Cooking Contests – Do You Enter?

Have you ever entered a cooking contest? They’re everywhere I’ve learned. From local and statewide contests to the Pillsbury Bake-off, contests abound. You just need to know where to look. I’ve come across three major competitions lately. One is the National Chicken Cooking Competition. It is held annually and the grand prize is $100,000. Yep, you read it right. That’s a pretty big incentive to get your creative juices flowing. The rules for this contest are relatively simple. You need to have a recipe that includes chicken. The nice part is that it can be in virtually any form, from … Continue reading →

Lemonade Recipes

Lemonade Recipes It’s already mid-summer hot in some parts of the country, and nothing tastes as good on a hot day as fresh lemonade. The basic lemonade recipe is 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup of water, but there are many other ways to make lemonade. Here is my collection of recipes, all of them delicious, whether you have fresh lemons or not. I don’t think you can beat lemonade made with a simple syrup as in the first recipe, but if time is a factor, you might want to try one of the … Continue reading →

The Secret to a Moist Cake

When I was about 14 years old, I made a discovery that would forever change the way I baked. I had a piece of cake that was simply the most heavenly cake I had ever tasted in my life. It was so moist that I just had to know the baker’s secret. What I didn’t consider is that I might not like what I heard. When I asked her how she made her cake so moist, she simply said “Mayonnaise”. Her secret was 1/4 cup of mayonnaise added to the regular ingredients and mixed up into the batter before baking. … Continue reading →

Baking with Elisabeth

What kid doesn’t like Chocolate Chip Cookies? What kid doesn’t like taking part in MAKING those cookies! Well, Elisabeth, age 4, and I made Chocolate Chip Cookies last night and I had a blast! I think she enjoyed herself too. (Michael, age 1, was always nearby in a rolling office chair, happily babbling about the joys that are his fingers.) Sure, we could have made cookies from some ultra-convenient Toll House tube of dough or “break and make” cookie kit but, when you’re a kid isn’t it much more fun to do it from scratch? That’s what we did! I … Continue reading →

The Real Essence of Emeril Lagasse

Emeril Lagasse started his cooking career very early. By age four, he was helping his father make breads and pastries in Fall River, MA. After high school, Emeril turned down a full scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music because he knew he had to follow his real love – food. He graduated with a degree in culinary arts from the Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. Polishing his culinary skills in France, he worked at a variety of restaurants in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia before moving to New Orleans to head the famous Commander’s Palace restaurant. … Continue reading →

Wolfgang Puck – Chef of the Stars

The Golden Globes are over – award season has begun! There is one constant every award season – Wolfgang Puck. For the last ten years, Wolfgang Puck has been in charge of one of the most important events of the Academy Awards – the banquet for the Governor’s Ball. The Governor’s Ball is one of the biggest after-show parties and the celebs that attend know they are in for a fantastic meal with Puck at the helm. Last year, he served roasted filet mignon and Maine lobster with celery root puree and two different truffle sauces. Just thinking about it … Continue reading →

Rachael Ray – Taking over the World, One 30 Minute Meal at a Time

I love Rachael Ray and have been a fan of hers for a while now. Anyone that can help me put a delightful meal for my family on the dinner table in thirty minutes is my hero! So who is the woman behind the meals, the cookbooks, and the daytime talk show deal with Oprah? Let’s find out more about Rachael Ray! Rachael Ray literally grew up in a restaurant. Her family owned several restaurants then her mother worked as a food supervisor for a chain of restaurants and Rachael often went along with her. Her grandfather on her mom’s … Continue reading →