Welcome to our blog, we’re glad you are here.
This blog is to share our love, joy and passion for food and cooking. Join us in our our kitchen on our culinary adventure. Pull up a stool, grab a cup of joe, make yourself at home and join in on the conversation. We hope you like our blog and stick around for a while. If you have any comments, suggestions or gripes, let us know. If you like a recipe, post or whatever tell us. If you don’t like something tell us that, too. If you just want to say hi, then do so. Whatever your thoughts, we would like to hear them. You will find we like food, all food. Unfortunately, our diet is such that we don’t eat a lot of red meat. Nonetheless, you will find some red meat dishes on the site, i.e. Steak Richard, Texas Bowl of Red, Stuffed Hamburgers, etc. You just won’t find a lot of those dishes. You will finds LOTS of seafood dishes, chicken dishes, salads and veggies with an occasional egg dish, pork dish, and rabbit (yes, we eat Bugs Bunny). You will find Mexican food, French food, American Italian food, Hawaiian food, Mediterranean food, Middle Eastern food and even some food from Africa and the Caribbean Islands, not to mention good old American cuisine and food we simply make up. You see, we feel food is an incredible journey and sensory experience. When we travel we always try to sample the local food establishments looking for some new taste or flavor combination. We are always looking to enhance our culinary knowledge and skills. So, if you have any tips, tricks or suggestions, please let us know.
As you get to know us you will find I’m a Lawyer by day.
Chef by night and weekends.
After being a fry cook, a line cook, a saucier, etc., doing a stint in culinary school, running kitchens and managing restaurants, I made my way to law school, passed the bar and began practicing law in 1985. 29 years later, on my 60th Birthday I moved from being a Partner with Scheef & Stone, L.L.P. in Dallas, Texas to being Of Counsel. This way I get to be a little more particular about the cases I choose and spend a little more time with family and doing the things I always enjoy, like cooking. You see, throughout all the years and many ordeals my love of food and cooking has never left me. I can be as busy as I can be fixing dinner for a large party but I am oddly relaxed and calm in the kitchen. For me, it is a catharsis where all the troubles and toils of the day disappear while I work on creating something tasty and aesthetically appealing. Ultimately, I met and married the most wonderful woman in the world, Elia aka “Baby Lady.” I love her dearly and as much today as when I first met her.
She not only shares my life but also my passion for food, cooking and wine. We’re avid cookbook and food magazine readers, food show watchers and experimentalists. Most of the time our big adventure is going to the local market to buy groceries and getting excited about all the delicacies and comestibles available. Now, rather than trying to make a living plying my culinary craft, I get to play in our kitchen and entertain our friends, all while working on my epicurean skills, creating fun dinner menus with the Baby Lady, and trying new things and techniques on our journey through the world of food and culinary delights. I am the luckiest man in the world.
At the urging of my sister-in-law, Adela, we started this blog. It contains recipes and photos from a cookbook I have been building on my computer for several years (no, the cookbook is not for sale, not being shopped for publication and was simply to document what we eat and provide it to the children along with other family recipes). It also contains new recipes we are trying from day-to-day, as well as old favorites we have yet to write down. Many of the recipes only have photos of the finished product as opposed to step-by-step detail photos. As we repeat the recipes we will try to include step-by-step photos for those recipes not having them. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the recipes, photos and stories. Thanks for dropping by and looking around.
REMCooks 
This is a WONDERFUL idea and I’m so very excited to see what delicious dishes you’ll post next!
I’m glad you like it. You have to thank my friends, especially my sister-in-law Adela, who encouraged me to do this after seeing all the Facebook photos.
My Mom was called Adela, and pity the poor person who slipped up and called her Adele! I don’t see the name all that often any more. She was a wonderful cook and especially fond of putting up a pretty table. You’ve reminded me of her :). I miss her!
OOPS – I see I mentioned this once before, awhile back. I’m here again because I’m mentioning you in an upcoming blog. Sorry to be repeating myself!
