I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially on the weekends. Call me a short order cook. If asked, I’ll cook my family anything they ask for and often spend hours on end prepping, cooking and cleaning to only repeat it again and again until we tuck the wee ones in bed at night. Don’t get me wrong, I … Continue reading
I was tasked to bring dessert to a party Saturday night. 900 pans, a kitchen that exploded and a few hours later… What started as cheesecake bars with a Oreo crust that wasn’t firm and crisp enough to cut into bars, evolved into a tasty mistake with chocolate cake and ganache galore. A very, very, tasty mistake. … Continue reading
I’ve never been a fan of pumpkins. On my porch yes, but in my food, no. Aside from a few stellar dishes I’ve enjoyed made with fresh pumpkin, my aversion is likely due to canned pumpkin puree. It never tastes great or real for that matter and frankly belongs where it came from, the can. Sorry. With a few edible pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, a husband … Continue reading
It’s been months since Cooper and I sat in the basement for hours filling Dixie cups with potting soil and planting seeds. We spent weeks as a family watching seeds flourish and others fail to grow or thrive in our make-shift greenhouse set up each year by my bedroom windows. Hours were spent, as they are each year in late winter, tilling the … Continue reading
A bowl of happy and ripe Georgia white peaches sat begging to be played with this morning. I was more than happy to oblige, so on went the music, my little chef assistant joined in on the action and a few hours later we had more than enough peach hand pies to go around and a mess that … Continue reading
We told them what to expect and what would happen. We told the boys, “You’ll never go hungry and there’ll always be food. Eat slow and you’ll survive and thrive.” It had been three years since we had made our New England trip to see Paul’s family and while we’ve hosted them on a regular … Continue reading
A BIG thank you to the Wall Street Journal! Friday night dinner is looking GOOD! While it’s getting a little late in the season for braised meals, this one really stood out to us and even though the kiddos are running around in shorts and tees, the trees are in bloom and Spring has sprung … Continue reading
What happens when my mom visits for four days and Paul comes home for the weekend? I live in the kitchen, by choice of course, and cook a lot! Here are the highlights from our week and a brief story behind some of the dishes. Blueberry Muffins Cooks Illustrated Preheat Oven to 425. Jam for Filling: 1 … Continue reading
In addition to the regulars who appear daily in my kitchen, I had the opportunity this past week to cook for some friends. Here’s a sampling of what my culinary adventures looked like this week. Enjoy! Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate & Cherry Sauce 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Coriander 3/4 Teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper … Continue reading
Clearly our bellies are thanking Paul for being home since I’ve taken to cooking all weekend. Growing up, my mom used to make me a Dutch Baby, a cross between a pancake and a popover, at least once a week before school and it was always my absolute favorite. Using an old and very well seasoned … Continue reading
Paul arrived home this weekend (YEAH) and since neither of us had the motivation or energy to rally for a sitter and date night, we settled in at home with the boys for a casual dinner and movie night. Having a craving for one of our favorite dishes, Red Curry Coconut Noodles and the creamy, savory and spicy heaven it delivers in … Continue reading
… and I’ve got a bounty growing in my garden! It’s only May 17th and it is starting to look like mid-July out there already! I spent a few hours this afternoon tying up my Cucumbers and Tomatillo plants which are gearing up to provide insane amounts of produce; harvested the last of the Butter Crunch … Continue reading
Who would have thought a photo of a mess of a dinner sans the recipe would cause such an uproar. I mean a happy uproar of sorts. Sorry folks, I didn’t mean to tease you all yesterday. In response, I’ve spent some time today racking my brain, a task in and of itself and pulled … Continue reading
GREY MATTER LIFE 