Beef
Shepherd’s Pie
I recently needed to come up with a quick and hearty meal and reflecting back on my days of hanging out in a local pub, searched for some pub fare that may do the trick. Here is a quick and easy recipe for Shepherd’s Pie, a favorite of the British Isles. Ingredients 1 1/2 lbs […]
Chicken
Chicken Marsala
This classic Italian chicken dish is a must for every cook’s repertoire. Ingredients ¼ cup of flour salt and pepper to taste. 4 chicken breasts (boned and skinless) 2 tablespoons of olive oil ½ cup of dry marsala wine ½ cup of chicken stock ½ lemon. Squeeze the lemon juice ½ cup of white sliced […]
Desserts
Bananas Foster
Named after New Orleans Crime Commission chairman Richard Foster (a friend of Owens Brennan), this dessert was originally created in 1951 by Chef Paul Blangé at Brennan’s Restaurant and has since become a New Orleans tradition. Ingredients ¼ cup (½ stick) butter 1 cup brown sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup banana liqueur 4 bananas, […]
Essentials
Quick Way to Dice an Onion
A tutorial on dicing an onion with minimal tears from Catherine McCord at weelicious.com. I use a similar method to dice up an onion, but cutting it in half, as suggested in this video, is an improvement. Steve D.
Pot Luck
Chicken & Macaroni Casserole
Make quick use of chicken or turkey remnants with this simple baked dish! Ingredients 6 tablespoons butter 3 or 4 sliced scallions 8 ounces sliced mushrooms 1/3 cup flour 2 cups chicken stock 3 cups diced chicken or turkey (cooked) 12 ounces spinach 1 cup milk 2 cups shredded cheese (preferably cheddar) Salt & pepper, […]
Poultry
Stuffed Cornish Hens
Based on the savory recipe for Cornish Game Hens from Diana Rattray. Total preparation time is approximately 1 hour. Serves 4. Ingredients: 1 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 cup Chablis wine 4 Rock Cornish Game hens 1/4 cup flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup chopped onions 1/4 cup chopped celery 2 […]
Seafood
Tiger Shrimp in a Cream Tomato Sauce with Shallots and Basil
On the About page of this weblog, I referred to TV personality Pasquale Carpino and his popular program of the late 1980s “Kitchen Express”. This particular creation, is one of my personal favorites from “The Singing Chef”. One lesson I learned when I cooked this for a couple of friends that my wife and I […]
Sides
Jalapeño Cornbread
Back in 1987, I was on assignment for most of the year in Houston, Texas, where we would occasionally frequent the downtown favorite lunch spot, Treebeards. Treebeard’s is legendary for their cajun fare of red beans and rice, chicken fried chicken, seafood gumbo, boudin, pickle chips and po boys, however, it was their cornbread that […]
Soups & Stews
Lamb Stew with Rhubarb and Barley
I noticed this dish in the April 12, 2013 issue of “The Week” magazine and had to try it out. Now I have to share it! Serves 6 Ingredients 2 lbs lamb shoulder, cubed Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Marinade 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tspn allspice 1 […]
Vegan
Lasagne di Verdure ala Stevarino
After recently sampling the Vegetable Lasagna from the local Olive Garden restaurant, I became inspired to create an adaptation of their recipe by adding my own personal flair. Serves 4 Ingredients 7 oz pack goat cheese 1/3 cup pitted black olives, chopped 1 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dry), chopped 1/2 Tbsp fresh basil […]
More Articles
Beware of Renegade Food Processor!
A word of caution regarding a particular model of food processor that is not particularly “user friendly”. Last Saturday morning at 6:30 AM, I was slicing potatoes in a food processor. After emptying the bowl with the first set of processed potatoes, I twisted the bowl back into place and then proceeded to drop the […]
Bonge’s Tavern – Perkinsville, Indiana
$$$ A Hoosier tradition since 1934, Bonge’s Tavern is a comfortable bar-restaurant serving dishes categorized as “traditional American” or “new American”. Though the building was constructed in 1847 as a general store, it became a local watering hole in the years following prohibition and has undergone renovations in recent years. Located approximately 5 miles north […]
Ricotta Cheesecake
“This cheesecake needs some form of starch to absorb the liquid in ricotta. I found matzo meal works best.” — Gina DePalma Ingredients 2 15-oz. containers whole-milk ricotta 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature 1 Tbsp. plus 1 cup sugar 3 Tbsp. unseasoned dry breadcrumbs 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature, cut into cubes […]
Mushroom Lasagna
Reblogged from meatballs & milkshakes: I love making lasagna when I’m going to have people over because I can hang out with people instead of standing over the stove the whole night. It’s also just great comfort food, and it makes me feel better whenever I’m a little down (almost as much as a delicious […]
Strawberry Banana Nutella Crepes – Video
Another example of the various ways to create crepes! Steve D.
Spicy Sausage Vegetable Soup
This recipe has been a mainstay of my sustenance for over thirty years and all of the credit for it goes to my lovely Grandmother who, in turn, passed it on to Mom and then to me. It is one of the first creations I ever attempted and still remains an integral part of my […]
Raspberry Creme Brulee ala Dean Fearing
Dean Fearing is the reknowned Master Chef at Dallas’ most exclusive hotel, The Mansion. Of great popularity among it’s regular patrons is Creme Brulee. This post contains the directions for creating Creme Brulee taken directly from the “Mansion on Turtle Creek Cookbook”. Ingredients 6 extra large egg yolks 1 1/4 c. sugar 3 c. heavy […]
Mexican Munchwich
From one particular restaurant where I was employed through my College Days came the tasty dish “Mexican Munchwich”. Though very popular for lunch, this Tex-Mex creation also makes an enjoyable dinner entree. This is my personal rendition of the recipe used by the restaurant so many years ago and is based entirely upon my recollection, […]
Stevarino’s Louisiana Gumbo File’
A favorite cooking “project” that I picked-up from a buddy down south. Putting this together would usually be an all day endeavor and would feed a host of football fans at the house throughout game day. KPaul would be proud! This recipe feeds around 3 to 6 people (depending on the kinds of people). Adjust […]
Houston’s Restaurant – Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale
$$$ Perhaps my personal favorite lunch spot, Houston’s Restaurant, offers top-notch dining in a warm, ambient yet celebratory atmosphere at a reasonable price – and the food is the best part! Oddly enough, Houston’s was founded in Dallas, though they now have locations in metropolitan areas throughout the country – including Houston. Though Houston’s offers […]
