Gifts that sing of home..

upcoming Holiday season I plan on giving the gift of 'good taste'.

Homemade salsa anyone? I thus far, have made two different salsa's that are sure to tickle the taste buds. One is a zesty salsa with just enough kick to make a slight 'zing' on the tongue but not too zesty to turn anyone off or away.
There is nothing like a homemade food gift. Lovingly prepared, beautifully packaged and kissed with good will.

The next is a green salsa that consist of (to name a few ingredients) green tomatoes, Asian sweet peppers, Serrano peppers (plenty of them too) Tomatillos, sweet onions, hot pepper flakes, fresh shucked sweet white corn, hot sauce, etc. etc. etc. to create a salsa that will linger but oh what a zinger! This IS a salsa to write home about not to mention, with all the green ingredients and hints of red, it sure is pretty to look at too. Sort of looks like Christmas.














Jam is always a welcome friend in any household. Who doesn't like jam? Fresh fruit in season boiled with sugar, spice and plenty of love are sure to make anyone with a heart smile. Pair jam with peanut butter (homemade if you have the time to make it) and what a lovely gift along side some homemade baked bread or yeast rolls. PB&J bring Us all back to our childhoods.



I was trying to think of a perfect gift basket and decided to include a variety of all the things I created and or canned this spring/summer season.

From homemade Kosher dill pickles to canned peaches and cherries, blueberry jam, strawberry jam, orange marmalade, salsa, corn, ham and bean soup, green olives, etc. etc. etc. a large gift basket should be sure to be a hit with any household.

So, now I have to start saving up and buying special ribbons, bows, baskets and fabrics to create perfect gift baskets for Christmas.

I have an idea to make bars in a jar which is basically dry ingredients along with a can of condensed milk and a set of instructions, a wooden spoon, perhaps a whisk or a bowl or both all tied up pretty with a bow. This way the person you gift it to can create their own 5 layer bars at home when it is most convenient for them.

Time fly's when you are having fun (and even when you aren't) so I better get a game plan ready and get to saving and get busy. I can't wait to see everyone's face when a large basket is gifted to them full of sweets, veggies and fruits. My pickles should be at full sour pucker flavor by the time the Holidays roll around..












I'll be sure to take photos of each basket I create and include tips and tricks so you can make your own baskets with your own flair and contents.

Until then, keep living, keep cooking and if you can stand the heat? Stay in the kitchen!

As always,
The Gothic Gourmet

Project Pasta coming along and some kudos for Chef Anne Burrell.

A word to the wise, never freeze pasta on paper plates without FIRST putting down plastic wrap on those plates. Learn from My mistakes and save yourself some time and energy.

I finished up most of My potato and cheese filled pasta/Perogies last night and placed them one by one on paper plates and covered them with plastic wrap for freezing so that I then in turn could put the Perogies into plastic Zip Lock freezer storage bags for easy use whenever I want a good homemade Perogie.

The Perogies stuck to the paper plates and I really had to work hard to remove them without tearing them. I did tear some and made some mends much like a doctor might make in an emergency room all though instead of sutures, I used water to repair the holes that I made in some of the Perogies while removing them.

Today I made more dough as I ran out last night without being able to make My meat and cheese filled Perogies. The dough is chilling now as I type this and I will fill several for dinner to boil along with My potato and cheese filled Perogies.

Fresh is best. I can't wait to pan fry them in butter until golden and crisp. My mouth is watering right now as I haven't eaten a thing today as of yet.

As it were, oh yes, Chef Anne Burrell. I love this lady! I am watching her show right now 'Secrets Of A Restaurant Chef'. Check her out on The Food Network. Today she is making pasta (one of her specialties) and a semifreddo. I really can't wait to try her fish and chips recipe. I wish that she were still on Comcast 'On Demand' but alas they made the huge mistake of taking her off the roster for some reason.

I did make her fresh chips (twice fried fries) and they came out beautifully. I froze some for future use (just add in the hot oil or bake them at 450 F. until heated through and crisp.

