David Ross

I don't make a lot of pastries, but this was really good. Somewhat similar to a pecan pie. This is a Walnut Tart with Candied Walnuts as the garnish.

That is classic, and wonderful.

I don't think I've ever made a Walnut Tart, but I am glad I did. It's really sweet, much like a pecan pie, but a small slice was perfect. I use my standard shortbread pastry recipe I've made for years. It's simple, just powdered sugar, butter and flour, and is easy to just press into a tart pan with your fingers. The filling was just walnuts, butter and sugar. The candied walnuts weren't perfect looking, but tasted delicious. Just walnuts tossed in hot caramel. I finished it this morning and had a slice for breakfast!

I'm not a milk drinker myself, but will have a small glass with these cookies.

I did do the cross-hatch but you can't see it very good with the peanuts. These are nice and soft, chewy peanut butter cookies.

On a whim, I decided to take out my Mother's 1950 edition of the Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book. I hadn't made peanut butter cookies in a few years, and this was the recipe she used. The only update was a garnish of dry-roasted peanuts on top. Inside the cook book with classic illustrations and the different Betty Crocker test kitchens.

all looks so delicious!

I thought it would be fun to look back to 2010 and this report and photos I filed about Vegas Uncork'd. Founded by Bon Appetit, it was a grand culinary affair that included classes, seminars, plenty of parties, private dinner and a grand tasting. It was the best of times for dining in Las Vegas and the big French names had come to town as fine dining was replacing some the old, tired casino hotel restaurants. Sadly, the even dwindled over recent years and was merely a shell of itself, but the early days were memorable.

I did something I normally don't, yet I'm glad I did. I've always gone by some sort of family rule that you only serve braised dishes in the fall and winter during cold weather. And, if I had a new braised beef recipe I missed posting in January, do I really want to deny not posting it until next year? No. This recipe is best over two days. Braise the beef day one, then day two reheat it, strain the sauce and serve. Beef Braised in Red Wine.

One thing I'll make is salsa. For the past year my favorite is a Tomatillo Salsa. Served with homemade tortilla chips and on occasion, a guilty pleasure, I serve them with fresh fried chicarhonnes from the local Mexican market. For the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa- 1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed 1 small yellow onion, skin on, cut in half 4 cloves garlic, skin on 1 ½ cups fresh cilantro 1 small jalapeno, chopped 1 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. each salt and black pepper 2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano For the Homemade Tortilla Chips- 12 thin corn tortillas, cut into quarters 8 cups canola oil for frying 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder 1 tsp. each salt and black pepper Instructions Make the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa- -Heat a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Do not add oil or butter, leave the skillet dry. Add the onion, flesh side down, to the skillet. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves to the skillet. Let the onion and garlic char and get some black bits and start to get soft, 10 minutes, turning the skillet a few times. -Remove the onion and garlic from the skillet. Remove the onion skin and cut it into chunks. Remove the skin from the garlic cloves. Heat the broiler. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse. Place the tomatillos in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place the tomatillos under the broiler and roast until they start to char and soften, 8 minutes. -Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, oregano and salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend the salsa to combine. Make the Tortilla Chips and Serve- -Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or heavy stockpot to 350. Cut the corn tortillas in quarters. Deep-fry some of the tortilla wedges until golden, 2 minutes. Deep-fry the chips in batches. Drain the chips on a rack over a cookie sheet and season with chipotle chili powder, salt and pepper. Serve the chips warm with the tomatillo salsa.

What's on your menu for Cinco de Mayo this year?

Looks delicious and I like how you used the rolls.

That is one fine rabbit dish. The meat of the rabbit looks really good and I'm glad you mentioned it was tender.

My favorite spring desserts, both using rhubarb. Rhubarb Pot Pie and Rhubarb Bread and Butter Pudding with Mascarpone Cream.

Perfect and delicious. I know when I first started making Banh Mi some of my snooty friends confused it when I said I used canned pork pate from the Asian store. I think they thought that was terrible and I should only use some expensive French "pate de fois gras." Hah, I got them on that one. The pork pate is delicious and just perfect, (and what I know is used on many Banh Mi sandwiches in Vietnam.

This is close to what I am thinking about for the Southern-Fried Rabbit with Gravy and Grits. This is a Rockfish I did last spring with a ham hock red wine sauce. It's a bold sauce but surprisingly didn't overpower the rockfish. What do you think about this with Rabbit?

One of my dreams is to own some Mauviel French Copperware pans. A local kitchen shop carries it and can special order from the entire line. Anyone ever had the experience of cooking with it? This is a stock image of some of their pans

it was 4lbs. just the perfect size.

Thanks for sharing that's looks really good.

For Easter a Leg of Lamb. I find these smaller legs of lamb at Winnco. Frozen from New Zealand but tender and flavorful. In our main grocery stores leg of lamb is only available at Easter, and usually not the whole leg but a cut of the leg, and huge. These true small legs of lamb are better for my tastes. Marinated overnight with white wine, whole-grain mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped rosemary. I cut slits in the meat and studded it with cloves of garlic. Then roasted, first at 425 for 25 minutes then at 350 for 14 minutes a pound. THis one was just under 4 lbs. It was more on the medium rare side than I prefer, but most folks like it at that doness. Then a pan sauce of wine and more mustard, and studded with fresh rosemary for the table. It was delicious, and the leftovers will go in sandwiches and a lamb stew.

wow those are beautiful layers of potato and the whole meal looks delicious

Good question but no. They are sliced pretty thin.

A side dish to Easter lamb, Potato Gratin. I haven't made this for a few years and so pulled out my scribbled notes and made it to go with a roast leg of lamb. Sometimes I'll change the cheese, maybe add some diced onions to the layers, but this time it was the basics. So delicious and really good leftovers heated for breakfast the next day.

Their hams are so good.

I loved the Bourdain episode and seeing that hare with the sauce made from the blood.