Sometimes there is no substitute for simple and easy. Recipes with a few ingredients that work well together and that are almost no-fail simply can’t be beat. My mom’s pound cake recipe is exactly that. It has a short list of ingredients – six to be exact – and with the help of a stand [...]
After two months of rigorous testing, I have found that the $.99 GroceryIQ iPhone application is my new best friend when it comes to managing my grocery list before I shop and while I’m at the store. In this podcast I discuss why GroceryIQ is so helpful for me, including how it’s saving me about [...]
Ham and lamb are two favorite main dishes for Spring menus. Listen as I share the advice I received from a local expert on how to choose the best cuts of each for your table.
As I drive around Central Texas and see the wildflowers in bloom or sit on my back porch enjoying the lovely Spring weather, my mind turns to Spring menus and two of my favorite main ingredients: ham and lamb. While both are very popular centerpieces for an Easter table, I love to serve them all [...]
What’s so special about duck fat? Well, besides the fact that it lends one of the most rich and luxurious tastes you’ll ever come across to any dish, it’s the healthiest animal fat you can consume.
When I was growing up, the turkey on our Thanksgiving dinner table always started out frozen and the biggest differences among turkeys in the grocery store were brand and price. My mother would keep an eye out for the best combination of these two attributes, and often our turkey would be free with a grocery [...]
Spatchcoking is a technique that is greatly underutilized in many home kitchens, which is a shame because it takes a chicken to a whole new level. A butterflied chicken is simply a chicken without a backbone that lies flat.
[Jump right to the recipe: Balsamic Red Wine Sauce]
Over the years I’ve built up a collection of recipes and techniques that I go to time and again when I’m planning every sort of menu – from a quick weeknight dinner to my big holiday party. Some of the recipes in my collection are classics that [...]
A compound butter is simply a combination of seasonings and usually a bit of acid mixed with softened butter and returned to the fridge to set. Recently, I made a Mexican-inspired green chile and corn squash side to go with a steak.
[Jump right to the recipe: Caprese Sandwiches on Parmesan Gougères]
Recently, the Austin food bloggers gathered again for a potluck, giving me another blogger event to simultaneously look forward to and fret about. I of course work myself up unnecessarily. Our local blogging group is so down to earth and ready to try new food that [...]
[Jump right to the recipes: Green Chile Chicken Tacos & Chicken Salad ]
I feed my foodie obsession not only with my own kitchen and blog fun, but by enjoying the many excellent food blogs penned by others. As part of my goal to help anyone feel more comfortable in the kitchen, I think it’s important to point to [...]
[Jump right to the recipe: Prosciutto and Mozzarella Flat Bread with Fresh Tomato]
I’ve been making a concerted effort to get down to the Austin Farmer’s Market at least a couple of times a month if not weekly so I can support local farmers and lay hands on the fresh-picked food just like my grandmother’s garden [...]
I’ve been to many cooking classes in the last several years, and while most provide a good meal and a useful lesson or two, rarely would I label any class an “experience”. Today was an absolute exception. I had the great pleasure of attending “The Gage Hotel: Grillin’ & Thrillin’ Wine Dinner: and for three [...]