Potatoes are amazing and in the future I plan on writing an article about them. So cost friendly and always readily available, truly there isn't much you can't do with the wonderful amazing, stupendous potato. You can make dumplings with them, soup, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, scalloped potatoes, and one of My favorites (potato pancakes) along with of course lovely crispy french fries.

Why spend all that money on fast food when you can make a far superior french fry? Yes, I understand that not everyone has time and people have jobs and are quite busy raising their children and living their lives. However, when you have a few free moments take the time and effort (which isn't really much effort at all) to make some homemade fries. You can make it a family project and have the children help (leave the hot oil to the adults along with the peeling) but they can bag and tag the fries or at least put them on a baking pan and season them. What fun!

You can truly teach your children how to stretch a dollar and have fun while doing it as well.

Okay, I am off to go start rolling out some of that Perogie dough and filling it with the meat mixture. Just a few for now until My hubby gets home and can help Me fill more (after dinner of course). I am sure that once he taste these beauties that he won't mind filling up a few for future eating. I am trying to figure out what to serve along side of these. Of course We will have fresh baked rolls but what veggie to use? Or should I make a homemade stuffing? OHHHHHHHHHH wait! I have some fresh Romaine lettuce in the refrigerator and hmmm perhaps a tomato in the crisper. I have plenty of cheeses to choose from including Feta, Parmesean, aged Gouda and sharp cheddar to name just a few. I can make a balsami vinaigrette or perhaps a simple lemon vinaigrette and toss in a few croutons for crunch and some bacon bits. Yes, for summer salad sounds fine and I do need to use this lettuce.

I go to a close by market called 'Phils market/produce' which is a small joint with flowers and fresh picked produce. You can really find some deals at times when they have an over abundance of product. I got some bananas which I made banana bread and muffins with at 5 yes FIVE pounds for a dollar. That is .20 cents per pound.

I have only found a cheaper price once before at Trader Joe's on the North side for .19 cents a pound but, when you tie in the cost of gas for the trip there from here? You really didn't save that much on bananas BUT you do get a lot of variety as far as groceries are concerned and whats more is that there is Penzley's spices in the same parking lot. I love Penzley's spices store. I will have to (while I am thinking about it) write an article on their store as well.

I also need to do a write up on a small owned shoppe called Artisano's in Indiana which is a small shoppe run by a gentlemen who is serious about Vinegars and oils as well as salts (I collect salt so I worship this guy) and hard to come by spices.

I once saved up and spent a great deal of money on some prized items from this store which I found on a lark after watching an episode of 'Good Eats' hosted by Alton Brown on The Food Network channel. I was looking for 'Grains Of Paradise' and called Penzley's spices only to find out that they did not carry it but, that Artisano's did. I phoned the number they provided Me which by the way was uber cool of them to do since I was going somewhere else to spend My beans.

After a lengthy jaunt to the North side My husband and I found this small little store which was quite homey and quaint in a small corner on the left hand side. You could miss this place if you weren't looking for it. I go inside and oh My goodness, heaven! There were barrels upon barrels of interesting and flavorful Vinegars with a tap on them and small plastic cups for sampling. There were also fine and interesting oils along the left side which to name only a few included Lemon EVOO lime, garlic, etc.

On the wall were spices on either side of the shoppe and My favorite, SALTS in several unusual clever flavors.

I purchased the Grains Of Paradise along with (much to My husbands dismay) several EVOO's and Vinegars. However, these items have proved to be quite handy and tasty in our household and very versatile as I have used them for marinating, brining, and salad dressings so incredibly wonderful that you could do back flips (if you were so inclined).

I bought 'Black Cherry, Pear, Peach, Black Current, and aged vinegars to name only a few. The salts I simply had to have all though I could not afford every one of them I did get a good many of them in small sized bags (they are weighed) so you can get as little as you need or more if you want to stock up.

My favorite salt that I purchased was the habanero salt which packs quite a kick. Very flavorful and versatile. I have used it in sauces, soups and to season meats such as chicken along with another great item I purchased there which was the 'Jamaican Jerk Seasoning'. My chicken breast were so flavorful that I could smack someone down with a sack of nickles.

