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...
Dinner
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...
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...
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...
Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine Alfredo has been my favorite meal since I was a little girl. What's not to love about pasta and creamy Alfredo sauce? It's a perfect food. According to the recipe, this dish was the renowned specialty of the Roman restauranteur Alfredo, known as the "king of fettuccine", who invented it during the 1930s in...
Homemade Pasta Dough (Method)
Homemade Pasta Dough Credit: La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by The Italian Academy of Cuisine Here is an essential, all-purpose method for making pasta dough. Many of the pasta recipes in La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy follow this method. Simply follow these instructions substituting the proper ingredients & measurements given in...