Bread recipes make me nervous. I’ve had too many experiences where my dough had failed to rise and that type of thing really demotivates me. If there was only some way to test the yeast before moving forward and using all that flour and effort. Oh wait…there is. There are obviously methods for testing yeast, but none as simple as this one. Because this boule recipe calls for apple cider, which has sugar built right in, it’s easy to see if your yeast is any good or not. If not, all you did was waste some apple cider. Nothing else lost. If the yeast is good, just a bit more effort will surely produce a lovely round loaf of some wonderful bread. By the way, that round loaf of bread is referred to as a boule. It’s a French word that translates as “ball.” As it refers to bread, a squashed ball, to be exact. If you’ve never tried apple cider bread or if you’ve yet to try to make it, give it a shot. It’s easy and the results are just downright fun. Click through for the recipe. Continue reading…
Understanding Camera Modes & Settings
If you’ve ever wondered about camera shooting modes, whether they be the traditional ones (aperture priority, shutter priority) or the easier to manage preset modes (landscape mode, portrait mode), look no further. Throughout the years, I’ve written quite a few posts that cover relatively the same thing – how to best manage working with the various types of modes a DSLR or mirrorless camera can offer. Because these posts were scattered around my various websites and in somewhat of a disorganized state, I decided to merge them all into one place – right here. This post says it all. In it, I describe what each mode is and what it can do. I also offer real-world examples and challenges, just so you can apply what you’ve learned. While there might seem like there’s a lot to learn in this area of photography, I simplify it so it’s easy to understand. After reading this post, you should be an expert on camera shooting modes. Click through to get going. Continue reading…
Macaroni & Spinach au Gratin Recipe
The next time you crave pasta, I encourage you to try this dish. It turns a regular pasta dish into something much more impressive – leaning on spectacular. When I prepare pasta, I usually cook it and the sauce separately and then combine the two on my plate. With this dish, the ingredients are combined au gratin style and baked together. That’s where the magic happens. And by baking in a dish or skillet, you’re able to add more butter, cheese, and olive oil than you’d normally be able to. If you break everything in this recipe down, you’ll find that what you’re really doing is making a hearty sauce and some pasta. But by turning things into an au gratin, you’re making it all much, much better. I love this dish and I’ll be making it again soon, I’m sure. Click through to take a look at the recipe and some photos. Continue reading…
Beans with Figs & Fennel Recipe by America’s Test Kitchen
This is a bean salad I would never have thought on my own of making. Typically, when I prepare a bean salad, I cook the beans, perhaps sauté some vegetables or simply add them raw and have at it. This dish is different. Because of the glaze in which the beans are tossed, there’s a sweetness added. Also, when the red wine vinegar glaze is being prepared, the flavor of fennel is infused. Ultimately, the glaze is a combination of fennel, sugar, and red wine vinegar. If that isn’t unique enough for this salad, add in some toasted nuts, grapes or dried figs, and fennel seed. The result is just about perfect. I encourage you to click through to take a look at the recipe as well as some very nice photos I took of this dish. You won’t see something like this too often, so please give it a try. Continue reading…
Patrick Rothfuss’ Favorite Fantasy Novels
Have you ever wondered what top authors read themselves? If you’re a reader and are anything like me, you have trouble finding good books to sink your teeth into and enjoy. Sure, there are millions of books available, but only a handful (okay, a big handful) of them are worth the time invested. Like so many others, I love a really good book. One I can become attached to and fall in love with. Unfortunately, those types of books have been few and far between. I can’t seem to find them. Because of this, I decided to do some hunting around to find what my favorite author reads. I found the list and after an introduction from yours truly, I share it in this very post. So, if you’re curious to see what one of the world’s most wonderful authors reads himself, click on through. Continue reading…
Pearl Couscous with Tomatoes, Olives, & Ricotta Salata Recipe by America’s Test Kitchen
