When asked what he wanted to make this week, Ben didn’t hesitate. Pork chops. I agreed and he started piling on the conditions. With a bone. Thick meat. With mango salsa. I know the last demand is not one that springs to mind, but there is a recipe we’ve been making for years that he…
Category: Chef Ben Cooks!
Cheesesteak Pizza
Whatever you think you should be having for supper— kale salad, consommé, some equally virtuous fare — drop it, and make yourself a cheesesteak pizza. You’re welcome. When I got home from school, Ben and I mixed up the pizza dough, so it could raise while we prepped the other ingredients. Pizza Dough 1 package…
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!
We purchased ingredients for a recipe from Ben’s cookbook, but I was able to talk him into repurposing them into a different dish he knows and loves. Usually I serve the coriander chicken with miso-butter sweet potatoes, but we switched things up this week to use what we had, and the results were great! The…
“They are one person. They are two alone. They are three together. They are for each other.”*
For Valentine’s Day, we always stay home and make a great meal together. This year, Ben and I had the day off from school, so we made a dessert together in the afternoon. When Phil got home from work, we made dinner together, while listening to So Far by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.* Phil…
A little chicken with your cream, Sir?
This week, what I should have gotten a picture of was Ben combing through his cookbook. People often ask what his reading skills are, and I would have to say they are variable. When it comes to reading words like McDonalds or Don Patrons, he is like a laser beam. Restaurant menu items? No problem….
Beef Stroganoff
Cooking with Ben is a lot of work. Blogging about it, even more, but it is always worth it. What he lacks in technique, he brings in enthusiasm. Can I cook faster on my own? Of course. Do I make tastier dinners when left to my own devices? Often. Would I want to? Not a…
Jensday Wednesday!
This week we had our first Ben’s Day Wednesday guest! We’re not saying your name has to rhyme with Ben, but it doesn’t hurt! Jen has been a family friend for years. We had a great time teaching second grade together, but Ben positively fell in love when he first saw her eat a burger…
Soup’s On!
It takes a lot of fast talking to get Ben to go with soup. I don’t believe he dislikes it, exactly. It’s more that he resents it for not being half a ham or a side of beef. This week, after an indulgent food weekend, and some chilly Pennsylvania weather, I caught him in a…
Quick Chicken Cordon Bleu
When you plan a meal with Ben, you better bring your A game. He understands the need for a balanced meal, but he usually just throws all his favorite things out there and hopes that a few of them will stick. The moment you agree to something he suggests, he immediately adds another item. He…
Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter Cream Sauce
While the chef’s hat has proven invaluable in meal preparation, a close second would be a cookbook we got Ben for Christmas. The Simple Kitchen, by Chad and Donna Elick, has easy recipes that seem to be right up Ben’s alley, but best of all, it has great pictures so that Ben can browse and…