Aisle Twelve

It's too darn hot to cook.  That doesn't mean though that you can't make something great from your kitchen.  This isn't really much of a recipe but I'm addicted to these right now.  I had one at a great Italian restaurant recently and I couldn't see why I wouldn't be able to make this at home.  Italian cream sodas can be made with any flavored syrup.  My favorite is raspberry.  The cream with the raspberry flavor is an unbeatable combination.  If you wanted to make this a little lighter, you can make an Italian Soda by simply omitting the cream.  This is a perfect summer drink.  Refreshing, uncomplicated and simple to whip up - no cooking required! Fill a glass with ice.  Pour about a half an inch of syrup into the bottom of the dish.  Use any flavor of Torani syrup you wish.  (These can be found at most markets by coffees or teas.)  Fill the glass with club soda and add a splash of cream (or half and hal...

It pains me to say, but I haven't really cooked much at all in the past couple of weeks.  I've had to force my attention on something else...namely sandwiches.  We'll get into that in another post.  Summer is always a busy time.  For me it feels like a time bomb, the bomb being cold weather, is just tick, tick, ticking away and if you don't spend every available second outside to enjoy the warm weather, its going to pass you by.  That leads to unexpected drinks on patio invitations and golf nights which mean that you have to grab something fast, or by yourself.  I found myself alone for dinner one night since Joe was going to be gone on a golf outing.  I decided it would be the perfect time to make something that I love and he doesn't.  Namely artichokes.  Oh how I love them.  Especially how my grandma made them.  She had the Sicilian word for them that I can't even begin how to spell, nor can I find it anywhere online....

I have it.  It consumes me.  I have been counting down the days and will not be able to sleep tonight  (in fact I will go out of my way not to sleep tonight.)  Yes, I have royal wedding fever.  Seriously, as I write this I am glued to Bio Channel's coverage of Wills and Kate. I can't really tear myself away so this is going to be short.  Not only has this wedding consumed my thoughts, it is consuming my appetite.  I am going to need something to nosh on at 4 am while I anxiously watch every detail of the big day.  Ok, I seriously need to go, I can't  miss another second of this coverage.  So I did tear myself away long enough to make scones for a royal wedding breakfast.  Good thing these are a cinch to whip up. Oh my gosh, I just had a bite of one and let me tell you - you want to make these... and make a double batch, they will not last long. (Based on recipe from Everyday Food - Letty Hampton) 2 cups all purpose ...

There.  Just looking at this bright salad has me convinced that summer is on its way.  Because if you live in Michigan you know it is most certainly not.  Last Sunday it was a humid 80 degrees and here we are one week later...cold and blustery.  And yesterday it snowed.  You are such a tease Michigan.  No one likes a tease. A salad is a good fake out into thinking its summer...and also if you don't feel like really cooking.  I know salads are a perfectly acceptable meal but I can't help but think they are kind of a culinary cop out.  I mean, anyone can throw together a salad.  It doesn't take rocket science or much effort really.  So I decided to make this cobb salad which does put forth a little extra effort instead of just piling a bunch of ingredients on a plate.  You know me, I can't take all the fun out of making dinner.  The good thing about a cobb salad is that you can put just about anything on it that you ...

This is one of those recipes that you will either love me for or curse the day that I was born.  (It's August 6 for those of you who make these and then step on the scale.)  These cookies contain about a stick of butter per cookie...well, that might be a slight exaggeration, but that is precisely why they are so irresistible.  I made these a couple weeks ago and what I wouldn't give right now for one of these crumbly, decadent, sweet cookies melting in my mouth as I write this.  Sadly, they were polished off within a day or two of making them.  Yes, August 6 was on the receiving end of some curses the other week.  Poor August 6. This is a recipe I got from Barefoot Contessa.  What I love about it, other than the fact that they are downright addictive, is that it only takes a few ingredients and it is pretty quick and easy to put together.  You don't need a lot of special equipment, but if you have a shortbread cookie cutter, that ...

Supposedly it is officially spring.  Mother Nature did not get the memo.  It is very important on these gray, cold days to get a good, nutritious breakfast.  I love me a big breakfast.  I like the huge plate of pancakes swimming in syrup or the plate full of bacon and eggs and toast and potatoes.  But the problem with these gut busters is that they aren't exactly giving you the start you want.  A plate of pancakes doesn't exactly put a spring in your step.  No, these are the breakfasts you go for when you are going to be storing fat for a winter long hibernation.  Now that was fine for me a few months ago, but contrary to what it looks like out my window, they say spring is on its way.  And I can only go with my top pant button unbuttoned for so long until it's time to give up my big breakfasts. But I get so bored with cereal and toast.  What is one to do when one wants to make an interesting and healthy breakfast...

I can't believe I've been blogging for about a year and have yet to post a true breakfast recipe!  I am definitely a breakfast person.  Most mornings, I don't think I'd get out of bed if it were not the allure of breakfast calling me out from under my warm and cozy blankets.   Not to mention the fact I'd be a shaky, cranky mess come noon if breakfast weren't part of my day.  So I've never been able to understand the people who don't eat breakfast.  So for all you non breakfast people out there, if you had this stack of pancakes to wake up to, you'd probably hop out of bed a little quicker now wouldn't you?  What if I told you whipping up a stack was a cinch and takes hardly any time at all?  Pancakes are so easy and quick, they are really idiot proof.   If you can mix, you can make these.  I like to assemble the dry ingredients the night before so that all I have to do is add the wet ingredients, mix and cook.  This ...