Hunting for the Elusive Morel

Walking in the woods is relaxing on its own, but with a little luck, you could come across some of the tastiest morsels of the forest. Once you find your first morel, you’ll be poking around in the brush and rustling through last fall’s leaves to find more. Many people enjoy the hunt, and hunting is the right word when it comes to finding morel mushrooms (actually they’re fungi)… because mother nature doesn’t always...

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What does "Natural" mean to the FDA?

Here's an enlightening article. You've probably seen the natural claims on various products, and then you try reading the ingredient list. Does corn syrup come from nature? Yes. But is it natural? I think not. It's a cheap, chemical process. Which is why corn syrup is in everything. You've probably seen 7up's claims of all-natural ingredients. But it's certainly not made with real and natural sugar. It's made with...

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A Walk Through the Forest

You Never Know What You'll Find! It was a warm Memorial Day Weekend here in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and I usually take my dog for a run every morning. But I  decided to take her for a shortcut through a forest area along the sidewalk. And that's where I spotted some wild edibles and flowers. So I had to head back home and grab my camera. Here was a nice surprise at the border between our local park's grassy...

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Grillin is Hot, 10 Tips to Help You Keep a Cool Head!

I absolutely love grilling as I have stated in previous post. I usually will cook the entire dinner on the grill as I did for Memorial Day. The picture here is that dinner of pineapple glazed pork chops, grilled asparagus and herb roasted potatoes. It's very easy to do if your prepared.It's not about brats and burgers, you can cook a phenomenal meal in no time. Get Grillin! 1. Be organized. Gather together...

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The Olives Behind the Oil (What's All the Fuss?)

So I try to bring helpful articles I come across, and this one is no different. I hope this is a informative article for all the beginners and maybe for some of you seasoned cooks to. This is a breakdown of different oils and the uses for those oils as well as some health benefits that accompany them. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extra virgin olive oils are sometimes treated like fine wines, and, as with wines,...

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fastfood@home: Red Robin Seasoning

If you've been into Red Robin, you'll notice they have big shakers full of this seasoning on the tables. It's great on those bottomless steak fries. But you can have it at home too. Ore-Ida offers all kinds of fries in the freezer aisle, including ones that look and taste just like Red Robin's fries. I find that if you cook the fries longer than the directions say, they'll lose that freezer taste. Just mix this...

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Betcha Didn't Know! (Peppers)

So I know you all have a lot of burning questions about peppers, and here's the real deal. There are several red hot tips to help you with everything from health benefits to cooling down your tongue after eating something hot. Check it out and comment and tell me what you think! What makes peppers hot? Most species of Capsicum contain capsaicin (methyl vanillyl nonenamide), a chemical that produces a strong...

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Peaches & Cream Oatmeal Cookies

It sounds like a surprising combination in a cookie. But it uses white chocolate chips for the cream and dried peaches. The cookie itself is somewhat chewy, yet firm. If you can't find dried peaches (I was lucky) but you can also use apricots. Ingredients 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda Pinch salt 1/2 cup butter,...

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The Art of Braising for Beginners

An advantage to buying tough cuts of meat, is the relatively low price. But cooking it can be a nightmare if you're not sure how to do it correctly. That's where braising comes in.The result is "fall-off-the-bone" meats with great flavor. You can braise in a crock pot, pressure cooker or a large saute pan. Popular dishes that use a braising technique are osso buco, pot roast, braised veal & lamb shanks and braised...

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The Perfect "Shroom" for the Job.

This is a guide that gives you some great descriptions of mushrooms and what the uses are and some recipe ideas. Check it out and then check out my friend Patty's website for some great specials on a awesome variety of in-season products... tell her Tre' sent you! Agaricus (white mushroom, button mushroom): Widely available; varies in color from white to light brown and in size from small to jumbo stuffer; plump...

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Soda Nostalgia with real sugar

Do you wish your favorite sodas would taste they way you remember them? Now's your chance. Pepsi Co. has unveiled their Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback. So what makes this retro look taste like the past? It's made with real sugar. A little digging reveals it actually is real sugar... a blend of cane and beet sugars. For some it's a trip down memory lane, but for others it's a way to taste the soda formulas...

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The Art of Braising For Beginners

Hey Friends, I absolutely love the braising method of cooking. It's a quite simple technique if correctly applied. I love it because it really requires more patience than work and with all of our busy schedule a lot of us still find our selves with more time than money to spare, this is a great way to take a less expensive cut of meat and turn it into something wonderful. But don't stop with meat why not braise some...

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"Simply Spring" Salad

1 and 1/2 orange, juice only 1/2 lemon, juice only 1/2 small red onion, chopped 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/8 teaspoon fine grain salt 4 big handfuls of salad greens, washed and dried 1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted 1/3 cup black olives, (the wrinkly, oily ones), pitted In a medium bowl whisk together the juice of 1/2 orange, lemon juice, most of the red onion, olive oil, and salt. Whisk...

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"Sour Grapes" Wine Tasting 101

Many of my friends ask me about wine selections and how to pair wines and I'm always happy to assist. Here's a little article I found that will also help you with wine tasting so you won't stick out like a sour thumb at that next posh dinner, or meeting the boss for lunch or so on. So how does one taste the wine? In four steps: look, smell, taste, spit/swallow. Step one is to look at it (once it's in the glass) and...

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"Pushing up Daisies" and radishes and peas on the patio

OK so I couldn't think of something wittier for the title, but you get my meaning. Patio or deck gardening can be quite the challenge because of the small amount of space there is to work with, but with a little smart thinking and patience it can be very fun and super rewarding. I grew up around gardens, as a child my grandmother had a garden my mother had a garden and I always loved to help them with it. Once I moved...

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The Chef's Table at Restaurant Alma

Hey Friends , hope you had a wonderful weekend, I know I did. I had a amazing dinner this weekend a Restaurant Alma in Minneapolis, MN. I was invited by Chef Alex Roberts the owner and executive chef and also happens to be a James Beard nominee this year for "Best Chef Midwest" and let me tell you I got the chance to see why. One of my best friends joined me and once we arrive we were showed to our table and the excitement...

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Happy Mother's Day!

First I want to say Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there and most importanlyto me my mother Elaine. My mother is one of the main reasons I have such a strong passion and connection to great food. I grew up surrounded by strong women and very culinary talented women. My grandmother and my mother are two of the best cooks I know and I learned most of that from them. Mothers are what it means to cook Food Of Love...

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SUMMER GRILLIN!!!!

Hey Friends, this post is a short one but I just wanted to share with you guys my love of grillen out. We have now been blessed with this beautiful weather and I just love to take advantage of every single free day I have to get my grill out and get grillin. I grill everything from steaks to fish to zucchini and everything in between. I love to make a day of it with my friends , I love to have a cooler full of beer and...

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