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    If there is one thing that the Toddster really loves, it's a good pork chop.  I think out of all the meat on earth he could choose . . . a chop would win for him.   I admit to not being opposed to eating a nice, tender and juicy pork chop myself.  I prefer the ones on the bone over the boneless ones, with a nice band of fat on the edge.  These are tastier and more tender than the others.  Trust me on this.        These are delightfully moist and spicy . . . and sticky sweet . . . being flavoured with a five spice and honey rub which they marinate in for several hours.   Then they are baked on top of a bed of delicious butternut squash and sweet potatoes.  The two together are bliss.  Seriously scrummy.   *Honey and Five Spice Chops* Serves 4 Printable Recipe  These are moist and sticky and spicy and oh so good.   Seriously scrumdiddlyumptious!  Plan ahead as...

I think the British love sandwiches more than anyone else in the world.  Walk into any shop, and I do mean any . . . and you are sure to find a variety of them, ready made, wrapped and for sale to anyone who feels in the need for some potable and portable sustenance of the this kind.   AND, they come in varities which are suitable for any meal of the day . . . breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack!   I recently treated myself to Nigel Slater's latest cookbook, eat.  You all know how I love Nigel and his way of cooking and eating.  That man could make anything look and sound tasty and he is the master as creating delicious and fast food out of just about anything you can get your hands on.   He has one whole chapter in this book devoted to sandwiches and the like.  My kind of guy.  My kind of cooking. One in particular intrigued me and set my tastebuds to tingling.  This was a sandwich he created using crusty bread, beef drippings and...

     I have a love affair going with the Bratwurst sausages that you can buy at Aldi.  They are very lean and I think they are delicious, with the flavour of fennel and spice.  Oftimes I will treat us to a meal of sauerkraut and bratwurst.  We love German food in this house.  The Toddster lived in Germany several times . . . a couple as a soldier and once as a civilian.  I lived there as a small child, in the Black Forest, when my father was in the CAF.  As a couple we have gone on holidays a few times to Germany. It's one of our favourite places to go, so it's no surprise that we love German food.   I often freeze half of the package of Bratwurst when I buy it, because well . . . there are only two of us and we can only eat so much.   One for me, one for Todd and yes . . . she is a spoiled pooch, one for Mitzie.     I had bought a turkey crown for Christmas the other day and in order to fit it into the...

    As most of you know I recently spent some time in Liverpool, the cultural centre of the North West here in the UK. Founded as a borough in 1207 and granted city status in 1880, it is a city of great diversity and  culture.  Chances are, if your ancestors immigrated to North America from Northern Europe, they left from the Liverpool Docks.  It is a city with amazing history and talent, having spawned the British Invasion of Pop Music, with the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black, and Billy Fury amongst others. Inhabitants of Liverpool are referred to as Liverpudlians but are also colloquially known as "Scousers", in reference to the local dish known as "scouse", a form of stew.  I think it is a term of affection really.  Our small community we live in here at the outskirts of Chester is filled with "Scousers."  I just love their accent!  At first I found it a bit hard to understand or make out what they were saying if they were ...