YAY! So glad you finally took the plunge into the blogsphere. I’m not a cook, but I love to salivate at your menus!
Thanks. Maybe I will inspire you to cook some of these items. You will see that some of them are very easy and quick so you can do this on a weeknight.
Richard, I am so very happy you have started thsi blog.
It is wonderful!!
I look forward to logging in everyday!
Adela
Thanks for encouraging me to do this!
I really enjoy your blog so I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. More information at http://denlyn3.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/versatile-blogger-award/
Happy blogging.
I enjoy reading your blog. You have a great way of talking about all kinds of new and interesting ingredients, as well as breaking down both new and familiar recipes, explaining the nuts and bolts of it in a way that makes me want to try and cook it myself!
You are always so very kind. Baby Lady and I like to cook and we like to share our experiences with others. I am glad to hear what we write is readable and honored that it makes you want to try some of the recipes. You’ve made my day. Thank you.
Hi, Richard, I’m passing on TWO awards to you: The Sunshine Award and the Versatile Blogger Award! Reading your blog is almost like actually having you in the kitchen explaining things to me, so I’m really enjoying your recipe posts. I just ran out of Ras en Hanout (both recipes!) so will need to grind more soon. Thanks again, and keep cookin’! 🙂
Thank you so much for such a nice comment. You are very kind and sweet to think of me for this honor.
You are welcome, thanks for all your inspiration! 🙂
Hi, Richard, I have a question about salad dressing, maybe you can help me out. We picked up a bottle of homemade dressing from a restaurant that I want to ship to my parents in Hawaii. It was refrigerated, and I asked the server if it had to be kept refrigerated and she wasn’t sure (that’s how they kept it.) I don’t think there’s dairy, it looks like those reddish colored salad dressings and she did mention there’s vinegar. It has a bit of a sweet-tangy taste, not very strong, and has a lot of herbs. It’s in a mason jar and I was just wondering if the dressing would survive 7 days in the mail. Let me know if you have any ideas, thanks!
I would contact the restaurant and speak with a manager. The manager should know if it must be refrigerated. If he doesn’t know, find out who packages the dressing for them and give them a call. Given it is sold commercially, there are certain federal and state health and safety requirements the restaurant must meet. Also, labeling requirements should dictate the ingredients be listed somewhere on the label. The label should also indicate whether it should be refrigerated after opening. If all that is in it is herbs, vinegar, oil and sugar, it should make the trip as both vinegar and sugar are natural preservatives. If it has eggs, I would be hesitant to ship it.
Great information, I didn’t even think about the missing label! I’ll probably ship something else to my mom, just to be safe. Thanks, Richard!
What a great blog! I am collecting recipes for loved ones, too. Life is about making cherished memories, and how better to do that with sharing food and celebration? Love your style.
Thank you for your nice comment. I agree with you that nothing brings out memories better than food, family and friends.
🙂
Hi Richard, I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award: http://southbyse.com/2012/10/11/blog-award-one-lovely-blog-award/
Thank you. That is very sweet of you.
I have nominated you for the Sunshine Award! I love your blog!
Congrats!
http://vinca11.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/the-sunshine-award/
Thank you. That’s very sweet of you.
Hi ! I love your blog and I have nominated you for ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award!
http://vinca11.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/awardsappreciation/
Hello Richard… I’ve just stumbled upon your blog and I have to say, it’s really inspiring. I started my blog for a similar reason: I have a slight obsession with cooking, I create lots of recipes, but (unlike you) I hadn’t really documented them anywhere. Well, now I have a bit of a public ‘archive’ that I can refer to whenever I want!! 🙂 I’ll definitely be checking back in on your delicious recipes. Thanks for sharing your passion with us!
Hi, Laura. Thanks for dropping by and leaving such a nice compliment. We hope to see you around more.
Love cauliflower and your blog!
Thank you so much for you very nice compliment. We’re glad you found us and hope to keep you interested.
