Category: San Luis Obispo

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do you remember what you learned to cook first?

Here is a Scandinavian Mushroom Cookie that goes by a different name and shape in each country in which it is made... and it was my father-in-law's favorite! CLICK on the above picture for the recipe

Now cookies and desserts weren’t the first thing I learned how to make as a child… but it was the first category of edibles that caught my attention!

Frankly, the first thing I learned how to make was to prepare rice by boiling. I wasn’t very old and I had to use a chair to get to the controls of the stove, but one afternoon when my mother was off, I measured our a portion of rice added salt and water and made myself a nice snack. We didn’t have butter in those days, so a slice of margarine made the meal complete and headed off to my room to devour my creation! This would have gone unnoticed , except for the fact that I left stove on under what small remained of the rice and it carbonized! I learned an important lesson that day… to hide my tracks!

Making the cookie is a multi-step process of rollong out the stems, making the caps and then assembling it all with a nice frosting as a glue!

There is nothing quite like a mushroom cookie to allow you to sit back and enjoy a nice cup of tea or coffee!

This year, I am starting early with cookie making... but then, I normally don't 'diet' this time of year and it is 'therapy!'

Bon Appetite!

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Stuffed Bell Peppers helps the diet along

On a diet? Well each one of these are around 300 calories plus each... sometimes more. CLICK on the picture to read about it and the recipe in the step by step process.

The above version departed slightly from the original recipe incorporating lean ground pork and lamb with the bacon and a spicy curry flavoring to the rice… oh yes, our  five chef’s marinara  sauce completes it!

Bon appetite!

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No, I will never be a ‘skinny chef’

I am down 20 something on the scale and I help keep it together by working very hard at preparing fun stuff for others!

My chef grandmother always said that it is hard to be a good chef and skinny… because of the need to taste everything before it is served. After all, how else would you catch the obvious omissions or unintended substitutions. The chef is the ultimate quality control.


I made just what any young man would want on his birthday and Scott amused me by saying that the steaks were so tender it was easy to enjoy 4 pounds worth. I might add , with room to spare! Flavoring and tenderizing meat has many secrets, but most are all time intensive.

As for me, I do indulge in a  Biscotti  every day that represents around 200 calories or so. This is my ultra diet version as it contains no nuts ( actually, I was so busy with the steaks, I forgot to add them!)

I think the key to any successful diet is to have something you like in your day that doesn’t taste or represent the word ‘diet’ in any way.

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September 12th is our 39th wedding annivrsary

Here we are in 1970, engaged in 1971 and married in 1972. Happy 39th Wedding Anniversary, Sweetheart.

In many ways it really doesn’t seem all that long ago when we married in Superior Court in downtown Los Angeles. I remember the Judge Xenophon P. Lang tied our knot along with about 6 other couples. It was an interesting , but meaningful experience as the Judge tried to give a specific charge to each couple.

Karla drew this for our day.

It is interesting to search on the net to find out what a proper present is for a 39th wedding anniversary. The most common answer left me feel that the gift was inadequate… it was ‘lace.’ Laura wanted to do something special… she thought that I might like to hunt something… large…. and I needed the right toy.

My 375 H & H Caliber Interarms Mark X has an interesting history in its roughly 50 years of life. You never know when you might need to stop a charging Buffalo! Gotta love a woman who knows what makes you happy.

Thank you, Laura…. Happy anniversary.