Thanks for visiting!  Have you subscribed to the recipe update via RSS or Email. Want more frequent updates?  View the latest cooking websites that I visit on StumbleUpon and follow me on Twitter.  Bon appetit!

Basil has been a culinary herb in Europe and Central Asia since before the written word. It’s easy to grow here in San Diego as basil thrives in hot sunny weather. The smell of basil gets me very excited as it is yet another reminder of summer. And as my basil plants begin to take over the patio I know its time to make pesto. Since my parsley plant was doing much of the same I decided to toss that in as well. Besides, parsley gives the pesto a much more vibrant color; but be careful, if you add too much it can turn bitter.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to the recipe update via RSS or Email. If you want more frequent updates follow me on Twitter or view the latest cooking websites that I StumbleUpon. Thanks for visiting!

Thanksgiving in July began as a humble “holiday” 3 years ago. It started with a small hand full of friends gathered around a makeshift dining room table to feast on a Thanksgiving meal in the middle of July. Only the love for Turkey and Thanksgiving sides could possess us to fire up our ovens in the middle of a summer heat wave! Fast forward three years later and what began a small gathering has now expanded to an extravagant celebration embracing the very essence of the magical spirit of Thanksgiving. Like any other Thanksgiving there are great displays of generosity accompanied by an over-the-top gluttonous spread that has come to define this All-American holiday; the only difference is that it happens in July.

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome, I see you’re new here! You should sign up to my recipe updates - that way you won’t miss out on yummy recipes and fun reviews posts. Thanks for visiting!

Hummus is one of those extremely versatile recipes. Once you get your basics down, you can do just about anything with it. The following recipe is for a basic hummus that can be easily adapted to accommodate your favorite flavor combination. Whenever I make a batch of hummus I use the pantry and refrigerator for inspiration; I have even included a couple of my favorites for you to try.

Read the rest of this entry »

I have always been curious about the stainless steel soap bar. For those of you who are not familiar, the stainless steel magic soap bar works to neutralize the strong odors that are present from handling ingredients like onion, garlic, or even fish. Read the rest of this entry »

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

What better way to celebrate the 4th of July weekend than with a cocktail? Here we are bringing you 3 variations on sangria so you can celebrate this All-American holiday in style. The sangria recipes below call for specific fruits depending on whether you are making red, white, or blue sangria. This is only meant to a guideline, there are no rules.  Your best bet is to simply use the fruits of the season, there is no way you can go wrong.  So make yourself a batch of sangria (or three)! Read the rest of this entry »

Passionate about Jimmy Dean Sausage

I got a good laugh from this message left by a now ‘former’ Jimmy Dean consumer.  He was enraged by the fact that they reduced the size of their sausage from a 16 oz to a 12 oz package but were still charging the same price.  The tail end of the call is NSFW, consider yourself warned!

On the way out of the house this morning, I noticed a major change of color in the tomato vine. The thought of fresh tomatoes got me so excited, I decided to pay homage to one of my favorite things; fresh tomato salsa. In our fast-paced lifestyle where fast food is king, ketchup tends to be one of the most abused and overrated condiments, where salsa on the other hand must be one of the most underrated. I hope that this easy fresh salsa recipe will awaken your senses to tomato’s full potential without all the sugar and tasteless additives.

Read the rest of this entry »

Photo by Tyler Jordan

Its a strange thing really that I find myself baking so much these days. I seem to have developed a sweet tooth in the last couple of years and have found great satisfaction in adding new flavors to classic recipes. The use of orange extract and zest seem to be a common theme these days, my Ginger-Orange Carrot Cake Recipe is a prime example. I have always loved banana bread but am often frustrated that most contain nuts! I do love nuts, but (for whatever reason) do not care for them in my banana bread. I think it has something to do with those small pieces that get stuck in my teeth, they just don’t seem to marry well. I find that adding coarsely grated chocolate Read the rest of this entry »

Fresh Herb Salad Dressing

Salad dressing made fresh at home is far more superior than any store bought version - both in nutritional value and overall flavor. Don’t get me wrong, I do have a couple of go-to favorites of the store bought variety in my refrigerator. There is no mistaking their convenience; but the thing is, once you find your favorite homemade dressing you can keep the ingredients on hand or pick them fresh from your herb garden. I have a small container garden on my patio so I can whip them up in a dash!

This sweetly licorice flavored tarragon salad dressing was a hand me down recipe from Sam. Read the rest of this entry »

Steamed shellfish are one of my favorite ways to entertain guests. It is a true delicacy that any home cook can easily prepare and execute, and do so at a very reasonable price.

To celebrate the completion of our gardening project, we made some steamed mussels last night. The beer drinker that I am, I prefer my mussels steamed in beer over the more traditional mussels in white wine broth. Steamed clams are a different story entirely, but I will save that for another post. Read the rest of this entry »