I seasoned My chicken breast first with salt and pepper (a must for any meat) all though this time I used habenero salt in place of kosher salt but not too much, just enough. I then rubbed in the jerk spice and a bit of Splenda (as My Father is diabetic and cannot have regular sugar) and roasted in the oven along with some fresh garlic and lemon juice until done and tender.

I like to then cut up the meat into strips and use them on salads or just cold right out of the fridge as a no carb snack packed with protein. Put some mayo, fresh chopped celery, walnuts, grapes, celery salt and pepper along with a wee tad of lemon juice (and a couple My secret ingredients) and you have a chicken salad that puts others to shame. Put that chicken salad in a hollowed out tomato on a bed of bib lettuce or onto a croissant with lettuce and green tomato and boy howdy your lips might smack your face silly because it's so very good.

You can of course use a light mayo or even plain yogurt or sour cream as a low fat alternative but what fun is that? I know, I know some people have to watch their weight but man, every now and then have yourself a treat and splurge on something really good that is also pretty healthy for you too. Filled with vitamins minerals and protein you can eat something without having to feel too very guilty about it.

Well, I am soon off to go roll out that Perogie dough that I have been talking about but have found Myself procrastinating over.

I need to figure out what salad dressing to use as well. I do have some fresh corn cut off the cob that I can serve along side the dish which won't make Me feel overly weighted down on such a hot day. Corn is good anytime of the year. Sweet and crisp it's every food lovers friend. (I'll do a blog on corn one day too if I ever get around to it).

Until then dear readers, keep things spicy. Keep things cooking, and keep living with a smile on your face and love in your heart.

As always,
The Gothic Gourmet.

Perogies project beat Me down!

Okay, I love a good project and I adore and I do mean adore food. I have a love affair with food. I have an affinity towards food however, I am sure tired after My Perogie project.

What are Perogies? The name alone is spelled three different ways but no matter how you spell it they are time consuming and yet oh so delicious! From what I understand they are Polish in origin and are basically a homemade pasta filled with the filling of your choice from savory to sweet all though the traditional Perogies are often filled with a potato cheese and onion mixture and served with caramelized onions and a dollop of sour cream on the side.

The dough itself can be made in several different ways. You can make the dough out of a cream cheese, flour and egg mixture, or a potato, flour, egg mixture or even with a sour cream flour and egg mixture.

What ever you chose to do, the sky is the limit but be prepared to spend a great deal of time in the kitchen.

I made two traditional Polish fillings one which consisted of Potato, Caramelized Onion and sharp Cheddar cheese (I also added fresh cut chives, sour cream, and salt and pepper into the mix).

The other was a ground beef, cream cheese and caramelized onion mixture with salt and pepper. For those who have an aversion to onions, I made the first mixture sans onions.

The dough I made with sour cream, butter, cream cheese, flour, egg, a bit of milk, and salt. I wrapped said dough in plastic wrap and chilled it for around an hour or more before taking bits of it at a time and rolling it out with a large heavy silicone and stainless steel rolling pin. The heavier the rolling pin the better.

I had some round plastic pasta folders which I have had for what seems to be an eternity without ever using for pasta and used the large one for folding and crimping. For those Perogies that gave Me a hard time? I used the tines of a fork. I was sure to seal the edges of the Perogies with a bit of warm water before crimping.

They came out beautiful. Simply gorgeous, but as you can see it is after 2 AM in the morning so I was up quite a bit and only did the potato filling as I ran out of dough and need to make more in the morning/afternoon.

I made 33 Perogies in totality and put them in the freezer. I will boil them tomorrow and then fry them in butter until golden, light and crispy. I will serve with caramelized onion on the side and sour cream with a few sprinklings of fresh chive. YUM!

I cannot wait to eat them. Now for the labor intensive part....I get to make more dough, roll it out and fill each pasta and crimp and freeze it (or boil it immediately before frying in butter for eating). It is going to be a long day.

