Recipes

Tortilla beef casserole ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Tortilla beef casserole for Cinco de Maya

When my kids were growing up their appetites were insatiable. Every night I had to come up with a meal to satisfy their bottomless stomachs.… Continue reading

 

Chicken paprika ready to serve. (Photo by Patricia Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Secret to this chicken paprika is authentically fresh Hungarian spice

How to use up chicken breasts has been a life-long problem for me. While my dog was alive, I would cut up a whole chicken,… Continue reading

 

A fruit salad that can be adjusted to fit the foods of the season. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: A Glorious Fruit Salad for a Company Dinner

Most people don’t think of a fruit salad as a dessert. This one makes a fabulous and impressive end to a company dinner or as… Continue reading

 

Finished crispy shrimp spring rolls. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Crispy shrimp spring rolls w/ spicy sweet chili sauce

It took me many years to feel brave enough to make my own crispy spring rolls. I always thought it was a lot more difficult… Continue reading

Finished crispy shrimp spring rolls. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Rosemary focaccia bread ready to serve. (By Patty Schied)

Cooking for pleasure: Rosemary focaccia bread

When I am lucky enough eat at good Italian restaurants in Seattle or elsewhere, the warm focaccia often served really enhances the meal. I always… Continue reading

Rosemary focaccia bread ready to serve. (By Patty Schied)
Finished chocolate apricot bars just out of the oven. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Decadent chocolate apricot bars

I love apricots. I prefer fresh to dried, but I am happy to eat them either way. I purchase the large bag of dried ones… Continue reading

Finished chocolate apricot bars just out of the oven. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Pouring sauce over finished rockfish. (Photo by Patricia Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Alaska Rockfish for dinner

The halibut and salmon being sold right now are superb, delicious fish. But there are other options out there that shouldn’t be underestimated in terms… Continue reading

Pouring sauce over finished rockfish. (Photo by Patricia Schied)
Tortilla strips being fried in preparation as the base for this soup recipe. (Photo by Laurie Craig)

Cooking For Pleasure: A taste of Mexico in the dead of winter — tortilla soup

Many years ago on a family vacation near Zihuatenejo, we loved eating at a tiny restaurant down the beach from where we stayed. There we… Continue reading

Tortilla strips being fried in preparation as the base for this soup recipe. (Photo by Laurie Craig)
The author getting ready to host a holiday dinner for her family in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Patty Schied)

Cooking For Pleasure: Stuffed with turkey sandwiches? Try stuffing turkey enchiladas

Now that you have eaten all the turkey sandwiches you want, all that meat leftover from the giant carcass that has taken over your refrigerator… Continue reading

The author getting ready to host a holiday dinner for her family in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Patty Schied)
(Jessica Spengler/CC BY 2.0 DEED)

Cooking For Pleasure: No trauma pie crust (that actually tastes good)

The secret is keeping all of the ingredients very cold.

(Jessica Spengler/CC BY 2.0 DEED)
Photo courtesy of Patty Schied
The author hosting a Christmas dinner for her family in 2022.

Cooking For Pleasure: Serving up a warm mood in lousy weather

This Middle Eastern red lentil soup is not the sustenance of long-ago cold memories.

Photo courtesy of Patty Schied
The author hosting a Christmas dinner for her family in 2022.
This photo shows Spam Musubi with Southeast Alaskan Furikake and Highbush Cranberry dipping sauce. (Vivian Faith Prescott / For the Capital City Weekly)

Planet Alaska: Furikake — A sprinkle of summer

Pronounced FOO-ree-kaw-kay, meaning “to sprinkle.”

This photo shows Spam Musubi with Southeast Alaskan Furikake and Highbush Cranberry dipping sauce. (Vivian Faith Prescott / For the Capital City Weekly)