Mushroom Risotto... When the weather turns cold and the wind begins to howl, nothing warms me up faster than a bowl of creamy risotto. Shockingly, I have never had Risotto until last year!  To be honest with you, it was always the last thing I considered ordering because I love pasta so much, but one night at a local Italian place I decided to forgo my usual and try their Mushroom Risotto.  It changed my world.  From that moment on I...

Pancetta Risotto Cakes... Do you remember a few months ago when I posted that a recipe I created won a contest and the prize was a trip to San Francisco? At the time I was not able to share the recipe due to the ’super-secret’ nature of the contest.  Well, the contest is over and I am free to share, and share I shall.  These are my Pancetta Risotto Cakes and they are among my favorite appetizers to prepare, and consume.  They...

Jalapeno Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms... Let’s talk about party food, shall we? When I host, or attend and help cook for, a cocktail party I like to think about finger foods and two-bite dishes that are easy to eat, pretty and not too messy.   I like savory dishes that stand up to a variety of cocktails and beers, and nothing does that better than mushrooms. These mushrooms are stuffed with a mixture of cheeses which is studded with crisp fried bacon...

Tex-Mex Macaroni and Cheese... Make no mistake, I adore macaroni and cheese. I have posted a recipe here before and it is sublime. It is one of my favorite things to eat, and I love to tinker with my original recipe and see what new variations I can come up with.   This new recipe combines macaroni and cheese with another of my culinary loves,  Tex-Mex food.  Trust me, this recipe really, really works!  How do I know this?  Well, aside from my...

Four Cheese Potato Gratin... Sometimes you just need potatoes. We eat a fair amount of potatoes in my house.  They are versatile, easy to prepare and really the best starchy comfort food going, aside from macaroni and cheese which is the king of comfort food as far as I am concerned. All that said, I do get a little tired of the same old baked potatoes and mashed potatoes.  Yes, they are easy, and they are good, but I knew I could do more with...

Creamy Orzo and Mushroom Pasta... Ever since I was invited to the Mushroom Council lunch a few months ago I have been looking for new ways to add mushrooms into my everyday meals.   I have also been looking for new ways to use favorite ingredients because I can sometimes get into a cooking rut.  Orzo pasta is one of my pantry staples because it can be added to so many dishes to fill them out, but I almost always seem to use it in my chicken salad...

FoodBuzz: 24, 24, 24 – Eating Local – ... Howdy y’all!  Welcome to Texas! One evening, while feeling particularly full of myself, I submitted a proposal for Foodbuzz’s montlhy 24, 24, 24 event.  For those of you reading who do not know what 24, 24, 24 is I’ll give you the short version.  24 bloggers have 24 food events over 24 hours.  Fun, right? I decided on the following menu: Fried Gulf Coast Shrimp Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos Smoked...

French Fries... You came here for french fries, and french fries you shall get … but first something fun! On Easter I was given a very special award from the very lovely, and talented beyond belief, Half Baked Baker! She passed along to me the following award:  “These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the...