It is just Jan and me for a Saturday night. Eilene is off at a party, so Jan asked for something with mushrooms, like mushroom soup—something Eilene does not like. Soup calls for a salad and crackers.

Karl’s Sichuan Pepper Crackers
It is just Jan and me for a Saturday night. Eilene is off at a party, so Jan asked for something with mushrooms, like mushroom soup—something Eilene does not like. Soup calls for a salad and crackers.

Karl’s Sichuan Pepper Crackers
Filed under bread, California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
In past St. Patrick’s days, I would make quick Guinness beer bread. This year my wife bought me a Fourneau Bread Oven for my birthday, as a result, she gets the recipe updates, not me. She forwarded this one for St. Patrick’s Day for our Sunday dinner with the family. I, kind of, followed their recipe.

Karl’s Dubliner Guinness Bread
Filed under bread, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
My wife and I generally do not celebrate Valentine’s Day. Our first date was on February second, and that is the day we mark as ours—at the time, groundhogs were the furthest thing from our minds. This year, however, Jan took a fancy to a deli dinner with heart shaped crackers. Anything for my wife.

Karl’s Rosemary Valentine Crackers
with Brie and Fig Jam
Filed under bread, California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
This posting is more of a “what do I do with the leftovers.” When I make a whole roast chicken we will usually eat only about half of it. If I have a left over breast, I will slice it for a Chinese chicken salad. If I have made the pan drippings into gravy, I have the joy of biscuits and gravy for breakfast, today with leftover fruit salad.

Karl’s Biscuits and Gravy
Filed under bread, Breakfast, Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry
Several years ago, Mark Bittman introduced the world to a no-knead bread recipe created by Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery. This recipe used chemistry and time to create the gluten sheets necessary for a good loaf of bread. This soft dough was then dropped into a large Dutch oven to bake to crisp crusted perfection.

Fourteau Oven
Filed under bread
Every month, Jan and usually, my daughter, Miriam attend the monthly Ethno Breakfast. While many of the larger companies have discovered the usefulness of using Anthropologist to research what their customers need and want, they usually only hire one or two. This leaves these Ethnographers isolated from others who really “get” what they are talking about. The Ethno Breakfast gives them a chance to socialize and discuss problems and solutions—topics that do not really interest the company officers and computer engineers, with whom they spend much of their days.

Karl’s Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread
Filed under bread, Breakfast, Desserts & Treats, Side Dishes, Treats, Vegetarian
I had bought some buttermilk to make cornbread—which takes only one cup of milk—but all the store had for sale was quarts. What could I do with all of the extra buttermilk? Obviously, biscuits for breakfast.

Karl’s Buttermilk Biscuits
Filed under bread, Breakfast, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
What is a Thanksgiving feast without pumpkin pie? Although I recently made a similar pie for Jan’s new brother, there is always room for improvement. I found real pumpkin for this one and I decided to stir in the crystallized ginger, instead if just sprinkling it on top.

Karl’s Pumpkin Pie
with Grand Marnier Whipped Cream
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Holidays, Pies & Tarts, Vegetarian
We were meeting at a friend of Jan’s place for lunch to be introduced to her new half brother—long story, but the friend has know him for most of her life and Jan first found out about him two months ago. My job was to bring the bread and dessert, I decided on pumpkin pie without the crust.

Karl’s Crust-less Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie
Filed under California Fusion, Desserts & Treats, Pies & Tarts, Vegetarian
Saturday was Halloween and the possibility of an uninterrupted, sit-down dinner were slight. I decided to make pocket breads to have a “grab and go” meal, between trips to answer the front door. A new variation of a bierock was the obvious answer.
Filed under bread, California Fusion, Chicken, Poultry