Christmas Worthy Potatoes (Twice Baked Blue Cheese Sweet Potatoes)

Cooking is as much about intuition as it is skill.  You can master all kinds of techniques, sauces, chopping and such, but at the end of the day you need keen senses to guide you.  To me cooking is an art not a science.  I’m sure Alton Brown (who I adore) would argue with me [...]

Boursin Potatoes

It’s freezing in the heart of Texas!  Or at least hovering around 50 degrees, which is practically freezing since we had the air conditioner running this time yesterday.  It feels a lot more like Christmas with a shiver in the air.  And that makes my kitchen seem down right cozy.  Perfect weather to start testing [...]

Deck the Halls….(Ginger Maple – Glazed Salmon)

My house looks like a Christmas explosion!  We made our annual pilgrimage to Elgin last weekend to chop down the chosen pine.  The tree is wonderfully lopsided and the smell of earthy, crispy pine tickles my nose and tells me Christmas is here.  The children  won and we put colored lights on the tree this [...]

Chicken Pasta Something or Other

Every once in a while I make something that everyone at The Schell Cafe really likes.  I don’t mean the meals that are tolerated with rolled eyes or the obligatory ‘thank you bite’.  I mean a meal that produces a clamor for seconds! I can always count on my homemade guacamole and chicken quesadillas to [...]

Chocolate Chip Cookies for A Bummed Back

Husband blew out his back a couple of weeks ago.  Actually it was the morning we took Baby to have her spinal MRI at Children’s.  He ended up missing the procedure and was flat on his own back in excruciating pain. He’s battled chronic back problems for his entire adult life.  Sports injuries and a [...]

Meeting Ina Garten

It happened today. I met The Barefoot Contessa.  Yes, that contessa otherwise known as Ina Garten.  My cooking idol. For this self-professed foodie meeting The Contessa ranks high upon my list of wishes.  Actually, being invited to dinner at her house in the Hamptons ranks higher on my wish list, but if we are dreaming [...]