The rolls are flying out the door. The hubby is in sheer bliss as I have caught him several times with a roll in his hands and a smile on his face. I will make more.

I was thinking that I can use the dough I make for the 'thrown rolls' recipe for Kalaches. (I am certain that I spelled that incorrectly) but basically what they are is rolls filled with savory or sweet fillings. I enjoy hot sausage filling and broccoli and cheese and rice filling. Whole sausages are divine wrapped in the flavorful yeast dough (hot spicy Jalapeno sausage being one of My favorites).

I won't have that much time to eat much of anything tomorrow so I suppose I will savor one of My salsas and eat that with tortilla scooping chips along with some fresh avocado (I need to use some of those up and mix them with lime juice).

Sounds good.

Another day in the kitchen and I am so very grateful for every moment I have left to spend there and with family and friends and making them happy with the food that I prepare. Smiles are My specialty and I enjoy them a great deal.

Until then dear readers/reader or Dad? Take care and keep cooking, keep living, laughing and loving!

As always,
The Gothic Gourmet.

Throwed Rolls?

Yes, you read that correctly. Throwed rolls. Not a type-o.

My father recently ventured back to the Ozarks (Ozark, MO) to be exact. We used to visit Branson, MO quite often years ago and it was always a nice time and a beautiful drive with plenty of fun things to do and places to stop along the way.

Dad told Me about a place called "Lamberts" which is a restaurant that has incredibly large portions of great food and the kicker, hot heavy chewy melt in your mouth solid rolls baked fresh on the premises.

I did a bit of research and found the restaurants website Lamberts Cafe and read some pretty interesting fun factoids about the establishment.

Now, the Chef in Me just HAD HAD HAD to try and duplicate this recipe not only because the darned rolls sounded incredibly wonderful, but because I love My Dad and I wanted to give him a taste of the Ozarks since he of course cannot possibly be there all the time and enjoy such novelties as the 'Throwed Roll'.

Be sure to read the websites fun facts section which boast that Lamberts made over two million individual rolls last year alone and they also make cinnamon rolls so big that they call them hubcaps and they make over 2 thousand each week alone on average. Wow.

Another interesting thing I found was that this establishment made the Travel Channels 'Chow Down Countdown' of one of the top places out of 100 in the Country to eat at. I really have to go to this place (hint hint Dad). I'm up for a road trip! ;)

Now, back to the recipe. I found one online that was written down allegedly by a gal who used to work at the eatery itself.

As with the art of any fine bread making, things can be quite involved and time consuming. I am not sure how much time I have left but I would sure like to be baking these or even more fun (eating one of these) when I am on My way out.

My rolls came out splendidly well. They are quite solid and large and are the split roll type (they look like butts to put it bluntly). They range in a diameter of around 5 inches each which is nothing to balk at. The smell of these yeasty wonders filled the house and made Me want to melt into a puddle of goo. The best part was taking these babies out of the oven and gazing upon them. I doubled the recipe provided Me and made a total of 24 large chewy dense yet fluffy rolls.

The husband said that he could get sick if he allowed himself to do what he wanted which was to eat every one of those rolls in succession of each other until he croaked or rolled out of the room (which ever came first). Luckily for everyone else he did not so there were plenty to go around and share. There are still plenty of them left as I have a bag downstairs as well so that the hubby will have one whenever he wants.

Even better still is that I made 3 homemade jams this past week and also have fresh honey to put on the rolls. To reheat them I will place them on a baking sheet under 425 degree heat for a couple of minutes until heated through. I suppose I could freeze some of these as well (all though this batch wont last long I reckon).

The hubby went out and purchased Me some more flour 2 ten pound bags along with more fresh cream butter and yeast so that I could begin the process of making more. I wonder if these will become a staple food item here. (You know one of the things you can always find baking or around in the house no matter what time of day or night you stop by). I enjoyed making them all though they were quite time consuming. When making bread it is a fine art. You cannot cut corners and measurements must be exact as well as temperatures etc. The interesting part was rolling them out and I quickly found My groove and found a 'system' as to making the spheres nice and silky smooth.

