Slow Braised Pork Hocks in Beer

July 18, 2011 by Monica in Dinner, Entertaining, Family, Family Cookbook, Main Courses, Meat

On Saturday I received an email from my mom, telling me she had just bought 6 beautiful pork hocks and that she wanted to make them. Could she come over and we cooked them together?

Even thought my mom lives a mere 10 minutes away, we don’t spend that much time cooking together – not like we use to. So, I grabbed the phone and we made plans for a Sunday day cooking marathon. We had a busy day ahead of us, since we had quite a bit to cook up - pound cakes, as well as Polenta (to go with the pork hocks) and I was making my grandmothers “Insalata Russa” (Russian salad).

Now pork hocks are right up there with those cuts of meats that at one time or another the butcher use to give them away for FREE! Remember beef/pork shanks? Before they got rich and famous with chef and now this normally inexpensive cut of meat can cost you a pretty penny? Well pork hocks, are still can be bought without having to break the bank, and my mother was right, as soon as I say them, they looked especially pretty.

HCB: Marble Velvet Cake

July 14, 2011 by Monica in Baking, Baking Club, Cake, Cookbooks, HCB

I know I tease you all with posting my mama’s Stove meatloaf and Arroz con Pollo recipe. But as we all know, eating dessert first is the ultimate nauty thing to do… so I figure we can start with the sweet stuff first.

This past week, the Heavenly Cake Bakers had a free choice week. Meaning you get to bake anything that you passed on by the first time around.

I was not going to bake anything this past weekend.

I was lazy, and was reading this, which keep me rooted in place

Then of course Sunday night came around and I started to get the notice on my blog reader from my fellow bakers and their creations.

I stumbled onto Hanaa’s post about, her choice, the Marble Velvet Cake… and the “I want-cake-right-now” cravings started in earnest.

This is what I call a nice "teaser" - another way for you guys to come back soon.

July 12, 2011 by Monica in Family Cookbook

I know, that posting has been sporadic as of late.

I got nobody to blame, but myself. Because my kitchen has been on fire. How on fire? Well I have 4 recipes that have been made, photographed and now they are sitting waiting for the post to go along with it.

Count this post as a teaser of what is to come in the next few days.

You are welcome.

We will start with my one of my favorite recipes from my mother. Her stove top meatloaf, yes you can make meatloaf on the stove - its easy, its fast and the end results the best meatloaf you have ever tasted.

Trust me on this.

Then this past weekend Tom and I were all set to have a Paella party. I been itching to make paella for a couple of months now, maybe because there is a brand new “paellera” pan sitting on my kitchen shouting “USE ME!”. And after much planning we finally decided this weekend was it… except, the weather gods had another thing planned and instead sent us 8 days of non-stop rain.

EIGHT DAYS!