As the Holidays come to an end and the weather turns from cool to downright frigid, a warm bowl of chili becomes all the more inviting.
While I was in Cincinnati, I made a version of that city’s namesake chili. In that effort, I used ground turkey to thicken the chili and give it that hearty depth.
This year, Caitlin and I have been striving to eat less meat, all Continue reading
The other day, I noticed that there were three unopened boxes of elbow macaroni, sitting peacefully in my cabinet. And I know what happened. Every trip to the Kroger leads me through the pasta section. And I think, “Hmmm. I wonder if I have any macaroni at home?” Better safe than sorry, I pick up a box and add it to the cart.
Tired of pushing those boxes out of the way Continue reading
These sweet potato home fries make a perfect side dish as part of a warm breakfast. They also go well with a Continue reading
Posted in Breakfast
Tagged Brunch, Cast Iron, Comfort Food, Southern, Sweet Potato, Vegetables
After work and a trip to the gym, it may be 8:00 by the time I get home. And despite a liberal, daytime-snacking policy, I’m hungry for dinner by that time.
Even though I enjoy cooking, a Wednesday evening — with only a few hours left before bedtime beckons — is not the best time to launch into an hour-long culinary experience. Quick, easy, and delicious are the weekday watchwords.
Sloppy Joe fits the bill. This meal Continue reading
Posted in Entrees
Tagged BBQ Sauce, Cast Iron, Comfort Food, Ground Beef, Quick and Easy, Sandwich
When it comes to potatoes, repetition is key.
For the best french fries, it’s essential to double-fry them. It should be no surprise then, that the best baked potatoes, should be twice baked.
On Superbowl Sunday, I invited my friends over to watch the Saints defeat the Colts. I told them to bring their wives and girlfriends, but also to bring their appetites. Given my New Orleans roots, I knew Continue reading
Coffeecake may be a bit of a misnomer, but I’m not complaining. Coffeecake is one of the ultimate comfort desserts or snacks, a perfect combination of cinnamon and moist cake to accompany a hot coffee or chai tea latte (in my case) , on a cold wintry morning. Indeed, this coffeecake comes together so quickly and effortlessly, it might be ready in the time it takes Continue reading
Despite its relative utility, chemistry never held much sway. Instead of chemical compounds and balanced equations, I preferred studying the subjunctive tense for être and avoir, or drawing the shape of parabolic curves, or studying the machinations of medieval European princes. Even looking at plant cells seemed more interesting than mixing chemicals.
Admittedly, some of my classmates saw things differently. Walk into a French, Algebra, or History classroom, and the setting is sedate and similar: rows of desks, facing a blackboard. Walk into a chemistry classroom, and the mood is one of potential and excitement: Bunsen burners, microscopes, lab coats, test tubes, fire extinguishers, and an emergency chemical-bath. As one of the Chemistry teachers liked to boast, “You can’t die in English class.”
And yet, all I could muster up was a stifled yawn. Chemistry Continue reading
Posted in Breads
Tagged Baking, Chemistry of Cooking, Comfort Food, Corn, Honey, Sour Cream, Southern
Memories are a funny thing. I look back at certain events or times, and wonder what it was that made a certain scene memorable, that gave it such staying power.
With childhood memories, the question evokes a stronger response – owing, perhaps, to the idea that a memory resonates with more emotion the more distant it seems. There’s something inspiring and captivating about looking back in your subconscious and finding a picture of yourself at a younger, more exciting age.
There I am, 20 years old, turning a corner outside of a Paris cafe, and bumping into the Prime Minister. There I am, 18 years old, sweating under the bright lights of my high-school Continue reading
Posted in Entrees
Tagged Comfort Food, Favorites, New Orleans, Red Beans, Sauteing, Southern, Tabasco, Turkey
This weekend, Caitlin and I went apple picking in nearby Belleville, Illinois. Armed with our plastic bags, we each set off to collect the perfect apples. Careful not to overload on the apples, we each filled our respective bag to the half-way point. Yet, when we made it to the scale, we had collectively picked over sixteen pounds of Red and Golden Deliciousness.
Faced with the prospect of an overflowing fruit drawer, Continue reading
In August 2002 (back in the early days of blogging), Julie Powell began an interesting project on her blog. Frustrated with her job, her marriage, and her living arrangements in one of the “outer boroughs,” she vowed to master the art of french cooking. That is, Powell decided to make every one of the 536 recipes contained in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year’s time. The project’s simplicity, balanced with its sheer scope, soon captured the interests of her fellow bloggers and several media outlets (and eventually earned her a book and movie deal).
On a much smaller scale, the Barefoot Bloggers make it their goal to blog roughly twenty-four of Ina Garten’s recipes every year – or two every month, which Continue reading
Posted in Entrees
Tagged Bread Crumbs, Comfort Food, Favorites, Frying, Ina Garten, Italian, Pasta, Red Meat, Sauteing
