From the category archives:

Starches | Pasta

Thumbnail image for Max’s Spaghetti with Meatballs and Marinara | RSVP Redux for October, 2010

Max’s Spaghetti with Meatballs and Marinara | RSVP Redux for October, 2010

It just-so-happened that the first thing I noticed when we checked into the B&B over the weekend was the May 2010 issue of Bon Appétit lying on the coffee table. While waiting for Barry to get dressed for the wedding, I leafed through it and found… spaghetti and meatballs. But not just any spaghetti and [...]

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Thumbnail image for Cabernet Wine Linguine with Porcini and Cream Reduction | Sunday Shout-out to Blackmarket Bakery

Cabernet Wine Linguine with Porcini and Cream Reduction | Sunday Shout-out to Blackmarket Bakery

On Monday evening, September 20, 2010, I was invited by Marla to an event hosted by Chef Rachel of Blackmarket Bakery to learn about, then cook with – Cabernet Wine Flour. A beautiful example of using someone else’s throwaway, the folks over at Marche Noir Foods have figured out how to use leftover cabernet grape [...]

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Food Foray # 2.2

If you missed it, this is the follow-up post to Food Foray # 2.1. Last week, I pulled the meat out of two cooked King crab legs to make a crab manicotti appetizer for a Holiday Dinner At Home with Barry’s daughters. While the appetizer turned out okay, I think I’m gonna keep playing with [...]

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Brown-Nosing The Boss

In December 2008, I volunteered to cater my office’s Holiday Party. Around the same time, I invited one of the owners to lunch, just to get to know him a little bit better. At that lunch, I learned three things: he was a self-declared introvert, he enjoyed pinot noirs, and he loved pasta puttanesca, but [...]

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Food Foray # 1.2

If you missed it, this is the follow-up post to Food Foray # 1.1. It was a busy week, so we just got around to playing with the roasted butternut squash. The plusses – the butternut puree mixture that went into the ravioli was outstanding. So were the fried sage leaves. The construction of the [...]

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Thumbnail image for The Vietnamese Italian | Garden Herb Spaghetti Bolognese

The Vietnamese Italian | Garden Herb Spaghetti Bolognese

Growing up, I loved my mother’s spaghetti and my aunt’s lasagna. While I have no idea what was in my aunt’s lasagna, my mother’s spaghetti sauce recipe was simple: sauté one onion. Add a pound of ground beef. Discard fat. Add package of Lawry’s Spaghetti Seasoning. Add can of tomato sauce. Salt, pepper and serve [...]

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Thumbnail image for Test Kitchen Success | Spicy Italian Sausage with Garlic Cream Penne

Test Kitchen Success | Spicy Italian Sausage with Garlic Cream Penne

One of our favorite local haunts is Britta’s Café in Irvine, California.  At least twice a month, you can find us there on date nite.  In fact, we enjoy this place so much we named our dog after it.  And, with a seasonal menu that rotates about six times a year, there’s always something new to try.  If [...]

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