Pear Cobbler with Blueberries and Stone-Ground Corn Biscuits

I have to admit, I thought this recipe looked great but I was hesitant to make this with the pears and here's why: When I was younger, someone made our family a pear pie for some occasion. It was the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted. I love pears and I'm not sure what made it so bad, but it has made me avoid cooking with pears for over 10 years now.  I decided I was going to make it but substitute peaches to the recipe. My wife was with me though when we were shopping and she convinced me to get the pears.

Blue Cheese and Caramelized-Onion Squares

As Thanksgiving approaches, it's time to start thinking serious food! I know it's a little early but Electrolux Appliances has asked for submissions of appetizers and desserts for Thanksgiving and so it got me going down this track. This is my favorite food holiday and it's always fun to find new things to make for this great get together with family and friends.

Famous Chocolate Cream Pie

This is a post written by my Mom after a recent trip she had. She made this while I was visiting them in Connecticut and it was amazing! Check it out:

On a recent weekend trip through Vermont, my husband and I happened upon a small, nondescript cafe in Hartland named Stella's. It didn't take long after entering to realize this was not your average small-town eaterie. It was clean, filled with locals, and the specials of the day were artfully described on the whiteboard. The deal-maker, though, was when a question about one of the menu items sent the waitress back to "ask the Chef." The chocolate cream pie on the menu was preceded with the moniker "Famous", so I had to try it to find out why. It certainly lived up to it's name! The crust provided a crisp and chocolatey base for a deep chocolate custard, topped with peaks of sweetened whipped cream, sprinkled with mini-chocolate chips and dusted with cocoa powder. Chef John would only disclose that the delicious crust included crushed vanilla wafers and cocoa powder. Here is my adaptation, which may or may not become as famous. . . . but is just as delicious.

French Toasted Breakfast Sandwich

 I'm having too much fun with the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. My Mom and I made a few recipes with some of the Nature's Pride bread that we bought out in Connecticut and then when I got home, I had received a coupon from them so I went and got some more. I think my favorite bread from them so far was the Country White Bakery Buns. Since I usually make our own bread, pretty much the only bread we usually buy are hamburger and hot dog buns. These make the best buns for sandwiches(we made sloppy joes with some of them too) and were perfect for our newest creation: French Toasted Breakfast Sandwiches!

Foodie Weekend in Connecticut

I had a flight voucher that expired at the end of September, so last week I took my 10 month old daughter( the only one left in our family that flies for free) and flew out to visit my parent's in Connecticut for the weekend. They just moved out to the the area a few months ago and we wanted to visit them in their new place. We had a wonderful weekend exploring the area, visiting historical sites, farmers markets, cooking some great food and eating at some fantastic restaurants.

I've already posted some of the great recipes that we made but I also wanted to provide some reviews of the restaurants that we ate at.

Come on in, my kitchen's always open

Close your eyes for a moment… come on, do it! Now picture this… On the plate in front of you sits a perfectly grilled pork chop, grill lines searing in a spicy rub and then covered in a wonderful smoky ancho chile sauce. Placed beside it is a charred poblano chile stuffed with fresh herbs and cheesy potatoes. Got your mouth watering yet? Here’s the catch: This meal isn’t at a restaurant or even a fancy get together with friends. Not that it couldn’t be, but in my kitchen this could be a late night meal for my wife and I on a Tuesday after a long day at work, just enjoying some time together or sitting on the couch watching one of our favorite shows.

Savory Bread Pudding

There's nothing quite like a good bread pudding. Soft bread cubes in a firm pudding with a great blend of sweet spices mixed with some raisins or other fruit. A bread pudding makes a great dessert to bring to a potluck or family dinner that is a bit different than your typical fare.  While most bread puddings are of the dessert variety, a savory pudding makes a great brunch on the weekend and the following recipe is a sure way to get requests for the recipe from any that try it.