This year, I decided to experiment a little with the gravy. Although there is nothing wrong with your mom’s turkey gravy, who knows, maybe you’d like to try something different this year. This sauce is not really like gravy, it is much more concentrated and meant to be drizzled over the dish, not poured. I hope that you...

Thanksgiving is here once again, and everybody has advice on how to cook your turkey this year, so I won’t be weighing in. I feel that the dressing is almost as important as the turkey, and unfortunately, a lot of people tend to minimize its role on the Thanksgiving table. This recipe is...

Admittedly, there is not very much time left to utilize your grill, but this recipe can be made in the oven as well. The key is to marinate the pork for at least an hour, and overnight is even better. Since part of the recipe uses corn husks, corn on the cob is a perfect accompaniment for this dish. The corn husks should be soaked...

There is nothing quite as satisfying as a good potato salad. Creamy, salty, crunchy and tender all at once. My mom makes it with a lot of hard boiled egg, and a little vinegar gives it the zesty flavor that puts it over the top...

This dish is so simple anyone can do it, including your kids. There is a trick, however. You need to serve this dish and eat it IMMEDIATELY! The recipe calls for a lot of butter, and if it cools off too much it will solidify. The starch in the pasta water will serve to thicken it, too. Other than that, it is wonderfully creamy and tasty...

This is a recipe which requires a fair amount of time and effort, but it is well worth it. Commercial ravioli are bland, too perfect versions of the real thing. Good homemade pasta is nutty, toothy heaven and you can make so many different fillings from savory to sweet. I sometimes make dessert ravioli with butternut...

Here’s my take on the classic dish. For me, the key is to make sure that the chicken is super crispy, not overcooked, and I don’t like to bake the chicken for very long. Use a little sauce, don’t drown it. Use fresh mozzarella, not the hard block of cheese...

I love this dish for its simplicity, and the results are always overwhelmingly positive.  You should end up with what I like to call “grill fries”, crispy on the outside and puffy potato goodness on the inside.  A good companion dish for any grilled protein, dip them in whatever sauce you like.  I prefer to drizzle them with a nice hot sauce like Cholula...

­I made this dish for a family picnic and it lasted for about 15 minutes. This dish is simple, fresh and tasty.Make sure that the shrimp are thoroughly cleaned and that you don't overcook them. They only need to be in the boiling water for about 30 seconds, and then put into an ice bath immediately.Boil them with the...

An essential part of your cooking arsenal, shrimp scampi is not only easy to make but is a classic dish that always gets a compliment from your guests. The origins of this dish are fought over but at this point in time there are so many versions that it really doesn't matter what you use for your crustacean. I also like to add a little chili...

This recipe is something that I have been eating since I was old enough to eat solid food. My grandmother has been making these croquettes for 50 years (maybe more), and they will always be a food that makes me think of home, family and security. I hope that you enjoy it, and remember that it can be adapted to your own liking. You can make it with chicken, ham, veggies or whatever you feel like...

Every now and then, I go on a bender and need something to comfort me the next day. This grilled cheese sandwich recipe usually does the trick, along with a pint of ice cream, French fries and a half gallon of juice. You can use this recipe when you aren't hung over, too...

This is a simple, delicious way to prepare chicken breasts without drying out the meat. Once prepared, you can refrigerate or freeze and reuse for a while. Although I like to use fresh oregano, you can substitute your favorite herb. The chicken can be used for sandwiches, tacos, burritos, or just by itself with potatoes and veggies or on top of a salad...

I came home from work the other day and my wife and a friend had cooked up some tempura battered shrimp and made tacos. Although relatively simple, they were so satisfying after working a 10 hour shift that I had to have the recipe to pass on to you. You can vary the recipe by adding diced pineapple to the pico de gallo...

Summer is rapidly approaching, and nothing satisfies or is easier to make than fresh guacamole. The key to a good guacamole is freshness, the perfect ripeness of the avocado, and the presentation. First, the guacamole should be prepared immediately before eating, otherwise it will rapidly discolor due to the interaction of oxygen with the avocado. This can be prevented slightly...

This dish was inspired by combining a few different ethnic cuisines, namely Danish, Chinese and Italian. It occurred to me how easy it is to overcook a piece of salmon, so I thought I would wrap it in an egg roll pastry. I really like the combination of fennel and dill with salmon, and seafood always seems to benefit from...

As spring approaches, I remember fondly last summer's fresh, homegrown tomatoes and the salads we made. Luckily, we live in the 21st century, not the 14th, and tomatoes are available year round. The key to this salad is using sheep's milk feta instead if goat's milk feta. The difference in flavor is really noticeable.

I love spedini, they are such a rich, comforting food. I like their versatility, too. You can find literally hundreds if not thousands of variations; everybody has their own version. I make mine with whatever is laying around the kitchen, something which I am sure will shock and anger any spedini purist out there. I feel, however, that there...

The potato is probably the most versatile edible known to man, yet time after time, I find this humble tuber has been abused by kitchens all over. Why it is so difficult to put out a well executed breakfast potato is beyond me. To date, the only place I can expect perfect breakfast potatoes is Roots...

Many of you may have noted that the majority of my recipes are not very low-calorie, low-carb or low-fat. This recipe is no exception; it is what I like to call "high-flavor". The unfortunate result of our evolutionary years and many years of famine, our bodies usually want to store as much fat as possible when they can and for that reason we think that salt, fat, sugar and starches are tasty. We are right. This recipe has it all...

Although winter often poses problems with obtaining fresh locally grown produce, Milwaukeeans are lucky to have Growing Power products available to them. Grown in greenhouses...

I know, at first glance this recipe doesn't sound very glamorous, but sometimes you come across a recipe totally by accident. I had just put a chicken in the oven to bake and I was thinking "what am I going to do with this little bag of internal organs?" I'm really not the most adventurous eater, but I do like liver in most forms...

Since this column is starting now in February, I thought it would be nice to begin with one of my favorite fall/winter dishes: a classic chicken soup. Every year when the leaves start to change and there is a chill in the evening, I start to crave a nice, warm soup. This recipe is so basic, and once you've mastered it you can make your soup in about 45 min...