Why I've Been MIA

I realize I haven’t posted in almost three months. I apologize for that.

Life has been pretty hectic. First of all, we moved to another state. Then once we arrived, we didn’t have a working range for three weeks. As you can imagine, that part was difficult for me. However, the real reason I haven’t had time to post is because I’ve been in full party planning mode.

Multigrain Sourdough Pancakes

When my Mother passed, I inherited one of her recipe boxes. My sister inherited the other. I’m not sure what’s in the box my sister has, but mine is a treasure chest of recipes. Every time I open it, I discover something new and exciting.

Some of the recipes I remember from my childhood. Several I don’t. Some of the recipes I would never make--Minute Rice 7 Seas Casserole, anyone? Others just beg to be made and many of these are actually my Grandmother’s recipes, including this one.

It's Alive! A Cheater's Guide to Sourdough

Hello, my name is Charise and I’m a cheat. When it comes to sourdough, at least.

Traditional sourdough starters use wild yeasts, captured from the air or from fruit, to leaven breads and baked goods. Making these traditional starters can be tricky. Depending on cleanliness, weather and location a traditional starter may--or may not--take off. It can be a frustrating process. You can buy true sourdough starters, but that’s just not my style (feel free to purchase one, if it’s yours.) If you know someone with a healthy starter, you could just ask for some and feed it. I don’t know any such creature. So, I cheat.

No-Knead Bread

I came late to the no-knead bread party. Several years late. It’s not that I didn’t believe that the method was worth trying; I just didn’t see the need for a shortcut in bread making. Kneading bread was a kind of meditation for me and I liked it.

Then the cutest baby boy on the planet--In my opinion, at least--entered into my life. Needless to say, becoming a Mom has left me with much less time in the kitchen. I still like to knead bread, but this recipe is a great way to have homemade bread when you have very little time on your hands.

American IPA

Instead of our regularly scheduled wine review, I'm presenting you with a beer review. I figured you wouldn't mind. 

I love a good microbrew--a microbrew is a beer brewed at a commercial brewery that produces no more than 15,000 barrels per year--almost as much as I love good wine. One of my favorite styles being the American IPA.

The IPA stands for India Pale Ale, a style developed in England in the 19th century; Amercian IPAs being a bit stronger in flavor, with more pronounced hops, than their British counterparts. American IPAs tend to be quite floral, with citrus notes and a pleasant bitterness. American IPAs may not be labeled specifically as American, but most American brewed IPAs are made in this style. You will also, at times, see this style referred to as a Cascadian Pale Ale.

Leftover Cornbread Strata

I’ve been on a cornbread kick lately. So much so, that I’ve been planning meals around what dishes go with cornbread. Needless to say, we’ve been eating a lot of greens--Yum!

As much as I love cornbread fresh out of the oven, it’s not at its best when cold. This presents a problem at my house, since the two of us can’t finish a full pan in one sitting. What am I supposed to do with all this leftover cornbread? Why make cornbread strata, of course.

Think Pink with Vinho Verde Rosé!

I married in to a Portuguese family. Which is awesome. The Portuguese have a rich and very tasty culinary tradition. Sopas, sweet bread, linguiça and Vinho Verde are all wonderful things I’ve discovered since marrying my husband.

Vinho Verde is one of “the other” Portuguese wines. Everyone has heard of Port, but few have tasted this refreshing white wine from nothern Portugal. It’s a shame. Not only are many brands really good, but Vinho Verde is always very affordable. It’s rare to see a bottle over $10.00.