Kitchen Economics — Two halves make a whole new meal. — Food is more expensive than ever, so getting your dollar to stretch is critical for an efficient kitchen. The benefit of making a second meal from leftovers not only saves money but time as well. Generally speaking, leftovers cut your cooking time by half; you’ve already done the prep, seasoned…

Quick and Easy Braised Kale. Plus a kale bonus add-on! — There are two general cooking approaches: Simple or, as a restaurant will say for salesmanship, Naked. With this, the main ingredient is the star, with minimal manipulation. The other is Constructed. This refers to an elaborate building of a dish with many elements around the main ingredient. When you’re cooking…

A slice of tropical fruit flavors to brighten dead winter days — A week ago, a friend stopped by before leaving for vacation and dropped off a bag of limes. That may sound like an odd thing, but it’s routine between my friends and me. I have an open policy of “give and receive.” …

Ground Italian sausage seasoned pork and creamy Italian cheese wrapped in melt-in-your-mouth crepes (crespelle) baked in fresh tomato sauce. — During this past Christmas season, I catered a private dinner, and while I wanted to steer away from the traditional roast turkey, I still wanted to give the festive bird some representation. The showpiece of the evening fare was a delectable venison roast. To offset but compliment the wild game…

Life is busy. Bone Broth is not. Do what you must and let this one pot wonder do the rest — “Help me….Please help me.” It was my wife, laying on the couch, enduring great physical distress and calling for me to summon magic healing powers I do not possess. …

The Italian homemade ice cream dessert that will melt your knees. Before Christmas, I was working on my menu for an annual festive catering gig. While I was confident that the body of the menu would deliver happy returns, it’s always the dessert where I try and knock them dead. …

Whisky-drenched raspberry preserve glazes a pork loin to succulent perfection — Planning ahead for meals is as routine to me as putting on a pot of coffee, and it’s often during the time that my java drips into the carafe when I wander downstairs, open the freezer, and take something out for the next day. If I relate the process to…

When a sparse pantry leads to combining just enough ingredients — I love it when my daughter bounces downstairs into the dining room, “Dad?” her sweet little voice calls out, “Do we have any more of those banana muffins left?” Or “Dad, could I have a peanut butter sandwich? You made fresh bread, right?” I do my best to ensure our…

An original stew, brewed with bite and a bit of booze. — If I could implore you to try one of my recipes, this is the one. This chowder is a sweet kiss on the lips, a tang on the tongue, and a tickle in the throat. This chowder originated decades ago when I had my first real job as a dishwasher in our biggest hometown hotel. The chef at that time was a portly, nearly constantly drunk Spaniard. He was a crude, impatient, callous, sexist, demanding tyrant in the kitchen.

Simply seasoned with an added sweet pinch and only minutes from pan to plate, this fish dish is a keeper — My daughter is five years away from leaving the nest and surviving with her skills and knowledge — I have work to do. The old school, thrown into the fire, cook’s apprenticeship is three years, and it will be another two years before a red seal certified cook will earn…

A simple recipe that delivers depth of flavor for a fantastic supper dish — The best thing about pork, side from its affordability, is its versatility. “The other white meat” offers more flavor and variety than chicken. From chops to roasts and tenderloin, your options are near endless. Selecting this supper dish came by way of foraging through my freezer the night before. After…

“…soup is that which exacts the most delicate perfection and the strictest attention,” — Auguste Escoffier-Father of Modern Cooking. — Soup. Simple right? Or does that byline make it a little intimidating? Although I was fortunate to work under the guidance of chefs from many ethnic backgrounds, exposing me to everything from eel to ostrich, and I had all those dishes to choose from as a favorite meal, my choice would be a bowl of soup. So it was that my…

Getting that restaurant Peking Duck flavor into a chicken at home! — I’m not big on drinking the Kool-Aid from the punch bowl of conspiracy theories. Still, there is one that exists, to which nearly all of our parents, educators, mentors, peers, and heroes subscribed and participated in maintaining, and it’s a biggie. Here it is. “Whether you are single or married…

With a head too busy with worries, I knew what I kneaded — Hungarian Kalács (Traditional Jewish Challah) In this modern world of consumer convenience, it’s easy to forget the simple satisfaction and pleasure we can receive from something made by our hands. For us writers, store-bought bread versus homemade…

No Gluten, but all good — this soup with peppers, peanut, & spice, finished with coconut milk & kale, is a winter winner — Halloween is around the corner, but winter has arrived.

A quick and easy pumpkin aromatic and sweet pumpkin treat — “You must use everything twice.” These words spoken by my mother are a hard Hungarian rule that applies to everything, from plastic bags to containers and especially food. Recycling and re-purposing have been my mother’s way of life for as long as I can remember. It’s a wise and cost-efficient practice, and there’s no arguing…

Cooking for care and comfort; Chicken Soup and Chicken & Mushroom Pot Pie — Between hockey dressing rooms, crowded school hallways, and full classrooms, seasonal colds stick to kids like gum to shoe. So, it was no big surprise when my daughter went to bed with a tickle in her throat, then slept past her alarm and woke with her head swimming and stuffed…

5 ingredients, 15 minutes deliver pasta perfection — My kitchen production revolves around my wife and daughter; one is a pain (gluten-free), and the other is picky (teenager), but a good cook must soldier on. The other evening, as I watched my daughter, a formerly adventurous eater, moving her fork around a plate of pork Marsala, potato gratin…

My Tiramisu — Chai Espresso with Kahlua. Walnut-Mascarpone Cream — Of all the cuisines I enjoy eating and cooking, none conjure up passion more than Italian food. Ahh — the endless pasta possibilities, the sumptuous seafood selections, and delectable desserts, so much, so good, so delicious! During my professional cooking career, I was fortunate to work alongside a few genuine…