Grandpa Frank  

Chiarello Chocolate Chili Con Carne: Preheat a cast iron Dutch oven on the stove over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and then the coated meat, spreading it evenly so it covers the bottom of the Dutch oven in 1 layer. Leave it alone, without turning it, so the meat will brown and […]

Calabrian Spiedini: Season the pork well with a good amount of black pepper and grey salt. Mince the garlic and then, sprinkle with salt to help the mashing process. Using the side of a knife, mash it into a paste (this process is helped along if you sprinkle the garlic with a little salt […]

Steak Sandwiches: Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard seeds in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the steaks and seal the bag. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, turning the steaks occasionally. Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drain […]

Cheese and Spinach Puff Pastry Pockets: Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the frozen pastry shells on the baking sheet and bake until they puff and become golden brown, about 20 minutes. Using a small knife, cut out the center of the pastry shells. Meanwhile, stir the cream, milk, salt, and […]

Skiing in Yosemite; Most people think of winter in Yosemite as a season of limits, but it can be a season of possibilities. Cold and snow work better than any backcountry permit system to keep wild areas wild, and remoteness begins just out of earshot of the nearest road. If you enjoy solitude, try Yosemite […]

Pruning Roses, Trees, Shrubs And Other Plants; Winter is the time to think about pruning many plants in the garden. However, never prune for the sake of pruning, prune only the plants that need pruning. Roses are a good example of plants that need pruning, as do raspberries, clematis and sometimes hydrangeas, lilacs and others. […]

Winter Flowers; Winter is not a barren, bleak time for flowers - as well as flowers available all year round (see below) there are early bulb flowers like amaryllis, hyacinth, tulip, narcissus, and hellebore; southern hemisphere exotics such as protea, kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos)and Euphorbia fulgens; and foliages including ilex (hollyberry) and leucadendron to add much-needed […]

Sour Cream Muffins: Combine all ingredients and spoon into small, un-greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Cheese Noodles: Mix together cottage cheese, sour cream, grated onion, Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt. Add noodles and place in greased casserole. Sprinkle top with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 minutes.

Great Tasting Edible Flowers: Edible flowers add a special touch to salads. Once the salad has been tossed with dressing, pick off petals from edible flowers and toss them on top. Many flowers have a strong flavor, so use a light hand when adding them to a salad.