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As long as I can remember, these have been a favorite of mine. These rich, dark, cookies are full of flavor. Although this is not my grandmothers' recipe, this is close to the taste I remember growing up. Ingredients: 1 cup  molasses 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup shortening 1/2 stick butter 1 egg 3 1/2 cups AP flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon salt sugar to roll cookies dough balls Begin by creaming the molasses, butter, brown sugar, shortening, and egg for several minutes, until smooth and creamy. I usually go about 10 minutes. The mixture will be light and fluffy. Add other ingredients and mix until combined. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Pour white sugar in a dish. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and roll the top in sugar. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and lightly push down on the top of the dough ball. Sprinkle with a little more sugar....

As I have said previously, I learned to cook at my grandmother's side. Although  this picture wasn't taken at grandma's, here is a shot of me making cookies at an early age.

One of the most common questions I get asked when doing recipe demos, is "how to you get your pork so juicy and tender." My response is always the same, don't over cook it. I was raised that pork must be cooked well done. This resulted in a dry, leathery end product, that needs a chainsaw to cut, and tastes like shoe leather. Several years ago the government lowered the recommended internal temperature for pork to 145 degrees followed by a three minute rest time. For pork chops we all want those beautiful grill marks that give the meat that great charred taste. To get the marks you need high heat, but you don't want to cook at a high temperature. You will dry out the chops. I cook on both sides of my grill, high heat to seal and char the meat then low indirect heat to finish the cooking. Start on the hot side preheated to about 425 degrees to get the perfect grill marks, then move to the other side, with the burner turned off, and let the indirect heat from the h...

I am proud of my wife. She has been losing weight and staying on a strict diet. On our recent vacation, she decide to splurge and order her favorite eggplant parmigiana. What she was served was a greasy dish of sauce and cheese over a tiny piece of eggplant. This is my version of a healthier version featuring grilled eggplant instead of fried. Ingredients: 1 medium size eggplant 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small sweet onion diced 1 clove garlic minced 1/2 teaspoon oregano seasoning 1/4 cup coarse chopped basil plus a few leaves for topping 3 medium to large tomatoes diced 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping Preheat you grill to about 375 to 400 degrees. Begin by preparing the eggplant. Peel and cut the eggplant in 1/2 inch thick pieces. Lay the pieces out flat on a paper towel and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 15 minutes, then turn the slices over and repeat the process. This will help remove the bitter...

Fall is just around the corner, and soon leaves will be falling, temperatures will drop, and the nights will be getting longer. That is everywhere, except here in Florida. We will have longer nights, but nothing else changes. It will still in the 90's and leaves don't fall until spring. No matter where you are, it will be Thanksgiving before you know it.With the holiday, comes that all time favorite, TURKEY. My wife and I love turkey and eat it all year.  But for those of you who wait for Thanksgiving, here is a great recipe. I covered this before in the hot turkey sandwich recipe, but this gives more detail for creating the perfect slices of turkey. Since most holidays here are spent with a few friends who have no family in the area, I normally roast a breast. Ingredients 1 6 to 8 pound turkey breast. 1 medium onion 3 stalks of celery 2 to 3 medium carrots (or a handful of baby carrots) 1 clove of garlic 1 stick of unsalted butter. 2 cups no salt added chicken st...

We have been trying to eat healthier, and have chicken a few times a week. After a while, it does get boring. This is a quick, delicious recipe that will spice up mundane chicken. The key to juicy, moist, grilled chicken is to cook low and slow. When you rush and try grilling on a high heat, you end up with dry, tough chicken.  Ingredients: 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger pinch roasted garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt Begin by making a marinade. Mix all the ingredients is a small bowl. Cover the chicken breasts with the mixture. Allow to rest for 20 minutes, while preheating your grill to about 400 degrees. Place chicken on the grill and lower the temperature to the grill's lowest setting. Mine drops down to about 325 degrees. Grill breasts for 10 minutes a side, then check with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees for chicken. When the temperature is met, remove from the grill and allow about...

I was talking to my friend Erica at the Crumby Kitchen blog, about the most searched recipes on Google. A lot of the searches were for very basic recipes. Mention scrambled eggs, and you will get a hundred different ideas, most of them with a strong opinion. You should add milk or cream, never add milk or cream, high heat or low heat, everyone has their own ideas. This is my version, which has been enjoyed by many. The first step is choosing a pan. I use two different types in my kitchen, cast iron and stainless steel. Both produce excellent results. With a well seasoned cast iron pan, the key is to preheat it. I place mine in the oven and preheat at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes. Cast iron is a poor conductor of heat, but an excellent retainer of heat. Once preheated the cooking surface stays warm for a long time. CAUTION should be used when removing the pan from the oven. Remember it is 325 degrees hot and will cause serious burns without using a pot holder or handle ...