click to order ^^ July 24, 2026 The focaccia-making got postponed until this weekend, because half the family came down with a nasty summer cold and the rest of us had no desire to get it. So I'm going to start the dough today, and make a big batch of meatballs to simmer in marinara sauce. We'll either have meatball sandwiches, or I'll cook a pot of pasta. Salad on the side, and we'll call it a delicious Italian family dinner. I know we're in the middle of a heat wave, but it's never a bad time to make meatballs. ...Continue Reading

click to order ^^ July 10, 2026 I made an enormous slab of focaccia earlier this week because I'd not done so in a while and wanted to be sure I'd not lost my touch. It was delicious; I foisted some of it off on neighbors. We have tentative plans to make it again this weekend; if that pans out I'll take pictures and post the recipe. It's easy, doesn't take much hands on time, and is all around well worth the little effort it does take. It's hot this week, so planning ahead for low lift dinners at the end of t ...Continue Reading

click to order ^^ July 10, 2026 This is Jim's birthday week, and he wanted: yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting for his birthday cake; and to try several new restaurants for dinner over the week. We had a fabulous Italian feast at Primo Italia in Torrance with his sister Tuesday night; a quick snack at a local bar before a sunset harbor cruise Wednesday night that included a tour of the port of Long Beach; and a new Japanese restaurant last night. Not sure what he has on the agenda for the rest of the ...Continue Reading

click to order ^^ June 26, 2026 The weather has been nice at the shore. A marine layer most mornings that burns off by midday; sunny afternoon with highs in the low 70s. It'll get hotter late July and August, but still relatively low humidity. Perfect, in other words! I picked recipes to suit the weather this week. First up, blackened catfish that you really want to cook outside unless you have restaurant-grade ventilation in your kitchen. It throws off a lot of smoke. Bonus: Once you master the technique, y ...Continue Reading

click to order ^^ June 19, 2026 Here comes summer and all the summer fruits and vegetables that come with it. Probably my favorite time of the year for meal planning. There's a pickled cucumber and onion salad in the refrigerator for noshing on all week, and it's the rare night that I don't put a platter of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers on the table. We've been putting sweet, juicy corn on the grill for a few weeks now, and have already had some really good watermelon. I'm waiting for the cantaloupes to come in; I ...Continue Reading

click to order ^^ June 12, 2026 We've just finished up our first year in Southern California, and are really enjoying it. This week the coast is seeing monster sets of waves coming in from the south, and the surfing beaches are hopping with excitement. Very interesting, nothing like the Gulf of Mexico I grew up on. Our beach here doesn't usually get much surf because of a protective jetty built around the harbor during WWII, but even we're seeing and hearing some decent waves. I've always loved the ocean, and am v ...Continue Reading

click to order ^^ June 5, 2026 We splurged, calorie-wise, on fried chicken a while back and I threw the leftover bits in the bag with a rotisserie chicken carcass that was in the freezer. I made a pot of stock with it all yesterday in the Instant Pot. The stock was a little cloudy because of the breading but not nearly as much as I'd figured it would be; I guess because the liquid doesn't boil under pressure? Anyway, it tastes really good, so I'll continue saving the occasional fried chicken bone in with my o ...Continue Reading

click to order ^^ May 29, 2026 It's hard to believe, but Monday is the last day of May, leaving us just 3 weeks away from the official start of summer. Our tomato plants are producing, we got a good watermelon earlier this week, and the corn we grilled last weekend was sweet and delicious. Much as I like cozy soups and stews on cold winter days, meals centered around fresh summer produce are my favorite. Or at least that's how I feel today! For the recipes this week, first up, grilled oysters a la the formid ...Continue Reading

May 22, 2026 Memorial Day Weekend is here, marking the unofficial start to summer, at least for me. We're planning a feast on Monday. I'm making the ribs linked below, we'll grill some corn, wings, a few skewers of shrimp, and a yet to be determined selection of sides.  Viva la summer! For the recipes this week, first up, Chef Paul Prudhomme's "Best Damn Grilled Chicken I ever Ate!" that I've shared here before, and forget about until summer rolls around. I need to get it into our dinner rotat ...Continue Reading

click to order ^^ May 15, 2026 There's a Louisiana-style crawfish festival about ten miles south of me this weekend; I'm debating on whether or not to go. Jim doesn't like crawfish; I could have him drop me off and go to the bookstore while I eat to my heart's content. We'll see what the weekend brings. For the recipes this week, first up, a dish from Martha Hall Foose featuring catfish baked in a paper bag (new, of course; you could use parchment paper). Next, this is a must-make if good tomatoes are in the ma ...Continue Reading