My Semi-Homemade Focaccia Bread is easy to make, especially when you don't have the time to make your own, or if your local grocery store doesn't carry store-bought pizza dough. This recipe has been coined FAUX-CACCIA, which is the perfect name, and you'll see why. This Semi-Homemade Focaccia recipe uses frozen dough for a softer, chewier bread than traditional focaccia.

My Bread Pudding With Vanilla Sauce has to be one of my favorite desserts. I had 16 Bolillos (Mexican-style) bread rolls in my freezer, and they are an excellent choice for making this dish. Prep Time: 30 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 20 Cook Time: 50-55 minutes, times may vary slightly Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes Yields: 12 servings Equipment: 9 x 13 baking dish, 1 small whisk, 1 standard-size whisk, chef's knife, cutting board, jar with a tight fitting lid, 2 small bowls, 1 large bowl, 1 (2-quart) saucepan, 1 (2-cup) liquid measuring cup, dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, powder sugar shaker, 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, Microplane…

My Homemade Mexican Chili Verde (Updated) is slightly different from my original recipe in that it features two types of meat. I used a braised pork butt and seasoned ground pork to give two different textures to the chili, and it made a huge difference! This dish requires some planning, and I took my time to complete it. During the 6 hours it took to cook the pork, you could get all the other components ready for the slow cooker.

I posted in a previous post that I'd be making my Stuffed Bell Peppers With Tomato Jus. When I posted my trip to our farmers' market here...

After going to the farmers' market and coming home with all those beautiful vegetables, today, I'm making a Vegetable Tart. I figured I...

Our recent Outdoor Cabin Projects included a front walkway and stairs on the back side of the cabin. In the backyard, there is a deep downward slope where the backyard begins; it's dangerous to walk down. We had some stairs and a handrail put in to help with moving around and mowing back there. JNA Construction in Tennessee did the work, and they are…

Steve and I went to the local Tellico Plains Amish Farmers' Market today. Look what I came back with, jackpot! Watch for my next dish, which will feature some of these ingredients.

When I lived in Orlando, I would always stop and pick up some Chicken Empanadas. Love them so much, I thought I'd recreate them at home. I'm using store-bought, ready pie crust dough today for this recipe. I've also posted a link below for my Homemade Pie Crust recipe. Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes…

You don't have to wait for the holiday to make my Sweet Italian Easter Pie. The best thing is that instead of making just one pie, it's...

Slow-roasting and reverse-searing a beef tenderloin is my preferred method for cooking this cut of meat.  Recently, I saw two ends of a beef tenderloin at the grocery store. The price was like half of those center-cut pieces in the meat case. Now there's no difference in the meat; it's just the ends of the tenderloin. This method will guarantee your beef tenderloin comes out perfect every time.

Italian Pastina means little pasta. A variety of small pasta choices are available in grocery stores today. I'm using Pearl Cous Cous for this dish because it's what I had in my pantry. Prep Time: 2 minutes Cook Time: 5 to 8 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Yields: 2 servings Equipment: 1 (3-quart) saucepot, chef's knife, cutting board, 2 porcelain serving bowls, Microplane, rubber spatula, ladle…

My Philly-style pulled pork cheese steaks with pork au jus are so delicious that you'll want to make them for special occasions.

We've had our annual neighborhood HOA meeting here on the mountain, which also included a potluck and lake party. The board members provided the hamburgers and hot dogs. Everyone brought either a side dish or a dessert. I decided on my Cowboy Beans. They are smoky, sweet, and a little spicy. Definitely a roller coaster for your taste buds! I'm glad I brought both pans to the party; they were a hit!

My Avocado Ricotta Cream Bruschetta is bursting with flavor. I've posted this dish in both my categories for "appetizers" and...

If you love homemade biscuits, my Swim Biscuits are perfect for you! They're easy to make and delicious! Most of the ingredients are likely in your pantry. There's no kneading, no rolling out the dough, and no using a biscuit cutter. Let's get started making the biscuits! Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 28 to 30 minutes, time may vary slightly…

Oven-Baked Shrimp Scampi is a recipe I saw on Ina Garten's show, The Barefoot Contessa. I'm a huge fan of shrimp scampi, but this preparation was life-changing for me. I love all types of gratin dishes, so I had to make this one, still making it my own.  Next time, I think I'll make this dish using scallops, and I know it will be delicious!

I recently made my husband my Stuffed Bell Peppers With Tomato Jus, and he loved it. The name may sound fancy, but it's super easy to make. Watch for this recipe coming soon! For a vegetarian twist, try my Quinoa-Stuffed Roasted Peppers. Link below.

Matzo Ball Soup is a traditional Jewish dish that dates back many years. Every culture has its version of some type of dumpling, whether it be a bready dumpling or a pasta dumpling. All dumplings are delicious! Today, I added chicken to my Matzo Ball Soup, but that's optional. Prep Time: 45 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes…

My recipe for Pommes Anna is so easy to make and will stun your family and friends. I found a little history about this dish from other...

My Rosette al Forno is a dish made with great care and so much love. There are 3 major components in this dish, and each takes a bit of time to do. Don't worry, I'll explain each one in detail. I'm using a shortcut (fresh, pre-made pasta) to make this dish less stressful. Making homemade pasta for this dish, I would argue, is to make this recipe as it was originally intended.

My Burrata With Passion Fruit And Wild Blackberries is a beautiful sight. This dish is an awesome appetizer to serve your family and friends.

My Wild Blackberry Galettes are perfect for a novice baker. I'm lucky enough to have these beauties growing wild in my backyard, but that doesn't in any way mean you can't buy blackberries or any fruit you like from your local grocery store or farmers' market. Even frozen berries would work just fine. I'm not a professional baker, but that doesn't mean I don't love to bake.

My Shrimp Salad is to die for! It's light and flavorful, and will have you coming back for more! Whenever you buy shrimp, whether fresh or frozen, look for the number on the package. This package of frozen shrimp had a 41-50 count. This indicates the size of the shrimp and the number of shrimp of this size that make up a pound.

I had the TV on Food Network channel. Michael Symon was cooking outdoors and he made Fondant Potatoes on the grill in a cast iron skillet.

Bruschetta Topped With Heirloom Tomatoes is what we're having for dinner tonight. Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer of toasted bread with...