These are a double rise so if you plan on making them, plan on spending a bit of time on them. I do have My camera and yes, I promised pictures so I will...I will take photos as I am so very proud of these. Besides, I still haven't shown you My peaches and other items I canned. I wish I still had a picture of the chocolate cheesecake and chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream frosting but alas, those items got eaten pretty quickly.

I am wondering if I can make the dough for these rolls and shape the spheres and freeze them in large Zip lock baggies and take them out at a later time to rise? I am not sure how that is done exactly without killing the yeast inside them. There has to be a way as I have seen frozen bread in the freezer section of the market that you take out and allow to rise before baking.

I'll look it up when I am finished here. I made some great Green Tomato salsa recently (I may have told you about that already) and I am hankering for some Tortilla chips and salsa right now so I will close for now.

My decisions for today are what I should make, Perogies or a home baked pie? Peach, Cherry or Blueberry? I have the perfect buttery crust recipe so that's no biggie, its the filling that I cant decide on. As far as the Perogies go, I cannot decide on what filling to put in those either. I know one of the fillings will be cheese and potato with some fresh chives and sour cream the other filling I haven't figured out yet. Sausage and cheese sounds good... I simply don't know which is why the pie might be a better option as I have narrowed the fillings down to three.

I'll let you know what I decided upon and hopefully will do as I have promised and take a picture or two for you. I do have some pictures of a few past projects including homemade Calzones and homemade caramels along with a cheesecake and a chocolate cake. Until then, stay in the kitchen and keep cooking, smiling, and living.

As always,
The Gothic Gourmet.

My canning project continues.

Hello dear readers. (I can dream can't I?)

So far so good on the canning project. Yesterday I canned peaches and today I made some spicy hot green tomato salsa with lots of good good stuff inside.

I made a lovely pot roast in My pressure cooker and I do scratch My head and wonder...what did I ever do without this handy time saving piece of equipment?

After cooking the roast for a period of time, I let the pressure drop on its own accord and then added in potatoes, carrots, celery, herbs and more spices. The result was fantastic! I purchased the roast for a little over ten dollars and it was around 7 lbs. Not bad considering that I still have a bit left and We have been eating it for 3 days.

Tonight I made up a cheese mixture along with Greek herbs and some spices to put into roasted red pepper packages. I will put the mixture inside and then tie the pepper like a present with butchers twine and then grill them or place them in a baking dish with olive oil and then sprinkle with more herbs and roast until melted. I may then broil them for a minute or so under high heat to get the tops a bit crisp and blackened.

I shucked fresh corn and cut it off the cob and served that along with the other veggies with My pot roast. Very economical considering that the corn was a dollar for 5 nice big ears.

The hubby loves fresh corn and...Lima beans which I like as well, therefore, I will search for some Lima beans on sale to can for the winter.

The thing I love about canning is that you can buy fresh seasonal produce when it is at its lowest cost. In the fall and winter these produce items rise in price as they are no longer in season and the supply and demand increases their cost per pound.

I'm a money saving fool. :-)

My jams came out awesome and We have been enjoying them on sourdough rolls with a bit of butter along with PB&J sandwiches.

Well, I am off to make My peppers so I must close for now. I know, I know..pictures WILL be coming. I plan on getting one of each thing that I have canned and taking a photo of them all together along with some fresh baked sweet and yeast breads.

Until then, keep it cooking and keep living!

(Life's a bowl of cherries so live, and laugh at it all!) :-)
As always, The Gothic Gourmet.

A canning We will go...

Hello dear readers...or reader, (Dad do you at the very least read My blog?)

I have been canning as of late and boy howdy I have made some lovely treats.

All though it be quite involved at times as well as time consuming, canning has proved to be quite fun. I have made a list below of what I have canned and what I plan on canning today.

Homemade pickles (Kosher Dills). I made several quarts of these and they simply look brilliant. They did take quite a bit of time as I added fresh garlic cloves along with other spices and mustard seeds; however, I cannot wait to crunch down into one. I will let you know how they turn out in about 5 or more weeks as they need time to cure in their brine for best results and flavor for at least 5 weeks.

