An Easter Cheesecake ... with Blueberry Sauce

I'm making cheesecake today!

Another Pretty Cake...



Gluten Free Venetian Carrot Cake with Mascarpone Cream - printer friendly

Herbed Spiral Bread ... Random Recipe III

This month's Random Recipe came from the very first cook book that I bought for myself ... I got it through The Book-of-the-Month Club right after I got out of college. And the cook book is ... insert drum roll ... Craig Claiborne's  New York Times Cook Book. Let it be said that right after college, I never wanted to read 'required texts' ever again. In fact, I never wanted to read anything over 200 pages ever again. It took a while, but before I knew it, certain books started looking attractive again.

This book got me started on cooking for boyfriends and family. There are classic recipes and great technique tips ... to boot, I only had to read one or two pages at a time to get good results - and I'm NOT talking a grade or a positive comment from some pompous ass of a professor! I'm talking something much more substantial and 'stick-to-your-ribs'! Over the years, I've lost the dust cover, spilled on the pages, split the spine, and marked favorites.

Brussels Sprouts with Maple Glazed Hazelnuts

The last of the really good Brussels sprouts have hit the market this week and before we say good bye for the spring and summer, I thought I would make up one last bowl to enjoy with a steak and roasted potatoes.

I love how fresh B-sprouts look, so tight and crisp-looking. Of course, nowadays I love how they look and taste, but there was a time in my life when the mere sight would cause me to wretch and writhe around on the kitchen floor, begging Mom not to cook them. The smell, the bitter taste, the smushiness was just too much for my kid palate. What IS it about certain foods' tastes that just don't resonate with children's taste buds? Mom always insisted I take what was on my plate ... that I would 'acquire a taste' for anything that my tastebuds and sour stomach rejected. I still can't stand blackened steak or plain green olives, or prunes, but I've 'acquired a taste' for Brussels sprouts.

Back in Boston, It's Called Chowdah!

Home again! And Red Sox baseball season has started off with a whimper and then a bang ... we're watching the games on the tube and making all the traditional foods to celebrate them ... and that means we start off with fish chowder! For me, a fish chowder has one fish only ... the mighty cod. Okay, I'll let you sneak by with a big honkin' filet of monkfish, but that's it! Every time I make fish chowder, I think of that old chestnut about Boston ... heard it?

Raise your soup spoon and toast ...

"And here's to good old Boston, the land of the bean and the cod, where the Lowells talk only to Cabots, and the Cabots talk only to God."

A New Week- A New Batch - Honey Muffins

Orange Glaze Drizzled Honey Muffins

Last weekend, Susan over at From Beyond My Kitchen Window made the most delectable and healthy muffins. I told her that I'd be getting out my mixing bowls and making them my muffin-of-the-week as soon as possible. Well, it's Sunday and it's a new week and I've just come home from being on the road for a week-long junket. Silent Bob and I took a road trip to Cleveland, Ohio. There was yummy (but not very healthy) food consumed on the road - can you say baseball park hotdogs, beers, deep-fried calamari, mango margaritas, cheesy enchiladas, and grilled paninis? Did we take pictures of food? Of course not! We were too busy stuffing our faces to think about photography ... sorry. On the way home, I got to thinking about making the muffins and of course, I started thinking of ways to change them up a bit ...

Dutch Cocoa ... Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

My friend Lizzy from LizzyGoesDutch sent me a wonderful box of cooking and eating treats from Holland last week. One of her surprises was the prettiest box of Dutch cocoa that I have ever seen! Just look!

She reminds me of  'The Flying Nun'  TV series from the 60's ... oops, just dated myself big time!

In honor of this magnificent box of cocoa, I am making a chocolate peanut butter chip cookie recipe today ... SB has put up with my bread baking and soup making so he deserves to have his cookie jar filled with a few dozen cookies.

Your Recipe ... My Kitchen - Victoria's Armenian Meatball Soup

thick and smooth tomato/chicken soup, succulent meatballs, chickpeas, and rice with just a hint of lemon and mint topped with a dollop of sour cream

I happened upon a new foodblog the other day while searching for a new soup to make for our weekly soup supper. Victoria over at  Mission : Food was featuring a tomato-based meatball soup that was so delicious looking that  I couldn't resist! Of course, I always have to play with recipes to make them 'my own', but in this case, very little needs to be done! This soup is just so hearty and delish! Compare the recipes and choose the one that suits your taste ... but, by all means, give this soup a try! It's wonderful!