For the second year in a row, I’ve been privileged to be invited by the Texas Beef Council to help tell the world about the wonders of Texas Beef through recipes. Though I’m incredibly honored to be a part of this campaign again this year it is an unfortunately bittersweet kind of pride as well, as this will be the last year that I am able to be a part of it.

In just a bit over a month my wife and I will be leaving Texas. I on my way to California and she on her way to Turkey. For me it’s a homecoming.  For her it’s a new part of the adventure of being in the Air Force. While neither of us are looking forward to being apart, we are both doing what needs to be done and trying to make the best of a somewhat bad situation.

Considering her destination, I decided that the Moroccan-Style Beef I was invited to make sounded fitting.  After all, she’ll have no limit on the kabobs she can get her hands on in the 15 months she’s gone and since I’d never cooked with bulgar before, it seemed to be a fitting last entry for my Texas Beef Council involvement.  Challenges are always good.

So tag along on a journey that spans continents.  Beef from Texas, spices from Morocco and the Orient, bamboo skewers from California and a grill from Illinois were all involved in the making of this dish.  There were smiles, there were tears, there will be retribution and perhaps even a sequel…

But you’ll never know if you don’t read part one:

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I’m enamored with frittatas.  Not only do you get all of the possibilities of an omelet, but you don’t have to worry about flipping it at the end.  Whatever you happen to have hanging out in the fridge or the pantry is fair game, work is minimal and the result is good hot from the oven or at room temperature. Frittata can be breakfast, brunch, an appetizer, a starter or the main course of any dinner, they are that versatile.

While all frittata recipes are similar, each variation has its own special little variations, which is why you’ll see so many different recipes for this dilectable dish out there.  This one came from two distinct needs.  The first was to get some food in me because I was starving.  The other was to find a use for some bacon left over from some wraps I whipped up the night before. In both cases this dish was imminently satisfactory.

If you’ve never thought of pairing eggs with broccoli, give it a whirl!  Broccoli and cheddar frittatas are one of my go-to early morning meals, both because I love them and because they can be baking away while I deal with morning dishes and my son’s breakfast.  By the time I’m done, breakfast is ready for Dad as well.  You can’t beat that for simple and convenient.

Do you have a favorite frittata recipe? If so, why not share it in the comments, there’s always room for another great frittata recipe.

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Sometimes simple is better.  There are days when you just want to know for sure that dinner will be ready when you are ready for it, that it will be filling, wholesome and packed with flavor. This recipe is for those days.

Some may poke fun at me for this, especially after all the grief I’ve given Sandra Lee for her use of shortcuts in the past. If that’s the case, so be it, but this recipe predates Aunt Sandy and her wanton destruction of the culinary arts. My mother made something like this as did my wife’s mother and I’m sure just about every family cookbook has a similar recipe nestled in its well worn pages somewhere.  This recipe is a combination of recipes from my wife’s family and mine.  There may be seasoning packets involved, but I consider Lipton Onion Soup mix to be a seasoning like any other available at the market and several of you on twitter agreed, so let’s just say that this meal is well seasoned and move on.

The end result is a roast that’s fall-apart-on-the-fork tender with flavors of the broth and seasonings infusing meat and potatoes alike.  It’s a deep, rich and hearty dish that smells of home in times gone by, when the scent of dinner could be found just after lunch and Donna Reed was still the role model for many housewives. It’s just soul satisfying in a way that’s difficult to describe but wonderful to experience, even if it does break four of my normal cardianl rules of cooking.

Give it a try the next time the weather turns chill or drizzly.  You’ll be happy you did.

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Harlequin Romance celebrated it’s 60th anniversary recently.  That alone wouldn’t get me to comment here, but when they decided to have a group of celebrities reading blurbs from past best sellers… AND … One of those celebrities happens to be the world renown chef Wolfgang Puck, then it gets my attention.

In his brief appearance in the ABC video celebrating not only the Canadian based Harlequin, but the fact that the romance industry is actually flourishing in the currently depressed economy, Puck reads from Ann Mather’s “Rooted In Dishonour”, published in 1978.  I’ll be honest in saying I’ve never read the work of Miss Mather, but I have to think that Chef Puck’s delivery somehow lessens whatever impact she was trying to create in this particular scene.

