To avert inner-office strategic hoarding of the Cherry Flavor and Vanilla Flavored Tootsie Roll Fruit Midgees after the semi-annual candy-run last week, I finally tracked down a distributor and am purchasing around 2,000 pieces of candy (roughly 30 pounds) at a cost of 5.5¢ per piece including shipping. I don't know why Tootsie Roll Industries doesn't simply offer individual flavors for sale directly from the company's website - I would have spent considerably more for those two flavors and put … [Read more...]

You know how we've been working  on the perfect red wine reduction for steak?  We are getting closer.  After going out and visiting businesses, stopped by to see my sister and her kids, and then coming back home, Aaron worked on the recipe he's been messing with and my mom and I got to enjoy some it.  It's still not flawless but it's getting close. … [Read more...]

Dinner tonight consisted of bow tie basil pesto pasta.  The recipe included pine nuts, garlic, fresh basil leaves, parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, Parmesan cheese, and farfalle. It was very good; we both enjoyed it a lot.  I imagine it would even be good cold in a packed lunch, but that is just a hunch. … [Read more...]

We are trying to come up with a restaurant-grade quality red wine reduction sauce for beef, pork, and lamb.  We are getting close but it still isn't perfect; too tart, not savory enough.  Ignore the presentation; it is clearly a mess on the plate and drenched in the sauce but it was about the recipe.  I think the answer is in onions.  I'm not sure why or how but we'll get it ... … [Read more...]

Continuing on their quest for the perfect cupcake, my mom and Aaron were cooking up a storm in the kitchen tonight making what turned out to be an amazingly fantastic chocolate and peanut butter cupcake filled with cream peanut butter and layered with melted liquid milk chocolate. Here are some pictures of the work in progress ... Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe Here is the recipe they used to make the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes ... Cupcake … [Read more...]