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 as well as any purists out there. But, I am not a chef. I am merely a housewife running a 24 hour cafe for six regulars and a few occasional guests. As such, I ...
Archives for December 2007
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 recipes for Christmas. Tonight I made a simple potato dish. It’s so easy that it doesn’t seem worthy for the special ...
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 year. I prefer the glisten of all white lights, but I completely understand the thrill of squinting your eyes until all the colors ...
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 please the crowd. Spaghetti, meat-loaf and grilled pannini sandwiches are appreciated too. But my most frequently used fall back ...
The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Husband blew out his back a couple of weeks ago. Actually it was the morning we took Littlest 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 stint as a power lifter in high school exacerbated the problem. Last year he had major surgery...the last possible option before 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 that big I would also like to meet Oprah and be in the audience on the day she gives away all her favorite things. ...