recipes that are simple and delicious.

I don’t know about you, but burgers are becoming my favorite meal. Now don’t get me wrong, I have always loved a great burger, but I have been craving them at least once a week. Recently my have family has explored burger outlets around Milwaukee including Fuddruckers, Five Guys, Kopp’s, and have thought of going [...]

This past Thanksgiving brought about memories of my childhood. It’s probably because I miss my family, and the things we used to do. Granted, the holiday was surrounded by cocktails, and a smoke filled atmosphere, but heck, those were the times. That was not the memory I had this past holiday, although there were a [...]

As my favorite holiday comes to a close, and we see our family and friends go away for a while, I still have my mind set on Thanksgiving leftovers. I realize that when many of you are glued to the television watching college and pro football, I sit around and look at the leftovers that [...]

If you are looking for a great and easy appetizer, this might be one of them. I remember my mom making something similar to this appetizer, but this one has a couple of twists that make it really special. Now, you have probably found the tortilla roll-up at a party. A typical roll-up loaded with [...]

As Thanksgiving approaches, my favorite holiday, there comes that time where we all begin thinking about what to make for the family gathering. I say this is my favorite holiday for many reasons. For one, I cannot tell you how excited I get days in advance planning out the menu and compiling all of the [...]

If you have been on this site, the last few weeks, you will notice that I made a habanero hot sauce that was so hot and addicting, that it got me to thinking about making a serrano hot sauce. A Mexican table sauce if you will. The type of sauce for us chili heads, that [...]

I frequent my local taqueria (taco shop) about once a week and I am always amazed of what the locals are eating. I am really uncertain as to what they are eating, but most of the locals are ordering from in front of the glass, and not from the menu. The items behind the glass [...]

If there is one thing I like planting in the spring time, it is chili peppers. I have standard plants I like, which include jalapeno, serrano, thai bird, and habanero peppers. As the cold weather slowly approached us in Wisconsin this year, yes, it is still in the 50′s in November, I had to pull [...]

While growing up in Kokomo, Indiana, there was not a whole lot in terms of restaurants, at least not that I remember. There was a great diner I recall where my mom just thought their egg cream, or cherry soda, or something on those lines, and the taco joint my dad loved, but a sign [...]

Growing up my friends would often joke around when they opened my parent’s refrigerator because it was jam packed with condiments. No kidding. There were four different ketchup, nine different kinds of mustard, and an array of so many other sauces. It was their idea of having fun when vacationing out of town and frequenting [...]

Recently, several families took recent trip to Utica, Illinois for a surprise birthday party for my sister-in-law. The two and half hour journey, to a town we never had heard of, was an exciting one. As we often do these types of get togethers throughout the year, this was the first we have taken, and [...]

This week yielded frost on the rooftops of many of the houses in my neighborhood and I must say I panicked. Not in the sense that it was becoming colder in Wisconsin and that adult hibernation is near, but the fact that I still have tomatoes growing and a lot of basil in my backyard. [...]

Moving to Dallas, Texas was one of top ten experiences I had up until I was in my twenties. I know, I know, I mention it often on many of my posts, and I have to, because after all, it was a land where I experienced Tex-Mex, great dim sum, Vietnamese pho, and my first [...]

Let’s face it, sometimes we just do not have all the time in the world to get something to the table. As much as I love making recipes by hand, I recently found that some store bought items go a very long way. I might have mentioned recently that my wife has been craving pumpkin [...]

Sunday afternoons are a day I love to unwind and take my time coming up with a new recipe, and this past Sunday was no different. I wanted to come up with something that would not only look nice on the table, but I was also hoping that my kids would try something new. I [...]

It was roughly twelve years ago or so, when I first came across this recipe. I remember it clearly. I was in town, visiting my parents, as well as when I first really began dating my wife. She was living in downtown Milwaukee at the time, and I wanted to make dinner for her, and [...]

Let me begin by saying that you will become addicted to this broth. Over the past couple of months, my family, as we do on average, pays visits to our cousin’s house to celebrate the long and stressful work week. We typically do this by eating great food, over glasses of wine or beer. Simply [...]

