Monday, November 29, 2010

Holiday Rolls: Caramelized Onion, Rosemary and Love

My first culinary holiday was a success.  There was not any more pressure seeing that I started this little blog, but there were some hungry eaters.  My father woke up at 4am just to make it in time for the big meal (and the Dallas kickoff). 

Being the strategist I am, I decided to go simple on the things that mattered, and then experiment on the things that worse case I could trash and run to the store day of.  Below is the account of one of my experiments.  Simply Scratch posted this a while ago and I thought I could smell them through my computer screen.  But real yeast?!  Could I do it?  Would it rise?

The answer was YES as soon as I saw my little love call out to me at Traders.  I had taken Chris with me to do the holiday shopping, more for the moral support I suppose.  He returned to the cart only to find me clinging to my precious little Rosemary bush in the shape of a Christmas tree!!!  Divine!


Wednesday, November 17, 2010

DELICIOUS PEACH COBBLER

I rarely buy canned fruit.  But if I do, it’s because it’s not in season, it’s time for baking, and I’ve got a hankerin’ for something special.


Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Perfect Whole Roasted Chicken


“Address the bird”- Julia Childs.  I confess that watching Julie and Julia kind of kicked my cooking butt into gear.  I loved Julie’s humble little home, where cooking was her means of relaxing and creativity.  And her husband ate it all.  So today I’m crossing one off the list, folks.  Roasting a WHOLE CHICKEN.

Me and Birdy

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Wooden Spoon Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know when you go over to a friend’s house for a meal and you say “this is so good, can I have the recipe?”  90% of the time it gets lost in the car, amongst receipts, or maybe you didn’t like it THAT MUCH.  But then there are the times that you really mean it!  These cookies were from a specific childhood memory.  It’s kind of fuzzy, but the stories always get better that way right? 

It was a typical Monterey day, grey morning with expected afternoon sun.  It was summer, because we didn’t have school, and we were all going with mom over to Kristen Thurlby’s home in Carmel, CA.  She had such a natural way about her.  She took special interest in us kids, and we remembered that.  I remember she made this KILLER corn salsa, which would have been enough worth remembering, but more was to come.  We had a pleasant lunch, we sat well behaved and engaged in the adult discussion when we could.  Then she got out her oboe and played it for us (the things that you remember…) and then THERE WAS DESSERT!  Dessert at lunch was always a treat!  Just a little something extra special.


Friday, November 5, 2010

Childhood Potato Cheese Soup

So many things on this blog could be titled: “Mom’s this” and “Mom’s that.”  The truth is, for a lot of us, our first kitchen memories were of helping Mom in the kitchen.  She never really made us do anything, but she always included us in the process if we were just standing around, as teens are often very good at.  She’s always one for “meaningful conversation,” or so she called it (still does), and if she gave us something to chop, peel or stir, meaningful conversation was soon to follow.

Truth be told, for as many times Mom made Potato Cheese Soup (one of Dad’s favorites), it’s her gal-pal Laurie Cameron, nearly my second mother, who I think of when I eat Potato Cheese Soup.  She would make it for our Progressive Dinners and we would eat it out of a cup.  That was always so fun to me.  Soup in a cup!?  Kind of like ice cream in a mug (also a favorite).  SO many times would I burn my mouth because I just couldn’t wait to taste.  It smelled SO GOOD.

Bridges and Camerons, friends for 20+ years.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Pumpkin Brûlée

I’ve been doing a lot of cooking and less writing.  I guess that’s healthy… means I do in fact like to cook just for the simple pleasure of cooking- not just to share it with the world (all 27 of you) :-) My food blog fascination began with my mom’s friend Debby from Monterey.  I’m still yet to meet her, so it’s kind of a penpal foodpal relationship.  Do check out her blog: A Feast For The Eyes  careful- it just may inspire YOU!