Almost Like Thanksgiving Soup

When you have leftover chicken or turkey, or just love the flavors of Thanksgiving, this soup is like a Thanksgiving dinner in a bowl.  The stuffing dumplings and soup go together so well.  I used a bag of cornbread stuffing mix to make my dumplings and I'm sure they would have been better with leftover Thanksgiving stuffing but we ate all of that a long time ago! Almost Like Thanksgiving Soup 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped carrots 1/2 cup chopped celery 2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional) 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4...

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Favorite Thanksgiving 2013 Recipes

 People have been requesting my recipe for Crawfish Crab Cornbread Dressing so I'm finally getting around to writing on my neglected blog.  Between making gourmet brownies (think peanut butter crunch topped Belgian chocolate, German chocolate, or pecan pie) and holiday food I have been very busy in the kitchen.  I have not been making too many healthy dishes though.  This time of year I get a little carried away, but right after Thanksgiving Day I went back to eating the lighter, more plant based foods I enjoy.  Thinking about what I made for Thanksgiving, by far the most popular dish was my Crawfish Crab Cornbread dressing. ...

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Yakitori and Onigiri for Tanabata Luncheon

We had a Fort Worth Japanese Society luncheon recently celebrating Tanabata. Tanabata is traditionally celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month.  Also known as the Star Festival,  Tanabata has its roots in a Chinese legend about the love between a young princess, Orihime, who was a weaver, and a handsome young cowherd named Kengyu (represented by the stars Vega and Altair). As a result of their great love for each other, the weaver neglected her work weaving cloth for the gods and the herdsman neglected his cattle.  In punishment, Orihime’s father, the emperor of the heavens, moved the star-lovers to opposite sides...

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Mexican Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Pecan Glaze

I first tasted this cake at the Rather Sweet Bakery in Fredericksburg, Texas.  When I got one of my all time favorite cookbooks, The Pastry Queen, by Rebecca Rather, I was excited to make the cake.  I have since made it many, many times. The extra vanilla and cinnamon give it a special taste.  I like the fact that you don't have to get out the mixer or a bunch of bowls to make it and it always turns out perfect.                 Mexican Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Pecan Glaze Chef Julia Dunaway Adapted from The Pastry Queen 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1/2 cup unsweetened...

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Coconut Cake

Chef Julia Dunaway I've had many requests for this cake recipe.  It makes a very light, flavorful cake people have described as having layers of flavors.  I think the coconut milk and the lighter version of cream cheese frosting makes a big difference.  The original recipe comes from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes, by Alisa Huntsman. Makes an 8-inch triple layer cake For the cake: 5 large egg whites ½ cup of milk 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 3 cups of cake flour 2 and 1/3 cup sugar 4 ½ teaspoons of baking powder ½ teaspoon of salt 2 sticks of unsalted butter (8oz.) at warm room temperature 1 cup unsweetened...

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Korean Beef Bowl from Azle Taste Tour 2013

Chef Julia Dunaway Serves 4 Ingredients 2 cups organic baby spring mix, shredded into strips with a knife 1 pound grilled marinated beef (recipe below) 4 cups cooked short grain Japanese rice (or cooked brown rice) 1/2 cup spicy aioli ½ cup pickled carrots (recipe below) ½ cup cucumbers, sliced into julienne strips (1/8 x 1/8 x 2.5 inches) ¼ cup scallions, cut into fine strips Roasted sesame seeds for garnish Sriracha, as needed Reduced sodium soy sauce, as needed   Marinated Beef   1 pound thinly sliced beef (rib eye is recommended) Ask the butcher to slice it paper thin. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons...

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Spicy Curry Rice Omelet

Every now and then I like to have a couple eggs.  I get the best ones I can find—organic and all that—and enjoy them in dishes such as the omelet muffin or this one, a version of the Japanese “omelet rice”.  This dish is versatile because you can use any type of vegetable you have on hand.  If you don’t like onions, skip them, or omit the mushrooms.  Use whatever you like, even leftover meat or ham.  When I was growing up, in the age of bologna sandwiches as a staple, we used to have “bologna fried rice” with fried bologna, onions, scrambled egg and rice!  Yes, that sounds kind of gross now, but at the time I...

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New Orleans 2013

Steve wanted to take a trip to New Orleans to celebrate his birthday so here we are, staying at the Marriott on Canal Street.  We arrived yesterday afternoon and met up with our friends, Mary Ann and Larry Nelon for drinks at 55 Farenheit.  Mary Ann ordered the classic Sazerac made with rye whiskey.  I tasted it and much preferred my cosmo.  Steve's hurricane was a little too sweet.Mary Ann and I walked for about an hour to catch up and get a little exercise in before the evening meal.  We had reservations at NOLA for the kitchen bar.  NOLA is one of Emeril's restaurants...

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