Pear and Blue Cheese Triangles

Sometimes people can react oddly after I tell them I’m combining certain foods, usually a combination of surprise and mild apprehension. When I mentioned that I was combining pears and cheese I received more than one of these questionable looks. Then I see them preparing a cheese plate with fruit and nuts on it, or [...]

Turkey Soup

Do you ever feel like you should do something productive with your leftover turkey parts?  I have always liked to get as much usage out of a piece of meat as I can, so I was very excited about this recipe when I came across it.  The recipe starts with turkey stock, which is an [...]

Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving is just around the bend. Turkey Lovers are looking forward to a feast. Turkey Haters are dreading dry, flavorless turkey.
I used to be a Turkey Hater. Many years ago, my weak attempt at roasting a turkey resulted in an overcooked, dry, tough mess. Since then, I stuck to making hams or side dishes [...]

Caramelized Onions

Caramelizing onions are perhaps the best thing you can do to onions. Hell, in this preparation, they are probably the best vegetable ever. They may be even more impressive than most other foods. I’ve been known to fondly refer to them as the bacon on the vegetable world. They are that good.
The possibilities to use [...]

Best Pizza Sauce

Easily make a pizza sauce with only 90 seconds of work.

Baked Mac and Cheese

Ahhh, classic mac and cheese. I remember buying large boxes of EasyMac at Sam’s Club freshman year and living off that and 99 cent pizza (you could even get then for 49 cents on sale!). This baked mac and cheese knocks the pants of EasyMac any day.
I’m not discounting stove-top mac and cheese here, but [...]

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

When someone first served me this dish, I thought it sounded like an odd combination.  After I tried it, I was amazed at how well the spinach, strawberries and dressing paired together.  I tend to enjoy dressings that are somewhat sweet with spinach, and the strawberries add that nice hint of sweetness.  The dressing perfectly [...]

Pork Tenderloin with Mustard and White Wine Cream Sauce

When I cook pork, it’s almost always pork tenderloin. I just love the way it melts in your mouth when it’s cooked correctly. I almost always pick some up whenever it’s on sale. This recipe is one that I created through trial and error. As you will probably see, I am a big proponent of pan sauces. I’ve [...]

Spicy Shrimp Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Olive oil can make a great, light pasta sauce alternative to the heavy Alfredo or the all-to-common marinara sauce. Olive oil sauces are also much easier to make, requiring much less preparation and ingredients than the other two sauces.
The nice thing about an olive oil sauce is that it lets you play with more spices [...]

New Years Eve 2008

For New Years Eve, I decided to host an dinner and a party at my place. Kyle and I prepared a nine course meal for our guests. This was an excuse for us to flex our culinary mussels and treat our friends to a New Year’s Eve 2008 Menu.
We started the night off with some [...]