Posts contained in the “Cooking” category:

Summer Sauce

This recipe had its origins in how to get mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickles, relish, and olives on a hamburger without having it all end up in your lap. The solution we came up with was to combine these all into a single sauce. The result is something that is not quite like any of these …read more…

Cutting Boards

I only use wooden or bamboo cutting boards. Plastic or acrylic ones dull your knives, and a dull knife on a slick surface (especially made slicker by the juice escaping from whatever you’re cutting up) is going to slip. Some people prefer plastic cutting boards in the mistaken belief that plastic ones don’t allow bacteria …read more…

how not to carve your pumpkins…

Happy Halloween!

Not Quite Black Bean Soup

Some time ago, I bookmarked this recipe and wanted very desperately to make it, but never had the time. It was hot today (over 80°), but in a few days the temperature is expected to drop almost thirty degrees. So I figured that today would be a good day to make it because like all …read more…

…in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral…

During (and since) my recent aluminium incarceration, I’ve thought a lot about food. That is partly because while I was working insane hours, I craved the kinds of foods that I didn’t have time to prepare. In fact, while I was working there, I became a microwavarian, because I didn’t eat anything that didn’t come …read more…

Caramelized Onions

It’s always a good thing to have a supply of caramelized onions on hand. They go with just about everything, or on everything. Nutritious, tasty, easy to make—the only problem is that they do take a while. Ingredients 2 pounds onions, peeled, and sliced or chopped 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoon balsamic …read more…

Lime Fluff Pie

A long time ago, in an internet far, far away, I printed out a recipe for “Lime Fluff Pie.” I ran across it the other day and realized why I printed it out: it has lime, it has fluff, and it’s a desert. Alas, I forgot where I got it from, but a quick search …read more…

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes, fresh out of the oven. (Please don't eat the bay leaves!)

With just a few simple ingredients, this is a filling, hearty side dish perfect for a holiday meal (it does take some time). Adding leftover ham or corned beef can turn this into a satisfying main dish. The real secret to this dish is taking your time with the béchamel sauce, so that the bay …read more…

Chili

This is my favorite recipe for chili. It’s not authentic—Texans would take real issue with this recipe—but it is delicious 1 pound ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 teaspoon cumin seed, crushed and ground (in a mortar and pestle) 3 tablespoons chili powder 3 cloves garlic, minced (I add more) 1 15.5-oz can black …read more…

Really Simple Curry Paste

I have always been intrigued by those jars of colorful curry pastes I have seen in the store, but have always been turned off by the price. So I decided to try making my own curry paste.There are lots of recipes for curry paste on the internet, but they are all pretty complicated, and seem …read more…