Barbeque Sauce Starter Kit

Never discuss politics or religion or barbeque sauce with friends. Barbeque sauce preference is one of the most deeply held convictions a person can cherish. Everyone has their favorite BBQ sauce. Yours might be a particular store bought version and if you don’t cook a lot of barbeque that is entirely understandable. But if you’re serious about getting serious about BBQ, I suggest that you start with this sauce and take it from there. You’ll want to develop your own signature sauce that you’ve spent countless hours perfecting. And then you will never, ever share the exact recipe with anyone – not even your spouse. That’s just how BBQ Sauce works.

Spinach Ravioli with Mushroom Cream

Fresh Ravioli are not at all difficult to prepare and your guests never need to know that! The combination of Spinach and Mushrooms and Buttery Cream is classic and can be served as an appetizer, a pasta course or as a main course dish. And the variations possible by adding some type of seafood, poultry or meat are almost endless. (I’ll make some suggestions in the Tips and Trending section at the end of the recipe.)

Swiss Scalloped Sweet & Russet Potatoes

Most scalloped potato dishes do not incorporate cheese; that ingredient is usually reserved for au gratin recipes. So maybe this should be called Sweet & Russet Potatoes Au Gratin. But then au gratin refers to the toasty breadcrumb crust and this dish doesn’t have that! What’s a cook to do?

Creamed Sweet Peas with Shallot Crisps

If you can get fresh, and I mean farm fresh not super-market fresh, Sweet Peas - buy all you can carry! And then use them within one or two days. The window of opportunity to get really fresh Sweet Peas in season is very small and they do not last long once they leave the farm. This recipe will shine if you can use fresh instead of frozen, but don’t let a shortage of fresh peas stop you from preparing it.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes and onions are a naturally perfect combination; they just fit together in so many dishes. Scalloped potatoes without onions would just be sliced potatoes in a white sauce. American Fries or Hash Browns without onions is, well... un-American! But rarely if ever do you come across the sweet, crunchy, spiciness of onions in mashed potatoes. Until now that is.

Garlicky Pork Schnitzel

This recipe was inspired by a meal my mom would make quite regularly when I was growing up. When mom said she was making pork chops for dinner, this is what she meant. She would fry the pork chops in shortening and butter until they were really, really, really browned. (No one ever cooked pork to anything less than overdone back then!) Then she would stick them in a hot, hot oven to hold while she made the gravy.

Steakhouse Creamed Spinach

This is a side dish loaded with tradition. Creamed Spinach is a steakhouse staple found virtually everywhere. This side dish is also loaded with a lot of butter fat, so it’s not a “vegetable” I would recommend as a part of your daily routine but, oh boy, is it good!