The Chopping Block Cooking Blog

Scones, Biscuits and Shortcakes

I regularly make scones or biscuits for breakfast as a special treat. I love making these for so many reasons but especially because I think it is nearly impossible to find a good scone, or at ...

Pork Stew in Salsa Verde: A Delightful Mexican Dish

A very good friend of mine gave me this recipe, and we have cooked it several times now. He learned it in Mexico from his grandmother, and he comes from the city of Puebla where this is a regional ...

Honey Buns Reimagined

Growing up, my husband was accustomed to the luxuries of convenience store snack cakes and assorted pre-packaged cookies. Whereas at my house, my mom baked and made pretty much everything we ate.

Summer Grilling isn't Cancelled

Memorial Day weekend is always called the unofficial start to summer. In years past, the long holiday weekend was a time for first of the year beach vacations, large barbecues with friends, swimming ...

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Salmon: DIY Hot Smoked Salmon

Last time I went grocery shopping, the salmon looked really fresh, so I bought a couple extra portions. I had no idea what I was going to do with them at the time, but I couldn’t resist the ...

Cooking in the Time of Corona

Do you ever daydream about cinnamon rolls, or am I the only one? I could eat them all day every day. One of the very first things I decided to bake during the shelter in place order was ooey-gooey ...

Mango Mania

Up until just a week or so ago, the weather in Chicago was still pretty chilly (below 40 degrees at night), and we’d been in quarantine for 2 months. My social media continued to remind me of trips ...

No-Cook Spring Soup

In my highly personalized and largely antiquated recipe system, there are folders. Started in my twenties, these old-fashioned colored cardboard folders have been stuffed lovingly over the years, ...

Duck Egg Tagliatelle with Morel Mushrooms and Asparagus

Those of you that follow my blogs regularly know I love to forage for mushrooms. I have to write at least one blog a year on how to forage, clean and cook wild mushrooms. If you want to learn more ...

How about Breakfast for Dinner?

Adjusting to a new routine, as we go through these strange times, may be a challenge; however, we may actually find that we can break away from it and have some fun, especially in the kitchen!