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Texas Clam Chowder – The Best 1024 727 Mari Bickmore

Texas Clam Chowder – The Best

Well this beginning has nothing to do with Clam Chowder, Texas or otherwise (that comes later).  In the middle of the night, many times, I have thought about topics I wanted to write about and none of those times did I follow through; they’re now like the misty stuff of dreams.  Here’s one I remember though…A couple of weeks after the inauguration I had a great conversation with a friend on the wrong side (oops).  We disagreed on many things, agreed on some, and did so amicably.  One of her big problems was the theory that Trump had some connection with Russia, still unsure as to what.  I don’t buy into any of that, nor do I think Trump has a man crush on Putin.  Anyway, as it turns out everyone and their dog has had a meeting with the Russians…on both sides of the fence…except, it seems, Sarah Jessica Parker, if you follow that sort of thing.  I recall a statement by Obama before the last election when he thought the mic was off that goes like this:  “After My Election I Have More Flexibility.”  Did you see the MSM go after that?  None of them seemed to have a problem with that…but now it’s like they’ve all went CRAZIER.   Also, how can they say the Russians interfered with the election exactly?  Even if they did hack the DNC and reveal things that they had done…then the DNC did those things.  Somehow the real “criminals” are  made to be okay just because their crimes were revealed by the Russians (if that is even true).   I know, we’re living in the Twilight Zone.

And now we see the true (tolerant HAHAHAHA) Alt-Left…breaking private property, impeding regular people’s road right-of-way, beating people up, acting like idiots, and trying to stop the free speech of others with differing ideas…the list goes on and on.  I’m glad we didn’t act that way when the travesty that is Obama was elected.  Sure, I complained, and hopefully so did millions of other people, but that was mostly words on a screen and not looting and assault.

Finally, I’m moving on.   I’m still looking at those resolutions and my work on them is a bit stifled, so I went to the gym yesterday for the first time this year.  And today I was shamed again, so I went on a 2.5-mile walk.  Who knows, maybe it’s a trend!  However, I have been playing tennis a few times a week.  Does that count?  First time playing on a mixed doubles team and it’s fun!  I was always intimidated about playing with guys so I always turned down the invites to play on those teams.  We are in second place.  Bummer.  Maybe that will change.  In any event, I had to make food to take to a match the other day and remembered how yummy my recipe for TEXAS Clam Chowder was, so I made it.   Instant hit!  I’ve been perfecting this one for many years.

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Mari’s Texas Clam Chowder
TEXAS CLAM CHOWDER — ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVS
1/2 pound smoked peppered bacon, chopped into small pieces (I chop it small before I fry it, but you could just fry it and crumble later; it’s just easier to put it all in the pot to fry chopped small)
3  jars or cans baby clams and/or minced clams (I actually buy fresh clams if I can find them but that is unusual)
1 cup water
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4-6 medium red potatoes (peeled or unpeeled), diced
6 medium carrots peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp Tony Cachere’s Creole Seasoning (you can try jalapeno pepper too)
3 celery ribs, finely chopped
6-8 ounces large fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, minced
Whipping/heavy cream about 1-3 cups depending on the consistency you want, I’m usually at about 2 cups.
In a large pot, fry chopped bacon until crispy browned; remove and drain on paper towels.  Drain off all but about a 1-2 Tbsp of the rendered fat.  Mix the cornstarch with a little water and mix until smooth.  Add clams w/juice and water to the pot along with the cornstarch mixture.  Add chopped potatoes and carrots, white pepper, parsley and seasoning to taste (I usually use about what is listed above).  Add chopped celery and mushrooms, then onion.  Crunch bacon into small pieces and add back to pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until carrots are done.  Add enough cream to achieve desired consistency.  I serve with oyster crackers.
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El Dorado Quesadillas 1024 739 Mari Bickmore

El Dorado Quesadillas

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This 2016 election year is the election year from Hell.  As I have mentioned, we have a woman who is as corrupt and self-serving as the day is long.  She is no more a public servant than a man in the moon…there is no man in the moon…