Who does not love pico de gallo? In its simplest form it is often know as salsa fresca, or fresh salsa, meaning uncooked. It is this time of year in Wisconsin where we are harvesting our garden. We have an abundance of tomatoes, chilies, onion, and whatever else we through together back in early Spring. [...]

If you have never had sofrito, you must. Call it a Latin condiment, or call it a marinade, sofrito is basically a mixture of fresh vegetables that is used as a base in many Latin American dishes. I make sofrito from time to time, especially when I am making arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican Rice). [...]

There does not go a day in the workweek when my coworkers and I do not talk about food. It usually happens around 9:30 every morning, and we talk every thing food. Whether it be from what we ate the night before, what we want to eat, or what we read on our RSS feeds, [...]

Back in the late 1990′s I was invited to attend a wedding on the island of Maui. I had no hesitation when I was invited, and to be honest, I had no expectations other than ‘having fun in the sun’. I learned many things while being on the island, one of which there are a [...]

You know when you see people get excited about food, right? The facial expression, the down right excitement knowing that they are going to be eating something very good, very soon. That was my mom when I was growing up, and the excitement came from a large fried ball from an Italian deli and bakery [...]

One of my favorite meals of the week could be possibly be whatever is served on a Sunday morning. Mornings, for the most part, that are full of laziness, and relaxation, as we slowly approach the idea of returning back to another stressful week at our jobs. But Sunday morning breakfast is something that my [...]

Years ago, my wife introduced me to potatoes and onions on the grill. I do not think I ever made a package of potatoes and onions on the grill until she introduced me to this foiled package. Simple, and common, but very good. Chopped potatoes, course chopped onions, a bit of garlic, and knobs of [...]

For the last several months, if not longer, the grill has been cooking all sorts of items. Kebabs, Filipino BBQ, and all kinds of sausages, you name it. There comes a time though when you want to take a step back, lay off the meat, and do something a bit different. This past week was [...]

Who doesn’t love a bowl of fresh fruit? As great as a simple bowl of fruit can be, there are times when you just need to do something unusual to it, and for, well, that was to make a syrup to go along with it. A handful of years ago, my wife and I decided [...]

You have probably noticed that out of a lot of my food categories, dessert falls pretty low on the totem poll. I am getting there, and realize that it is probably my kids favorite meal of the day, however, dessert is never really a priority to me during a meal. I am like many of [...]

This past weekend just screamed comfort food. Not sure what it was; it could have been possible burnout from work, or the idea that I simply wanted to do something special for my wife, but it was a comforting weekend. As I often do, I take a look around my pantry, and refrigerator, looking for [...]

The things I do for my kids I tell you. If you have kids like mine, you soon realize that the only thing they have on their mind are sweet treats. The waffle in the morning now becomes the chocolate chip waffle. Lunch is fairly neutral, a quick dinner, then the big question is always, [...]

If you have been surfing my site for some time, you probably know that I love tacos. Love every kind of taco. Whether they be meatless, or with chicken, fish, steak, pork, or shrimp, I love them. I could eat them every single day if I could. My favorite tacos have always been on fresh [...]

I do not know a lot of Italian women, however I will probably attest that their arms must be super strong. Why you ask? If you have never made polenta, then you will quickly realize how much arm strength it takes to continuously stir the ground cornmeal until it has a creamy texture. If you [...]

Lately I have been putting a lot of thought into what people bring to parties. A recent get together yielded all sorts of party dips, and I am always impressed at what people bring. A couple of items that stood out was a spinach and artichoke dip, and the classic taco dip. As we all [...]

Grilling season calls for a good steak every now and then. I admit that I love a good steak, but in all honesty they are hard to come by, and they can be rather expensive if you dine out. When done right, a grilled steak is heavenly. For years I always take my time when [...]

There is a new breading in town, and it is not the go to panko or the standard fine Italian breadcrumbs. It’s my take on what should be known as Thai breadcrumbs. While my wife was recently away on a business trip, I came home wandering what to make for dinner. I have to be [...]

