Scenes from My Pantry
Everyday Sourdough Sandwich Loaf
We tend to overcomplicate bread making—watching countless YouTube videos, over-researching, and comparing our loaves to picture-perfect ones online, only to feel discouraged. But here’s the truth: it’s a journey, not a race, and it’s not as complicated as it seems. Like anything else in life, a little practice and consistency make all the difference. And
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Scenes from My Pantry
Cheddar and Chive Popovers
Where have popovers been all my life? Nobody told me I could transform a basic egg batter into crusty, tall, airy pockets of goodness with a warm soft buttery inside. I have discovered popovers are a fantastic way to dip your toes into baking because they are surprisingly simple to make with a few basic
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Scenes from My Pantry
Velva’s Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
I have a memory from over forty years ago, about salad dressing. I watched an older sister of a friend dress a simple salad of iceberg lettuce and sliced tomato with white vinegar, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. This handful of simple ingredients became my ‘go to’ recipe for many years. Bottled salad dressings were
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Scenes from My Pantry
Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookies
I find a sense of Zen as I flip through my recipe notebooks, filled with thirty years worth of handwritten notes, magazine clippings, and typed recipes from the early PC days. Some recipes are familiar favorites, and other recipes which can best be described as a fleeting moment of inspiration. This recipe was torn out
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Scenes from My Pantry
Spaghetti all’ Amatriciana
During a trip to Chicago my son and his friends discovered Ceres’ Table, a restaurant featuring Italian inspired seasonal plates. This is where he first experienced the dish Spaghetti all’amatriciana a simple pasta dish of tomatoes, garlic, guanciale (pork jowl), olive oil, grated Pecorino Romano, salt and fresh ground black pepper. He was inspired by
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Savoring the Season
Easy Greek Lemon Rice With Feta
The inspiration for this dish came from a friend this week who shared a recipe from Laughing Spatula for a quick and easy rice dish. I try to keep meals uncomplicated during the hot, sometimes lazy summer months in northern Florida. Nobody wants to heat up their kitchens when the mercury outside is close to