Great recipes within great photograph….
i can taste your passion throught all of that,
nice to know you chef
My hubs is a lawyer though he doesn’t have the passion for cooking that you do. I tried your roasted cauliflower recipe and you made several mentions of New Mexico stuff in there. I live 30 miles from santa fe and albuquerque, So it made me wonder if you lived in NM or just love the cusine. Loved your about page, it’s great to have something that you share with your wife and that it’s something that calms you.
Baby Lady is from El Paso and I am from a small town outside of Dallas. We were married in the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe and live in a suburb of Dallas. We like NM and its cuisine so you will find several NM dishes in the blog, as well as Mexican dishes among others. Thanks for dropping by and your nice compliment. We hope you liked the cauliflower. It’s a tremendously popular recipe. 🙂
Richard the great! I’ve nominated your blog-with-a-life-of-its-own for yet another award! If you want to take a look, the link is here: http://laurasmess.me/2013/05/01/awards-and-acknowledgements-ii/ No expectation for you to do the link up if you don’t feel like it though. Just want you to know you’ve been inspiring to me!
Hi Richard!
Pls like my fb page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vinasdeliciousrecipes/592475407436879?ref=hl
🙂
Veena, I did last night. 🙂
Thank you Richard ! 🙂
You have some of the tastiest recipes, Richard. Thanks for posting so many excellent dishes. I’m nominating you for the “Versatile Blogger Award”. If you want to accept, click here! http://turmericandtwine.com/2013/05/08/versatile-blogger-award-celebrating-bloggers/
I’m so sorry I didn’t reply to your post and am highly embarrassed. Thank you for such a lovely honor. It’s so nice that you have thought of me for this award. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 🙂
I love your blog! I have nominated you for the Super Sweet Blogger Award, which you can read about here: http://milesforthought.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/super-sweet-blogger-award/
Some days I am so busy I miss posts on the blog. Please forgive me for not responding to you sooner. It was very sweet of you to honor me with this award. Thank you so much.
Hi Richard, I have enjoyed your blog for a long while now, so I have nominated you for the Liebster Award: http://bakingbohemian.wordpress.com/2013/06/09/the-liebster-award/ . And I see you just got nominated for another award, so congratulations! jen
Thanks, Jen. 🙂 I have posted the award on the awards/acknowledgment page and am working on passing it along to other deserving blogs. 🙂
Your wedding pohotgraph is beautiful! So romantic with the snow 🙂 It’s great that while being a lwayer by day, you still cultivate your passion for food! I look forward reading your recipes and entries!
Ciao 🙂
Ely, thanks for such kind words. Our wedding was phenomenal. It was a destination wedding consisting of only us, the minister, and pianist. We had a private chef cook dinner the night before and lunch the following day based upon a menu I prepared. I loved the snow flakes in Baby Lady’s black hair. It was rather angelic. 🙂
That sounds so romantic and magical!!! And how lovely that you had lunch cooked based on a menu you prepared, it makes it even more special 🙂
I am a huge fan of Conor’s blog and now yours. Rather than flood you with notifications of my “likes” I’ll just say I really like your flavors and recipes. Looking forward to more! 🙂
Thanks, so much. You have a very nice blog yourself. I thought I was following it but discovered I was not. I have corrected that error now. 🙂
Nice to meet you! Lovely blog and recipes.. Ciao Ostriche
Thanks. We hope to see you around. 🙂
Say hi to Adela for me! My mom was called Adela and I’ve never met another one. Yes, a few Adeles but that’s been it. I’m back on your site because I’m getting a link to post with your soup recipe, when I hope to reveal a new secret ingredient 🙂
I have passed on your greeting to her. 🙂 I have only known a few Adelas myself.