Spiced Blueberry Jam. This turned out wonderful and I made eight half pints of "blueberry pie in a jar, or what I like to call blue love in a jar".
Made with fresh ground spices including Nutmeg and Star Anise it is sure to be a family favorite for years to come. I can't wait to gift some of these beauties.

Zesty Salsa Ala Ole'! This salsa is the best I have had and I know cooks often say that about their own food but really it's true this time. I purchased the finest local ingredients and lovingly chopped up each fruit and vegetable that went into the spicy concoction. I added three different kinds of local hot peppers along with red pepper flakes, green peppers, sweet onions, and a variety of other wonderful ingredients and I came out with something I truly enjoy eating. I ate a whole jar with some tortilla chips Monday evening. Luckily, the salsa is low in calories, high in vitamins and is the freshest local salsa I will find in these parts...since these parts are My pantry and kitchen. I ended up making several half pints and quarts and plan to eat another jar of it tonight while watching Americas got talent. Yum!

Cherries! Yes, that's right. I recently purchased a nifty cherry pitter that pits 4 large (or small) cherries at a time. It is easy to use, groovy cool and even better, its super easy to clean. I pitted around 12 pounds of cherries and canned several quarts of the sweet fruits. I plan to make pies and turnovers in the future with these along with some cherry preserves.

Country ham and bean soup. Wow, this stuff was so good that I just had to bottle it up for winter or to even sell at My upcoming bake sale. I cooked this soup for hours on end with ham hocks and thick cut country bacon. I served this soup with sweet skillet cornbread and what a great fulfilling meal it made. I have only 2 quarts left but plan on making more to store for the upcoming cold months. Nothing is better than a bowl full of homemade love when its cold outside.

Today I plan on preserving peaches as I purchased a great deal of them locally at an Orchard around the corner from where I live. You don't get much fresher than that do you? Along with the preserved peaches I plan on making peach jam/preserves as well. I will end up with a variety of fruit jams this year and save a great deal of money at the market as I will not have to purchase any jam or fruit at higher cost when things aren't in season any longer. We eat a LOT of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches so I'm looking forward to the variety of jams I can choose from when I'm hankering for a piece of My childhood which is the marvelous never beaten 'PB & J'.

Strawberry preserves are on My list as well and I may just go make that first before preparing My peaches for canning. I also want to make parmesean cheese crisp which are lacy delights made simply of FINE and I do mean expensive Parmesean cheese. They are crispy like crackers and have a lacy pattern when they spread out on the baking sheet. They also keep very well in Zip Lock bags and only improve their flavor with age. I ran out of these last week as My husband and I love to snack on them. The crisp also make for a stunning garnish on dinner plates and for use in place of croutons in soups for a no carb crunch. I promise that you wont be disappointed if you try them. Make them in small batches and make a good deal of them at a time so that you don't have to heat up your kitchen again for awhile as you WILL wish you made more. Buy plenty of quality Parmesean as well because not only does the cheap kind not work, you always want to start with quality ingredients for the best results and flavor.

Here is how to make them:

Parmesean crisp

Start with a nice hunk of quality Parmesean cheese. This means at LEAST 20.00 a pound or perhaps less depending on where you live and what kind of sale you may come across.

Silpat is key in this recipe as the Silpat helps release the crackers quite nicely. You may also use parchment paper sprayed with non stick baking spray if you like.

First, hand grate your cheese with a hand grater on medium grate (or small) if you like. I actually like to use both grates and mix the medium shreds with the small for an intricate pattern.

Take heaping teaspoons or tablespoons of your grated cheese and place on a baking sheet lined with Silpat or prepared parchment paper. Press gently down on each round/mound of cheese with the back of a spoon. Make sure that your mounds are at least 1/2 inch or more away from each other as not to have them spread together during the baking process. Experiment with sizes and see what you prefer best.

