Autumn has hit North Texas with all of the enthusiasm of a Golden Retriever puppy chasing a stick. We have gotten plenty of rain so the leaves are actually beginning to tint a little, the nights are sweater chilly, and the afternoon breezes carry the fresh, earthy scent of autumn. It is time for soups, stews, and slow cooking dishes; comfort food from all over the world.
Autumn is my favorite season of all. Back in the day when women were having their colors done I found that I was an autumn, with near black hair that was actually the darkest …read more

Swiss steak is one of those meals that people don’t make much anymore. It is good homecooking…comfort food and a great way to create a fork tender piece of meat out of an otherwise inedible cut.

It is cooked slowly in tomato, pepper, onion, and celery. The tomato helps to tenderize the meat. The flavor of this is incredible, totally understandable that it was so popular with Mrs. Cleaver’s crowd back in the day.  One thing I changed that I really loved was I added a chopped Poblano pepper in place of the bell pepper. Added just a touch of spice, …read more

There is nothing, and I mean nothing that will scent your kitchen up like Mole.  Not moles, silly, Moe-LAY.  Mole is a Mexican sauce that is so complex that it is unbelievable.  Your taste buds will be going nuts for hours trying to figure out all of the flavors they have taken in.  Sweet, spicy, warm, tangy….the list goes on and on in waves of flavor ecstasy.

Mole can be time consuming..but the best way to make this is in a slow cooker so that all the flavors meld together.  I like to stir in corn at the last minute but …read more

Soup is the best food ever.  Really. Think about it.
It is versatile, generally inexpensive, and is there a better way to get rid of the leftovers in the fridge? I think not.  You can toss everything into a slow cooker or cook it in a stock pot on top of the stove and the results will be the same.  Hot steamy goodness that makes the house smell like home.

 
We got a blue norther through today. I have not seen one that color since one August in Michigan.  It was my Aunt and Uncle’s fiftieth anniversary and we were having a picnic…a blue norther blew through and dropped it 40 degrees in about 30 minutes.
Our temperature didn’t really drop today..too much..it’s supposed to get down to 42 tonight.  I have no way of predicting the winter..I used to depend on the horses’ coats for that..thick meant a colder than normal winter.
Anyway, all of a sudden it is soup season and I didn’t even realize it!

 
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
When you are looking for  quick, easy pasta recipes with some spice this is the one to choose.  Farfalle with Smoked Sausage has all the ingredients for a cozy cajun meal,with just enough spice to make it interesting.

I have such a backlog of recipes and cookbooks that I could probably cook something different, three times a day, all year long, until I died and I would still never have to repeat anything.  I love vintage cookbooks for several reasons, but the main one is practicality.
Now, if you are reading this, and you have the perfect family of 4 people you can buy any cookbook and follow a recipe with out a glitch. But when you have 6 or 8 or 12 people ot cook for then you need a vintage cookbook.  They are family friendly.
Anyway.  …read more

Sandra over at Diary of a SAHM is having a slow cooking thursday recipe exchange. I like these because you get alot of different recipes..Run on over there and check it out and leave your personal favorite! Here is my submission…
Red, white and blue cobbler
serves 6-8
1 c flour
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 eggs beaten
2 Tbs milk
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 c fresh blueberries
2 c fresh straxberries, cut in quarters
3/4 c water
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3/4 c sugar
vanilla …read more