Month: December 2008
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Wintry soup
It’s been cold, then hot, then cool, then hot, then cold here in Austin. I’ve decided to call it winter and leave it at that. So whether it’s 70 degrees or 30 degrees outside, it’s winter, darnit, and winter means soup. This one’s so simple…nourishing and comforting and delicious. It was also really easy to…
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Christmas with the folks
We spent Christmas with my folks in west Texas, and I’m fairly certain I gained about 8 pounds in three days. When we arrived, we could smell corn masa and red chile, which can only mean one thing: Tamales. My mom, grandma and sister made them with pork and New Mexico dried red chiles (the…
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A Pre-Christmas Quickie
We’ll be leaving early Wednesday morning to see my folks in Smalltown, West Texas for Christmas. It’s going to be fun…we’re not exchanging gifts this year, which makes both me and my pocketbook happy. Gifts can be so stressful…I find myself asking questions like: Is this enough of a gift? Is this something they’re not…
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Mushroom Pasta and the Naked Chef
So I love Jamie Oliver. Back when I had a TV, and cable, I used to watch his original Naked Chef show, and I absolutely loved it. He was so energetic and all over the place, and it all seemed so real. After that, he had another show in a staged kitchen which I really…
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My Mama’s Sugar Cookies
[Sorry for the quality of the photo…I took it with my iPhone at work under fluorescent lighting!] My mom has always been a great baker. She used to bake and decorate my birthday cakes herself, from rabbit-shaped cakes to ones covered in roses and leaves. She makes the BEST Mississippi mud cake, banana cake, pumpkin…