I have always enjoyed cooking, but I did not really start to take a keen interest into it until I became a single father of two young children who needed daily sustenance, preferably of a nutritious type. My repertoire and understanding of techniques started expanding as I consumed various cooking content in order to increase the variety of meals and ingredients used. Over time, my interest in cooking, the science behind it, the tools and techniques used, and the ingredients expanded and continues to grow. For more food content, please visit the Pictures / Videos link in the top menu and select the Food section.
That said, while I have consumed countless hours of cooking content over the years from professional chefs to home cooks, this section is not meant to be any sort of authoritative source on cooking. Instead, it is a collection of things that have made an impact to my cooking journey that I want to save for my own memory, or in case my kids or others want to understand how I prepared something. If something here sparks an interest in you to try or further research a recipe, technique, tool, or idea, then that is, as they say, just icing on the cake.
This basic beef stew is good for the colder months. It takes a while to cook so requires some advanced planning, but most of that time the stew is just simmering and filling the area with warm smells. I used to make stew in the slow cooker so I could toss items into it in […]
Guinness Beef Stew Read More »
I usually only make these once a year for Easter dinner. I am not sure why I do not make them more often as I tend to consume any leftover from Easter dinner within a day, so I obviously like them. I have tried a few different versions over the years and have found that
This is a simple, one pan dish that is good for a quick meal on a cold night. It is also very customizable by using different cheeses or cheese blends, adding things such as sweet and/or hot peppers or other fresh vegetables such as carrots to the onions during the sauté step, or adding things
With tomatoes in the garden I need as many recipes as possible that use them, (a single tomato plant is very bountiful!) This is a nice, clean chicken recipe. Timing Prep: 10 minutesCook: 10 minutesWait: 25 minutesTotal: 45 minutes Ingredients For the Breadcrumb Mixture For the Bruschetta Steps There are three things to prepare. First
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While researching guacamole recipes I found that most were very similar, so I picked one that seemed to have the flavor combinations I liked most and tried that. It was a hit for Thanksgiving, so I saw no need to tweak it with ideas from other recipes. I also use variations on this for things
These are a bit time consuming to make, but freeze well and are great to have on hand for a quick meal or snack. If freezing, do not deep-fry them. Instead after rolling them place in an airtight container so that they are not touching and cover the top with plastic wrap. If multiple layers
This is a base hummus recipe that comes together quickly. Other things can be added to it as desired. For example I have mixed in things such as cooked spinach and roasted red bell peppers. You may adjust times and liquid to make a consistency you like. I prefer a smooth but somewhat thick result,
This can be replaced by sour cream, but it mixes better under heat and I think tastes better. It does take a couple days of preparation before use, though, so some forethought is needed. Timings Prep: 5 minutesWait: 3 days Ingredients Steps References
This is a favorite recipe for the cold winter months. Served over egg noodles, it is a great choice for when you want some “comfort food”. The recipe uses crème fraîche, which, if you make at home, requires a few days advanced preparation (see the recipe). While sour cream may be substituted, crème fraîche is
This is a generic cheese sauce. It can be made with various types of cheese. While the original recipe has a focus on it being a sauce for vegetables, I use it for things like macaroni and cheese, cheesy potatoes, and cheesy chicken pasta. See the notes below for cautions about certain types of cheese
