What to make for dinner? Hmmmm......

A good place to start is the pantry. What's available? That cooks fast!

How about some of these? They look a little funny but I've had them before and they are tasty. Just like homemade pasta. And they cook in 5 minutes. Perfect!

Now let's add a little bit of this. You can never go wrong with butter.

And some of this. I just happened to have this in the fridge. Thought I would use it up. You can see I'm not really going for healthy here.

Now for flavor....hmmmm....so far things are pretty heavy.

Ah! How about this?

Time to cook the pasta.

Now add a little garlic, salt, pepper, freshly grated romano cheese and a pinch of nutmeg and viola....

A wonderfully satisfying bowl of pasta to put even the best of us into a carb coma. Just what the doctor ordered. And all in less than 10 minutes...stove to table.

Now if you're looking for a formal recipe here, I don't actually have one. It is so easy you don't really need one.

Just cook the noodles according to the box and drain them. Don't rinse. While they are in the strainer, in the same pot...melt some 4 - 8 Tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add 4 cloves minced garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in about a cup of heavy cream and add 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese and few Tablespoons of lemon juice. Simmer over medium low heat for another minute or so. Take a spoon and taste the sauce. Add salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, and more cream or cheese to your taste. When you like it, add back the noodles and give them a toss.

This is one of those recipes that you can pull together with whatever you have in the house. No garlic, add onion and garlic salt. No cream, use half and half. No Romano, use parmesan or leave out the cheese. No lemon...so what.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 11:07:14 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)         Blog reactions

Fall back, Spring Ahead. Don't forget to move your clock ahead this weekend.

If you're looking to get back a little time, or would like a quick weekday breakfast, a smoothie is a good choice.

This one is good for the whole family. Kids love to help make these, and the limited number of ingredients make clean up a breeze.

The key to flavor is the All Fruit Spread. Be sure to pick a natural spread with lots of chunky fruit.

Sunday, March 14, 2010 7:00:00 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)         Blog reactions

Southern Fried chicken. Mmmmmmm.

One of the kings of comfort foods.

Is there anyone who doesn't like fried chicken? I haven't found a soul yet.

Just the very thought of fried chicken brings to mind so many wonderful memories.

Summer picnics.

The Fourth of July.

Sunday dinner.

And the list goes on...

But there is one thing about Southern Fried Chicken that causes most of us grief. Oil.

Whether we are watching our diet or simply don't like to get splattered with hot grease, frying chicken is no fun. It can be dangerous (particularly if you have little ones running around) and leaves a nasty grease smell in the house (yuck!).

This recipe will give you the same result without the oil. Have fun! It's one of my favorites.

And, a special thanks to Sister Majors for turning me on to the idea of "frying" chicken in the oven. You have been in inspiration to me.

Monday, March 08, 2010 11:08:51 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

Spring has arrived in Texas and today we planted the herbs in my favorite garden at the lake.

This little garden plot is nestled near an ancient Magnolia tree and overlooks the bay. It is one of the newer additions to Secret Garden and is dedicated to my brother, who left us in 2009.

I’m already looking forward to all of the wonderful recipes I can make with the fresh herbs from the garden this summer. I’ve tried a few different types of tarragon this year and already have some goodies in mind for the mint. More to come as nature gives us our bounty.

If you don’t have room for a garden plot, don’t let that stop you from growing fresh herbs at home. A window box is a wonderful substitute!

It occurred to me as I was writing today that I occasionally mention Secret Garden in my posts, and thought I would give you a little history on our family retreat.

Secret Garden was built in 1964 by a Dallas area florist and provided the flora which graced local tables, weddings, and other special events through the 1970’s. His flowers were more vibrant in appearance than those shipped on refrigerated trucks and provided the stronger bouquet that can only be attained from freshly cut flora. At the time Secret Garden was built, it was accessible only by a narrow dirt road, and few knew the “secret” to his source for the finest flora…products that were locally grown and cared for by hand.

Throughout the time in which Mr. Harris owned the property, he upheld the highest standards of care and spent hours, tirelessly working the garden to ensure each variety of plant received the special attention it needed to flourish. The garden was sold as a residential property in 1996 and, lacking the care and attention received in previous years, slowly the garden became overgrown. Much of the tender floral foliage faded as more aggressive vines and native flora began to thrive.

We stumbled upon the property in 2003, without any knowledge of its previous state. We instantly fell in love with the seclusion under the towering oak, hickory, walnut, magnolia and loblolly pines; we found ourselves spiritually drawn to the natural beauty of the place.