Very nice meeting you guys! For the names of your wife and sis in law, I gather you speak Spanish too? If that’s the case, encantada de haber encontrado vuestro blog 😉
Hi Richard,
I have been following your blog for a while now & It’s great knowing you & I thoroughly enjoy your write up’s & your passion for food, your lovely recipe’s & photography… I would like to nominate you for the “Shine On” award… Please check – http://kelipaan.com/awards/ for the details to accept the award… Keep rocking & posting your lovely recipe’s…
Cheers,
Anitha
Congratulations Richard for your culinary and presentation talent. You have a beautiful blog with valuable information. I am so surprised that I did not pay attention sooner. Viewing your posts make me feel like I am strolling through a 5☆ establishment!
Pleased to meet you and Elia. ~Fae.
Thanks, Fae, for such very kind words and wonderful compliment. You have a very nice blog, as well. I have been drooling over your baked figs. We hope to see you around. 🙂
What a great blog you got here, I just love the passion you got in food.
Thanks for the very nice compliment. We try to please.
Indeed.
Thanks for the follow! What a great blog you have too ! my type of food ….
I finally got around to reading your “About” page. I love seeing the photos of you and Baby Lady! Just so you know, I am so going to make your Fideo soup next week. Drooling over the thought of it…
Thanks, Kathryn. The blog has been a lot of fun. Hope you like the soup. 🙂
EXCELLENT foods! Cant wait to get into the Mexican,salads and soups,on and on.Just SUPER,Thank you soooo much for taking the time to share them.
You are more than welcome. 🙂 Glad you like them and have dropped by. Hope to see you around in the future.
Hola!!!
Solo escribiros cuatro palabras para felicitaros de vuestro maravilloso blog, es fabuloso y muy bien trabajado.
Saludos desde un lugar donde adoramos la gastronomia como es el Pais Vasco.
Gracias por sus palabaras amables. Nos alegra que le guste nuestro blog y su comentario.
I usually try to avoid lawyers in non-business hours (being one myself), but I will make an exception here. 🙂 Looking forward to following along!
Hi, Michelle. I noticed you were a lawyer when I checked out your blog before following. Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward posted your Bourbon Praline Pound Cake. It was divine as is your blog. I worked my way through college working out of Louisiana in the oil fields and love bourbon and pralines. Lawyers generally drive me nuts because they have a tendency to take themselves and life too seriously. I am guilty of that fault, too. Baby Lady, however, keeps me pretty grounded (at least I think so 😉 ). There are several lawyers with food blogs and I am always amazed at the high quality of food presented. Makes me kinda proud to be a lawyer. 😀
Congratulations! You have been nominated for the Versatile blogger award. Please collect it at
I cook and collect recipes for loved ones too! There is nothing better to see people smiling when eating your food, I also think that there is nothing better than sharing a good plate of food to help people open up to one another. Lovely blog you have here!
Thank you. It has been a lot of fun and we have met a lot of people from all over the world.
Thank you Stefan. Richard would have loved this seeing this recipe on your blog.
I just heard about Richard’s passing, Elia. Although Richard and I were only friends through WordPress, his loss feels very real to me. What a wonderful legacy to hand down, all these delicious recipes so lovingly presented. Deepest sympathy, from Sharon, the voice behind Vinny Grette.
Dear Elia, I too just heard of Richard’s passing. He was a wonderfully inspiring food blogging friend and always had the kindest words to say about my recipes. He also inspired me to make several of his dishes from here. Please accept heartfelt condolences from Kathryn, aka anotherfoodieblogger. ❤
Hi Kathryn, thank you so much for your kind words. Richard loved reading your blog.
Dear Elia . . . could not believe the news read this morning. Words fail but I do hope that time ameliorates the pain and warm and happy memories remain . . . just another blogger who really did appreciate from far off Australia . . . .
Thank you for your kind words Eha. I don’t know if time will help. I miss him dearly. It is nice to people he loved sharing his recipes.
Elia, know that all his old friends in Arlington are thinking of him and sending you prayers for strength.
Chris, thank you so much. Richard would be pleased to hear. He loved his friends in Arlington