Don’t think I wouldn’t like a woman president, but one who is strong, honorable, and worthy of the title, not one who cleans up her husband’s womanizing problems with her witch’s broom.  Back in 1992, when we lived in Memphis, we had some good friends who lived in Arkansas and were friends of the Clinton’s.  Even though they were friends, they had some pretty bad/wild stories about the Clinton’s, and many revolved around just those things…and they were their friends.   If you are not a liberal wearing blinders, then you have to have read soooo many terrible things about them over these many years, but they seem to be teflon and get away with it all.  Probably because the people who could throw them under the bus are either DEATHLY afraid of them or they have dirt on that person, i.e. blackmail.  But basically they just don’t want to die a early and mysterious death.  I’m sure Hillary has collected enough dirt on people to fill several books.  In any event, this new book by the ex-secret service guy on their staff, just backs up all the things I’ve known or thought I knew (Crisis of Character: A White House Secret Service Officer Discloses His Firsthand Experience with Hillary, Bill, and How They Operate by Gary Byrne).  But do I think liberals will be able to process it???  HAHAHA!  Absolutely not.  They did elect ZerO a second time, and look how he has morally and fiscally bankrupted my country.  I still haven’t figured out how the American public thought electing someone who spent their formative years in Indonesia instead of being steeped in the American culture and learned to love America would be a good choice for President.  It never made sense and still doesn’t.  Anyhow, somehow being a statesman and having integrity is not important for getting elected to President in our current pop culture society.  I find that quite sad and disturbing.
The other day someone I know made a post stating that Christians shouldn’t post things that are judgmental about candidates and that instead they should only post positive things about their own choice for office.  I absolutely and unequivocally disagree with this posit.   Not only when someone is running for office are they laying their life bare for all to scrutinize, but as Christians we are supposed to do some investigation to find the best candidate to strengthen the values we want upheld in our localities and country to maintain for us and our children.  Exposing a bad apple is a good thing.  We are supposed to hate the sin but love the sinner, but when you “hate” a public figure you are hating what they stand for, since we don’t actually know them on a personal level.  We are actually supposed to judge a righteous judgment (that’s true, look it up).  I don’t condone maligning someone with untruths, but, especially in this case, you don’t have to look too far until you see the abyss.  Hillary is like black mold in the walls of a house that is spreading through the cracks and corners and the liberals are like the homeowners who are in denial and just keep painting over it.   We may all do things that are wrong (not as bad as Clinton by any stretch) and make bad choices, but we are not running for political office and then acting like we are in it to help people.  I find her scary and justified in noting it.  We won’t even go into how much she lied on her recent Email-gate investigation and how she somehow wiggled out of getting indicted, although who really thought they would do that to a Clinton…they live above the law and know it.  That’s why they do the things they do.  I will address this later.

On a lighter note, since I always have to end with food, fashion, or design, so food it is…again.  This is a fairly quick and easy dinner, and just yummy.

El DORADO QUESADILLAS

4 boneless chicken thighs

1 large boneless chicken breast

1/3 cup Kitchen Bouquet sauce

1 tsp Tony Cachere’s Creole Seasoning

Grated sharp cheddar OR Mexican cheese blend

Cotijo OR Queso Fresco

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Good quality flour tortillas

1 Granny Smith apple or other tart firm apple

Cinnamon

Butter

1 Haas avocado

Creamy chipotle sauce (recipe below)

Place all chicken in a glass bowl and stir with the Kitchen Bouquet and Tony’s; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.  Meanwhile prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Cut the apple into semi-thin slices and halve.  Sprinkle very lightly with cinnamon and saute in butter until al dente and set aside.

Saute the chicken on medium-high until golden on each side, just a couple of minutes, and then reduce heat to low-medium until done.  Cool just until able to handle, then shred.

In a nonstick skillet, either melt a small amount of butter (my choice) or use an oil of your choice and heat on medium.  Place a flour tortilla in the skillet and twirl to evenly disperse the oil.  Sprinkle all over with both of the cheeses (I don’t do it very heavy, but depends on how much cheese you like).  On one side place chicken pieces, apples, and sauce.  On the other side sprinkle onions, cilantro and some avocado.  Fold the quesadilla in half and cook until golden on each side.  I slice some tomatoes and use the extra avocado to garnish.  Really yummy!

Chipotle Sauce

Okay, this is just something easily made up.  The first time I made it I used ½ cup prepared Chipotle Mayo, about 3 Tbsp of cream, 1/4 tsp cayenne and 1/4 tsp salt.  Way good.

The second time I used ½ up mayo, 3 Tbsp prepared chipotle sauce, 3 Tbsp cream, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and ½ tsp salt.

They are both equally as good in the quesadilla.  The first one has an edge on just tasting out of the bowl.

EAT UP!

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Warm and Gooey Butter Cake….yummmmm! 1024 768 Mari Bickmore

Warm and Gooey Butter Cake….yummmmm!

Omigosh!  We are having a glorious few days of 60- to 70-degree weather in January!  Last year was my first year here and we had an unrelenting winter.  Not only was it unrelentingly cold and miserable, it butter cake 5lasted forever.  Today was around 70 degrees and I did my errands in sandals just to make the most of it.  I think after this I will go out on the porch and read while there is still sunlight.

