You can fry chicken – or anything for that matter – in a typical non-stick pan. But if you want only the best fried chicken – it’s got to be in an iron skillet. The thick iron keeps the heat at a constant temperature, unlike thinner metals which can get too hot or cool too quickly. The old cast iron skillet prevents that. Just gradually increase the temp until it’s medium hot, then fry, baby, … [Read more...]

Nancy wanted some more oatmeal. She eats it often for breakfast, so I bought her a box when I went to the store. Except, I bought old fashioned oats – the original whole grain variety and she likes the oatmeal you can cook in a couple minutes. So, I went back and bought what she wanted, but now I was the proud owner of a box of Old-Fashioned Oats, and I eat eggs for breakfast. I probably should … [Read more...]

I was going to make a big pot of chili and thought about some sort of side dish – other than oyster crackers - and saw a recipe for broccoli cornbread. That would work. I tried it and it was good. But the best part of this discovery is that this recipe can cover lots of bases, simply by substituting for the broccoli. For example, instead of broccoli, put a can of chilis or jalapenos in the recipe … [Read more...]

I cook Tex/Mex entrees several times a month and always struggle with the choice for a side dish – other than chips and salsa. This week, I concocted a Tex/Mex Pasta Salad, and it turned out well – a perfect complement to the Mexican Lasagna that I had also prepared. Here’s how I went about it. First boil a box of rotini and keep it al dente. When it cools, add one 10-oz. can of red … [Read more...]

I like making muffins as a breakfast side but recently decided to switch gears and make cupcakes instead. I made Apple Pie Cupcakes, to be exact and they were yummy – and “easy as pie” to make. There are only 4 ingredients – a can of apple pie filling, three eggs, a box of yellow cake mix and a jar of cinnamon sugar (or blend your own). Start by opening a can of apple pie filling, then chop … [Read more...]

I think I’ve printed his recipe before, but it’s Soup Season, so repeats are in order. On a recent chilly night, I had a hankering for some tummy filling Potato Soup and went to my old standby - Hash Bown Potato Soup. It was delicious, as usual, easy to put together and we wolfed it down. Here’s how. Combine 1 (30-oz.) bag of frozen hash browns, 1 C diced onion, 4 C chicken broth, 1 can … [Read more...]

This is the time of year to make great cookies, candies and pies, and for at least a week or two, forget about calories and bathroom scales. Besides, and as everyone knows, fattening foods during the holidays are exempt from weight gain. One of my favorite holiday, luxury foods is Praline Grahams, irresistibly rich and decadent and – best of all – they’re easy to make. Pralines – of course – … [Read more...]

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Next time you’re thinking about picking up a phone to order a pizza, try this instead. Make a batch of Pizza Pasta. It’s easy, it’s fun, and everybody will love it – especially kids. It’s so simple, I hesitate to use it in my recipe repertoire, but sometimes just reminding is helpful. You can use anything for the pasta, but something unusual, like rotini, makes it more fun and it holds the … [Read more...]

We had a big gang at our house over Thanksgiving and decided to have a Hot Dog Extravaganza the day after the big meal. The challenge was to see who could eat the most dogs. It ended up in a tie as multiple parties wolfed down three each. To set the stage, I had three varieties – Gourmet Hot Dogs from Omaha Steak, Nathan’s All Beef dogs and some plain old wieners made of who knows what. They … [Read more...]