There are a couple of things around the house that I look forward to every year, and that is planting a vegetable and herb garden, and picking fresh raspberries. When we moved into our house over ten years ago, I never thought of the bushes on one side of my deck. Then came late spring [...]

It’s barbecue and grilling season, and this always means a good ‘ol get together with family, friends, or neighbors. I consider them all the same, which would be friends. When we have a get together, my default reaction is ‘what can I make’ or better yet, depending on the audience, ‘what should I make’? These [...]

I’m a sucker when it comes to sandwiches. However simple or complex, the sandwich hits a home run every single time. Whether it be a simple grilled cheese sandwich, a peanut butter and jelly, or a banh mi, the sandwich typically consists of really great bread, a condiment, and packed full of excellent fixings. This [...]

I love chicken wings, and I typically love them fried, baked, or grilled, and probably in that order. Links can be found (here, here, and here). I will also admit that I love hot wing sauce, and blue cheese. Something about the combination of a blue cheese and hot sauce really gets my flavor buds [...]

I have written about sopes in the past. When I was first introduced to sopes, I fell in love. Everything about the texture, the weight, and the simple ingredients. It screamed freshness to me. Granted the sope itself is fried, but the texture was something wonderful. Consider it a thick tortilla if you will, and [...]

If there is something that screams Summertime, it has got to be a granita. A granita is really a fancy term for delicious shaved ice, originating in Italy. The ingredients are ever so simple and the end result is a really cold cup or bowl of fresh, and fruity ice. Granitas can really be anything [...]

My wife and I were recently talking about how we were craving an Indian curry dish known as chicken tikka masala. If you have never smelled, nor tasted this dish, you are truly missing out on something wonderful. My quick take on chicken tikka masala is that it is a dish consisting of tender cubes [...]

I am a big fan of smoking meat, and this is the season to do just that. Recently I had my mind set on smoking a pork shoulder, as that, and brisket, are typically my favorite types of meat to smoke. My way of smoking a shoulder is completely rubbing it with standard yellow mustard [...]

Recently we have had several conversations around good Chinese food in the Milwaukee area. To be quiet honest, there is not much out there in terms of really great Chinese food. Often times I think Chinese food means a lot of different things to every person. For example, my idea of great Chinese food typically [...]

About every two weeks, I make burgers on the grill. It is one meal that most everyone loves in our family, that is, with the exception of my daughter, which I just learned last night. With that said, I really put some serious thought into how I wanted to design the burger for the evening. [...]

I have been craving hot dogs for about a week now. I have mentioned this not only to my wife, but also my coworker, and it’s funny, as my coworker was saying he has been making them throughout the week and loading them up with vegetables, and wrapping them in tortillas. My schedule has been [...]

While growing up in Wisconsin, I noticed that most everyone loved brandy. My dad was a brandy and coke drinker for some time, and after marrying my wife, realized that her family’s drink of choice around that holiday was brandy old fashions. You walk into any supper club around town and you notice the same [...]

I often frequent a local Mexican grocery story and eatery in Milwaukee, known as El Rey Supermercado. I am really hooked at this place, and think that they have some of the best tacos in town. Granted, I tend not to think what happens beyond the scenes in many of these restaurants, and I realize [...]

Being from Wisconsin, I love cheese. My kids love cheese, and pretty much everyone I have ever met loves cheese. Sure, I have met possibly one, or three people who do not like cheese, and I am certain I questioned that in my head, but I quickly got past that thought, and realized that cheese [...]

As many of you are aware, I recently purchased an ice cream maker. It is possibly the best thing I have purchased in years, and it is truly a device which everyone appreciates. So far, I have made four batches of ice cream, none of which has been your standard vanilla, or chocolate. I have [...]

There are several dishes that marry well together, much like my favorite one of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn. Another dish, in my opinion that is a home run in my book is pulled pork sandwiches with baked beans and coleslaw. This past Memorial Day weekend was one of those days where I made [...]

If you know anything about me, or have been on a fan of this blog for any time, you will probably have noticed that I simply love pork. As much as I love every bit of the pork, including bacon, ham, and chops, my favorite has got to be, hands down, the pork shoulder. It [...]

