Recipes

Nine-hour pork roast ready for serving. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Nine-hour pork roast with crackling

For a few months now I have been craving an old-fashioned pork roast, one with the skin on that gets real crispy, sort of like… Continue reading

 

Green salad with blackberries, pecans, pears and blue cheese. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Green salad with blackberries, pecans, pears and blue cheese

This is an unusual salad that I love to serve as a first course for a company dinner. The slight bitterness of the greens are… Continue reading

 

Sugar cookies in various flavors ready for serving. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Crisp sugar cookies with your choice of flavors

When I was about 14 years old I babysat for a very fine cook who gave me this wonderful sugar cookie recipe, one that I… Continue reading

 

Curried rice artichoke salad ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Curried rice artichoke salad

One of my family’s favorite picnic salads is this one with curried rice and marinated artichokes. I originally got the recipe off the back of… Continue reading

Curried rice artichoke salad ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)
A prepared ratatouille tart ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking For Pleasure: Recreating a ratatouille tart from a trip to southern France

The other day my sister Mary and I were reminiscing about our favorite things to eat when we were in the south of France (on… Continue reading

A prepared ratatouille tart ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Ingredients for cauliflower shrimp salad ready to prepare. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for pleasure: Cauliflower shrimp salad

I realize that this combination sounds a bit odd, but I’ve become quite fond of it. Many years ago in a now-defunct local restaurant, a… Continue reading

Ingredients for cauliflower shrimp salad ready to prepare. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Sockeye salmon in a red chile sauce, ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Sockeye salmon in a red chile sauce

Every summer I look forward to finding fresh sockeye salmon for sale in one of the local stores. Several years ago I happened to taste… Continue reading

Sockeye salmon in a red chile sauce, ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Battered fish fillets frying. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Fish and chips with homemade tartar sauce

For years I struggled with different fish batter recipes, usually with lousy luck. The resultant deep-fried fish would be raw in the center, or the… Continue reading

Battered fish fillets frying. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Dining out in Croatia. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Almond cake from a trip to Croatia

I should have probably titled this week’s column: “Eating For Pleasure.” My daughter, Sally and I spent the first two weeks of May traveling from… Continue reading

Dining out in Croatia. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Individual eggplant parmesan rounds ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Individual eggplant parmesan rounds

These flavorful eggplant parmesans are a great side dish, especially served with roast chicken or fish. They also look great on a serving platter and… Continue reading

Individual eggplant parmesan rounds ready to serve. (Photo by Patty Schied)
Salad ingredients ready to assemble. (Photo by Patty Schied)

Cooking for Pleasure: Mexican corn and bean salad

Several years ago, I ate at a wonderful Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles where I was served a delicious salad of colorful mixed vegetables with… Continue reading

Salad ingredients ready to assemble. (Photo by Patty Schied)
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

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

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

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