My Utensil Crock is on a brief cooking hiatus. I will be posting some of my greatest hits during this time. I hope you enjoy! If you have been following My Utensil Crock for a while, you know that I have been a member of a Cooking Club for more than 10 years now, ever since my buddy JBM and I decided that cooking with friends and talking ... view more
cooking club
Cider Brined Roasted Chicken with Cider Glaze {Repost}
Cider season is in full swing, and I am reposting this oldie but goodie from May 2013. Five and a half years later, I wanted to re-share this fun fall recipe, with a few adjustments and lots of new photos. I was so intimidated by the thought of cooking a whole chicken - until I tried. Turns out, there is very little more to it than putting ... view more
Coconut Cashew Date Snack Bars {No-Bake}
In January, I looked at a 4-pound bag of Domino's sugar and had a moment of terror. I bake a lot. This, you know. Recipes for baked treats usually have at least a cup of sugar in them, if not two or more. I go through that 4-pound bag in no time at all. I was not at all ready for a January cleanse of any sort, but I decided that in February, ... view more
Mascarpone Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Hot Chocolate Soup
This post was a long time coming, in a few ways. First, the recipe. Mascarpone Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Hot Chocolate Soup. I first met this recipe in 2008 by way of an early but classic Cooking Club (Hostess: me; Theme: Soup’s On!; Date: 12.07.08). Every recipe in that menu was a soup, and this dessert course did not disappoint. The menu ... view more
Prosciutto, Parmesan, and Arugula Flatbread with Fig Jam Spread
I love looking at Flatbread offerings at restaurants. Far from traditional pizza combinations like pepperoni or spinach, it seems that any three ingredients + a spread = a delicious $14 appetizer. Sometimes the ingredients obviously complement each other - caramelized onions and mushrooms with goat cheese; other combinations, like a recent ... view more
One-Pot Stovetop Lasagna Ragu with Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage
If you have been following My Utensil Crock for a while, you know that I have been a member of a Cooking Club for more than 10 years now, ever since my buddy JBM and I decided that cooking with friends and talking about food and recipes would be the perfect way to spend one Sunday each month. One of our classic themes was "Soup's On!" ... view more