Adapted from a traditional recipe:

Michael’s Moroccan Chicken and Prunes

4 large, boned chicken breasts
1 lb high-quality, pitted prunes
~10 T extra virgin olive oil
~3-4 T clear, light honey
~ 2 T grated fresh ginger
~ 1-2 T chopped, salt-cured capers (brined fine, too)
~ 2 t ground cumin
1 small-medium red onion, diced
3 large cloves fresh garlic, minced
1.5 c good white [...]

Michael brought this tasty recipe tonight and cooked up a yummy feast!

Grab at the store:

1 lb brussels sprouts
1 lb bacon (yes, take the time to get it cut at the counter)
2 large granny smith apples
3 cloves garlic
1 lb pasta
3-6 T butter
a chunk of pecorino Romano
salt and pepper

Trim and quarter 1 lb brussels sprouts. [...]

Tonight I made a dish that confirmed for me that sometimes mashed potatoes can be transcendent.Here is my recipe for “Mashed Potatoes of Heavenly Temptation”:

Gabriel’s Mashed Potatoes of Heavenly Temptation

6-8 medium sized potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 stick of unsalted butter
1/4 cup white onion, diced
1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh [...]

When we were children, my parents would make this delicacy. They called it “bee’s eyes,” due to the dark bubbly surface of the chocolate sauce. It is very tasty, and did, in fact, “enrapture children” with its magical hardening over ice cream trick.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE
About 1 Cup
The grand kind that, when cooked for [...]

Today I made a delicious soup for lunch — a hearty rustic potato chowder.
Made from this recipe from 101 Cookbooks: Rustic Potato Chowder:

Rustic Potato Chowder

8 to 10 slices Smart Bacon (or real bacon if you’re not-veg)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups diced, unpeeled new potatoes, any color [...]

Pie Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 to 6 Tbsp ice water

Cut the sticks of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to an hour [...]

This recipe came from a book we inherited from Gabriel’s grandmother Blanche Darnell.

Maple Corn-Drop Biscuits
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups corn meal
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup maple syrup mixed with milk, to make 1/2 cup total liquid
1/2 cup (one stick) butter, cut into pieces

Stir together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and [...]

I’ll tell you one thing. I don’t like cooking in a rush. This evening, Michael and Elizabeth came over for dinner before the four of us went to see The Darjeeling Limited at the Moolah Theatre. I was generally pleased with how the dishes turned out, but was once again flailing [...]

Fall Fruity Couscous
Ingredients:

1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup water
1 cup couscous

4 fresh chopped figs
1 green apple, chopped & cored
handful of walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup water
several shakes of cinnamon

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup pomegranate juice and 1/2 cup of water to boil. Turn off heat and add 1 cup couscous. Cover. [...]

Warm Pear Slices with Tangerines

4 pears
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves
4 tangerines peeled and segmented

Quarter, core, and slice the pears. (I don’t usually peel them unless I am uncertain about their derivation.) Heat in saucepot with the butter, sugar, and powdered cloves for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat [...]