Archive for April, 2009

image

Rustic Veal Flank with Whiskey Cream Broth

Wednesday April 29th 2009

By now, you guys probably know about the great love affair I have with my butcher shop, McKinnon’s. When I go, I partly have a shopping list in mind, and I partly decide what to buy based on what looks good, what’s on sale, and what’s new or unusual. That last part is how I [...]

Continue reading...

image

A Photo Tour: Springtime Feast in the Country

Tuesday April 28th 2009

Oh my goodness, can my mom cook! We went down to visit my folks in the country this weekend. Here’s a peek at what we ate. Give a holler if you’d like a specific recipe. Oh, and “springtime feast” is not quite accurate. It was upwards of 90 degrees on Saturday! Springtime Feast in the [...]

Continue reading...

image

Spicy Mango Lime Salsa with Asian Pear

Monday April 27th 2009

Mmm, mmm, mmmm. The combination of fresh mango, lime, and cilantro just screams summer. Food like this makes me want to kick off my shoes and go run through the sprinkler a few times. (I can’t tell you how glad I am…finally!…for the warmer weather.) This salsa has a really good balance of flavors and [...]

Continue reading...

image

Easy Dark Chocolate & Walnut Fudge

Friday April 24th 2009

This is fudge making on easy mode. Now, I’ve made plenty of fudge in my day. Most of my recipes call for candy thermometers, precise heating and cooling, and a lot of beating (as in, a lot of beating). Not this fudge. This fudge is easy. And it’s really, really good. This is my one [...]

Continue reading...

image

Fennel & Jicama Slaw

Thursday April 23rd 2009

Summer’s coming. This means a lot of things for The Mouse House, not the least of which is a lot more barbecue. Now, I like my barbecue more on the melt-your-face-off-hot side of things. This slaw is cool, crisp, and oh-so-refreshing—making it a great counterpoint to any kind of spicy food. (Looking for another easy [...]

Continue reading...

image

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Wednesday April 22nd 2009

Hey, you! (Yeah, you!) Summer’s coming. Let’s go to the playground! Oh, or maybe the roller rink. Or both. Sorry…this cake makes me feel like I’m about 12 years old again. And I’m loving it. (Slumber party, anyone?) This is one of the best chocolate cake recipes I have, hands down. It’s also one of [...]

Continue reading...

image

Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin

Tuesday April 21st 2009

What’s better than roasted pork? How about roasted pork wrapped in crisp bacon? I know. That’s kind of what I thought, too. (Pig x 2!). This is so simple, but so delicious. (This is one of my favorite roast beasts, along with my Deli-Style Roast Beef.) With most pigs bred as lean as they are [...]

Continue reading...

image

Cheese Tasting, Part 2: Goat Cheese

Friday April 17th 2009

Mmmmm, cheese. It has to be one of my favorite topics—and things to eat. Last time we did a cheese tasting, we were nibbling on blues. This time, it’s goat cheese. And let me tell you: Not all goat cheeses are super goat-y. Here’s a quick peek at four milder goat cheeses we sampled recently. [...]

Continue reading...

image

Basic Homemade Chicken Stock

Thursday April 16th 2009

There are a lot of methods for making chicken stock. Some folks make it in the slow cooker. Some folks make it in the oven. This is one of the ways that I make mine on top of the stove. It’s a good, basic method and yields a richly flavored, golden chicken stock that’s a [...]

Continue reading...

image

Classic Cucumber Salad

Tuesday April 14th 2009

I remember versions of this from summer picnics when I was a little mouse. It’s one of the first things I love to make when the winter weather starts to break. This salad is a cool and classic combination of sour cream and dill. To prepare it, you soak the cuke slices in a little [...]

Continue reading...