Author Archive

Have you ever wanted to learn to cook like Julie & Julia? Well, now is your chance!  I am so excited to have a Chef from the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School as a regular guest blogger.  It gives me great pleasure to introduce the The Salty Chef. The Salty Chef is the Chef, author, and creator of the www.thechefscookbook.com. And, she is also a mom and a wife!

Each month she is going to share with us the delicious recipes she learned while at the Le Cordon Bleu. So, keep an eye out for her first post and enjoy… or as the

French like to say: BON APPETIT!!!

Well, my official Christmas season is underway today.  We have started rolling out and punching out sugar cookies, one of our most favorite Christmas eatable items.  I like to get everyone involved in the making of my sugar cookies, and I do mean everyone.  Of course Garrett is ready to help, and with a little and I do mean very little persuading Chelsea is happy to help too.

What looks like flour on the counter top, is actully powdered sugar.  Powdered sugar is really great to use when rolling out a sweet dough–it helps from drying out the dough as you roll it out over and over.

Remember to turn your cookie sheet 180° about half through the bake.  These were finishing at about 8 minutes, so I turned them at the 4 minute mark. Remove them from the oven just as the edges begin to brown.  Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then place them on the cooling rack.

As I mentioned above, I like to get everyone involved in making my Christmas sugar cookies.  The tradition at my house is in order to get your Christmas dinner you must first paint at least 3 cookies. I choose 3 so you can take two of them home to leave out for Santa, and one to stay at my house to fill my cookie platter. These cookies won’t get painted till Christmas Eve.  So, I will post the pictures of these cookies probably  on Christmas day.  Till then, please enjoy a few shots of Christmas past…

Christmas 2004

Christmas 2004

The kids all got out of school at noon today for the start of Christmas break.  So, not having to run around after school till it’s time for dinner, I had time to make a meal a little more than just baked chicken or chili.  Trying to not think about all the food I have to cook next week, smoked turkey, baked ham, smoked salmon, ect., it all of a sudden came to me that I couldn’t remember the last time I had beef stroganoff.  Can you?

Off to my rack of cookbooks to find a classic beef stroganoff recipe.  Here’s what I ended up with….

Cook mushrooms, onions and garlic in butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender; remove from skillet.

Cooked mushrooms & onion

Cut beef across grain into about 1 1/2×1/2-inch strips.
Cook beef in same skillet until brown. Stir in 1 cup of the broth, the salt and Worcestershire sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Browning the beef

Beef broth and flour mixture

Adding the sour cream

Classic Beef Stroganoff

Well, I have joined my fellow Foodie’s with the launch of my In Dad’s Kitchen blog.  I love to share my kitchen with my family and friends.  I will be covering topics that I think everyone will find fun and kitchen cool. 

Look for product testing reviews, cookbook reviews, recipes, food and cooking tips and techniques.

So, welcome and I hope this is just the first of many entries to come.

Home Chef Mark