chocolate chip & peppermint crunch crackles

these are sinful. don’t make them if you have no self control. chocolate chip & peppermint crunch crackles are like crack. but far better tasting. make them at your own risk. it’s a warning. have fun!

brown sugar-why do you taste SO good? perfect ginger spice cookies

i make these cookies for my friend who often gives me her cubs season tickets. ginger spice cookies are absolutely delicious, especially if you use all good ingredients. here’s some tips to make it the best- buy crystalized ginger from whole foods. it’s in bulk & is the cheapest & most moist & fresh i [...]

jamaican jerk wings & coffee rubbed cheeseburgers

we had great sunny weather this weekend so i bought some coal & makings for burgers & wings. i ‘ve made this burger before-coffee rubbed cheeseburgers. i really like gouda cheese on a burger. the rub is nice if you enjoy the taste of coffee & you like a good dry rub. what turned out [...]

lasagne bolognese with spinach gets 4 forks :-)

lasagne bolognese with spinach was my chosen first new years day dinner. it will be prepared on all future special occasions. and it was made in my toaster oven! i did a half order & i had a friend over in addition to the colonel. we ate 3 more servings today. so that’s 6 big, [...]

sour cream banana chocolate chip loafs & raspberry cream cheese rugelach with candied orange peel & toasted pecans

i took a banana chocolate chip muffin recipe & changed it up a bit. instead of milk, i used sour cream, used an extra banana, baked in mini bread pans & topped with toasted pecans. moist & very easy to prepare. i also had a taste for my very favorite cookie again, rugelach but put [...]

chicken wings africana

chicken wings africana inspired by a macanese recipe, bring together flavors of portugal, china, and africa, which were connected through the trade routes and colonization of macau. sleeping them in a bed of yogurt which always results in tender & juicy chicken. i highly recommend doing this to your meat. something about the enzymes. so [...]

shitakes, cranberries, hazelnuts oh my

i made a delightful & most unusual dish yesterday featuring the french green kidney beans. once again i went to epicurious and found a 4 fork recipe harvest wild rice. what i really enjoyed was this very unlikely mix of ingredients -flageolets -hazelnuts (i substituted cashews) -wild rice & black rice -leeks -dried cranberries -shitake [...]

brussels & beets

i made frisee & endive salad with warm brussels sprouts & toasted pecans today for lunch. it’s a combination i would never have thought of, yet it works very well. the hearty bitter greens are set straight with a combination of hot roasted buttered sprouts & pecans with the white wine vinaigrette. the pecans are [...]

my couscous heart beets prosciutto & herb goatcheese

i write this in my head as i drink my lychee smoothie with tapioca pearls from the vietnamese bakery. it’s conveniently located next door to harvest time-one of my favorite local supermarkets. i also bagged 2 banh mi vietnamese sammies to munch on while i prepare today’s meal. i am addicted to these & they [...]