Negotiations for the purchase lasted over a year, but we didn’t let go. The garden was calling us and we successfully became it’s caretaker in February of 2004.

In the first year that we owned the property, neighbors delighted us with stories of the history and former beauty of the property. We begin restoration of the garden and replenished the soil with beneficial nematodes and other natural organic materials. Inspired by the Japanese Garden at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, we began by planting several varieties of Japanese Maples, and while digging in the garden, we discovered an old carved stepping stone…well worn but intact and legible….that read “Secret Garden”. That stone now rests near the entry of the home, close to where we unearthed it, and perhaps where it was first placed.

The garden still has many wild flowers blooming in all seasons, providing an array of sweet scents and vibrant colors throughout the year and has been expanded to include a variety of fresh herbs, including the special variety of basil that is the cornerstone of my pesto.

Sunday, March 07, 2010 3:34:19 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

Long time no see. How have you been?

Well I've been away awhile, but not without good cause. I've been making biscuits! Dozens and dozens of biscuits.

I wanted a perfect southern biscuit with a recipe easy enough for my five year old to prepare (with some supervision). The way I looked at it, if they were easy to make, I wouldn't be tempted to reach for the refrigerator biscuits (which are so disappointing when you want something homemade).

In the Midwest, biscuits were never a big deal. To be perfectly honest, I never really understood why they ever became popular.

But, much like most things, once you take the time to appreciate them, you see the genius.

Biscuits are as versatile as you want to make them. They can be crumbly or fluffy like bread. Either way, they are one thing...very quick to prepare and sinfully delicious right out of the oven. Nice and warm, nothing beats a fresh biscuit with homemade fruit preserves or pure honey. And don't forget the butter!

I have two recipes for you that are both yummy and easy as opening a can of refrigerator biscuits (well, almost as easy).

The first recipe is more of a traditional southern biscuit. It's the kind that your grandmother would have made back in 1940. It is quick enough that you can make it in the morning for breakfast or right before dinner. I've even made these for a late night snack (tonight could be one of those nights!).

So, don't be afraid to give these a whirl. I've included as many pictures as possible of the steps along the way. And...as you can see...my five year old was in the mix the whole time. They really are that easy!

A few quick tips that will make your experience better.

1) Use very fresh double acting baking powder. I prefer Clabber Girl because I like the picture on the can (just being honest).

2) The type of flour makes a world of difference. I use King Arthur Bread Flour. If you can't find King Arthur, Lily White is a good substitute. Bread flour has a smoother consistency than regular all purpose flour (which you can use in a pinch).

3) When patting out the biscuit dough, measure the thickness to be sure you aren't getting it too thin. I ruined a couple of batches trying to eyeball it.

4) Do not open the oven door while the biscuits are baking!!!

5) Always have the oven preheated before the biscuits go in. The heat in the oven creates moisture that works with the baking powder to cause the biscuit to get nice and tall. If the oven is not preheated to the correct temp or the door is not closed during the baking process, you will get rock hard hockey pucks for biscuits.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Grease 2 cookie sheets. I grease cookie sheets with about 1 Tablespoon of Crisco shortening. The easiest way for me to grease a cookie sheet is to place a small plastic sandwich baggie on my hand and smear the shortening around to be sure everything is coated and then wipe off the excess with a paper towel.

Now for the biscuits....

Into your Kitchen Aid bowl add:

2 1/2 cups King Arthur Bread Flour

4 1/2 teaspoons double acting baking powder

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 Tablespoons white granulated sugar

Using the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients on medium speed until well mixed. This gives a sifting effect.

Add 3/4 cup Crisco shortening (I use regular flavor).

Using the paddle attachment, mix at a speed no higher than 3 until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

Now, change out the paddle attachment on the Kitchen Aid and replace with the dough hook.

At a speed of 2 (never use the dough hook at high speeds), gradually add 1 cup whole milk to the mixture.

Continue at a speed of 2 until the mixture forms a ball of dough.

Remove the ball of dough to a kneading surface (counter, wooden block, etc) and work in 1/2 c flour.

Pat the dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 2" round biscuits using a biscuit cutter or the bottom of a glass dipped in flour.

Transfer the biscuit circles to the greased baking sheets and bake for 14-17 minutes. Remember to not open the over during baking! Cool on a rack.

Friday, March 05, 2010 8:11:07 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions