Summer is here and as much as I love chocolate in all its many incarnations, warm weather calls for treats that are a bit lighter and brighter than my favorite winter fare.  The higher temperatures also mean we’re less likely to gravitate towards large treats, preferring instead to savor smaller bites and brighter flavors.  This dessert fits that bill in all ways and more.

These may be mix based, but I guarantee that you’ll overlook that once you’ve gotten a taste of these little explosions of flavor. There is simply nothing here not to love. Every bite is an immersion in all that is wonderful about lemon.  Tart, sweet and tangy with just a hint of saltiness in the glaze. Eating one of these bars is sort of like drinking lemonade mixed with rocket fuel.  It’s an unforgettable experience.

Simple, wonderful and light.  Perfect for the summer no matter where you are.  Please give this recipe a try.  And if you make something like it, feel free to leave a link in the comments.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cookies, dessert, Desserts, lemon, summer, sweets, treats

Fried rice is something I’ve covered on this blog on more than one occasion. Fried rice is a passion for both my wife and myself.  It’s a staple meal in our home for its versatility, ease of cooking and its ability to carry the flavors of almost any ingredient added to it, but this post is not about the rice.

Don’t get me wrong,  the rice was wonderful; but in this instance it was eclipsed by the accidental perfection of the marinade used on the pork.  It’s good folks.  Good enough to consider using as cologne.  Good enough to make a full batch on skewers and call it a snack for one person good. Good enough that I almost don’t want to share it with you good.

But I’m just not that cruel. This must be shared. All I ask is that if you put it on a restaurant menu, I get a handy little royalty check and credit for the recipe.  This recipe is a keeper.

The flavors in the marinade are more Middle-Eastern than Asian, but they pair very well with the rice and just a bit of soy sauce. The pork is savory, sweet and spicy at the same time, but so tender you can cut it with a glance.  No knife necessary.

I could rave on about this for hours, but I think I’ll end the suspense and just get to the recipe.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Asian, Asian Cuisine, Garlic, Middle Eastern, pork, rice

The Fort Worth Skyline

Let me apologize at the outset.  This post is a bit rambling.  It covers a lot in as short a space as I can fit it into.

Many of you know that we’ll be moving to … [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: BBQ, Family, friends, Tex-Mex, Texas, TX

For the second year in a row, I’ve been privileged to be invited by the Texas Beef Council to help tell the world about the wonders of Texas Beef through recipes. Though I’m incredibly honored to be a part of this campaign again this year it is an unfortunately bittersweet kind of pride as well, as this will be the last year that I am able to be a part of it.

In just a bit over a month my wife and I will be leaving Texas. I on my way to California and she on her way to Turkey. For me it’s a homecoming.  For her it’s a new part of the adventure of being in the Air Force. While neither of us are looking forward to being apart, we are both doing what needs to be done and trying to make the best of a somewhat bad situation.

Considering her destination, I decided that the Moroccan-Style Beef I was invited to make sounded fitting.  After all, she’ll have no limit on the kabobs she can get her hands on in the 15 months she’s gone and since I’d never cooked with bulgar before, it seemed to be a fitting last entry for my Texas Beef Council involvement.  Challenges are always good.

So tag along on a journey that spans continents.  Beef from Texas, spices from Morocco and the Orient, bamboo skewers from California and a grill from Illinois were all involved in the making of this dish.  There were smiles, there were tears, there will be retribution and perhaps even a sequel…

But you’ll never know if you don’t read part one:

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beef, bulgar, kabobs, morocco, Spices, wheat

I’m enamored with frittatas.  Not only do you get all of the possibilities of an omelet, but you don’t have to worry about flipping it at the end.  Whatever you happen to have hanging out in the fridge or the pantry is fair game, work is minimal and the result is good hot from the oven or at room temperature. Frittata can be breakfast, brunch, an appetizer, a starter or the main course of any dinner, they are that versatile.

While all frittata recipes are similar, each variation has its own special little variations, which is why you’ll see so many different recipes for this dilectable dish out there.  This one came from two distinct needs.  The first was to get some food in me because I was starving.  The other was to find a use for some bacon left over from some wraps I whipped up the night before. In both cases this dish was imminently satisfactory.

If you’ve never thought of pairing eggs with broccoli, give it a whirl!  Broccoli and cheddar frittatas are one of my go-to early morning meals, both because I love them and because they can be baking away while I deal with morning dishes and my son’s breakfast.  By the time I’m done, breakfast is ready for Dad as well.  You can’t beat that for simple and convenient.

Do you have a favorite frittata recipe? If so, why not share it in the comments, there’s always room for another great frittata recipe.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Broccoli, Cheese, eggs, frittata, Italian, Recipes

Sometimes simple is better.  There are days when you just want to know for sure that dinner will be ready when you are ready for it, that it will be filling, wholesome and packed with flavor. This recipe is for those days.

Some may poke fun at me for this, especially after all the grief I’ve given Sandra Lee for her use of shortcuts in the past. If that’s the case, so be it, but this recipe predates Aunt Sandy and her wanton destruction of the culinary arts. My mother made something like this as did my wife’s mother and I’m sure just about every family cookbook has a similar recipe nestled in its well worn pages somewhere.  This recipe is a combination of recipes from my wife’s family and mine.  There may be seasoning packets involved, but I consider Lipton Onion Soup mix to be a seasoning like any other available at the market and several of you on twitter agreed, so let’s just say that this meal is well seasoned and move on.

The end result is a roast that’s fall-apart-on-the-fork tender with flavors of the broth and seasonings infusing meat and potatoes alike.  It’s a deep, rich and hearty dish that smells of home in times gone by, when the scent of dinner could be found just after lunch and Donna Reed was still the role model for many housewives. It’s just soul satisfying in a way that’s difficult to describe but wonderful to experience, even if it does break four of my normal cardianl rules of cooking.

Give it a try the next time the weather turns chill or drizzly.  You’ll be happy you did.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beef, crockpot, Potatoes, slow cooker

In his brief appearance in the ABC video celebrating not only the Canadian based Harlequin, but the fact that the romance industry is actually flourishing in the currently depressed … [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: celeb chefs, Celebrity Chefs, News and Reviews

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: goodies, kitchenware, products

Fettuccine Alfredo is one of Italy’s most wondrous exports. A perfect pairing of rich, creamy sauce and perfectly cooked pasta that serves equally well as a main dish or as a side to nearly anything you feel like serving with it.  It’s complex yet simple,  filling and decadent.  What could be more wonderful?

Now what if I told you that every recipe that you’ve probably ever seen for Fettuccine Alfredo was wrong?  What if I told you that it was probably the most simple dish in the world to make?  What if I told you that Mr. Alfredo’s Fettuccine has been done a glaring disservice by a million cooks, including renown chefs around the world.  Would you believe me?

If you won’t believe me, would you believe Saveur magazine? Their May issue features an article by Tod Coleman titled “The Real Alfredo”, which details the history and creation of this iconic dish from its birth just after the turn of the century.  Alfredo, it seems, created the dish for his wife, who had lost her appetite after giving birth to their son.  His modified Fettuccine al Burro featured far more butter than the original, a combination that “…neither his wife or his customers could resist.”

While most versions I’ve seen are fairly complex and require a fair bit of attention to detail, the original Fettuccine Alfredo has just four ingredients and takes mere minutes to make, but results in a dish far more complex and wondrous than any Alfredo I’ve ever eaten in an Italian Restaurant anywhere… Ever. And I’ve eaten a lot.

So please be so kind as to take a moment to meet the real Alfredo.  You’ll never think of this dish the same way again.  But you may find you eat a lot more of it.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: butter, Cheese, Italian, Parmesan, Pasta

There’s a lot of talk lately by food celebs and parents about tezching kids the fine art of cooking.  I couldn’t agree with this more and while I can only take a small amount of credit for my oldest daughters interest in the culnary arts, I recently had a conversation with her about … [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: cooking with kids, kids, kids cooking, parenting