Author Archives: dathoang

My Funny Valentines

This post is not about fancy recipes and exotic cooking… There’s plenty out there in the last few days from other bloggers on the perfect meal and dessert for Valentine’s Day. This post is about a perfect Valentine. We had the joy of watching our 4 year old twins this weekend and I had the […]

Smoky Black Bean Soup

I love black bean soup. Let me restate that…I love GOOD black bean soup… and I’ve had many of a ‘so-so’ black bean soup in my time… Today I’m sharing with you a flavor-intense black bean soup that boasts sweetness, a little bit of heat and a smoky flavor… touched by bacon! This recipe presents […]

Mushroom Barley Risotto

The other day I was cleaning out my spice cupboard and I found a box of barley that was hiding in the back. Oh, I love barley and have been craving Mushroom Barley soup but I had chicken unthawing for dinner last night… So I made the next best thing! This is made on the same concept […]

Texas Sheet Cake

What has a pound of butter… a pound of sugar… decadent chocolate… and pecans? Texas Sheet Cake! This recipe is not for the faint of heart…nor the faint of spirit. You won’t be able to resist once you see the goey-ness and smell the chocolate. One bite leads to one piece of cake which leads […]

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Whoa. Making stuffed cabbages is a big deal for me. In fact, EATING stuffed cabbages is even a bigger deal. When I was growing up, it seemed like we had stuffed cabbages ALL the time! This was a typical Sunday in our house… We would all go to church in the morning… After church, we’d […]

Easy Apple Pie

Impromptu. Impromptu dessert. Impromptu blog post. It was Saturday afternoon and we had plans with friends for an early dinner. I’m standing in the produce aisle with Hubby and said “Hey, let’s do dessert at our house!” He certainly didn’t argue with that and when I asked what should I make, he pointed to the […]

Wedding Soup

The term “wedding soup” is a mistranslation of the Italian language, minestra maritata (“married soup”), which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meat go well together. I have had the best intentions of following a recipe I found on the Food Network Magazine. Then the recipe started taking a path of its own, […]

Rosemary Focaccia

Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts. – James Beard It’s soup night. I can’t just eat soup. I need a sandwich or a good bread to go with it. Today I went to the store for my soup ingredients and browsed […]

Spaghetti Pie

Woot! It’s grandson sleepover night! Time for hugs, giggles, play… and holding onto every precious moment. When I was a young mother, I was too busy to hold onto every precious moment. Looking back now, I wish I could stop time and giggle more, hug more and play more… I couldn’t, I was a single […]

Sweet and Sour Brisket

I have been so good this January! I’ve been drinking green smoothies, upped my daily veggie count, allowing one day for vegetarian only meals and exercising. But sometimes you just need a big hunk of meat! I’m about to share with you my most requested recipe. I make it every time we have a crowd […]