Favorite Ham Story, And The Recipe
This is the best recipe ever to cook the perfect ham for Easter. It was by luck that I stumbled on this compelling story about feeding a sophisticated crowd via a cheap ham, called the “Ham Gambit.”...
View ArticleLight Pumpkin Custard
Is it really, truly, finally Autumn? Gimme Pumpkin! Here is what’s so great about Light Pumpkin Custard… you can eat piles of it with little concern. The calorie intake is fairly low, your Vitamin A...
View ArticleHow to Make Perfect, Best-Ever, Excellent Mashed Potatoes
What you’re looking at are riced russet potatoes (not actually rice). It’s a step before whuupin’ em with butter and milk to make mmmm mashed potatoes. While volunteering this week at Project Angel...
View ArticleMarcella’s Fudge
This is a big plus to attending Thanksgiving on my side of the family: Marcella’s Fudge may be eaten before dinner. It is right there with the appetizers. Most of us thought Marcella was a relative...
View ArticleNew Year’s Eve Party for People Who Have a Hard Time Staying Awake
Are you like me? I have a hard time staying up New Year’s Eve. Larry is also a geezer, there I said it. Rarely do we see midnight. Parties? A LOT of hours ‘til the stroke of 12. But a few years back,...
View ArticleChocolate Almond Biscotti
Biscotti. Good dunking cookie, but not so fond of anise flavor. By consulting several basic recipes in my “collection” (read: stuffed binder), I devised a Chocolate Almond Biscotti. No anise, yes...
View ArticleJose Cuervo Christmas Cookies
The “boy” in the pix with me (very top left of this scrapbook page) is now an international pilot for a shipping company. He may have met Larry at one of our Rolling Hills High School reunions, but now...
View ArticleA Valentine’s Meal You Can Do, Sherie
Sherie and I were great pals in high school. She’s since raised three boys into independent grown men. Has been married forever. So I was surprised when she recently told me she “cannot cook.” Or...
View ArticleSt. Patty’s Recipe Roundup for “Our” Day
On behalf of all Pattis, Patricias, Pattys, Patricks, Pats and Paddys, today is “our” day. Our weather here in Southern California just turned gorgeous, and stores are full of spring flowers (this...
View ArticleChocolate Dipped Peeps ~ It’s EASTER
I am definitely no food snob, witness this post. Believe it or not, Larry and I saw Chocolate Covered Peeps at a high-end cheese shop on LA‘s 3rd Street. Packaged, and expensive. So, of course, now...
View ArticleI Cannot Wait For Leftovers ~ My Two Favorite Post-Thanksgiving Recipes
Here you go, I am pulling up my two all-time favorite uses for leftover Thanksgiving turkey – Noodle Bowl for Two and Thai Pasta. Both have been published here before but I want to make a point of...
View ArticleThe Original Classic Kahlua Pecan Pie
Heavenly Kahlua Pecan Pie and I go way back. Kahlua was my favorite PR client. Life Was Sweet. The majority of my Kahlua work was convincing consumers to make something yummy. Our goal was to remind...
View ArticleLast Minute Food Substitutions
This week is Thanksgiving. And what should arrive on my doorstep from uber-culinary publicist Lisa Ekus? The gigantic Food Substitutions Bible by David Joachim. It conjured memories of past...
View ArticleChocolate Kahlua Truffles
This is my adaptation of a candy recipe in Cooking Light, truffles made with bourbon. If a sweet recipe calls for bourbon, I already think it will be better with Kahlua. Chocolate Kahlua Truffles were...
View ArticleHow to Roast a Goose & Why is John Crying?
Don’t feel sorry for John, that’s not his empty wine glass. John was on the front line, dicing onions as a member of Team Soup at our Traditional Old English Christmas Dinner. And he certainly wasn’t...
View ArticleKahlua Sweet Potato Pie with Kahlua Whipped Cream ~ Food Bloggers Gather to...
The recipe to make this autumn leaf-laced Kahlua Sweet Potato Pie with Kahlua Whipped Cream is at the bottom of this post. Seven bloggers arrived at our home for an early Thanksgiving Feast in the...
View ArticleThe Chef, The Designer, The Kitchen and The Party
Ordinarily, I write here about cooking, trips and/or the antics of our Gourmet Club. But for this post, I was urged by Club Member Laura to write about the KITCHEN of our most recent dinner party, and...
View ArticleSautéed Spinach with Almond Cream and Arils ~ Christmas Colored!
Rich, creamy, Christmas-y! This is one gorgeous platter of Sautéed Spinach with Almond Cream and Arils. According to its source, Chef Virginia, the recipe only has 167 calories a serving. I think...
View ArticleWestern Shepherd’s Pie ~ Idaho Potatoes + Bloggers = True Love for...
This Western Shepherd’s Pie is the result of a “love affair” between Idaho® Potatoes and food bloggers first sparked at Camp Blogaway! That’s where the coolest potato guy, Don, had a chance to get to...
View ArticleSweet Easter Memories and THE BEST Ham Recipe
Easter is AWESOME when you’re little; it was for me. And I like to think that I contributed to at least one sweet Easter memory for all the little kids in our family. I see this photo on my vanity...
View ArticleCount The Silver ~ A Post-Party Tip
When I was a bride and hosted my first extended family party, my mother-in-law offered to help clean up – did I want her to “count the silver?” Shocked, annoyed, what an insult! Did she REALLY think a...
View ArticleFive Holiday Gift Ideas ~ Something for Every Style of Giver
Need an idea? Cheap? Do it yourself? A little pricey but nice? Blogger Dorothy’s recent post on Shockingly Delicious reminded me to post MINE. I really DID have a gift ideas post in the works....
View ArticleHow to Not Be a Jerk On Valentine’s Day
You forgot. Or worse… forgot to CARE. Either way, that significant other is probably expecting something on Valentine’s Day. Pull out the keyboard – you’re going to make a “gift certificate.” Here...
View ArticleKahlua Holiday Fudge + Drawing: Win 2 Vintage Kahlua Recipe Books
My cousin, Jeff, is horrified that I would post a Christmas Fudge recipe in the middle of October. Sorry, Jeff, this is important. People have LOST their Kahlua Recipe Book! Here is Kahlua White...
View ArticleFour Best Thanksgiving Sides (as in, BETTER than what you usually serve)
As years pass, who sits at your Thanksgiving table will NOT be just the people you grew up with. You’ve got new in-laws, step-families, brides, grooms, neighbors, friends. Everyone has favorite foods...
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