Brownie Bites, Eggless

How often do we look through the cupboard only to find we have everything but one or two key ingredients to complete a recipe? Recently, I wanted to make brownies just after eating the last bite of a meal using the eggs I would have otherwise set aside. Not to worry, some careful thought on how to both moisten and bind the chocolaty gooeyness resulted in these Eggless Brownie Bites. Eaten as one bite or two, the morsels are deeply flavored with dark chocolate, a hint of peanut butter, and irresistible deliciousness. Enjoy!!

Read more...

Chicken Marsala

Late night menu planning pointed toward Chicken Marsala as the protein du jour. An evening of collaborative culinary efforts yielded a dish I've only ever tasted, increasing my familiarity with marsala. Reducing the wine while dredging the chicken increased kitchen efficiency while purposefully concentrating the flavor. The method to it all is simple, yielding a lightly fried protein with a deliciously flavored sauce for an intimate dinner party of four. Enjoy!!

Read more...

Mushroom + Asparagus Risotto

I openly admit, cooking with rice is not a strength, so in challenging myself with a new dish why not explore it a bit? In a joint dinner party effort my friends and I decided on a Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto, mostly for how delicious it sounded! Cooking up the crimini mushrooms was the easy part. Cooking the rice on the other hand left a few learned lessons: rinse the rice before use, cover between stirring to facilitate absorption, and add butter at the end for a satisfying buttery finish. The final flavor was a combination of spiced garlic, butter, and wine subtlety with the mushrooms and asparagus providing texture abound. Enjoy!!

Read more...

White Chocolate Strawberries

When you want a last-minute sweet treat, there are few desserts that seem to beat out the simplicity of a chocolate covered strawberry. These White Chocolate Strawberries go a step further with their lightly sweetened graham cracker crunch. Though only bite-size, this simple snack offers up a not-so-subtle white chocolate strawberry cheesecake flavor without the considerable wait time. So how about perfecting the dinner party platter by adding a batch of these to the feast? Enjoy!!

Read more...

Cheddar Mac 'n Cheese

When I was making this dish I went a bit more traditional than the confusing cheese laden "gourmet" version restaurants can offer. This is a good ole super cheesy Cheddar Mac ‘n Cheese stemming (of course) from a grandmother’s influence. The milk is warmed and the cheddar is melted. The noodles are softened, tossed, and coated. The bread is processed, buttered, and browned. The completed classic is served up casserole style ready to be appreciated by any lover of cheddar. Enjoy!! 

Read more...