Holiday Cooking
In keeping with DeMenthe family tradition, we’ve invited friends and family over for Christmas Eve. We’ll serve them boiled shrimp, clam chowder, and cheddar cheese biscuits. They’ll bring appetizers and desserts. In a break with tradition, Ditalini decided this year…
Thanksgiving Dinner with Crouton & Ditalini
As always, Crouton and Ditalini had a big crowd over for Thanksgiving. We had traditional turkey, smoked turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, rolls, Waldorf salad, and apple and pumpkin pie. Everything was…
A Birthday Dinner with Friends
In these recessionary times, sharing dinner at home with friends is becoming a larger part of our social life. If it’s a friend’s birthday, so much the better. Our buddy Rudy from Las Vegas came to visit this weekend; since…
Work Less, Cook More
I retired a few days ago, so Ditalini has put me in charge of the kitchen. We fend for ourselves at breakfast and lunch but I’ve been cooking dinner at night. Readers of this blog, if there are any, will…
Baking Potatoes on the Grill
This works well with baking potatoes, sweet potatoes, or yams: Under running water, scrub dirt off potatoes and rinse, then pat dry. Leave skin on. Pierce potatoes lengthwise with shiskabob skewers, then wrap in foil. The skewer does two things:…
Hallowe’en Dinner
Who ever heard of a Hallowe’en dinner? It’s not that kind of day . . . unless it’s your birthday, and also the day you retire from the 9 to 5 grind. We fed ten or so guests last night,…
Pressure Cooker Pot Roast
So you’re asking yourself, “Who needs a pressure cooker?” You know what? This dish alone justifies buying one!
Food Channel’s Got Nothin’ on My Friends
Look at this cake my friend Mary Anne baked today: Happy Hallowe’en!
Ditalini’s Little Chicken Dinner
This is a one-dish casserole dinner that’s been a deMenthe family favorite for years. Credits This recipe originally appeared in a fighter squadron cookbook (the Bulldog Cookbook II, by Linda Tkacs). It was given to Ditalini by Donna Bruce in…
Dry Rub (Poultry)
First, a caution: I haven’t used this rub recipe yet. A friend sent it to me, and I will use it . . . anyway: ground expresso cayenne pepper paprika sugar salt pepper Mix equal parts expresso & cayenne, half…