In a little over a week we are going to Vegas…hubbie work…me play.  I am hoping the weather there will be great too, because I think we will be back into winter here.  Not only great weather, but every year I look forward to two things:  Shopping and Fine Dining!  This year I had finally talked the hubs into taking me to L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, but I waited too late.  No reservations left.  The next two choices were also booked.  SAD!  There are soooo many great places to eat there that, of course, we still ended up getting reservations for fabulous food.   Last year when we were there, we ate at Mastro’s Ocean Club, one of my favorite meals while we were there.  Every course was great.  If you go, save room for dessert.  My favorites were the chocolate pudding cake and their signature dessert, which is a warm butter cake.  Since I have been subjected to looking for places to eat in Vegas, I developed a yen for the dessert we had at Mastro’s.  We don’t have a location here, so I decided to try it for myself.  I think this is really close.  I used the gluten-free flour that I love (link on the side) and am always worried that the recipe will fail, but it never does.  You really cannot tell the difference from this gluten-free flour and all-purpose flour.  I made it for a couple of ladies, and it was a hit!  Yummmmmm !  I think these would make an excellent Valentine’s Day treat, especially with red berries.

INGREDIENTS

  • Cake Batter
    2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
    2 cups granulated sugar or Baker’s sugar
    2 large eggs, room temperature
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (or all-purpose flour)
    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Layer

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
    1 egg, room temperature
    1/3 cup granulated sugar
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1.  Preheat oven to 325.

2.  Spray five 500 mL (5-1/2 inch diameter) ramekins with baking spray.  (this is the size they use where I had it.  You could also use mini springform pans, or if you want smaller cakes you could use 8 ounce ramekins).

3.  Prepare the cake batter

In a stand mixer cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar for 1-2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat on low for 20 seconds after each addition. Whisk flour and salt, then add to creamed mixture. Beat on low until just incorporated, making sure not to over beat.

4.  Prepare the cream cheese layer

In a small bowl whip together cream cheese and granulated sugar until creamed, add egg and vanilla extract.

5.  Pour cake batter evenly divided into prepared pans and then top with a layer of the cream cheese mixture.butter cake 11

6.  Bake for 60 – 75 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cakes.  Do not overcook though.

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I let them sit for about 10 minutes, as I was serving them right then.  I then used a knife to slightly loosen around the edges.  Then take a plate or saucer, center on the ramekin and invert.  The cakes came easily out of the pans.  You can make the cakes a day ahead. When ready to serve microwave until hot approx 30-40 seconds on 80% power.  If you like, you can use a kitchen blow torch to brûlée the top and sides of the cake to caramelize the sugar crystals.  Mastro’s drizzles with a raspberry coulis and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (and a bowl of whipped cream on the side), garnished with berries.  I made a simple strawberry puree and also some stabilized whipped cream.

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I’m Just a Strawberry Fool 1024 798 Mari Bickmore

I’m Just a Strawberry Fool

In case you haven’t looked your calendar, Valentine’s Day is coming up.  I will be out of town for the holiday, so I am going to focus on lovely things to cook for Valentine’s Day until I leave.  strawberry fool 2That means I get to eat those lovely things until then also!  Please don’t read my New Year’s Resolutions.  Hey, I’ve been doing pretty good.  I will just use good portion control…or at least I will try.

On a positive note, I am feeling much better!  Still watching the Australian Open, but not just lazing on the couch.  Nadal is winning, so is Sharapova.  Federer is out.  Not that you’re interested.

I am stressed out though.  I have to do a presentation on Career Day at a middle school this coming Tuesday for Interior Design.  I really do  not like doing those types of things, and for the life of me can’t remember why I agreed to do this.  Four sessions, 25 minutes each.  Any volunteers?

Back to VD treats!  What’s not to like when it has strawberries and cream?  Especially when it’s so QUICK AND EASY!  Don’t even have to bake it.  Please don’t leave off the crushed ladyfingers, they add that crunchy texture that plays off the cream.  I think it would be lovely served in stems, like a martini glass.  I had children to serve, so it didn’t seem like a smart thing to do at the time.  Truly, this is delish and yummy, and so easy to boot.

Strawberry Fool

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped, hulled fresh strawberries (about 8 oz.) plus 6 whole berries for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup  Strawberry preserves
  •  3 crisp ladyfingers (savoiardi, crushed

Preparation

1.  Place chopped strawberries in a small bowl. Sprinkle sugar over and let sit, stirring occasionally, until juices are released and sugar is dissolved.

