[22] Skillet Pork Chops, variation 1

Cover of How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition by Mark Bittman

As you might expect, given the “About”, many times this blog is about forcing ourselves (Bill & I) to go look in the cabinets, fridge & freezer, and see what we have and what we can make.

Of course, to make it a little more crazy, I try to throw moving and house-guests into the mix. Without really planning ahead for the guests. I won’t say this is the BEST plan, but it’s working out for me better than you might expect. I anticipate a kitchen disaster any day now, but up until this point (including last night, which will be another entry later on).

Of course, in this instance, the guest was just Jessie. She’s seen us at all kinds of chaotic times, and had plenty of recipes tested on her.… Continue reading →

Bayless’s recipe this week.

Cover of Fiesta at Rick's by Rick Bayless

“Proc 4 grlc,6T ancho,4t sugr&peppr,5t salt,1t oreg,½t cumin.Rub 4 slb ribs;ovrnite.Bake 300 75 min.Blend:7oz chiptles&3/4c honey.Grill;glaze”

Okay, if you count what’s between the quotation marks, you’ll find that it’s 140 characters long. Obviously, there’s enough there to get a sense of what is supposed to be going on, but is there actually enough there for a total beginner at grilling and ribs to make dinner? And, given the quantity of baby back ribs there, is there enough going on that a total beginner can make it for dinner WITH COMPANY?

Somehow, I suspect that wasn’t entirely Rick Bayless’s intent, but I do hope he gives some points for optimism. However, given the cookbook giveaway is for “Fiesta at Rick’s”, maybe it was his intent, and I played right into his sneaky hands!… Continue reading →

[21] Crêpes, Sweet or Savory

Cover of How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition by Mark Bittman

Okay, so, for starters. I was totally wrong about there being six recipes in the queue. There were only three. This is the first of them.

Secondly, I decided this blog has been sitting idle for far too long, and so I’m just going to work on posting this recipe. There are photos associated with it, but the computer that processes photos is out of commission right now. Thus, while I would love to post some photos at this time, it will not happen. Most likely, this post will be edited later to include the photos. If not that, we will post another entry with photos.

Finally, I have not yet made a single one of the Bayless tweeted recipes. The first two were lost in the chaos of moving, and the most recent one featured mostly foods I do not enjoy.… Continue reading →

Still moving, but a little look into our non-food lives

I just want to say that for a couple who doesn’t own a car, we have a ridiculous number of tie-downs.

I haven’t owned a car since early roughly April of 2007. Bill has owned a car much more recently, having just sold his to our friend Steve last month. That said, he hasn’t really had _access_ to his car since he moved to Chicago in late 2009. The car decided to stay in New Mexico until it could find a new owner that didn’t live in the frozen north.

You are probably thinking, then, that the tie-downs are just a remnant of Bill’s car-owning life. After all, it has been less than a year since he was a regular driver (and of a station wagon with a luggage rack, at that).… Continue reading →

Please pardon our pause!

Bill and I are in the middle of a move between apartments, and still haven’t found the cookbooks. We will be posting again very soon!

There’s about 6 recipes in the queue (not counting today’s tweet from Rick Bayless that I hope to try this week). After that, the sky is the limit!

Also, a friend threatened to give us cookbooks. She is wonderful and sadistic. Which, really, is part of why we love her.

In random other news, Bill and I have chosen not to bring the evil toaster with us. We’re looking for good toaster oven recommendations. We’d like something with pretty good capacity, at a minimum. We’re not horribly concerned about counter space. Do you have any?

Thanks!… Continue reading →