Cooking Monster

This recipe showed up on Reddit the other day, and since my mother-in-law loves chocolate, I decided to give it a go, and send her a batch. Ingredients 1 cup unsalted butter, softened ⅔ cup Brown sugar ⅔ cup white…

There’s a recipe over on Reddit that’s getting rave reviews. It’s weird name is explained by the OP, u/spider_hugs… “This was my mom’s recipe. Named so because my dad sheepishly asked me to make for his birthday, despite the fact…

These are a family tradition with my in-laws. Whenever two or more are gathered together, these sweet treats are made. (They’ve made them so often, there are metal cake pans that have scored cut marks in the bottoms.) They’re really…

This method works surprisingly well. It’s currently my go-to instant pot recipe, replacing the spaghetti and meat sauce recipe I made last year. Be sure to have the onion and garlic already chopped, and your rice pre-measured before you turn…

So I’ve been making bread every couple of days for the last several months. I’ve come up with a method for sourdough that doesn’t require constant attention to the starter, and I end up with two loaves of tasty and…

1 T Canola Oil 6 thin slices Jalapeno 3/4 c Onion 1/2 T Salt 2 T Peppercorns 1 T White Wine Vinegar 2 T White Wine 2 c Heavy Cream 2 c American Cheese, shredded 2 c Cheddar Cheese, shredded…

I sent out care packages to several people I know. I made an old favorite and two new ones.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup bread-and-butter pickles, drained, plus 1/2 cup of their brine 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger root 2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha, sambal oelek or gochujang 1 teaspoon toasted…

1 lb ground lean beef (7% or less) 1 small onion, chopped 1 small green bell pepper, chopped 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional) 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 (14½ ounce) can of diced tomatoes ¼ cup tomato paste…

Penzey’s Spices used to put out an herb mix that was great for roasting  chicken. Apparently, I was the only one who bought it, because they stopped selling it a couple years ago. Here’s how to make it yourself. Aside…

This is an afghan recipe called bouranee kadu or borani kadoo. Traditionally, it’s made with pumpkin, but it’s easier to find and buy butternut squash, already peeled and cut, though you’ll probably need to cut some of the pieces into smaller chunks….

It’s about 10 weeks to last frost here in zone 7. So if you live near me, then it’s time to start your tomato and pepper seedlings. This year, I’m trying five  new varieties… two big beefsteak heirlooms called Country…

Why pay $7.50 a quart when you can make this gorgeous soup yourself?

(Even though this recipe is calls for orecchiette, I’ve made it with other shapes of pasta. Rigatoni works well.) 2 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped 5 garlic cloves, crushed…

You’ll love this practically foolproof dark chocolate cake with sweet marshmallow frosting.

A LOW-CALORIE WAY OF MAKING A SATISFYING SOUP

A LOOK AT SOME OF THE NEWER WORDS AND PHRASES RELATED TO FOOD AND EATING. haloodie n. A person who has an ardent interest in halal food. [halal + foodie] bliss point n. The specific concentration of salt, sugar, or fat that makes a…

A look at some of the newer words and phrases about food. pink slime n. An industrial meat byproduct consisting of compressed low quality beef trimmings treated with ammonia gas and used as a filler for ground beef. 100-foot diet n. A…

After you’ve trimmed off a bit of the stem end, and a bit of the pointy end, pack your one pint sterilized jars with okra, first filling the bottom with the enough okra to fill the bottom of the jar,…

When the production of your garden really starts to kick in during the summer, it’s hard not to get overwhelmed with the bounty. This recipe helps, because by roasting down all of the vegetables, you intensify their flavor. And you’ll…

This may be the best thing that could ever happen to a chicken. I get a whole lot of compliments on this one. There are some members of my extended family who insist I bring this to any family gathering,…

1 T olive oil 1 large leek 1 stalk of celery, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme 1 sprig of rosemary 1 bay leaf 1 small to medium russet potato, peeled and quartered stock or water 1…

2 large red bell peppers 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 lb boneless beef shank, or normal stew beef, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces Kosher salt & pepper 2 large onions, chopped 4 large cloves of garlic, minced 2 t…

Here’s a list of recipes and techniques from the archives. What’s a “Heritage” Turkey? — information on whether you should bother with this expensive variety of turkey. My Turkey Plans — This post has a recipe and instructions for brining…