My Fall / Winter Favorites
A few of my family favorites, some I love to prepare, and all that I love to share!Neals Best Baked Beans
I LOVE Baked Beans! Nothing goes better with grilled pork or chicken. I was fiddling around in the kitchen, threw some stuff in a dutch oven and voila! I was told by some that they were the best baked beans they’d ever had. (Although SOME Dionne’s are known to...
Red White and Blue Salad
This is one of our favorites when the fresh berries finally arrive. There is nothing to it.Simply wash & spin some baby spinach. Thinly slice some red onion, then add strawberries, blueberries & feta cheese. Season with a little S&P. Here is my tip of the day....
Neal's Dill Potato Salad
No question, there are a million ways to make potato salad. A million ways to make anything actually. I love to play around with stuff and change things up often. This happened by accident as many of my recipes do, by simply using what I had on hand. It’s a free...
Watermelon Mango Salsa
After you drag a tortilla chip through this stuff, you’ll never be the same. Fresh fruit is abundant now and this is a refreshing change from all the tomato base salsas out there.2 Mangos peeled, seeded & dicedDiced watermelon (about 4 cups)2 Jalopenos' seeded &...
Summer Bowtie Pasta
This is one of those things that just makes so much sense for a hot summer get together.A cold pasta salad that you just can’t get enough of. You’ll be asked for this recipe over and over and it’s simple. We all love that, right? I sized this down to one pound of...
Summer Dessert
I'm really dating myself here, but when we were kids it was such a special thing to have watermelon.Back then it was seasonal. You could only find it at the peak of summer.No biggy for most folks now because you can find it all year (though there isn't much flavor...
Grilled Veggies
Grilled Vegetables are a favorite in this house. Now that the Farmer's Market is bursting with freshness, I simply slice these goodies and plop em' in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season and gently mix with a rubber spatula. On the grill they go. ...
Neal's Sticky Chicky!
This is so good and so easy. Season the chicken as you usually would and throw it on the grill. Melt a stick of butter in a sauce pan and add a jar of apricot preserves. Stir until combined and bubbling. When the chicken is nearly done, start brushing the chicken...
Boneless Pork Ribs
I love these things. They have a fair amount of fat and that equals flavor. The most important thing is not to over cook. I marinate them for 24-hours in a zip-lock bag with a thick and sweet Italian dressing. The sugars allow for the sweet crunchy edges without...
Burgers & Dogs
Burgers and Hot Dogs are a go-to for many. I like a burger with a crusty exterior and a warm pink center, seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Additions are almost limitless. Add some steak fries and Cole slaw and call it good!
Today I Feel Alive!
Who knew? I wish I had done it sooner. After months as a sort of shut-in, writing, reading and cooking, I got up early and made my first trip of the season to the Farmer’s Market. That long slog through winter when fresh ingredient acquisition is difficult at best...
It’s The Simple Things. Really.
Jeanie and I were once invited to go out on Lake Michigan with a friend and his wife. They had a huge ocean yacht with multiple state rooms, a full galley, luxurious living room and every amenity one could imagine. We sailed up the coast to the North and back. It...
Peter Pan Syndrome
I have been a kid all my life. I started out as a kid of course, and naturally, I got bigger, but not much else has changed. My wife Jeanie says I have “Peter Pan Syndrome.” Do you remember the song from the classic story? “I won’t grow up, I won’t grown up; I...
A Birthday Meal
Last night, our whole family gathered for Grandson Ethan’s 11th Birthday Party.Ordinarily, I would have been working overtime on a meal that would feed at least 16 people in grand style. Not the case here. It was a school night. All of the adults had worked until...
A Strange Hobby
I don’t think I’m any different than most Foodies. We care about the quality of ingredients and are always looking for new ways to do things along with all the tried and true meals in our repertoire. I have to tell you that one of my favorite things to do is to go...
Cullinary Challenge
No, I’m not talking about one of those ridiculous competitive cooking shows. (I am not a fan) Those shows to me are exactly the opposite of what cooking truly is. Cooking for me is a couple of things. First, it is an expression of love when you put a plate of food...
He Who Steals From Me, Steals TWICE!
An old quote from an old friend
Other People's Food
I have noticed a rather strange phenomenon. I could go to a fancy restaurant and be blown away by a beautiful dish that the chef prepared and decided to take a photo and post it. The oddity is that I can look at the post the next morning and see a few “Likes” but no...