2.  Beat cream and vanilla in a large bowl until soft peaks form.

3.  Add  preserves; fold to blend.

4.  Add berries with juices; fold almost to blend.

5.  Divide among bowls. Sprinkle crushed ladyfingers over.strawberry fool 3

Garnish with whole berries or save a few larger chopped ones out for garnish.

Inspiration for this came from a recipe from Bon Appetit that I had saved for some time and just decided to play with.

HERBED PORK TENDERLOIN 1024 768 Mari Bickmore

HERBED PORK TENDERLOIN

I have to own up to the fact that I have become a full-fledged couch potato and am still using this cold as an excuse.  I’m still watching the Australian Open and wonder if my cold will end miraculously when it is over.  Maybe my foot will be miraculously healed at the same time.  Now that would be
herb pork 8fabulous.  Then I could play tennis instead of watch it.  More fabulous still, indeed.

While I am laying here watching TV, I am also surfing.  I always say that somewhere on the earth there is an atrocity being committed by Islam every single day, so I thought I would actually look that up.  There is absolutely a site that posts these happenings by the “religion of peace” and I was pretty much correct.  Every single day.  Sometimes more than once a day it seems.  Was I surprised?  Not at all. It is funny that our current administration won’t even call them terrorists? That politically correct nonsense is certainly evocative of Russia and China many years ago, when many people were killed for speaking their minds.  Hmmmmm….

So, in honor of Islam, I am giving you what is possibly my favorite pork recipe that will make everyone think you are chef of the day!  A winner for certain, and so easy you won’t believe how good it turns out!  It so great with or without the sauce, but I’m a sucker for a cream sauce.

INGREDIENTS

  • Two pork tenderloins
  • Herbes de Provence
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • Olive oil

Sauce:

  • 1/3 cup White wine
  • 1-1/2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 cup Heavy cream

PREPARATION

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2.  Rinse tenderloins with water and pat dry with a paper towel.

3.  Roll in Herbes de Provence pressing to get coated well and then sprinkle fairly liberally with salt.  Then sprinkle with pepper.

4.  In a skillet over medium-high heat sear the tenderloins on all sides in olive oil.

5.  Place tenderloins in a roasting pan coated with olive oil and roast for 35 minutes.

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Sauce:

1.  Using the skillet that you seared the tenderloins in, heat the skillet over medium heat

2.  Pour white wine and balsamic vinegar into the hot skillet and reduce until only about 1 Tbsp remaining.

3.  Lower heat and stir in the cream, stirring until it thickens slightly.

When the tenderloin is done, let it rest for about 8-10 minutes.  Slice into 1/2-inch slices and serve, drizzling some of the cream over the medallions.herb pork 5

See how simple….and so delicious!

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Simple Yet Elegant Pumpkin Pie Trifle 768 1024 Mari Bickmore

Simple Yet Elegant Pumpkin Pie Trifle

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I’m still on a cinnamon kick!  Trying to remain festive, whilst being without children at home!, so I wanted to make something to put me in the holiday mood.  A dessert that had pumpkin pie flavor but was a more elegant presentation, as I never think a pumpkin pie is very pretty.  This is what I came up with. It’s really simple and looks pretty good in small trifle dish.  Something you can serve to guests that tastes really good and looks good too.   I’m not very good with New Year’s Resolutions, but I hope that I will start working out in January to help me get past this baking kick that I’m on.  Maybe all my new recipes next year will be lite and healthy.  I’m not putting money on that, as I kind of have a love affair with cream and butter.  But who knows…stranger things have happened!

PUMPKIN PIE TRIFLE

You will need pumpkin pie mousse (below), whipped cream (recipe below), a box of gingersnaps (or homemade if you like – I used Nabisco Gingersnaps), and crushed Heath bars or bag of Heath English Toffee Bits.

Mousse

1 envelope unflavored gelatin powder

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin (not pie filling)

1 cup Bakers sugar (or granulated sugar)

1½ cups well-chilled heavy cream

1-1/2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1.  Pour ¼ cup cold water in a small heat-proof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it and let sit for 10 minutes for the gelatin to soften.

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2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and sugar.

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3.  Put the bowl of softened gelatin over a pan of simmering water and cook until the gelatin is clear. (If you have a double boiler you can use that).

4.  When the gelatin is clear, immediately whisk the hot gelatin into the pumpkin mixture.

5.  Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.

6.  Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin/gelatin mixture and chill for about 3 hours or overnight.