One of my first eating experiences in Dallas, Texas was at a very small restaurant named Ali Baba’s. It was a very small establishment, and I have written about it a couple of times on my site (here and here). This place probably sat twenty people, with a small bar in the front, and a [...]

This past Memorial Day weekend was simply a blast. You could not ask for better weather in Milwaukee, and the food, family, and entertainment factor was just fantastic. If you are like me during this time of year, you consistently think of what to marinate to throw on the grill, or what to bring to [...]

My wife and I made it to our first real milestone in life, our tenth anniversary. I can’t say that it has felt much like ten years, but after seeing my kids growing up, well, it is an indication that life is just flying by us. I will admit that I have found the love [...]

Believe it or not, but peas are in season, and this is yet another vegetable I could not stand growing up as a kid. I know why that was as well. It was because we were served peas out of a can, and if there is one thing I cannot stand to this day, it [...]

My grandpa wanted nothing to do with a tomato. He could not stand them, and refused to the eat them. I am uncertain why he was so resistant to the wonderful fruit, and one that grows in abundance in Indiana. If you have never been to Indiana and had one of their delicious tomatoes, it [...]

I am coming out today and telling everyone that I have been on a taco kick for the last several weeks. I have yet to tell you what my favorite taco is, but I am steering towards al pastor, or carne asada, with simple diced onion, fresh cilantro, and a thin slice of tomato and [...]

I never knew much about chicken fried steak while growing up, at least not that I recall. I grew up in Indiana, and as some may define that as the south, there is a bit of a difference when it comes to southern cooking. Sure there was plenty of great corn and tomatoes to be [...]

Mexican refried beans. You either love them or hate them. I easily lean on the side on loving refried beans. I must admit that I probably was not a real fan of these until I moved to Dallas, Texas in my young adult life. It was apparent that in southwest, refried beans were a real [...]

Summer is slowly approaching, and I mean slowly approaching. After all, we live in Wisconsin, and when summer approaches, everyone gets excited. You cannot blame us, we only get a few months of warm weather up here in the great white north. Summer screams a few things to Wisconsinite, one being brats on the grill, [...]

This past weekend was Mother’s Day, a special day around our house. The kids are always reminded to make homemade cards, and to get their school projects ready to deliver to mom on that special morning. We take a bit of pride in our planning, making sure mom feels special on that day. Everything from [...]

I have been thinking a lot lately on some of those classic appetizers you see at parties. It is always interesting to see what people bring to a party. Typically you get a mix of items such as a cheese or vegetable platter, chips and dip, or something unusual. So this past weekend we were [...]

I am a big fan of casseroles, especially the really easy ones. You know the type. Perform a bit of layering, a bit of sauce, and pop it in the oven for a while, and you have yourself a great casserole. So this past weekend, I smoked some baby back ribs, and finished them off [...]

Breakfast might be my favorite meal of the day. Unfortunately, I do not get to enjoy breakfast, for the most part, during the work week as my wife and are are too busy flying around the kitchen throwing waffles in the toaster and getting the kids ready. Trust me, it’s busy. That is why I [...]

I love the weekend. Who doesn’t? It is a time to chill, to hang out, and to enjoy good food and a drink. This is also a time where I do most of my cooking, and thinking. My life is busy, like yours, I am sure. Meetings upon meeting, decisions upon decisions, and the busy [...]

It was last week where I featured a somewhat exotic dish known as cioppino. It was a dish that I heard my parents get excited about while growing up, and one where I realized why they were excited. Cioppino is a dish full of great flavors, but when it comes to seafood, and my father-in-law, [...]

I have had Texas comfort food on my mind for some time now. A word or two triggered the thoughts some time ago, and the term ‘greasy spoon’ has since been on my mind. I moved a friend down to Texas back in 1996, I believe, and with a resume in hand, bumped into their [...]

Chio what? Pronounced as “chioppino”, this is a word that I was first introduced to back in late middle school, and early high school. I do not recall eating the cioppino, but I do remember the expressions on my parents faces when they were about to prepare this extremely delicious dish. After getting back from [...]

