Garlic Bread

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Garlic Bread

In Search of the Perfect Recipe

Garlic BreadHave you seen the Garlic Bread on Crack Recipe! My photo version here. It’s buttery, garlicky & cheesy. And I love it! The problem is I love it too much. If served with a meal it becomes the meal. Yep, the pieces missing I ate while taking the photo. It’s true to its name. Oops! Check out the Recipe here if you dare.

Tom’s Garlic Bread Recipe
Garlic Bread

My vote for the Perfect Garlic Bread! Rich garlic butter taste with a crunchy Parmesan topping. Not too heavy with the richest of meals. Perfect! Thanks Tom! Hope I get the technique close to yours. Ann stated the taste is spot on.

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Super Spaghetti Sauce

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Ann’s Super Spaghetti Sauce

Ann's Spaghetti SauceAnn’s an amazing cook as well as a brilliant College Educator (Political Science, History, Economics … Yikes!), part-time Copywriter and she even entertains the idea of occasionally working at a nearby bookstore to be close to one of her favorite hobbies. So while she might spend all day in the kitchen putting together a special meal or dish, for the most part it’s just not practical with her schedule.

This sauce is so rich you’ll be convinced it’s been fussed over all day. Enjoy Ann’s Super (Fast) Spaghetti Sauce Recipe.

For a closer look at this lovely Portuguese Platter (exclusive at William Sonoma) check it out here. Marked down approximately 50% from the original price. Love Portuguese pottery. Thanks Ed. 😉

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Sweet and Saucy Birthday Party

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Max’s Sweet and Saucy Birthday Party

Sweet and Saucy BirthdayWe love a party! And when you add Sweet and Saucy Shop to the mix … It’s just amazing. Max’s 3rd Birthday and what a time we had. 

Sweet and Saucy BirthdayMickey pancakes smothered in berries with bacon and eggs on the side. Mmm. Then the delicious cake from Sweet and Saucy. Check out this shop here. It’s amazing!

Sweet and Saucy BirthdayWe picked up a few extra treats to have later too.

Sweet and Saucy

Happy Birthday Max!

More Please Pound Cake

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More Please Pound Cake

More Pound Cake Please

 

 

Any time of year is a great time for Pound Cake. Serve with fruit in season or go it alone with a bit of powdered sugar. A little dollop or a big dollop of whipped cream is great too. Rich, moist and the perfect texture … One cake you’ll make over and over for family and friends.

Wrap it up and give it as a gift!

 

 

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Turkey Alcatra

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Turkey Alcatra

Delicious Change to Turkey Roasting

Turkey AlcatraAlcatra (claypot roast) is a Portuguese dish originating from the Azorean Island of Terceira. It’s most often made with beef. But my friend, Melissa, whose family is from Terceira loves to use this traditional recipe for turkey. She says she has her husband cut the turkey into pieces and the legs aren’t used in her dish. Since my meal preparation is only for 4 I felt a whole turkey even without legs would be just too much. I knew it was risky just using a turkey breast because of the leanness that quickly goes from moist to dry. But a steam method just seemed foolproof. It’s amazing. I removed the skin before serving but you don’t need to. Brown up that skin by removing the top of the roaster at the end of the cooking period or pre-brown. That simple!

Thanks Melissa, a perfect idea.

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Influenced by Portuguese Cuisine

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Influenced by Portuguese Cuisine

A Few of My Favorites

Portuguese CuisineTonight I’m putting together Alcatra using turkey breast instead of the usual beef roast. And since I’ll have the oven going all night I might as well make Boston Baked Beans, my Grandmother’s recipe, pictured upper left. Please enjoy these additional recipes while the Alcatra is baking.

Top row: Additionally, Linguica Prosciutto Pizza and Portuguese Rice Pudding

Middle row: Portuguese Hash, Portuguese Cowboy Spaghetti, Portuguese Beans with Linguica

Bottom row: Sponge Cake, Vinho D’ Alhos, Sweet Bread Not into Sweet Bread, try this favorite, Pops.

Tortellini and Butternut Squash

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Tortellini and Butternut Squash

Tortellini and Butternut SquashSuch a great dish for butternut squash! Not quite vegetarian but with little effort it can be made so if you like. Cheese tortellini is my favorite to add to this dish but it will work with a meat tortellini as well. Ready in 30 minutes! What a great wintertime dish!

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Holiday Bread Challah

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ChallahThis was last year’s Thanksgiving bread and it was perfect! After years of homemade bread and rolls at Thanksgiving our baker was invited to another celebration, and forgot to at least provide us with some great baked goods. Haha.

Enjoy this recipe together with pictures. Give it a try. And you’ll see what we missed this year.

Winter Comfort

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Winter ComfortTwo main dishes that need no introduction. Comfort food at its best! Potato Soup, here, and Chili Beans. I’m putting together a Portuguese recipe for Alcatra but thinking turkey instead of the traditional beef. Slow cooked with spice and wine in a clay roaster. Hope these tide you over until then. Start soaking that clay roaster.


Thanksgiving

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Our Thanksgiving

Our Table

Preparing Thanksgiving Dinner can certainly cause angst especially if time is limited. Procrastinating only increases this feeling. Yep, this is me! My best advice (to myself and anyone else) is to create a schedule. And depending how much you need to accomplish, you may begin this schedule several weeks out from your first guest arrival. I include housecleaning, decorating, menu’s (if multiple meals for guests), shopping, baking, table setting, and main meal preparation. I get pretty detailed. This really helps. And a glass of Pinot Noir helps too!

My daughter is carrying on the tradition of a beautifully set table. It just makes the food taste better. That’s not my opinion, apparently there’s research on the subject!

Check out her Friendsgiving Celebration, here.

From our table to yours wishing you, your family and friends a most wonderful Holiday.