One of my most glorious moments was managing to surprise Hubby with his dream vacation of an Alaskan Cruise for his college graduation last year. (I LOVE to plan our travels, but keeping it a secret for almost a year?!? Not good for my health...I thought I would burst with excitement.) He worked so hard...
Cooking
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Skewers
A few weeks ago we were on a backpacking trip on North Manitou Island for a week. We had a fantastic trip, but it doesn't take long to start daydreaming of food when you're hiking and eating in the backcountry. For example, our friend Jim and I spent a good 30 minutes fantasizing about Cilantro...
Blueberry Pie
I had every intention of trying James Beard's Deep Dish Blueberry Pie recipe (since it was in my Cookbook of the Week) and loving it and sharing it with all who may take the time to read these posts... (By the way, thank you for reading.) I did try it and I did enjoy the...
Chicken Maryland
If the way to a person's heart is through their stomach, then choose who you make this for carefully. Fried chicken...Bacon...Cream Sauce... Need I say more? I'm not saying that it's a brilliant diet plan to eat like this all the time, but it sure is tempting! Chicken Maryland Credit: The Essential James Beard Cookbook...
Gruyère Soup
There's something therapeutic about homemade soup after a long day of work. This Gruyère Soup was a nice alternative to a cheddar soup (although I do love cheddar soup too). If you like Gruyère, you should definitely give this a try. Gruyère Soup Credit: The Essential James Beard Cookbook by James Beard Ingredients: 4 tablespoons...
Rice Salad with Summer Vegetables
I'm not sure how I've gone so long without ever trying a rice salad, but one bite and we were hooked. We both love rice and vegetables, so what's not to love about this cool summer version? I chose to omit the bell peppers that were called for in the recipe, and added fresh sweet...
Cheddar Broccoli Soup
This Cheddar Broccoli Soup has become sort of a standby recipe that I bring to friends who have just had a baby. It's easy to make, and it reheats well. The addition of nutmeg and hot sauce (I know, it sounds weird...especially since I loathe hot sauce) help to subtly enhance the flavor of the...
Banana Poppyseed Bread
Banana bread is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast, or a snack. I always love when my basket of fruit on my kitchen counter has some bananas that are getting good and ready to be baked into some delicious bread. I've tried many many recipes and I finally combined several and found...
Agnolotti Primavera (Half-Moon Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta filling)
Questa pasta era deliziosa! (This pasta was delicious!) I am slowly starting to learn some Italian using Rosetta Stone. I hope to be able to communicate a little bit when we arrive, or at least be familiar with some vocabulary. I'm not sure if it was partly due to our extreme hunger after an incredibly...
Bacialli (Potato Dumplings with Mushroom Sauce)
Well, let's call this a learning experience, and a perfectly nice way to spend a Sunday evening at home. Despite my best efforts, I quickly realized upon beginning this recipe that I am grossly underqualified to attempt such a delicate, traditional dish as this. However, that's the entire reason that I am on this cooking...