Pearl couscous is one of my favorite foods. It’s got a nice, firm bite and its toastiness tastes great. Many people think pearl couscous is a type of grain; it’s actually a type of pasta made from semolina flour (which is made from durum wheat). You can find it under a few different names – maftoul, ptitim, Israeli couscous, or pearl couscous. No matter what people are calling it, it’s a nice ingredient to work with and it’s just about perfect for light dishes like the one I have to share today. If you click through to take a look at this recipe, you’ll find many flavorful and interesting ingredients that are commonly found in the Mediterranean. Grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, ricotta salata, pine nuts, baby spinach, fresh basil, and a few others. When combined, they create a wonderful dish that can stand on its own or be added to another as a side. I prepare salads like this all the time and this is definitely one of my favorites. Continue reading…
Mushroom, Leek, & Garlic Cannelloni with Cream Sauce Recipe
There are many variations of cannelloni. The most popular is probably spinach and ricotta, topped with mozzarella. Basically, cannelloni is a rolled pasta with something stuffed in the inside. In this recipe, that stuffing is a combination of mushroom, leeks, onion, garlic, cream, and a few other things. And the cannelloni isn’t topped with mozzarella; it’s topped with a wonderful cream sauce. Manicotti is also a stuffed tube of pasta. It’s the Italian-American version of cannelloni. The difference is that manicotti is larger with ridges, whereas cannelloni is smooth. Whatever the case, pretty much all manicotti and cannelloni is excellent and fun to make. The recipe I share today is no different. The entire process will take about 45 minutes and there isn’t a challenging step involved. Click through to take a look at the recipe and some photos of this tasty dish. Continue reading…
Cheese Topped Baked Aubergines (Eggplant) Recipe by Mary Berry
If you’re looking for a garlicky and hugely flavorful side dish that’s simple to prepare, look no further. I’ve got one for you. I pulled this recipe from Mary Berry’s Complete Cookbook and prepared it a few evenings ago. I’ve never tried something like it before, so I was interested in seeing the result. Do you really need me to tell you how it turned out? Just take a look at the above photo. By baking the eggplant, it became very soft and developed some wonderful flavors. It also became infused with the garlic, parsley, and basil that were stuffed into the slices I previously made. But wait, that’s not all. I also sprinkled some blue cheese and mozzarella on top and then melted it across the entire dish. Salty and cheesy and an incredible bite. Click through for the recipe. This one doesn’t take much to put together, so give it a shot. Continue reading…
Penne Rigate with Porcini in Cream Sauce Recipe
Right after rigatoni, penne is my favorite pasta. Rigatoni is big and bold and that’s why I love it. Penne is more refined, but still meaty and substantial. Add a rigate to the mix and both are just about perfect. Did you know that rigate means “ridged” in Italian? There’s smooth pasta (lisce) and ridged pasta (rigate). Penne is available in both varieties. Ridges are often added to pasta to help keep each piece just a bit more sturdy. Those same ridges also help sauce stay on the noodle, so each bite is better than the alternative. In this post, I share a recipe for penne rigate with a beautiful porcini mushroom, garlic, onion, prosciutto, and Parmesan cream sauce. It’s divine. The mushrooms and prosciutto add the most flavor to this dish, with the onion and garlic coming in a close second. If you enjoy big skillets full of pasta with an awesome tasting sauce, this may be the dish for you. Click though to take a look. Continue reading…
Oven-Steamed Mussels Recipe
Mussels are one of the easiest and least expensive types of seafood to prepare. They’re an excellent source of protein, iron, selenium, iodine, and omega-3. They’re also low in saturated fat, making them virtually guilt free. I’ve been cooking mussels for years; they’re a staple food in Maine. I’ve prepared dozens of mussel recipes in my day and I’ve found almost all of them tasty and well worth the effort. Oftentimes, the simpler the recipe, the better. Mussels really don’t need much help to shine. Just add some wine or beer, a few herbs, garlic, onion, salt, and that’s pretty much it. In this post, I share a very simple recipe that’s sure to delight. It calls for a dry white wine, thyme, red pepper flakes, and a few more common ingredients. The recipe produces a good dish. I’ve actually used it on quite a few occasions and have been happy each time. Click through to take a look. Continue reading…