Category: Dinner

Pan Handlers or Latin Spiced Pork Loin cooked with Great Magefesa Cookware

A couple of months ago we were contacted by a cookware manufacturing company called Magefesa, located in Florida.  They had somehow read our blog and wanted us to test some of their cookware and then review it on the blog.  We were very happy to oblige and they sent us a complete set of their Ecotherm Plus cookware, a lovely pressure cooker and a set of frittata pans.  Several weeks later we arrived home to see this on our doorstep.

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Karen Schmautz7 Comments

Pork Chops Two Ways: Smoked Grilled or Parmesan Encrusted…but never dry.

Yes!Chef! loves pork. No, that’s not strong enough.  HE REALLY LOVES PORK.

I am coming around to being a pork lover (see Pulled Pork Sandwiches).  I have never much liked pork because whenever I had it growing up or even in my adult life it was always so dry.  I do not like dry meat.  And, I especially did not like pork chops because they were always drier than dry.  Over-cooked hockey pucks.  Pttooey.  That’s what I had to say about dry pork chops until…

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Karen Schmautz10 Comments

The Eternal Quest for Perfect Pizza Dough because Pizza is a Way of Life

Perfect dough: Crispy on the bottom and chewy but never doughy

My husband, Yes!Chef!, started his cooking adventure many years ago when he began working at Pizza Hut while attending the University of Minnesota (brr.) He learned how to make their style of pizza and then he was elevated to manager and learned how to run a business.  Now, I never knew Yes!Chef! in those days.  I met him some years later in Wisconsin (which is a whole ‘nother story”), but I know he’s always had a love of pizza.  I discovered the joys of Chicago style stuffed pizza when I spent some time in Chicago for work and then when I moved to Wisconsin for a couple of years. BTW, I loved living in Wisconsin except for the bitter cold winters and the hot sticky summers. Yes, I’m a born and raised California girl, but I’m not a weather wimp because I was raised in the hills and mountains of Northern California.  We had very hot summers (but no humidity) and cold winters with snow.  But nothing like the extremes of living in Wisconsin.

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Karen Schmautz18 Comments

Strawberry Margaritas, grilled burgers and baked, stuffed potatoes or Thanks, Honey, I needed that.

Margarita on the deck

Sunday I had a fun photo shoot in the little town of Galt, CA, in a great bar called Brewsters Bar and Grill. I took my youngest son with me because he has a little interest in modeling and a great interest in hanging around pretty girls. So, we got up early and drove down to Galt, spent the day photographing/modeling and drove back that afternoon.

A few examples of the photo shoot

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Karen Schmautz8 Comments

Pulled Pork Sandwiches al Fresco and a Family Celebration

Pulled Pork, Spicy Slaw and Corn on the Cob with Compound butter

I think I’ve mentioned before that my family loves to get together and celebrate.  Frequently, we have nothing special to celebrate, but we just like to get together, laugh and eat good food.  However, on Sunday we had many reasons to celebrate:  it was the first time the whole family had been together since Christmas, my daughter had returned from 5 1/2 months in Africa; we’ve officially welcomed daughter’s boyfriend into the family, my oldest son and his girlfriend had returned from an interesting vacation to the hot midwest, my youngest son had his first accident in the car and neither people nor property (except a few cinder blocks) were hurt; Yes!Chef! was starting a new job and I had just landed a great magazine photo shoot.  Yes, those were all good reasons to celebrate.  But, mostly we just all wanted to get together.

The Fam: Together at last

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Karen Schmautz16 Comments

Fried Green Tomatoes, Two Spicy Sauces and One Great Burger

So, I was at the Farmers Market the other day, where I could probably hang out everyday if it was possible, and I saw some great things: fruit, artichoke flowers, colorful purses, Z-pies (frozen little pot pies), cheeses, breads and–Green Tomatoes!

I do love Farmers Markets and I do love Fried Green Tomatoes.  I also purchased some Buffalo Mozzarella from Dedrick’s Cheese (a little cheese shop based in Placerville.)

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Karen Schmautz14 Comments