Lasagna a la Uncle Scooter

Welcome back, gentle readers!  I’ve been away from the computer (and the kitchen) for a little while as I’ve been settling into my new role as the gm for Firefly, a landmark neighborhood institution here in San Francisco.  Now that I’m fully plugged in, I wanted to get back to feeding you, too. Lasagna, for [...]

The Lovely and Versatile Almond Biscotti (at home)

If you find yourself paying $2.75 for a biscotti every time you step into your local coffee haunt, calm yourself.  Help is at hand.  Not only are biscotti fairly easy to make at home, but they keep forever, and (over time) you may be able to recuperate the cash you’ve been throwing at someone else’s [...]

Baked Rigatoni with Three Cheeses

“Like cheese and macaroni” is an Italian idiomatic expression used when two things work together harmoniously, naturally, and effortlessly.  I would add deliciously to that list.  Cheese and noodles are really satisfying together, but you already know that, don’t you?    I’m a big fan of baked or broiled noodle dishes.  This last step adds [...]

Braised Duck with Tagliatelle

I can’t stop braising.  It may be an illness.  I’m not really looking for the cure right now, I’ve gotta tell you.  Freakin’ loving it.  And here’s another set in the braising parade; duck legs.  If you don’t or can’t find duck legs, chicken (heck, even turkey) legs are fine substitutions.  Another point of interest [...]

Steak and Two Bean Chili Soup

There will be no recipe for this chili.  Sorry, recipe lovers!  I will however try to break up this pretty simple recipe in to little sections that make sense.  If you have a family favorite recipe, there might be some ideas in here to spice it up a little!  I like to think of chili [...]