From the category archives:

Holiday

St. Patty’s Recipe Roundup for “Our” Day

On behalf of all Pattis, Patricias, Pattys, Patricks, Pats and Paddys, today is “our” day. Our weather here in Southern California just turned gorgeous, and stores are full of spring flowers (this photo was shot in Chicago – home of some pretty great St. Patty’s Day activities). Larry surprised me yesterday with a beautiful spray [...]

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A Valentine’s Meal You Can Do, Sherie

Sherie and I were great pals in high school. She’s since raised three boys into independent grown men. Has been married forever. So I was surprised when she recently told me she “cannot cook.” Or doesn’t cook. Or is afraid to cook, the conversation was spotty since we were with a group of 15 fellow RHHS gal pals. But I didn’t forget it.

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Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies

The “boy” in the pix with me (very top left of this scrapbook page) is now an international pilot for a shipping company. He may have met Larry at one of our Rolling Hills High School reunions, but now with the internet and Facebook, all these old contacts are right there again! And he knows [...]

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Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Biscotti. Good dunking cookie, but not so fond of anise flavor. By consulting several basic recipes in my “collection” (read: stuffed binder), I devised a Chocolate Almond Biscotti. No anise, yes almond extract. And a chocolate coating because, uh let’s think here… CHOCOLATE. Larry gave the basic cookie a thumbs-up even before the second baking, [...]

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New Year’s Eve Party for People Who Have a Hard Time Staying Awake

Are you like me? I have a hard time staying up New Year’s Eve. Larry is also a geezer, there I said it. Alone, we often don’t see midnight due to zzzzzz. Parties? A LOT of hours ‘til the stroke of 12. But a few years back, we threw a cooking party that our guests [...]

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Marcella’s Fudge

This is a big plus to attending Thanksgiving on my side of the family: Marcella’s Fudge may be eaten before dinner. It is right there with the appetizers. Most of us thought Marcella was a relative from the Old Country (Wisconsin). My sister, Janie and I only just asked this year… turns out Marcella was [...]

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How to Make Perfect, Best-Ever, Excellent Mashed Potatoes

What you’re looking at are riced russet potatoes (not actually rice). It’s a step before whuupin’ em with butter and milk to make mmmm mashed potatoes. While volunteering this week at Project Angel Food, we prepped 250 lbs. of potatoes for Chef Adrian. Then, they were cooked in a humongous brazier, mashed in a monstrous [...]

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Light Pumpkin Custard

Is it really, truly, finally Autumn? Gimme Pumpkin! Here is what’s so great about Light Pumpkin Custard… you can eat piles of it with little concern. The calorie intake is fairly low, your Vitamin A intake is sky high and you are enjoying one of the best holiday flavors ever (which then contributes to one’s [...]

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Favorite Ham Story, And The Recipe

This is the best recipe ever to cook the perfect ham for Easter. It was by luck that I stumbled on this compelling story about feeding a sophisticated crowd via a cheap ham, called the “Ham Gambit.” Most likely, the use of the word CHEAP got my attention because there are few people who are [...]

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