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Category: Recipes
Here’s a delicious dessert that perfect for Summer. This simple combination of ingredients and a little time in the freezer is well worth the effort and wait – and you don’t have leave home to enjoy freshly made frozen yogurt. Of course, you can play with other fruit and flavor combinations; this balsamic and cherry was just something I concocted on a whim. And am I glad I did! Lightly sweet and slightly sour, this dessert is great for satisfying that need for a sweet treat on a Summer afternoon or after dinner. Let creativity be your guide – the only requirements are the yogurt and sugar. The rest is up to your imagination! Save Print Balsamic Cherry Frozen Yogurt Prep time: 10…
Tonight I made a quick family favorite dinner; chicken picatta with asparagus. This dish has always been a hit; the lemony sauce and the briny capers are the stars here. A perfect way to change up your ‘same old’ chicken while making a different pasta dish. This dish is surprisingly light and a great warm evening dish when you may not want a big heavy meal. It is also quick to prepare – another benefit on those warm Summer evenings and who would have thought you could get so much flavor from such a simple dish! Perhaps that is one reason this dish is a regular menu item in Italian restaurants. And who can blame them… I certainly can’t. Yet, I love to…
Here is a throwback to the old days. This cocktail is one of the first I ever ordered at a bar once I turned 21 and could legally order a drink. Basically it is a fizzy gin lemonade. What’s not to like about that? Perfect for a warm late Spring or Summer evening, the Tom Collins (gin based) can be made with vodka (a Vodka Collins), tequila (a Juan Collins), or whiskey (a John Collins) to suit your tastes. There is a lot of interesting information about the convoluted history of this cocktail, but I won’t delve into the foray of where, who, or how this cocktail originated. Let’s suffice it to say we will have to wait for time travel to…
How about another side dish? This one is a versatile and easy dish, albeit a bit time consuming to make. But won’t you agree that some dishes just need that bit of extra effort or time because they deliver on taste? Frijoles is one of those dishes. When you really think about it, frijoles is a simple concept in cooking. Clean and soak some beans overnight and add them to a pot with a liquid, simmering until tender. Now here is where the fun comes in… think of all the ingredients you can use to flavor your legumes. My favorite flavoring is bacon, pork jowl, or ham hock. The smokiness imbues the dish with a wonderful base flavor. Adding onion, garlic, and peppers rounds out…
I warned you that with the nice weather this weekend, I would be grilling. Tonight is another grilled dish. Chicken kebabs are so simple and versatile… and perfect when cooking for one. Packed with vegetables of your choice and flavored as you desire, this dish is great for summer dining. Having guests – no problem. This recipe is also easily extensible. And the best part is you can enlist your guests to build their own with the ingredients they like. That is one a way to get the party going. So get out and grill some kebabs… whether you have guests or not! Save Print Chicken Kebabs Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 35 mins Serves: 1  …
Today I decided to experiment and grill a roulade. Working with ingredients I had at home, I created this recipe using a butterflied flat iron steak, prosciutto, asparagus, and shredded Italian blend cheese. The meat was marinated in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, minced onions, minced garlic, salt and pepper for an hour before assembly and grilling. For such a seamingly upscale dish, it went together quickly and easily – and it was enjoyed just as quickly and easily! Give this dish a try and impress that special someone with your culinary skills. No one has to know how easy it is… it will be our little secret! Save Print Flat Iron Steak Involtini Prep time: 1 hour 20 mins Cook time…
Let’s kick off the Memorial Day weekend with what I consider to be an interesting martini variant – the Citadelle Germain. This cocktail features the flowery fragrance and herbaceous flavors of Citadelle Gin and St. Germain. The Lillet Blanc is a wonderful supporting player to balance out all the herbaceous sweetness from the other two ingredients. With summer coming on strong (finally!) here in the Pacific Northwest, this cocktail is a perfect pre-dinner sipper; a delicious tipple to enjoy while the sun crests into the West. If you like martini variants, I strongly suggest you give this cocktail a try. You won’t be disappointed. Save Print Citadelle Germain Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients…
Tonight’s dish is the test for my new Loki Smart WiFi Meat Thermometer – a smoked pork shoulder. This dish is one that has many uses – pulled pork for sandwiches, pork fried rice, or even chili verde enchiladas. What would you like to see me make with this dish? I started with brining the meat like I did in this post, except I substituted 1 1/2 teaspoons of Berbere spice blend for the myriad of spices I used earlier. Now that the weather is getting warmer, I plan to spend more time smoking and grilling dishes, so you have been warned! But for now, let’s get busy on this smoked pork shoulder…. The brined pork shoulder has been patted dry, coated…
Easy, baked donuts? Yes, please! I found this recipe on Jennifer Meyerling’s blog and tweaked it by adding cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. The only challenge is buying a donut baking pan (and waiting patiently for it to arrive). I found mine on Amazon – standard and mini donut sizes. These donuts are perfect for a party because they are so easy to make, so easy to personalize, and let’s face it – so delicious! They are great for satisfying your sweet tooth as well if you cut the recipe into thirds to keep the amount of donuts made to a reasonable number. Wait, is there a reasonable number of donuts? I don’t think so… Either way, you will enjoy this variation…
It looks like warmer weather has finally arrived here in the Pacific Northwest and with it, I am ready to enjoy one of my favorite warm weather cocktails – the Mojito. Originally from Cuba, this cocktail is popular nearly everywhere now. This drink is easier to make than you may think – the basic recipe is lime, mint, simple syrup, rum and club soda. Naturally, I like to make small adjustments as in adding a little bit of lemon when muddling the mint and lime. Depending on your tastes, this drink can be prepared strained or not. Each variation produces subtle differences and I find it delicious either way. Perfect for a summer afternoon or evening, the Mojito is as refreshing or potent as you desire – just…