Maple Bacon Cookies

Maple Bacon Cookies

Last week I had a cookie craving and figured it would be a great time to try some variations on the standard chocolate chip cookie recipe that I always make.  ”Maple Bacon” flavor seems to be all the rage these days… and I usually have bacon crumbles in the refrigerator, as well as maple extract [...]

Dr. Pepper Baby Back Ribs (crockpot/oven recipe)

Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Baby Back Ribs

Summer time weather calls for barbecue!  But what do you do when it’s way too hot to go outside and actually tend to the grill?  Crockpot ribs are the perfect solution – the ribs slow cook for several hours in a flavorful liquid, then you finish them in the oven!  These also work great if [...]

Cake Style Donuts (Baked recipe)

Homemade baked cake style donuts

Several months ago, I bought 3 sets of the large Wilton donut pan!  This pan is awesome!  Each pan will make 6 regular sized cake donuts – and with three pans, I can make the entire bowlful of batter (from 1 box of cake mix) at the same time!  Because I use doctored cake mix for [...]

Poisson Cru (Tahitian Ahi Tuna Coconut Ceviche)

Tahitian Poisson Cru

A few years ago, we took an 8-year-delayed honeymoon to Tahiti!  We had a fantastic time, and had a lot of great food!  On our first day in Bora Bora, I splurged on an all-day private island tour.  Our guide, a Tahitian man named Ari, took us all around the island of Bora Bora, showing [...]

Cherry Plum Basil Gimlet Cocktail

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The other day I was at the supermarket and saw a new fruit… a cherry and plum hybrid, called the “Very Cherry Plum”.  I was excited to try them… and they did not disappoint!  These were sweet and juicy plums with a subtle cherry essence – pure summer in a fruit!  So of course, my [...]

Sekihan (Japanese Sweet Rice with Azuki Beans)

Sekihan

Sekihan 赤飯  (Japanese red beans with sticky rice) was one of those savory dishes that I didn’t get to eat often as a child… but was a favorite!  Usually, we would only get sekihan on those special once in awhile trips downtown to Little Tokyo – which wasn’t that often since my mother would always [...]

Millionaire Margarita

Millionaire Margarita

At our favorite local Mexican restaurant, they have a wonderful margarita on the menu called the “Millionaire Margarita“.  How is this different from a regular margarita?  Well, most “basic margaritas” will have some combination of tequila, orange flavored liqueur (like triple sec/Cointreau), lime juice or sour mix, and sometimes a sweetener.  The “Millionaire Margarita”, on [...]

Beer Braised Bratwurst and Sauerkraut

Beer Braised Bratwurst and Sauerkraut

One of my favorite ways to cook Bratwurst (a German sausage made of veal, pork, or beef) is to braise it with beer and sauerkraut.  This recipe is adapted from my dad’s method for making pork chops, from back home in Austria.  (If you don’t have Bratwurst, this is also a great way to make [...]

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ganache Cake

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ganache Cake

For the last few weeks, I’ve been on a mission to use up all the items in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry.  I have way too much stuff in the cupboards… and it seems like a waste to go shopping and not use up what I already have!  Among those items… half a bag of [...]

Misoyaki Salmon Fillet with Sizzling Soy Vinaigrette

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I think that I’ve mentioned before one of my favorite restaurants is Roy’s (a Hawaiian fusion restaurant opened by chef Roy Yamaguchi).  At Roy’s, they have a dish called “Misoyaki Butterfish” – it’s a very soft white fish marinated in a salty/sweet miso teriyaki, served with a tangy citrus vinaigrette.  If you ever have a chance [...]