Mama’s recipe — roasted pumpkin seeds

This easy process to prepare roasted pumpkin seeds may sound like mama’s recipe.  It hasn’t changed much since we hosted our first pumpkin carving party years ago in the California cookery.  If you’re gearing up for your own pumpkin party, collect the seeds and roast them while your guests are creating carved masterpieces. Once pumpkin carving […]

Food writing with Monica Bhide

Food writers and food writers in the making: take a break from your recipes and browse Monica Bhide’s site. http://mbhide.typepad.com/my_weblog/ An established food writer and cookbook author who eats locally but cooks globally, Monica is challenging readers to pay it forward. She’ll be giving away a food writing class and a food writing phone consultation.  So […]

Bookmark the Foodie BlogRoll

The Foodie BlogRoll continues to roll with inspiration and energy.  With a small bow to The Leftover Queen and The Foodie Blogroll, here’s a note of appreciation for this diverse collection of food blogs. Check out the site’s 5 Random Blogs. If you’re looking for ideas, answers, menus and more, this well of foodie resources serves it up on […]

Recipe recycled: pumpkin bread

Feeling festive but tired of Aunt Bea’s old recipe? Try my variation for a sweet fix on pumpkin bread.   Candied Pumpkin Bread     For an intense pumpkin flavor, use half fresh and half canned pumpkin.   1 ¾ cups all purpose flour 1 ½ cups sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 […]

Mini-Portion Control

Portion control works.  Serve goat cheese in mini-portions without breaking the bank or the scales. When the craving hits, lay out goat cheese on pear slices. Dip sliced goat cheese in olive oil. Dust goat cheese slices with bread crumbs and fresh herbs. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Serve on sliced pears.

A-p-p-l-e

Slice this:  the Honeycrisp organic apple.  The taste measures up to the size.  This was a cookery indulgence at $2.99/pound at Austin HEB this week.   It’s not easy to justify a bushel, but a pound of the Honeycrisp organic apple stretches all the way across a table.

Fall Flavor . . . Pumpkin Torte

Pumpkin bread rings in autumn, but this Pumpkin Torte will tempt you to skip the meal and focus exclusively on dessert.  If you love your pumpkin and don’t mind leaving the bread and pie on the shelf, try this pumpkin torte family favorite.   12 whole graham crackers crushed 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup margarine 2 eggs, beaten 1 (8oz.) pkg. […]

Relish This – Sweets for Soldiers

Shashana Davis sends your love and confection across the miles.  Shashana’s Spectacular Sweets made the news this month in “Relish Magazine.” Learn more about her “Cakes Ready to Eat” at http://www.relishmag.com/article/28725.html or drop by Shashana’s site at http://spectacularsweets.com/crecakesreadytoeat.html

Today’s temptation

While I was sleeping/packing/moving/unpacking/navigating a new city/writing/marketing/cooking/swimming/playing with the kids and weeding the garden, September snuck up on the calendar.  I’m just stating the facts.  These comments should not be taken as complaints! Back-to-school for the family means it’s time to learn a few new things around the cookery.  Why not try something a little […]

Tortilla flats . . . welcome to Austin

The new cookery is not quite up and running but we’ve almost arrived. Austin rates off the charts. We are digging in with our forks and spoons and checking out the local scene. I’m counting my coins–as always–and spending my money on bread.  The boys love the warm tortilla samples at HEB And we’ve learned how to prepare them at home like […]