Pantry Revisited

In our new Barefoot Contessa group, the choose your own recipe linky theme of "Pasta with Pizazz" was chosen this week by Chaya of Bizzy B. Bakes and Comfy Cook’s Kosher Kitchen.  We could choose any pasta recipe from the Barefoot Contessa's collection of recipes.  I chose the grown up macaroni and cheese because it is comfort food to me.  I might even jump out there and proclaim that it is my favorite food of all foods! The one thing that did not delight me about the recipe was that it contained bleu cheese. Neither I nor my DH enjoy bleu cheese. I only used half what the recipe called for.  I did use the gruyere (which I love) and a sharp cheddar. I put some Italian herbs in my bread crumbs instead of the fresh basil.  My DH said it was the best macaroni and cheese he had ever tasted in his life. I thought it might be a bit better if my bread crumbs had been larger. I guess I got a bit carried away with the food processor. ...

Sarah of http://sarahskitchenadventures.blogspot.com/  Sarah's Kitchen Adventures chose the muesli parfaits for this week's group recipe.  Since I am allergic to oatmeal, I substituted bran cereal.  It was delicious.  I enjoyed it for breakfast this morning.  As you all are in the same boat, you will understand when I say I have been trying to post this for two days!  Blogger has been down for maintenance or something.  Glad it is back!!  Check out Sarah's blog for the recipe.

It is my turn to host! Almost three years ago I had no idea what a food blog was, much less that there were ladies and gentlemen all across the world baking and writing about such things, and sharing and growing with each other over recipes.  I'm not a chef or a great baker, but I do love to cook for my family so I decided to join in.  Since we are just two days past Mother's Day, I want to thank my sweet mother (who passed away three years ago) for sharing her love of cooking with me. My first Dorie recipe was a fruit galette.  I remember still how delicious it was.  I even remember the first comment I received on my blog.  It was like an award to me!  I still love reading all your comments, so thank you to those of you who regularly stop by to leave encouragement and stop for a second to say hello. Now about Dorie.  I love the way Dorie explains her recipes step by step.  While some of the recipes in her book "appear" complicated, I think...

Hostess this week is Carol of The Bake More I have to thank thank thank Carol for choosing this basic marbled loaf cake.  I might have passed right by this in the book and never made it had she not chosen it this week.  I have to say this was delicious!!  One of the best loaf cakes I have tasted or baked.  Such a simple cake, easy to make, and such flavor.  And the smell. .. .just amazing. I used Dorie's white chocolate and peppermint version and we just loved it.  I'm not the best marbler but I had a great time making this and trying my best to make the marble work just right.  I used Dorie's method of putting alternating rows of cake batter and then using the knife to slightly zigzag through them.  I did cook mine about ten minutes less than Dorie suggested and it was perfect.  Very moist. I think I cut it a tiny bit before it was cool enough because I had trouble with crumbs while I was trying to photograph it.  But wh...