jerky

I got a dehydrator for Christmas. Last night I broke it in by making a batch of beef jerky. The process is simple enough. I'm not crazy about the flavoring that came with the unit; next time I'll mix my own. I made about 12oz of jerky for the price of a pound of ground beef, which is about a third the cost of Jack Links or the like. This thing will really come in handy when backpacking season rolls back around.

romanesco

When we saw this on the produce shelf at Wegman's, we knew we had to buy it before we even knew what it was. I wanted to call it "fibonaccoli," but we quickly learned that it is Romanesco broccoli. It's so beautiful we hated to eat it, but of course we did. When you cut it up, it goes from looking like something from mathematics to looking like something from the age of the dinosaurs. It tastes similar to broccoli, but with a slightly nutty flavor. We will definitely buy it again.

pumpkin cheesecake

Our contribution to this year's Thanksgiving dinner: Paula Deen's pumpkin cheesecake. It was delicious.

shepherd's pie

Ina Garten's beef bourguignon, topped with mashed potatoes and put under the broiler for a few minutes. Unbelievably delicious, and made with inexpensive stew beef.

waffles

For the past several years, most every weekend I've made waffles for the kids and myself. I've tried about 30 different waffle recipes, plus numerous variations on many of them. The staple recipe we've settled on for most days is these whole grain waffles. Despite the whole-grain ingredients (whole wheat flour, flax, wheat germ) they're soft and delicious. They're also very filling. We find the recipe's half-cup of flax a little too much, so instead I use a quarter-cup of flax and add a quarter-cup of rolled oats. I also sprinkle a big pinch of raw sugar over the batter right after I pour it, before I close and flip the waffle iron; without it we think they're not quite sweet enough, and it also adds a little bit of texture.

Occasionally for a change of pace I make these crispy seltzer waffles. They're really delicious. We don't make them very often because they're a lot less healthy than the whole grain waffles, and because they don't keep as leftovers very well; the delicious crispy texture disappears after they sit for a few minutes. I often make these when one or more kids has sleepover guests.

A couple of the other recipes we've liked well over the years are Martha Stewart's buttermilk waffles and Emeril Lagasse's classic Belgian waffles.

One kid likes her waffles with maple syrup, one with honey, and one with just a little butter. I like mine topped with a banana sliced and sauteed in a little coconut oil.

sunday kitchen

I spent all afternoon in the kitchen today. First I made bacon jam from Tasty Kitchen. It's really amazingly good. Then I made Chex mix, which is probably my favorite snack, while the bacon jam was simmering. I use the classic Chex mix recipe, except I omit the season salt and use about ten times as much Worcestershire as they prescribe. Then I made the oat bran muffins from Simplify Your Life. They're not as flavorful as I would like, but I think they'll go well with the bacon jam (the healthiness of the muffins cancels out the unhealthiness of the bacon jam, right?). Finally, I made red beans and rice for dinner. Now Belle and a friend are making chocolate chip cookies. Just imagine how amazing my kitchen smells.

slow cooker granola

Yesterday while I was at home waiting for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy (but before the power went out), I made crock-pot granola from a recipe at Stacy Makes Cents. It's delicious. That half-gallon jar was actually exactly full when I finished yesterday afternoon, but I ate a bunch of it for breakfast (mixed into plain Greek yogurt). I left out the nuts and fruit, at Belle's request. I like it even better than our favorite store-bought granola, I know exactly what is (and isn't) in it, and it's substantially cheaper. Definitely will do again.