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Grandma’s turkey stuffing

Thanksgiving has always been my second favorite holiday because when I was a kid, our family Thanksgiving made me feel a happy-family-ness, warmth, and love that were beyond our Scots-Irish/Norwegian family most of the time. Everyone (I think) felt the culinary highlight was the Thanksgiving turkey stuffing (sometimes called dressing interchangeably). Here’s how I remember it every Thanksgiving and Christmas watching my mom make the stuffing. Mom’s stuffing was identical to Grandma’s, a version she probably brought over from County Down.

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Cookoff chili

Mom gave me a great cookbook for Christmas some years ago that was full of the Best Recipes of 1999, according to someone. About the only thing I’ve made more than once is a chili recipe, although I’ve played with it to the point where it’s now another “standard fare” item in the Recipe Box. You, too, can play with it to your heart’s content. Just make sure to include the most special ingredients and techniques, and you’ll have everyone oooh-ing and aah-ing for more. Recently, a friend who just won a chili cookoff told me never to enter any contest he was in! High praise.

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Best banana bread

I keep working on this recipe because I like it so much and it’s my fail-safe way to use up those over-ripe bananas. This latest version is the best yet. This version updates the temp-time combo for the crispy outside and moist inside that’s the holy grail.

I’ve tried several recipes over the years including a great one learned from my sister-in-law (a legendary cook) that was my favorite until I tried this recipe. I like it because when it first comes out of the oven, it’s moist enough and if your oven cooperates, you get a nice crustiness on the outside and a fully-cooked bread all the way through.  But the important thing is to use up those bananas (and potassium) before you have to throw them away! So, here goes…

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Dad’s scrambled eggs

Everyone (even the kids) say these are really good scrambled eggs. Tasty, fluffy, buttery…etc. So, they have become the gold standard around our house. The technique is the most important thing here.

Update 2019: Better eggs really do taste better. Better = organic, really free-range. Larger, darker-yellow yolks, no animal stuff in the feed, no antibiotics. I keep trying out different brands from the store. My current favorite is Pete & Gerry’s, noticeably better all around.

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