One of Nancy’s favorite dishes when we go to Travinia’s or other Italian restaurants is Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. Though when I eat Italian, I generally spring for a veal of some sort, her dish is a pretty yummy. Last night I decided to try my hand at a Chicken/Broccoli Fettuccini Alfredo, and it was yummy as well. Alfredo Sauce is basically butter, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, … [Read more...]

  Spatchcock Barbeque Game Hens. Boy, that’s a mouthful, but it’s a good tasting mouthful. Want a nice change of pace? Try spatch-cocking a Cornish game hen and cooking it on the grill with a little Charlie Mills BBQ Sauce. I just did and it was mighty good. A few weeks back, I had bought 4 frozen Cornish game hens in anticipation of a company dinner. But inclement weather meant no … [Read more...]

Celia Branch, our one-time across-the-street neighbor, was one of the sweetest humans who ever lived. She was good natured to a fault, always had a smile on her face and left this earth entirely too soon. And could she ever cook! Celia did elaborate cakes for weddings and would often share her kitchen concoctions with us. One of her special treats, and one of the best tasting things you can put … [Read more...]

  Corn Flakes are good. So good, that the sweet, crunchy cereal is the nation’s favorite way to start the day. Corn Flakes are also a good way to end the day with the evening’s meal. I love fried chicken, except fried chicken is not the best performer on a low-calorie diet. It’s a sure-fire weight gain. But if you make the breading out of crushed Corn Flakes and bake the chicken in a … [Read more...]

  When we were first married, a meal of salmon cakes was a staple at the Brewer house. We were on a limited budget to say the least, and salmon cakes were inexpensive, easy to cook and just plain good. We still cook salmon cakes made from canned salmon on occasion, but last week I decided to use fresh salmon instead of canned. It was also delicious. Here’s how. It was just me and … [Read more...]

As a “Wanna Be” chef, I have one guiding principal. “If it ain’t easy, don’t cook it!” There are too many good, simple dishes to cook without slaving away for hours to get the job done. Especially when it comes to desserts. Below is one of my go-to desserts that is easy and delicious. I extracted it from my wife’s, Nancy, cookbook. It’s a Strawberry Cake – great for company or pot luck … [Read more...]

I made a fun dish this week – Baked Spaghetti. I’ve done numerous Spaghetti Pies in the past, but this was a little different – and it turned out delicious. Any type of spaghetti is well received, even Vegetarian Spaghetti, but this Baked Spaghetti is a nice change of pace, makes a great dish for a pot luck dinner and kids love it. There are many variations, but here’s how I did my … [Read more...]

By Sherman T. Shifflett   (Ed. Note: Many are now fortunate to have a little venison in the freezer right now. Below is a reprint from an article by Sherman Shifflett on a great way to prepare venison.)   Any part of the deer can be used for Deer Nuggets, but I always use the back-strap. This recipe is for one loin. Marinate the loin in tomato juice overnight in the … [Read more...]

Remember the children’s book, The Poky Little Puppy? It was a staple read in our house as my sister and younger brothers were growing up. The story goes like this. Five little puppies sneak beneath the fence to go out and play. At dinner time, four of the pups scamper back to the house only to find an angry mother who sends the puppies to bed with no dessert. Later, after all the family is in … [Read more...]

  Chicken pie is the ultimate in comfort food. Pastry, chicken, yummy veggies and a rich broth? Mmmm, mmmm, good. Nancy and I even enjoy Marie Callender’s Frozen Pot Pies. But last week, our favorite chef from Orange County, Terry Tigner, served a “from scratch” chicken pie that was truly memorable. It’s a little bit of work to it, but it’s well worth the effort. The recipe comes from … [Read more...]