Lou wanted to bring a vegetarian meal to a party over the weekend and began asking me for help making a chili more than a week ago. It’s not often that I am beckoned by Lou for help. In fact, I can count the number of times on one hand. So I like to make myself as available as possible. With that ...
Kitchen Chronicles
Sweet, Simple and Perfect for Valentine’s Day
I enjoyed a sweet but quick time baking yesterday with my friend Jackie. Chocolate Valentine’s Day bark (don’t tell my kids!) and cinnamon biscotti were the treats du jour yesterday, something quick and something slow. Both were simple and delicious. Nothing beats homemade sweets for Valentine’s ...
Heart Shaped Spritz Cookies
There’s always enough time in the day to spare an hour to bake beautiful little Valentine’s Day cookies, especially with a friend. After all, isn’t life about the journey and not the reward? And, another cliché to make my point: All work and no play make Alison a dull girl. Yes, I’ve been super ...
Granola for Bacon — I am so $%&##@ lucky.
“The best bacon I’ve ever had” was the most recent perk of living a few houses away from Lou. That’s what my two older kids said after tasting a sweet, smoky piece of Lou’s Maple and Brown Sugar Cured Bacon. I was lucky enough to bring a few pieces home after a quick check on my dry rubbed pork ...
And More Soup
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I love when my friends send me text messages with photo attachments of their cooking adventures. It's an easy way to get me to smile. My day ended today with this photo from Debbie with the following message: "You should be proud of us. We made lentil and minestrone." Jackie and Debbie spent their ...
Soup Making Extravaganza
Four tall soup pots and a skillet gave Christina’s stovetop a good workout. It was our annual soup making day for the fifth annual Cooking With Friends Club “Souper Bowl” for the Human Needs Food Pantry. Shy two sous chefs this year (who we welcomed with open arms for lunch by the way), there were ...
Biscotti and Burritos
Suzy has no real need to ever cook in my little kitchen again. That's right, her renovation is complete and her brand spanking new, state-of-the-art, spectacular, poke me in the eye kitchen is officially open for business. (By the way, that's not her stovetop! I forgot to snap a photo. . .next ...
Strawberry Muffins and Agave Granola
Sometimes the best cooking dates happen spontaneously without any pre-planning at all. It was my good friend Jackie's birthday last week, an endlessly fun time celebrating. We make the most out of our birthdays, with various lunches and dinners. Throw in a stellar time baking together and you've got ...
“Good Nutrition Brings Double Happiness” Betty Crocker
I scored a first edition 1950 copy of a Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook at an estate sale last Friday and I am having a hard time containing my excitement. I think this beautiful red binder is going to alter my life in some way (not sure yet how) and that’s why I love estate sales so much. You never ...
An Aebelskiver Christmas
My parents never cease to find new and interesting kitchen gifts for me. As an avid cooking gadget collector, I know it’s a challenge to find something I don’t have already have. But I’m easy to buy for since I’m always excited to make something new. A gift for the kitchen will never be left ...