When you drove to Jersey Shore for the sole purpose of procuring 10 frozen duck breasts, we looked away. When you hit Aldi’s multiple times in a week to “lay in” some reasonably priced tuna steaks, we said nothing. Had you properly labeled the 10 pounds of pork loin that you cut and froze, so…
Category: Chef Ben Cooks!
We interrupt this day of sedition to bring you a little comfort food
I would love to write something clever about the unprecedented national events currently unfolding, but I’m at a loss for words. I will go forward with my regularly scheduled Ben’s Day Wednesday post. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, why not have it twice? This week’s Ben’s Day Wednesday dinner was…
The Pig that Keeps on Giving
Egged on by Ben, Phil had proclaimed in mid-December that we would eat in a decadent manner for a full Twelve Days of Christmas. Country Store ham! Ribeye roast! Fillet! Duck! Shrimp! The list went on. Well obviously, this was a ridiculous idea, and I’m not even sure what prompted it, but during plea bargaining,…
Winter Solstice: A little taco pizza to light up the longest night
Since our big pizza failure a couple weeks ago, I have been seeking pizza redemption. Since he could eat solid food, Ben’s been seeking tacos, so taco pizza on Monday was an inevitability. We are very grateful for Rob’s tip to use a cast iron skillet, and for Mary’s advice to use a slow-rise method…
Long December
Ben has been pushing HARD for this shrimp dish since spying it in one of his cookbooks. We changed it a bit, and I’m writing up a version of what we will do next time, based on our preferences. Citrus Shrimp Kabobs 1/2 cup orange marmalade 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1…
When the Moon Hits Your Eye…
…Like a big pizza pie, that’s a bore, eh. Homemade pizza should be delicious, but whatever we did this week fell a little short of expectations. It wasn’t awful. We still ate it, but I can not, in good conscience, give our meal a glowing review. Making it was fun, though. Like usual, we used…
Puttin’ On the Gritz…An Unexpected Candlelight Dinner
Monday was my last day of Thanksgiving vacation, so Ben and I planned a dinner that takes a long time to make, but is really pretty easy (if you can start at 2:00 in the afternoon.) We made beef braised in red wine, cheesy grits, and Caesar salad. All afternoon, the house smelled incredible from…
“Pye of Several Things”
Many years ago, we found this recipe in Gourmet magazine, and have been making it every November since. According to the original write-up, it is an adaptation of a recipe found in a very early collection of colonial recipes. We can’t guarantee its authenticity, or if it was ever consumed by a Pilgrim, but we…
Ben Splits the Atom
What’s better than a Ben’s Day Wednesday? Two Ben’s Day Wednesdays. How does Ben pull off this feat when his mom is on her very last leg, and barely able to focus her attention on cooking with him once a week? I don’t know. Ben exceeds expectations. Saturday we made Chili-Orange Steak Bites and Creamy…
Lighten Up!
Coming off a weekend of unseasonably warm, beautiful weather, our Ben’s Day Wednesday session was brimming with energy. We made ginger-soy steak with pear-cucumber salad while whooping it up with a kitchen dance party. Ben’s Play List: Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake Shake It Off – Taylor Swift Firework – Katy Perry Poker…