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I have always had an interest in baking and have recently started cooking more. When baking you are dealing with recipes that are really formulas. Change the wrong ingredient and it's a disaster, the cake won't rise or it blows up. There is no such restriction in cooking, you are free to change, delete, or add ingredients pretty much at will. A recipe is shared or handed down because the combination of flavors works well.

When I was taking care of my ill mother I started watching the cooking shows on Food TV ( http://www.foodtv.com ). It is amazing how much you can learn by watching others cook. A recipe may call for a technique you are not familiar with. Watching someone else use the technique on TV really helps out.

Below are some of my favorite recipes. Some are from my mom, some from Food TV, or magazines. Click on the recipe name and you will go to a page suitable for printing. I will be adding more recipes so check back. Enjoy!

Entrees

Pork with prunes: One of my dinner guests said " it smells like Christmas".
London Broil: I served with Carmalized Onions, baked beans and steamed brocolli.

 

Desserts

Dark Chocolate Creme Brulee: This is a REAL WINNER. It is easy and needs to be prepared the day before, which is a blessing when giving a dinner party.
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Glaze: VERY RICH. A great dessert for anyone who is allergic to flour.
Chocolate Chocolate Pudding Cake with Chocolate Ganache: As my friend Steve Golden says, "If it isn't chocolate it isn't dessert". This one is REALLY dessert
Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake: This has always been a BIG hit. It can be made up to 4 days ahead.
Caramelized apples and custard: This is wonderful. 
Easy Chocolate Mousse: This is from Bon Appetite Magazine and is very rich and easy to make.
Italian Meringue: This meringue uses a hot water/sugar syrup instead of plain sugar. It has a consistency reminiscent of marshmallow fluff but not as sweet or thick. It holds up well the next day.

 

Side Dishes

Miniature Cheddar Cheese Souffles: Very popular, I used these as appetizers
Carmelized Onions: One of my favorites
Cranberry Orange Compote: A great and easy alternative to the canned cranberry sauce.

 

Cooking shows I enjoy

Good Eats with Alton Brown: Alton Brown brings an unusual perspective to the cooking show. He concentrates on the simple 'everyday' dishes and foods most of us have enjoyed since childhood. He also gives some culinary history and why certain techniques work and others don't. My favorite episodes covered 'Chocolate', 'Making the perfect cup of coffee' (most people use too little coffee which causes it to be bitter), 'Onion soup' (It is said the first bowl of French Onion Soup only used onions and champagne).  Good Eats in on Food TV. One of his fans maintains a site with all the recipes at: http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/

Emeril Live: BAM! and KICK IT UP A NOTCH! are Emeril's trademarks. No one has as much fun cooking or gets the audience excited as Emeril. Lots of good techniques and recipes. Food TV

Cooking related web sites by primary topic

Recipes

Food TV. One of my favorite sites. Information about the shows, recipes, and forums make this a wealth of information
Epicurious Online site for Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines.
Epicurious 5 Fundamental cooking techniques
Chocolate recipes Need I say more?

 

Cooking equipement and special foods

Aside from offering a convenient way to buy products that may be hard to get in your area, many of these sites also have recipes.

Those with a * are sites I have purchase from. I suggest checking several sites before buying. Some will have specials. Also the sets of cookware from a manufacturer are not always the same. Many have e-mail newsletters that include specials and  recipes

Williams-Sonoma This brick and mortar and catalog store has branched out into the virtual world.*
Cooking.com  Supplies and some good articles on cooking *
Chef's Catalog Wide variety of kitchen supplies. *

 


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