Boeuf à la Bourguignonne, Beef Bourguignon, beef burgundy, or just beef in wine sauce. For me, few dishes invoke thoughts of cool weather, friends and hearty meals like beef Bourguignon. Many credit Julia Child with bringing this dish to the forefront. As a result, Americans often envision this dish when they think of French cuisine. Several…
Chicken and Dumplings
I don’t think it would be possible for me to talk about chicken and dumplings without also talking about the Vineyard House. Also, considering that we’re in the Halloween season, I think this will be the appropriate discussion. Growing up in the Sierra foothills I remember family trips to Coloma. Coloma is where gold was…
Apple Pie
Northern California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada is apple country. During these days of fall weather and terrible traffic as out of towners descend on us hill folks to participate in apple related activities, I thought it would be appropriate to whip up an easy apple pie at home. This way, I can…
TX Brisket
If you ever travel to Texas and you go to a BBQ joint, you will inevitably end up with some brisket. That giant slob o’ tough meat from the lower front part of the animal. A packer brisket (whole, untrimmed) usually comes in at 10-20 pounds. It consists of the flat, the point, the…
Pulled Pork
I see quite a few recipes online for various ways to make the best pulled pork. These posts are usually followed by a slow cooker recipe or some kind of dutch oven braising technique and so forth. I understand that in today’s society, convenience is a factor. You get home from work and you either…
Coleslaw
This easy and versatile coleslaw dressing recipe can be used with either whole head cabbage or an equivalent amount of that tasty broccoli slaw mixture which is available at the store.
Fajitas
This is one of those easy to put together, weeknight meals we often enjoy when we’re not sure what else to make. If we have the time, we will go ahead and throw together some nice homemade tortillas, or alternatively pick up our favorite local tortillas. There are a couple things to consider when…
Cheesecake
This recipe is my ‘go to’ recipe for cheesecake. I like simple food that’s easy to throw together and this one definitely meets the objective! I have to give credit where credit is due and this one is adapted from Martha Stewart. I like it because it is just simple and straightforward which allows you…
Lemon curd
What can I say? It’s lemon curd. One of my favorite crepe fillings, layered cake fillings, cheesecake topping, toast dipping, and spoonful scarfing, etc, etc.. This is one of those recipes which is surprisingly easy considering what appears to be sophisticated results. A friend of mine, at Twin Springs Homestead, recently brought me some…
Lard
That’s right, I said, “lard”. That stuff modern society has warned us about and which the very mention of it makes cardiologists shudder. Well, fear not! Lard you buy at the store is loaded with hydrogenated this and poly that. You know the drill. It’s not the fat that’s the problem, it’s the preservatives. This…