Mexican Rice
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Where I live May 5th is celebrated as a day to enjoy some tasty Tex-Mex or authentic Mexican food, have a few beers, and get together with friends and family. I love Tex-Mex, which I think I have said before, so any excuse is a good when my favorite food is involved. One of my favorite Tex-Mex recipes is for Mexican Rice. This side dish is often done very poorly, which is sad because it is such an easy dish...
Baked Potato Salad
Last year I visited my family in Houston and while I was there I had my first taste of Baked Potato Dip. It is a concoction of sour cream, mayonnaise, bacon bits, green onions, and cheddar cheese which is served with salty potato chips. Overall the dip is pretty tasty and I have made something similar at home, with fresh cooked bacon in place of the bits, and everyone who has tasted it enjoyed it. Now, let’s fast forward to...
Zinfandel Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Polenta
I am something of a comfort food junkie. I have discovered, over the last year, the delightful bliss that is polenta. I have also discovered that I am passionately in love with chicken thighs. So, when I was craving something rich, creamy, and comforting the other night I decided to take my two new comfort food favorites and combine them into one dish. The braise for the chicken thighs is rather short, but chicken cooks fairly...
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 knew risotto would...
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 are hearty enough to...
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 and minced...