Hyperbolic ruminations on food and film
If you love corn, this is the dish you’ve been waiting for…. Risotto is a dish I avoided learning to cook for years because cookbooks and chefs like to scare the life out of you when it comes to risotto. “If you step away from the stove, it will be ruined!” “Your using the wrong […]
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Taco Salad is SOOOOOOO good! And this is the best you can get….. I grew up with wonderful food. Countless meals to make you drool from my mom, my grandmothers Honey and Maw-Maw, Mrs. Roos, Barbara Doyle, Zip Zummo (recipe coming soon), Mrs. Romero, so many others. In our town of Port Arthur on the Gulf […]
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Presenting your favorite dip for summer. Something so easy shouldn’t taste this good. I have a theory about food… … well, I have quite a few theories about food, but for once let me try to focus: Theory: most foods have great versions, good versions and bad. Take a cheeseburger. There are a few incredible […]
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a simple and glorious burger for your Memorial Day….. I love friends who cook! I told you previously about my good friend David Henden, and his wonderful salsa and marinara. I will inevitably write about my friends Tiffiny and Jeff, both marvelous cooks. But for your Memorial Day weekend, I’m bringing in my good friend […]
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Healthy and fresh, with a surprising amount of flavor I’ve never been a fan of chicken soup for a very specific reason. When growing up and home sick from school my mom, like any good mother of the era, served me Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. I’m not going to bash Campbell’s! Their soups make casseroles […]
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I’m not ashamed to say I eat this with a spoon… Our family loved blue cheese. We ate it on crackers, in things, on other things, all alone, crumbled in salads and also as a dressing. Blue Cheese! My grandmother, Honey, loved it so much she had a big wheel of Stilton delivered every […]
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A creamy spicy dreamy one pot dish perfect for a weeknight dinner Two shrimp posts in a row? Yes indeedy. I grew up on the Gulf Coast (Port Arthur, Texas, if you’re new to the blog) and there are few things I love as much as fresh shrimp from the Gulf. We were all so […]
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One of the best main dishes I’ve ever prepared This is the first time I’ve ever posted two days in a row, but dinner last night was so mind-glowingly wonderful, I had to share this recipe. With a simple extra step, the coconut milk rice is as luscious and creamy and divine as imaginable. It’s […]
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cooking during the pandemic I’m lucky during the COVID 19 lockdown to live with one of my best friends, Rob. He’s been working from home since January. I’m now working from home for the duration of the pandemic. During the day, he works in the office upstairs, I work in my office downstairs (set up […]
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my tribute to a wonderful woman who changed my life and continues to affect it I’ve written about a few of the cooks who influenced me, from my grandmothers to friends and family members to Patricia Wells to Suzanne Goin …. Today I’d like to tell you about the cook and her book who influenced me […]
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Yes! Perfect dips and vegetarian (vegan!) chili for your game day I’ve been so swamped this January I don’t even know who is playing both in the game itself and at half time. But I’ll find out Sunday because I never miss a chance to make Super Bowl food! I’m including three previous posts: the […]
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final ruminations on 2019 When I looked back over my notes from the past year, I was shocked that some of my favorites were actually from 2019, not 2018; it seems so long ago when I read or watched some of these. I guess it’s been a very long year. Thankfully, the content has been […]
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This feisty and ultra-satisfying vegan dish turns carnivorous in one simple step Winter may seem an odd time for a stir-fry. Aren’t vegetables best in the spring and summer? But most of the vegetables used in a stir-fry… onions, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, broccoli, etc… are available year round. On a cold night, yes, a hearty […]
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This revamped classic, flecked with fresh herbs, hides a delicious addition My dentist said, “soft foods only for a couple of days.” Who was I to argue? For me that meant making both the best macaroni and cheese ever, and soup. But which soup? In fall and winter my mom often made a terrific and comforting potato-leek soup. Bingo: […]
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While this is an amalgam of previous Thanksgiving posts, I hone every year. I know you have your favorites! We all do. But trust me… add a few of these (the cocktail and the turkey in particular.. and the dips… and, well, you know… ) and you will have the best dinner ever. Hell, just […]
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A Texas staple that will become a regular part of your repertoire It was called The Lazy Daisy: a 24 hour restaurant on ‘the drag’ in Austin, a locally owned Denny’s like place that was so much better than Denny’s. When I was in college at The University of Texas at Austin, The Lazy Daisy […]
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A delicious Autumn meal I eat year round. I love fall. Hands down my favorite season. It’s not because I look my best in fall clothes… although, to be honest, that is part of it. I love everything about fall: cool crisp sweater weather, football games at twilight, County Fairs, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Fall Back from […]
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A perfect way to slide from summer to fall… with an additional secret recipe. I realize the subject of tomatoes is late given some of you are probably past tomato season. Summer in Southern California, however, starts and ends late (mid-July thru sometimes mid-October) and we remain in the midst of a glorious tomato bounty. […]
Read MoreA different kind of steak, but just as wonderful. Last week, we had steak and pasta. This week, a different kind of steak… Cauliflower Steak! Before you run screaming, these are terrific. Even the staunchest carnivore alive might be surprised to find out how much they like these steaks. And yes I’m calling them steaks […]
Read MoreBack from Summer Hiatus with a quick easy dinner I love, steak and pasta. If I’ve learned anything over the years from favorite chefs like Patricia Wells, Suzanne Goin, Nigel Slater and more, often times when cooking simplicity is best. I may love to make cassoulet over seven days, but I love just as much […]
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