Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Thanks to my mother-in-law, we had about a pound of leftover ham from Easter. There are probably a ton of things you can do with leftover ham, but I love these sandwiches. When I was younger, my mom always had a batch of these in the freezer for a quick lunch or snack. Mine are a little different from hers but the concept is still the same. She always used those yummy potato rolls, so you could definitely swap those here if you can find them. I used wheat hamburger buns from our grocery bakery that Chris says "aren't too wheaty". These are great for kids too.

Julia Childs' Potato Gratin

Last weekend, we went to a Julia-themed pot luck dinner at a friend's house and this is what I made. The meal was amazing and the company even better, but I've been reluctant to post this recipe. You see, as we transported it, the lovely milky, starchy liquid spilled out onto the carpeted floorboard of my car and we didn't notice until the next morning, and the morning after, and yes, this morning too. I've just tried a solution of vinegar and baking soda and have high hopes that it is working. While I don't think I'll be making this again anytime soon after smelling the 3 day old variety, it was a really good dish and as with most of Julia's recipes, could use a little simplifying. Her recipe was a small paragraph in my battered copy of "Julia's Kitchen Wisdom" so I've translated it into something easier to follow. This recipe makes a ton but it should be easy to half it. Would go great with any cut of meat or maybe even as a fancy side for crappy chicken night. Enjoy!!

Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust

Tonight was pizza night! I think we eat pizza in some form or fashion about once a week. It's probably not the healthiest food to have on your list of favorites but when I make it with wheat crust, it feels a bit less guilty. I've tested out so many pizza recipes since I am such a fan. I like this one because it doesn't take a lot of pre-planning. I keep most of the dough and sauce ingredients on-hand and you can top a pizza with just about anything. The best part is that it all comes together in about an hour. No resting the dough overnight or letting it rise 2 or 3 times. Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken with Fennel and Potatoes

Dinner last night was chicken night. We always call it "crappy chicken night" mainly because we eat chicken about once a week and I always try to make it semi-healthy. This recipe, while not at all difficult, is very yummy - especially for crappy chicken night. It's based on a recipe I tore out of Everyday Food a long time ago and I've used the same recipe for several different combinations of chicken pieces and veggies. Feel free to substitute other cuts of chicken like bone-in breasts or drumsticks and other veggies like onions or carrots. Enjoy!

Welcome!

I've had plans to do this for some time but kept getting bogged down with the design. I guess when your life's work revolves around designing websites, you might feel the need for perfection with a blog design. But then I remembered that this blog isn't about web design. I don't think any of my friends would read it if it were! Family really either, with one exception :)

Nope, this is my cooking blog. I really LOVE to cook. and eat. and talk about cooking and eating. I have so many friends who ask me to share recipes and ideas - friends who are new to cooking and others who are probably better cooks than me and just need some new ideas. Plus, Chris and I recently agreed to limit how often we eat at restaurants which has led to more cooking, more creativity with leftovers and more meals that can be thrown together at the last second. I'm hoping to share recipes and techniques in a no-nonsense way so they're easy to follow and to adapt to suit your taste or what you have on hand in your pantry. Bon Appetit!