In any event, Congrats to Harlequin on 60 years in the industry and for actually increasing sales in an economy that’s scaring fortune %00 companies to death.  Thanks also for giving this little food lover a bit of a chuckle watching one of his culinary heroes sit firmly out of his element, but do it so darned well.

Remember kiddies. Live. Love. Eat!

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If you’ve been thinking about getting anything at all for your kitchen or home lately, you’re going to want to be sure to make it to Amazon’s Kitchen and Home Sale. They’ve slashed prices on some items as much as 60%, so if you’ve been itching for a new Stainless Steel Cookware Set now’s the time to act.

Maybe you’ve been craving a kitchen Aid Mixer? If you wouldn’t mind saving $120.00, you can grab yourself a KitchenAid Professional 6-Quart Mixer for just a little over $300.00 while the sale is on.

You’ll have to be quick though. The sale is only runningfrom may 4th to may 5th.  there are 400 products on sale, so go take a look. Don’t miss out on something you’ve been dreaming of while you can save a bundle in the process!

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Fettuccine Alfredo is one of Italy’s most wondrous exports. A perfect pairing of rich, creamy sauce and perfectly cooked pasta that serves equally well as a main dish or as a side to nearly anything you feel like serving with it.  It’s complex yet simple,  filling and decadent.  What could be more wonderful?

Now what if I told you that every recipe that you’ve probably ever seen for Fettuccine Alfredo was wrong?  What if I told you that it was probably the most simple dish in the world to make?  What if I told you that Mr. Alfredo’s Fettuccine has been done a glaring disservice by a million cooks, including renown chefs around the world.  Would you believe me?

If you won’t believe me, would you believe Saveur magazine? Their May issue features an article by Tod Coleman titled “The Real Alfredo”, which details the history and creation of this iconic dish from its birth just after the turn of the century.  Alfredo, it seems, created the dish for his wife, who had lost her appetite after giving birth to their son.  His modified Fettuccine al Burro featured far more butter than the original, a combination that “…neither his wife or his customers could resist.”

While most versions I’ve seen are fairly complex and require a fair bit of attention to detail, the original Fettuccine Alfredo has just four ingredients and takes mere minutes to make, but results in a dish far more complex and wondrous than any Alfredo I’ve ever eaten in an Italian Restaurant anywhere… Ever. And I’ve eaten a lot.

So please be so kind as to take a moment to meet the real Alfredo.  You’ll never think of this dish the same way again.  But you may find you eat a lot more of it.

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There’s a lot of talk lately by food celebs and parents about tezching kids the fine art of cooking.  I couldn’t agree with this more and while I can only take a small amount of credit for my oldest daughters interest in the culnary arts, I recently had a conversation with her about whether or not a pomegranate juice reduction would or would not be bitter when completed.  Things like this make a parent’s heart swell, especially when he’s a foodie.

If you’ve thought of getting your kids involved in your familys meal planning, I applaud you.  I also want you to take a moment to visit spatulatta.com, where kids teach kids to cook through video recipes.  Think of it as the Internet answer to the Food network for kids.   The site is completely geared for children, which may help to foster an interest of food and cooking in your young ones.

These are sills they will need later in life, especially if you dread the thought of your kids living on microwaved ramen, take-out pizza and the odd McSchmedley’s meal in college.  If a young person knows how to cook, they’re going to do so.  it eases stress and allows for a bit of control over their diet.  I don’t think Pappa Murphey’s can claim that. (Though I don’t mind a good pizza every now and again and to be honest, I don’t always feel like making my own.)

This one gets accolades from mywife, who introduced me to the site, from myself, who urges you to visit. It also gets the full thumbs up from my alter ego the Food Snob, who thinks all kids should know how to cook; if for no other reason than to save themselves from the mass produced, fat inducing swill that American fast food wants them to eat.

Go take a look at Spatulatta.  You’ll be glad you did.

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