Bake in a preheated oven at 450 to 500 degrees F. for a couple of minutes. The time you need will depend on your oven as all oven temps vary. WATCH your crisp and take them out when they start to turn slightly golden and smell nutty and lovely. DO NOT OVER BAKE! Burnt parmesean crisp aren't good eats and are a waste of your valuable time, money and oven energy.

When done, remove from oven and quickly remove each crisp with a spatula or your fingers if you work fast enough without getting burnt. Be careful however and if you don't know what you are doing? USE the spatula.

Place each crisp on a plate lined with parchment paper or paper towels to blot out any excess oils from the cheese. ENJOY! Aren't they pretty?

Now, if you are creative you can do a variety of things with these crisp when they are still pliable out of the oven. For instance: I like to take different size bowls depending on how large I made My crisp and place each cooked hot crisp on the underside of the bowl and shape it to conform to the bowls shape. Allow to cool and carefully remove crisp. You just made a parmesean cheese bowl that you can fill with salad or anything your heart desires. Just remember to line the bowls with wax paper if you plan on filling them with any liquid such as chilled or warm soups. I however, like to use the cheese bowls for salads.

I also like to place the crisp on inverted muffin pans to make mini cheese bowls to fill with chicken salads, tuna salad, or leafy green salads. They make a real show stopper at parties as appetizers and salads. Crunchy, salty and beautiful. Who could ask for more? Oh yes, don't forget that they are carb free.

Well, I am off to make Strawberry preserves and then off to prepare My peaches for canning. Until then, take care and keep things cooking!

As always,
The Gothic Gourmet.

The most decadent brownies EVER!

Where has Eve been?

Oh My have I been busy! I have created wonderful chocolate cakes with chocolate butter cream frosting. I have created lemon cupcakes and cakes with lemon butter cream icing. I have also made wonderful meatloaves and mashed potatoes, stuffed potato skins, homemade french fries, Greek Style green beans, ham and beans with skillet cornbread and today? Today I made the most sinful brownies EVER.

With one batch boasting over 1 lb. of butter, over 2 1/2 pounds of Godiva bittersweet chocolate, over 1 pound of toasted chopped walnuts and over 3 cups of sugar? You're bound to go into chocolate overload.

My husband asked why I didn't just add brown food coloring to the butter and be done with it?

Not to worry, My husband is as thin as a rail and I? I am only 84 lbs. Yes, you read that right.

I have been away recently as I broke My hip in May in 3 places and had to have it replaced. I'm in My 30's and feel like an old lady! I had over a month of physical therapy and am now walking again. I found out that I have bone loss and had 'Reclast' done which is an IV infusion that last for one year to help prevent bone loss and even restrengthen bones. In any event, the breaking of the hip did not keep Me down for long. After emergency surgery, I was only in the hospital 2 nights before returning home. Yesterday I had yet another follow up visit with My surgeon who said that I am healing up nicely.

As soon as I could get My walker upstairs I was cooking and baking, baking and cooking, singing and stirring things up in the kitchen.

I plan on having a bake sale soon and will put My homemade orange marmalade on sale along with a batch of these killer and I do mean 'killer' brownies. Pictures to follow shortly.

Last night I made cheeseburgers and homemade french fries which was a nice summer supper without 'too much' labor unless you count for the french fries which did take a bit long to prepare as they are double fried. Everything was wonderful.

I am now soaking beans to make another batch of ham and beans with skillet cornbread. I use ham hocks as well as thick smoked bacon in this recipe and it is oh so lovely. I'm sure it would be even lovelier in the fall or winter, but every now and then I appreciate a good stick to your ribs meal even in the summertime. Of course, things have been cooling down as of late which is a pleasant surprise here so this dish shouldn't prove too heavy at this time of the year.

I just got a new Chefs coat with 'Le Gothic Gourmet' stitched onto the left front which fit almost perfectly aside from the sleeves which I have rolled up as they were too wide for My bird like arms. Again, there will be pictures to follow shortly.

Until then, keep cooking, keep living, and live every day as if it were you last as it just may be.

As always,
Eve aka Le Gothic Gourmet.