I was ready for something light and fresh. Our family recently got back from taking a cruise vacation in the eastern Caribbean. It was our first cruise, and I was a bit intimidated as I was bringing the children. Big boat, on water for seven days, with kids. You see where I am going with [...]

It was not too long ago when I stumbled upon a website known as Food52. When I first happened to come across the site, I will be honest, I did not pay too close of attention to it. I considered it just another site for the food community. Fortunately enough, I revisited the site back [...]

Larb Nuea? Right, larb nuea, or sometimes known as laab nuea. That’s correct folks, I am teaching you new words, and allowing you to explore new dishes. As I often do, I poll my friends on what they are eating for dinner, or holiday, and I really get back some great responses. One recent response [...]

Goulash? Sounds like a funny word, but what it really means to me, is a great stew, if you will, with noodles. Growing up, goulash was one of those dishes that were commonly served throughout the work week, and now I know why. As I say on this site so many times, I reflect a [...]

On Saturday morning I was out running some errands. I called my wife, and asked the big question, “What do you feel like eating today?”. She immediately said “pasta”. Ok, I thought, pasta, but there are so many different ways to make pasta. I had to chuckle as when I popped that question, I thought [...]

It was not too long ago when I was talking about a deal I encountered at my local grocery store. It was one of those deals that was just hard to pass up. Basically, pay for a ham, and get a bunch of other stuff for free. This included a decent sized turkey breast. When [...]

My colleague goes on an annual fishing trip to Alaska, typically in the early Summer months. He comes back with an abundance of great fish, and often brings them in to work and tells us to grab what we want. Salmon and halibut are typically available for the taking. There is something about fresh fish [...]

I reflect a lot on the things that I ate while growing up, and there are plenty of great recipes that stand out. Some of the items that stand out were of the frozen nature. Things like soft pretzels, or twice baked potatoes. You remember the type of twice baked potatoes, the frozen kind, and [...]

As ironic as this might sound, and I am certain most parents have a child like this, but, I have one picky eater in my house. You all know the type. Chicken tenders and french fries could make this guy a happy camper for the rest of his life. He never gets tired of it. [...]

Not too long ago, a friend and old colleague of mine sent a picture on Facebook of a simple picture of salsa. That is all it was. A picture of a small ramekin of dark and delicious looking salsa. The foodie that I am, I responded immediately with a comment, and that built some small [...]

A couple of weeks ago I was at the store (go figure), and I was there to pick up some eggs for the kids. My kids, well, two of the good eaters, really love eggs. However you cook them, be it scrambled, or fried, but they are big fans of hard boiled eggs. When cruising [...]

Every now and then you need to step away from a traditional meatball and do something interesting to another type of ball. In this case, the spinach meatball. I recall these spinach balls while growing up and my parents would serve them at parties that they would host, whether they were company parties, or a [...]

I found it pretty humorous when I was wrapping egg rolls at the table and my wife looked at them with excitement. “Are you making egg rolls?”, she said. Without sounding like a smartalec, I said, “yes, but I am making Mexican egg rolls”. She got even more excited and said “Oh my gosh, my [...]

I say it time and time again, but I get excited mid-March. Why? Well, it is because it is that time of year when corned beef goes on sale. The standard corned beef goes on sale for at least fifty percent of the cost, and that is the time when I stock up. By default [...]

It’s that time of year again where we typically start thinking of things we can eat or drink to celebrate St. Patty’s Day. I know when growing up, my family would typically make some version of corned beef, and boiled cabbage, with an occasional potato or two. This time of year also excites me as [...]

Simply put, there is something to be said about a great bowl of mashed potatoes. I have a variety of recipes on this site, however, there are only a couple that I really go to, the ones that I find to be super comforting, and the ones that go great with most every comfort dish [...]

Back when my wife and I were dating, I made here a really great salad. To this day, I have not forgotten that salad, as it was not only creative in how I presented it, but it was just full of great flavor. So recently, my wife just landed a great job, and after working [...]