Award-Winning Chili

Even though I am Filipino and have never lived in Texas, I have the odd accomplishment of winning two chili cook-offs with two different c...

Leftover Maven: Steak and Cheese Wontons

My younger daughter is subject to cravings.  Two summers ago, when she was with her grandparents at their lakehouse, she had a craving for c...

Rewind: Beef Brisket on the Big Green Egg

I haven't posted much this year, but I have an excuse.  Earlier this year I reconnected with some friends from rec.food.cooking, a Usene...

Empanadas with Barcelona Cookbook Empanada Dough

I love long weekends, don't you?  That third day makes me feel like I have all the time in the world, and I can cook all day.  This w...

Beef Brisket on the Gas Grill

I think brisket is one of the best meats on the grill.  Cooked low and slow over hardwood charcoal and hickory wood, it takes on the flavor ...

Swedish Meatballs

I've had the most terrible recurrent craving for Swedish meatballs. The first time I had these was when I was a kid in the 1970s.  My mo...

Leftover Maven: Pot Roast

Here's what I heard in my house tonight: [Pop! goes the lid  as Lizzy opens the rice cooker to get rice.] Christina (the 12 yr. old g...

Leftover Maven: Beef Barley Soup

Oh my, the smell of beef, onions, tomatoes, and thyme coming from this soup is intoxicating. I had some leftover beef pot roast that I had c...

CHILI: And the Next Cast Iron Chef is ... Chris Thompson

Last year some of my colleagues and I started the first chili cookoff at our school.  I took top honors at the first Cast Iron Chef by a mer...

Barcelona Wine Bar's Sherry-Braised Short Ribs with Autumn Vegetables

Yesterday was sweatshirt weather, sunny but crisp, and the night was cool enough to have a fire in the fireplace. Today was bright and warm....

Go Hot or Go Home Beef Chili (Award-winning!)

Serendipity. This is what happened when Corey, a new faculty member, happened to mention his past experience starting a BBQ club at school, ...