Blog

Greetings to all of my family and friends! My apologies for the long stretch of time between posts on sharyescookbooks.com — but “Life” just got in the way for a while. Things are slowly getting a bit more settled again, so be on the lookout for more posts! 😊 Recently I came across a Watermelon… Continue reading Watermelon Gazpacho

We always think fondly of our friends, Walter and Wendy Walcher (who for 32 years were the most delightful and gracious hosts of Tosoni’s — our most favorite Bellevue restaurant). We hope they are thoroughly enjoying their well-earned retirement — and we thank them for sharing their very delicious Portobello Mushroom Appetizers with us over… Continue reading Portobello Mushroom Appetizer

NOTE: Prepare homemade crepes from your favorite recipe (they are not difficult to make) — or use store-bought French crepes. You will almost always find a 10.5-ounce package of Jacquet Delicious Original French Crepes (Paris 1885) on hand in our kitchen! These savory crepes easily turn small amounts of leftover meats or vegetables into a… Continue reading Turkey-and-Mushroom Crepes with Gruyère Cheese Sauce

Thanksgiving Day 2023 is over, and our family enjoyed a delicious turkey dinner — but now we have leftovers! I’m not a big fan of leftovers, but I have to admit there is something special about them when it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you also have leftover turkey at your house, make Turkey… Continue reading Turkey Tetrazzini

For the Sauce: 2 1/2 cups rich homemade chicken stock 1 teaspoon chicken-flavored Better Than Bouillon 1 teaspoon granulated onion with parsley  1 teaspoon freeze-dried oregano leaves 1 pinch red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons cold water For the Chicken: 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to… Continue reading Tuscan Chicken

Florida’s oldest restaurant, The Columbia, in Ybor City is nearly 120 years old — and it is still owned and operated by 4th- and 5th-generation family members of the original restaurateur, a Spanish-Cuban immigrant, Casimiro Hernandez, Sr. Our own very special evening at The Columbia many years ago was absolutely magical — the food, the… Continue reading Paella a la Valenciana

Stuffed bell peppers are just perfect for a football Sunday kind of day! Personally I prefer to use red bell peppers, but my husband likes the green ones better — any color works though! And for those other empty-nesters out there, this tasty dish is very easy to cut down to serve just you, perhaps… Continue reading Spicy Italian Bell Peppers

It’s time for the Seahawk’s first game of the season, and we will be watching the game and cheering them on — which means our dinner tonight needs to be quick-and-easy! 😊 We have some delicious fresh peaches, some Walla Walla sweets, and a big pot of fresh basil on the kitchen counter, so this chicken dish will… Continue reading Balsamic Chicken with Fresh Peaches and Basil

Last night we enjoyed a delightful birthday dinner with wonderful friends — enjoying a beautiful sunset and a Columbia River view for our friend, Bud’s, 75th and my 80th — most definitely an excuse to celebrate! 😊 We only got to share a couple of short days, but it was great to all be together… Continue reading Lemon Meringue Pie 

6 medium potatoes, peeled and covered with cold water  1 small onion, peeled and grated 2 tablespoons flour 4 strips thick-sliced bacon, crisply cooked and chopped  2 eggs, beaten  1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste  Pinch of freshly-ground black pepper, or to taste Pinch of freshly-grated nutmeg, or to taste 2 tablespoons fresh… Continue reading Potato Pancakes (Kartoffel Pfannkuchen)