Whether feeding a hungry crowd at a party, or as a quick anytime snack at home, these potato skins are always a hit.  Make them anytime you find an extra good deal on potatoes and keep your freezer frugally stocked.  For traditional skins use bacon, but save calories by using turkey bacon or make them vegetarian with vegetarian bacon.

A lot of restaurant potato skins are fried.  These are baked, but no less satisfying.  The secret is to rub the outside of the potatoes with oil before baking the first … Read more

I recently made lots and lots of pans of this tropical bread pudding –  studded with pineapple, coconut, bananas, and oranges –  for a huge fund raising dinner.  People have been raving about it and begging for the recipe ever since.  One happy diner proclaimed “This is insanely good.  It is too good for bread pudding — I don’t even like bread pudding — you need to call this Hawaiian Cobbler!”

Whatever you decide to call it, this recipe makes a delicious dessert that feeds a crowd.  Despite it being … Read more

This recipe is a great example of Cooking Forward, one of my favorite techniques in which tonight’s meal gets transformed into something entirely different tomorrow.  Since this recipe is Part II, it’s tomorrow (meaning you will have already have to have made Part I, Carnitas, before you will be able to make this soup from the leftover cooking liquid.  Go ahead, click on the Carnitas link and make that first, we’ll wait.  Then come back here to make this wonderful hearty soup!  (Read more about Cooking Forward in … Read more

This recipe is a great example of Cooking Forward, one of my favorite techniques in which tonight’s meal gets transformed into something entirely different tomorrow.  Read more about Cooking Forward here.

This recipe for Mexican style pulled pork is a great utility one, in that you can use the pork to make so many things: sandwiches, tacos burritos, enchiladas, etc — so it has built in Cooking Forward potential.  The cooked pork is also freezer friendly, providing you freeze it in some of the broth.

But that’s not … Read more

Cooking Forward:  Cook Once, Eat Two, Three, Four or More Times!

Today I want to introduce you to one of my favorite “semi-make ahead” cooking techniques that we will be exploring in detail in many upcoming recipes here at Cheri On  Ice.  I call it “Cooking Forward” and it’s the ultimate culinary multi-tasking technique that will help you make the most out of your time in the kitchen.

Here’s how it works:  you make more food than what you need, then turn the leftovers (I prefer to call it “Forward … Read more

If you are looking for a surefire hit dessert to serve at your St. Patrick’s Day Party or anytime you want a sophisticated cupcake with grown-up appeal, this is it!  Tucked into the center of each Irish Cream liqueur flavored cake is a dark chocolate truffle, then it’s all topped with a decadent Irish Cream flavored buttercream icing.

This recipe uses a cake mix as its base, then dresses it up so nobody will ever guess.  Cocoa coated dark chocolate truffles are relatively easy find.  If you’re lucky enough to … Read more

If, like me, you can still find a can or two of pumpkin in your pantry after the holidays, this recipe will make a great way to use it up.  (If you are reading this post before the holidays, well this cookie is one that celebrates the flavors of fall.)  These simple looking cookies pack a powerful flavor punch from both the pumpkin and the spices — cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.  Keep unbaked cookies in the freezer then bake up just the amount you need for hot-from-the-oven cookies anytime.… Read more