We are originally from Colorado. In college we were poor and couldn't afford to go skiing every weekend, so instead our roommates and friends would all gather around our little TV and we'd watch football. The Denver Broncos had a great defensive line known as "The Orange Crush." Years later we lived in Boston Massachusetts … Continue reading Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup
As we were making these, we remarked that we had not had them since we lived in Massachusetts over 30 years ago. It was a nice bit of nostalgia. It took both of us to make these. I filled a large ziploc bag with the cheese mixture and cut the corner off. Laura held the … Continue reading Manicotti
The Kirkley family loves soup. I suppose this is another reason I love the change in seasons. We're giddy when it gets cold, because here comes all the hearty flavorful soups. All the table conversation is suspended because everyone's too busy murmuring yum...yum...yum. I don't term my soups as anything more than refrigerator cleaning. Almost … Continue reading Cream of Mushroom Soup
So we all know James loves many things: beer, his iPhone, travel, hiking/climbing, cooking, and his friends. But, most dear to his heart are his "Vintage Heavy Metal Tee Shirts." So I found this tee shirt the other day. Does a fake Heavy Metal band count? You tell me, tell me if you even know … Continue reading Vintage
I selected this recipe because there was a post on Reddit about it and it uses the Chili Oil I have made recently. It also uses another Sichuan ingredient called Ya Cai, which I was anxious to try as it is very commonly used in Sichuan recipes, but is not commonly available. I was able … Continue reading Sichuan Burning Noodles
So yesterday Jim said he was craving something sweet so I decided to make this cookie recipe. I don't normally bake, with the exception of when we're hosting a dinner party and who would serve cookies at a dinner party? Not me! So questions and statements are all clues to how many times in my … Continue reading Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
One of the hardest things in Oregon is to stay active even when it's pouring rain outside. During the later Fall, Winter, and early Spring months this is almost all the time. So I've had to go out of my way to find a few spots that I could hike or at least go for … Continue reading Getting Healthy the Oregon Way: Sauvie Island Beach
Back in the day when I worked for corporate America and had an expense account, from time to time I would take customers to a restaurant in Montecito California called Lucky's. They are still around in fact. They touted themselves as a "high-end" steak house with prices to match. One thing on the menu that … Continue reading Blue Cheese Dressing
Another recommendation from The Oregonian recommending Autumn Hikes, which I'm choosing to do in Winter. Fort Stevens is a Naval Base located on the Northeastern most tip of Oregon. Very close to one of my favorite small towns in the world, Astoria. Today, it's less of a base and more of a Coast Guard Station. … Continue reading Getting Healthy the Oregon Way: Fort Stevens.
In my new Chinese cookbook there is a chapter on cold dishes. This one caught my eye because I like radishes. I just finished making it and wow it is addictive. You are going to need chili oil for this, here is the recipe from a previous post. You can also buy chili oil at … Continue reading Radishes in Chili Oil Sauce
