Shrimp should be marinated in a little vodka for one very good reason.  It brings out a sweet, pure flavor in them that I haven’t tasted any other way.

Now, the odd thing is that, believe it or not, I don’t drink. A glass of wine once in awhile is about it for me. So, even if you don’t drink there is probably a place for alcohol in your kitchen.

Good flavor in food is achieved by balancing sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It is these combinations in a variety of percentages that make foods turn into feasts. So many cooks are afraid to experiment, to play with their food that they resign themselves to a lifetime of predictable eating, of foods that are filling and nutritious to the body without sparking life in the soul. The trick for all of us is to create something at each meal that  satisfies our deep need to create excellence.

Pork is a delicate and sweet meat that has a robust texture. It can …read more

Any time you see the term “bonne femme” in a dish it will be something very comforting, thrifty, and wonderful. Loosely translated it means “good wife”.
Poulet au Bonne Femme was a recipe long before Julia Child wrote her amazing version. I think that we can get stuck in a recipe rut, afraid to deviate from what someone else has done. I hear from women all the time who feel that there is some insurmountable difference between a “foodie” and themselves.
I used to tell people that the only real difference between a chocolate pudding and a chocolate mousse is that you …read more

I think that the manna that the Israelites had in those 40 years of wandering in the desert was none other than pasta. I can’t prove it biblically but think about it. Is there any other bread-like substance that you can eat every day and never tire of it?
See?

This is one of those “Dear Lord what am I cooking tonight?” dishes. The refrigerator was skimpy and so was the pantry. I used to have a regular day for everything…Grocery shop on Monday,clean on Tuesday and Wednesday, day off on Thursday, paperwork and scheduling on Friday…
Please note the words “used to”.

Slow cooker beef recipes are a big part of our autumn days around here. Beef is a favorite with all of us and the crockpot makes it easy to come up with yumminess without even trying, really. I mean, how do people do Sundays without a slow cooker?
This beef recipe will remind you of the French countryside even if you have never been there. Red wine, sliced orange, sliced lemon,  mushrooms and a long cooking time make this meat fall apart, buttery tender with an aroma that may have you neighbors’ knocking at your door. You better close the windows.

I …read more

Tex-Mex recipes, if you have lived on another planet most of your life, are the fusion between true Mexican cuisine and what the cowboys ate. It is not at all Mexican food and should not be confused with it. Mexican food is complex with layers of flavor while Tex-Mex is more upfront, in your face, and simple.
It’s the difference between eating at Frontera Grill and Don Pablos.

If you are thinking that that looks like some pretty good nachos – think again. That is one of the diet staples of the Audet household…none other than Tex-Mex Hash. The hardest thing about …read more

Pumpkin Gnocchi is an easy pasta to make. No eggs, no fat, nothing really but pumpkin, seasonings of choice, and flour. How simple is that? And yet..the result is a faintly pumpkin-y pasta dumpling that goes with anything. Use it as a side, or a main course …and I am thinking it would be amazing added to soup.
The thing is that I have been getting behind on grocery shopping. We have pretty much had to make do with the scraps and bits left on the empty pantry shelves. In fact, the refrigerator echoed the other day. I swear it did. …read more

I like creamy, rich soups the best. In chilly weather there is just nothing like a hot, creamy soup to warm you up. At the same time I love exotic flavors. This Thai Coconut Curry Soup has it all!
Rich and creamy, with a faint coconut flavor that is followed by a tingle of spiciness. As my dad used to say, “This soup has some authority to it!”.

Eating hot peppers really does cause your circulation to increase and it warms you up more than just a warm soup alone would. You can simmer this in a crockpot or make it on …read more

Sunday Erin and Jon and the grandkids came over. I am still not totally up to par healthwise and there has been little grocery shopping done. I thought about giving everyone peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but I have a reputation to protect, you know? I hunted through the fridge and decided on a little throw together meal which really doesn’t even have a name. I made cheese ravioli and tossed it with portobello  mushrooms, onions, organic chicken and apple sausage, and butter. Maybe I should name it Ravioli Normandy since there are so many flavors I associate with France …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