We now have two vegetables in our garden that are threatening to take over our canning shelves and our refrigerator. Tomatoes and yellow squash. We have put up several quarts of stewed tomatoes, but Nancy’s vines continue to produce and mine are just getting started. We also have three healthy squash plants and when conditions are right, three squash plants can feed most of the people in … [Read more...]

I saw an interesting recipe this week for Mexican Stuffed Shells. I haven’t stuffed any jumbo shells recently and they are always fun and look good on a plate, so why not? They were delicious. Anytime there is cream cheese involved, it’s usually good and these Mexican Stuffed Shells were no different. As usual, I strayed from the original recipe, but straying is half the fun. Here’s how I did … [Read more...]

Every year for the past ten years or so when we go to Urbanna for the Oyster Festival, the first thing I do is head for the Beach Bully food truck and order a roast beef sandwich – or two. There are probably a hundred food vendors at the festival, but Beach Bully, out of Virginia Beach, is best. I once asked what kind of beef they used and the cook said it was a bottom round roast, not a brisket … [Read more...]

Every now and then you stumble on a really good recipe – so good you want to make it again and again. That’s how I feel about the Mexican Chicken Wraps I tried this week, I needed some kind of dish with a little meat in it to serve alongside a Mexican Quiche I had prepared. I had some chicken loins in the freezer and thawed them out before leafing through some recipe ideas and saw the one … [Read more...]

  Lemon meringue pie is not my favorite. Oh, I’ll eat a slice if someone serves it, but if there was apple, blackberry, cherry, peach, chocolate or strawberry, I’d eat that first. I do, however, love Lemon Ice Box Pie. I made one this week. It was very good – and like all my cooking – very easy. Here’s how. For the crust, you can smash a bunch of Graham Crackers and mix with melted … [Read more...]

No, not southern-fried chicken, southern-baked chicken, but it’s almost as good. A month or so ago, I bought a 4-pack of chicken loins, about a ½ inch thick, five in a pack, from Sam’s. Didn’t know what I’d do with them, but since they would thaw fairly quickly if I needed a last minute entrée, I popped them in the freezer. I took the last package out last night and mulled over my … [Read more...]

As comedian Ron White once said when approached by a police officer while drunk at a bar, “I had the right to remain silent.  I just didn’t have the ability.” Ron subsequently gave the cop some lip and spent the night in the pokey. Similarly, I know how to lose weight, but I often lack the ability. Losing weight is most difficult if you like to cook, eat out occasionally and entertain. So … [Read more...]

  I came across an interesting recipe for an appetizer. The kids of a family I cook for love anything Mexican, especially tacos and I figured they would enjoy Taco Roll Ups. They did. They are delicious and super easy. You can actually make these with shredded chicken or beef, but I just went for the meatless recipe. Basically, you use floured tortillas, sour cream, whipped cream … [Read more...]

  I have been barbequing chicken on the grill to various degrees of edibility for over 50 years. It is one of the first things I learned – or attempted to learn - to cook. Some of it has been really good, while some of it turned out more like chicken flavored briquettes. I have finally learned - I think - how to cook great barbeque chicken every time. In a word: S...L...O…W… I have … [Read more...]

I was strolling through the bakery department at Kroger’s this week and saw a package of Martin’s Hoagie Rolls that caught my eye. They looked very fresh and they were a perfect size for a hoagie – a little longer and not so stubby as most. So I bought them and then wondered what I would have with the rolls. Hey, a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich sounded good. All I needed was a fresh onion, a bag … [Read more...]