We have a bumper crop of Swiss Chard. I was afraid that row in the new garden wasn't going to give us much but the weather warmed up a little and BAM! After looking at it in the morning, I…

This is my favorite recipe for mashed potatoes.  Unfortunately, it's not my wife's favorite.  UPDATE: Reducing the amount of milk and cream a tiny bit transformed this into my Sweet LAdy Wife's favorite.You see, to her, mashed potatoes must have…

Even people who don't like green beens love this.3/4 pound fresh green beens1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth3 tablespoons brandy1 tablespoon butter3 tablespoons olive oilKOsher salt6-8 ounces button mushrooms, thickly sliced2-4 ounces pancetta (substitute thinly sliced ham or bacon if…

THis one is a favorite around my house.  A trick I learned to enhance the presentation is to use a roll cut. Cut the carrot crosswise on the diagonal.  Roll the carrot 180 degrees, move the knife 1 inch up…

I am learning great things from Chef Bernard Chirent. A couple of days ago, he gave another cooking class at Plate It Up! and once again I learned to make some magnificent dishes that are easy to prepare. Milles-Feuilles is…

Corn, Leeks, Mushrooms, and Pancetta Sauteed and Wrapped in a Warm Tortilla Inspired by a recipe in the September 2007 issue of Fine Cooking, this was unbelievably tasty. My ingredients and quantities were a bit different from the the Fine…

This was the only saving grace from tonight's dinner. I initially decided to prpare them because they would add some color to the presentation of tonight's meal and because my wife loves onions. Surprisingly, they were as sweet as candy.…