I like steak… a lot. And usually I prefer that it be cooked and served at a restaurant because you almost can’t get better steak that that. Almost because THIS steak is awesomeness. Just enough glaze to give it flavor. Start out with a good angus cut and slice it on the diagonal in thin slices.

This would be heavenly on the grill but the day I made it it was about 45F and drizzling. Grill be darned…that is what grill pans are for! Oil your grill pan, if you have one, with olive oil and then let it get good and hot. You want the steak to have those fantastic grill marks. If you don’t have a grill pan you can use a frying pan. Read More – Steaks with Chiptole Maple Glaze

Let me start this by just saying…Oh. Yum.  I wanted something just really chocolatey and minty…the kind of cookie you will want to have with a large, cold glass of milk or a steaming mug of coffee.

The cookies themselves are made with Hershey’s Dark Cocoa. It is important that for this recipe you use a very rich, dark cocoa to get the level of chocolate intensity that these need.

One thing I really hate is when I cook breakfast and the kids are searching for food an hour later. The other side to that is since I have been a career mom rather than a homemaker mom I have less time to fix breakfast every day. Cereal is not really an option around here because it takes so much to fill the kids up… and it is expensive and not all that nutrient dense.
So, when I am considering breakfast foods muffins are often top on the list. You can add a lot of things to them to keep them …read more

If you bake much then you may have heard of Plugra, or seen it in a store.  If you know exactly what it is and why you may  want to use it you probably can skip this post. If not? Read on.

Plugra is a European style butter that really does make a difference in your baking. I have used it for years, especially for the French pastries and baked goods that I do. It is basically butter with less water so that you have a higher fat content.  Why is that good? Your recipes will be lighter, richer, and more …read more

Chocolate  desserts are about my favorite of anything and rich chocolate flavor coupled with the creaminess of French Silk is nearly impossible to resist. French Silk is easy to make and it is a great basic recipe. There are so many ways to change the recipe, or use it in tortes, cakes, and other items.

Try an oreo crumb crust, a peanut butter cookie crust, or even a gingersnap crust for a change. Experiment with different flavorings, if you like. This pie takes about 1 1/2 hours start to finish and is ready to serve.
I used finely ground black pepper in …read more

I was looking for a cheesecake for Thanksgiving that would be a little different from anything else. I had some bananas and all of a sudden I thought about how much I like banana pudding.

Alot.
The idea of translating a Southern style banana pudding into a cheesecake seemed perfect to me, and with some input from the food gurus on Twitter I came up with this Southern Style Banana Pudding with Bourbon Maple Pecan Glaze.

This is a salad that you can serve at room temperature and it is super easy to do. Roast chicken breast pairs with Parmesan encrusted, roast asparagus spears and almonds to create a salad that is unique, but filling and delicious.  Serve it over a vibrant leaf lettuce for a great luncheon salad.

Roast Asparagus and Chicken Salad

2 Chicken breasts
1 to 2 lbs of fresh asparagus, cleaned, trimmed, and cut in one inch pieces
1 cup chopped almonds
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400F.
Drizzle chicken with olive oil and place in a pan
Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and …read more

One of the traditional dishes on our Thanksgiving and Christmas menu is Green Bean Casserole. I grew up on it the way you probably did: canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, Durkee onions. I don’t know what it is about this simple dish that just makes us love it, but we do.
I just didn’t like the additives, preservatives, massive amount of salt, or the funny canned flavor. There has to be a way to make it better….. And there is.

What happens when you substitute fresh, organic ingredients? Magic, that’s what! The cream sauce infused with garlic and bacon, made …read more

So. How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was good but weird. I was distracted and overcooked (ahem, burnt!) several things. It was my first thanksgiving since 1978 without Marc and the first one in my life without Marc OR my parents at the table. It was a good day but very low key. I find that a month after the end of my 30 year marriage I am surprisingly over it and ready to go on with whatever God has for me. If you are going through something hard, take comfort in that. And you never know what God has planned …read more

I just wanted to peek in and wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings. I hope that you are surrounded by friends and family and laughter and love.
Also wanted to let you know that if you were having problems  with  or questions about your last minute baking or cooking and needed a 911 you can contact me all day long on twitter @MaryeAudet. I will check often and the laptop screen will be up until this afternoon when our dinner is ready.
I just want to leave you with a thought. I hope it is not offensive to my readers in …read more