blanco (receta y fotos)”
La Tomate
Beautiful isn’t it. It is–or at least was–as big as my fist. I ate most of it for dinner as an tomato and raw onion sandwich on whole wheat bread slathered with mayonnaise and doused with a liberal amount of cracked black pepper. It was, as I ate it, still warm from the sun. Delicious.Continue reading “La Tomate”
Le Nouveau Tarte Tatin
This recipe is a play on the classic Tarte Tatin, which of course is normally made with apples. I’m currently researching and testing recipes for an article I’m writing about Tarte Tatin for Buffalo Spree Magazine and thought I’d try a couple savory recipes (the poor Tatin sisters must be rolling in their graves); thisContinue reading “Le Nouveau Tarte Tatin”
Just Four Ingredients (OK, Five)
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci That beautiful loaf of bread pictured above was made with the four basic bread ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. The best part is that it was made with 100% whole wheat flour. That’s the reason I added a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten to the recipeContinue reading “Just Four Ingredients (OK, Five)”
The Flavor of Summer…
I made this salad for employee meal last night at work. Like much of the nation it has been hot in Western New York and the last thing I wanted to eat while working in a sweltering kitchen was something hot. This fit the bill; I had leftovers for lunch today. This is really justContinue reading “The Flavor of Summer…”
Just a quick note…
Just a quick note to say a couple things. The first is that I will be away from my computer for the next week or so, thus postings will be sporadic if any at all. But also, I just wanted to say thanks for visiting and subscribing to my meager little blog (s). Over theContinue reading “Just a quick note…”
Pesto!
You’ve likely had this sauce/condiment before…maybe you purchased it or had it at a restaurant; or maybe you’ve made it. But with the summer upon us, gardens–and supermarket shelves–are bursting with fresh herbs. Originally this was made by pounding everything with a mortar and pestle (the Italian word pesto loosely translates as “pounded”), but todayContinue reading “Pesto!”
Clams Casino Recipe
This is a really simple and delicious recipe if you enjoy clams (as I do), and if you don’t mind some extra cholesterol in your diet…everything in moderation, right? I wish I could follow my own advice. The beauty of these is that they can be made in advance and just pop them in theContinue reading “Clams Casino Recipe”
Baba Ghanouj and Hummus…two similar recipes but uniquely different
These recipes are equally delicious and simple to make. And while they may look similar their flavors are somewhat different. One, of course, is based on chickpeas (the Arabic word for chickpea is hummus, or hummos) and the other is based on roasted eggplant, which gives the recipe a slightly smokey flavor. If you’d likeContinue reading “Baba Ghanouj and Hummus…two similar recipes but uniquely different”
Urban Simplicty 