Pound cake was one of my first baking exercises. For many years I had a basic cream cheese pound cake recipe that I made often, sometimes with added flavors. For most of this time, I honestly did not know that the name pound cake comes from the original ingredients – a pound of each.As I got more interested in cooking and learning about recipes and where they came from, I had … [Read more...] about Traditional Pound Cake
Pork Chops with Maple Calvados Butter Sauce
This recipe includes some of my favorite fall flavors – maple, pork, and Calvados apple brandy. It was born from the desire to combine these flavors in the most delicious way. It’s perfect for autumn nights at home, but is an equally elegant dish for friends. The sauce is rich and silky and complements the pork beautifully, and the salted caramelized apples add an extra … [Read more...] about Pork Chops with Maple Calvados Butter Sauce
Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup with Orecchiette
I was once invited to bring a soup to a soup potluck and I readily agreed, because I love soup and getting together with friends to eat soup is a great idea. But I forgot that I had agreed to it, until the hostess called a day before to ask what soup I was bringing. For reasons I cannot fathom, I blurted out “Italian Sausage and White Bean.” I had no recipe for such a soup; … [Read more...] about Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup with Orecchiette
Clove Cookies
As a kid, I was a great one for projects. Homemade play-dough. Cookies painted with egg/food-coloring paint. Dollhouse furniture. Leaves pressed between waxed paper. I was never very good at any of these, and my record on finishing what I started was less than stellar. So maybe I should clarify that I was a great one for the idea of projects. I liked thinking about them, … [Read more...] about Clove Cookies
Shrimp and Grits
Shrimp and Grits, technically the child of the South Carolina Low Country has been adopted by Southerners as their own. You will find shrimp and grits in homes and on menus from Florida to Misssissippi, and of course here in Tennessee. I bet most Southerners would put it on a grand list of Southern classics without even realizing its specific geographic origin. And I imagine … [Read more...] about Shrimp and Grits
