Crouton’s Chateaubriand
When Ditalini and I were first married, young, dumb, and desperately poor, my mom and dad would treat us to a monthly Friday night dinner at the Von Steuben Hotel in Wiesbaden, Germany. We always ordered chateaubriand for two. We…
Crouton’s Chateau Potatoes
I read somewhere they served these to first-class passengers on the Titanic. Putting superstition aside, I decided to serve them with chateaubriand for a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Quite the elevated spuds, these, crispy on the outside, tender and buttery on…
Ditalini’s Gnocchi Soup
A rich and hearty soup. A nice cold-weather dish, easy to make and a great way to use the leftover white meat from a Costco rotisserie chicken.
Ditalini’s Watermelon Salad
Just the thing for hot weather. The serrano chilis spice it up, depending on how many you use.
Al Forno’s Slow-Cooked Brisket
Our friend Al Forno in Colorado posted a photo of his slow-cooked brisket and I texted to see if he’d share the recipe. A local friend, Poulet en Crote, had a birthday coming up and we had invited her over…
Kettle Beef: Food of My People
Kettle beef, I recently learned, is a regional dish of southeastern Missouri. Which is where I’m from — Cape Girardeau to be precise — but I couldn’t recall ever having it. So I asked my sisters, one of whom still…
Crouton’s Cafeteria Chili Mac
Ditalini put me in charge of the kitchen last night, so I decided to indulge myself in some good old comfort food. We’ve both been away, things have been hectic and disorganized, and a simple one-dish hot meal seemed like…
Crouton’s Mothers’ Day Shrimp & Kielbasa Boil
For Mothers’ Day, I decided to try my hand at a low country shrimp & sausage boil. It sounded like a lot of fun to make, and who doesn’t love a shrimp boil? I based my attempt on a recipe…
Crouton’s Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Total time, including prep? About 4 1/2 hours. And Donna loved her Valentine's Day dinner!
Crouton’s Easy Split Pea Soup
Relatively easy, that is! You can prepare it in the morning or early afternoon, then reheat and serve for dinner. Actual kitchen prep time is about half an hour; cooking time is about four hours. Notes There is no need…