Category: About Rita
Marcella’s Simple Pasta Sauce
It was fun chatting, as usual, this morning, with Matt Swaim on the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart radio about foods eaten during Biblical times. After the heavy eating of the holidays, we’re going with simple. And I mean simple. This sauce recipe from famed Marcella Hazan for pasta uses 4 main ingredients: butter, onions, salt and, of course, tomatoes. Now the butter, onions and salt … Continue reading Marcella’s Simple Pasta Sauce
Best Peppermint Bark!
Those of you who are “regulars” know that during the holidays I share a recipe for peppermint bark. It makes the best gift from the kitchen!Looking at the ones we’ve swapped over the years, there’s some common threads that run through. It’s about quality and technique. Here are answers to both. To replicate famous, super expensive candy like Wms Sonoma’s bark, use quality bar chocolate … Continue reading Best Peppermint Bark!
Eggs in Purgatory
Chicken Sloppy Joes – Maybe for Halloween?
When I was a kid, we walked to school, and hot lunches were 25 cents and included a bottle of milk with a paper cap. (I know, I’m dating myself.) My absolute favorite was sloppy Joes with a side of slaw. There may have been chips, too, but that’s hazy in my memory. I always looked forward to the “sloppy” part — that small amount … Continue reading Chicken Sloppy Joes – Maybe for Halloween?
Arroz con Pollo
Some recipes I share with you are new, some are retro favorites. The arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) dish today is a little of both. It was so long ago I don’t remember exactly when, but my then Ecuadorian boss’ wife, Dora Almeida, gave me her recipe for this popular one pot meal. It was an easy recipe for a young cook venturing out … Continue reading Arroz con Pollo
Overnight Simple Coffee Cake for Yom Kippur
FAST, REPENT, THEN EAT! That was the theme for my chat with Matt Swaim today on the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio. It’s all about Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is coming up Oct 1. It means “Day of Atonement” and it’s a holiday just a few days after the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah. It’s the most solemn religious fast of the Jewish new year … Continue reading Overnight Simple Coffee Cake for Yom Kippur
Patty Pan Biscuits
We acquired a few more additions to our flock of chickens: 3 adult hens and one baby orphan. Light gray in color, the baby has been aptly named “Luna” by our little neighbor, Ben. Luna is already a good eater, happily pecking up left over biscuit crumbs. And talking about biscuits, if you’re leaning into making bread but don’t have time or the inclination to … Continue reading Patty Pan Biscuits
Blue Plate Diner Special: Salisbury Steak & Mushroom Gravy
Yesterday we had to take our vintage kitchen screen door off for repair. It’s one of those plain wooden doors with screens on top and bottom.I already miss that door. It dawned on me what I’m missing is what it represents. Fresh air coming through the screen. The sound of the door slapping shut when the little ones come in with armloads of produce. A … Continue reading Blue Plate Diner Special: Salisbury Steak & Mushroom Gravy
Food Processor Pound Cake
It’s always an adventure chatting with Matt Swaim on the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio. Today we chatted about eggs and yes, they were considered a Biblical delicacy. Eggs are not so much a delicacy these days but do show up in one of my latest pound cakes. Made in a food processor! So easy and the texture is fine grained. This recipe makes one … Continue reading Food Processor Pound Cake
About Eating 