Pineapple Noodle Pudding Patti’s little German Grammy used to call this noodle kugel, which means pudding. She remembers arguments around the table whether it should be made with chopped apples or pineapple, with raisins or Patti’s favorite dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. Well, it was an easy decision for us because Ken isn’t thrilled with cooked apples. This was always a sweet treat either as…
Just Ducky Breakfast Bowls At our Murrieta Farmer’s Market we got some pretty, sweet peppers, onions and a special treat from Erd Ranch: fresh duck eggs. Duck eggs are especially creamy and these beauties were extra large. Thanks Todd & Nicole! We love breakfast for dinner and this had all your favorite breakfast goodies: eggs, bacon, potatoes, cheese, onions and sweet peppers. It covered it…
Sloppy Joe Pizza As a kid I loved Sloppy Joe’s and I don’t think I’ll ever out grow that love. Poking around in the kitchen I found the making for Sloppy Joe’s except for buns and a pre-made pizza crust. What more can I say. A plan was born and a rich meat and garlicky pizza was for dinner. Patti and I have set one…
SteakBurger Stuffed Potatoes Our friend and crash test dummy Robin was coming for dinner and it was raining. We wanted to do a “Rainy Day Recipe”, something quick, delicious and kid friendly. So, when our nephews come for dinner, we’ll be ready. You can make everything ahead of time and just pop it in the oven or grill until hot. Huwa Reserve, our friends and…
Three Cheese Zucchini Bake We lucked out at the Murrieta Farmer’s Market. They have fresh, firm zucchini and Vivian of Drake Farms had fresh parmesan-reggiano cheese. So, we made a yummy side dish that would also be great if we added cooked, drained sausage, ground beef and/or chopped crisp bacon for a perfectly delicious and easy main dish. Ken isn’t an “oh, good” veggie kind…
Holiday Brunch Frittata We always have friends and neighbors over for dinner for the holidays and usually there’s a few who stay over. We try to always cook brunch like this frittata, which is really just a crustless quiche. Delicious using leftover smoked ham, but if you have leftover smoked turkey and/or veggies add them to the mix for more layers of flavors and make…
Easy Smoky Chili & Corn Bread With the cooler weather here we’ve wanted to do a good pot of thick and hearty chili. I saw Brad Woods recipe for his and it got me to thinking tonight’s the night. I normally do chili from scratch, even grinding my own chili peppers. But, this sounded simple and good using canned beans and tomatoes for my base.…
Loaded Mashed Potatoes We love potatoes fixed all kinds of ways. Ken has never found a way he didn’t like. Being our Memphis Wood Fire Grill/Smoker can bake just as well as smoke and grill Patti came up with this recipe for a new way with baked potatoes full of all the goodies. We smoked them alongside the chicken we made and they picked up…
Chili Brats Casserole We wanted something hearty, quick and easy, plus nice and spicy for a chilly evening. It was a really busy day and we were having friends with kids on the way. Using our Pacific Living Outdoor Oven we can keep it warm until we’re all ready to eat because it keeps and holds the temperature so well. Everyone loved the crunchy tortilla…
Oktoberfest Sausage and Potatoes The weather here is turning coolish; it got down to 70 degrees on the patio tonight. Patti and I had to put on sweaters, we almost froze to death. This is a hearty and easy recipe for backyard barbeques and tailgating. Ken thought it was great with his favorite beer; Patti had it with a good red wine. The apple cider…
Philly Mac & Cheese Patti was born & raised in Philadelphia, so she knows something about cheese steaks. Ken was born in Texas so he knows something about big beef. We were both craving comfort food and macaroni and cheese fills the bill. But, not with the shaved meat you get in Philly cheese steaks. We wanted a big, beefy cheese steak taste. Sunday at…
Caprese Stuffed Tomatoes for Two It was our date night and we wanted a side dish that was special, not the same old thing. But, still easy with lots of flavor. Ken loves Caprese salad and we love our Pacific Living Outdoor Oven and made full use of the smoker box. So, Patti made a side dish under the stars and didn’t have to heat…