The BEST Beef Bourgignon

My mom’s recipe, of course.  However, I will state here that I have had Boeuf Bourgignon in France, its birthplace, and this is better.
Boeuf bourgignon
1 lb frozen or fresh pearl onions
6 slices bacon, diced (raw)
1/4 c butter
4 lbs cubed chuck or rump roast beef
1/4 c brandy
1.5 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 cups burgundy
2 c small whole [...]

Read Full Post »

Good Reasons But No Excuses

For a brief time I was a guest columnist here but life interfered and I’ve been gone quite awhile. It’s been too long. And as my title implies, I have reasons but no excuses.
In January 2008 I got a new job — incredibly challenging. Six weeks later, my mother — who had always been healthy, [...]

Read Full Post »

Sweet and Tangy

It was commented by Seriouswriter (a contributor here), sometime ago, that I should try coating a ham with a 50/50 mixture of brown sugar and mustard. Being distracted by all life has had to offer, it has taken all this time to give it try.
Last night we had some family over for dinner and I [...]

Read Full Post »

What makes good sausage?

For most people, getting good sausage is as easy as going to the local store and grabbing a package of bulk sausage.
Some people like to make their own or are curious what it takes to make tasty sausage. So here we go, a short tutorial on this breakfast treat.
First you need trim with enough fat [...]

Read Full Post »

I Like Mine in Brine!

I’ve gone on and on about the different ways to smoke meat. Finally, I am going to have to pick one and write about it.
So here we go.
First of all, I am most familiar with using a brine to cure and flavor the meat. In a bit of research about what is out there [...]

Read Full Post »

You HAVE to Try This!

Wow, this is good:
Apple Crisp
Filling:
3 huge granny smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced and chunked, or tart apples to fill a 9-inch pie pan
1/2 c sugar
1 teas cinnamon
Topping :
3/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c butter, melted
Oven 400
Grease a 9-inch pie pan or equivalent size casserole dish. Toss the apple pieces with the sugar and cinnamon. Spread [...]

Read Full Post »

Pain in the Neck

Maybe you are expecting me to be writing a complaint or rant or something with the “wacky” title. Nope, it’s a recipe. No really!
Neck roast.
This recipe applies for any of the odd (cheaper or tougher) cuts from the Chuck (that is the front quarter on Beef or Venison). For my [...]

Read Full Post »

Shortbread

I love shortbread. People have mixed feelings about it — some think it’s dry, or just not what they think a cookie ought to be. Well, I’m not one of them, and I have some recipes to back that opinion up. Besides, it’s easy to make, and quick — serious benefits in my opinion.
Pecan Shortbread
2 [...]

Read Full Post »

‘Tis the Weather for Comfort Food

The midwest ice storms make me want to curl up on the couch with a good book, wrapped in a blanket in front of a fire — and I live in Florida and am currently wearing shorts. I can only imagine the extent to which the rest of the country is experiencing similar couch-envy. It’s [...]

Read Full Post »

Coffee Cake This Good Shouldn’t Be So Simple to Make

This was a standard for Christmas breakfast when I was a kid. First of all, this makes your whole house smell wonderful while it’s cooking. Second, it’s so quick to make that it will actually take me longer to post the recipe than it will for the one that’s currently in my oven to finish [...]

Read Full Post »