Whipped cream

When you prepare your whipped cream like this it is stabilized, meaning it will last without melting for quite a while!

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

4 teaspoons cold water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

Instructions:

1.  In a small pan, combine gelatin and cold water; let stand until thick.

2.  Place over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the gelatin dissolves.

3.  Remove from heat; cool (do not allow it to set).

4.  Whip the cream with the confectioner’s sugar, until slightly thick and while slowly beating, add the gelatin to whipping cream.

5.  Whip at high speed until stiff.

Makes about 2 cups of whipped cream.

Gingersnaps:  Break several cookies into small, bite-sized pieces.

Heath bars:  Either crush three heath bars or use a bag of Heath English Toffee Bits which are already crushed.

Now all you do is layer the pumpkin, cookies, toffee bits, whipped cream, pumpkin, and top with whipped cream and toffee bits.

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My first prototype for this recipe I used spice bread that I had put pineapple in (below).  I diced the bread and used it in place of the cookies and put cinnamon ice cream with spiced pecans on top.  It wasn’t quite the pumpkin pie theme I was going for, but it was very good.  I think cinnamon ice cream would work very well on top of the above recipe as well!

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Great Greek Pastitsio 1024 768 Mari Bickmore

Great Greek Pastitsio

As far as I’m concerned, this is the Greek version of a lasagna and it gives the same comfort you would get from that.  I probably like it better.

pastitsio 1

One of my sons has recently been traveling.  He has now been gone since September 2 and has visited many friends and places all over Europe.  He just left Athens yesterday to work for a couple of weeks in Japan.  Athens was his longest stay, probably almost a month, the last two weeks of which he spent with a family he met there, so he got a good slice of life.  I have a few stories to share as soon as I can pin him down for more details.  He recently told me about the pastitsio that he ate at a nice local restaurant and that made me crave it.  I pulled out this recipe I had made a few years ago, which I knew made a quite tasty pastitsio.  I hope the leftovers last a couple of days!  It made me wish I was sitting in a cheap little taverna somewhere in Greece with friends, probably overlooking the Mediterranean.  Breezy with blue skies, a plate of olives, and some fresh blood orange juice, thinking about visiting some ruins tomorrow…or the next day.

This is not a quick make, but it is not difficult either.  I would start it about three hours before you want to serve, just to give yourself some time.  It would be nice to have an antipasto to serve along with it…I did not for the first day, but think I will run out and get some for tonight!  Don’t forget,  you can make this gluten-free by substituting the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour and the pasta with a brown-rice or other gluten free pasta, but no matter how gluten-free you make it, you can’t seem to take out those calories.  But now fat is good for you! so hey.

Ingredients

Meat Sauce:

3 Tbps olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground lamb

3/4 cup dry red wine

4 medium to large garlic cloves

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or dried)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can crushed tomatoes in puree, 28 oz.

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bechamel:

1 1/2 cups whole milk (not 2%, not skim)

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan (you can grate in your food processor, but I typically buy the good freshly grated Parmesan in the better cheeses area)

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt, plain

3/4 pound small shells

Directions

Sauce:

1.  Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot.  Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes.

2.  Add the ground beef and lamb.  Saute with the onions on medium for 8-10 minutes, until it’s no longer pink, crumbling it with the back of wooden spoon until there are no chunks left. Drain off any excess liquid.

3.  Add wine and cook for about two more minutes.

4.  Add the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne, and continue cooking on medium for five  minutes.

5.  Add the tomatoes, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bechamel:

1.  Heat the milk and cream together in a medium bowl in the micro about 2-1/2 minutes until it is warm.

2.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 2 minutes.

3.  Pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the butter and flour mixture, about a half cup at a time, whisking constantly and blending completely with each addition of milk.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick.

4.  Add the nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper.

5.  Stir in 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomato and meat sauce.  Turn off the heat and set aside to cool for 8-10 minutes.  Stir occasionally to release the heat.

6.  Stir in the eggs and yogurt.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Don’t over-cook because the pasta will later be baked. Drain and set aside.

Stir the pasta into the meat and tomato sauce mixture, then pour the mixture into a baking dish (needs to be larger than a 10×12 casserole dish.  I use a 10 x 16 pan).  pastitsio 2

Pour the bechamel over the meat mixture and spread evenly to completely cover the pasta.  Then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Parmesan cheese over the bechamel evenly. pastitsio 3

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until golden brown and bubbly. Set aside for 10 minutes and serve hot.

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I know you will love this dish!  Please subscribe to my blog if you do.  I promise to add more good recipes and hopefully some stories to amuse, if even for a short time.

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