First, let me start with two apologies.  I am so sorry it has been three months since my last update (with one very small exception: in July I added a summer shot of the field by our house; now the homepage cycles between all four seasons, and that makes me smile).  Now, on to the second apology—I'm sorry that I don't have an airtight excuse for letting so much time slip through my fingers.  But I do have a handful of lesser excuses.  My two youngest sons were home for a good chunk of the summer (one home after his third year of college, the other after completing his first year as a teacher), and I've been busy cooking big family dinners every evening.  Summer is for enjoying leisurely meals on the porch, with time to talk and just be together with my family, so sadly I let my blogging slide.  I also spent some time in New Jersey with my sister, my oldest son, and some extended family (nieces, a nephew, and my brother in-law), where I enjoyed a good chunk of my summer.  They happily surrendered the kitchen to me, and we usually played games after dinner, so needless to say I was blissfully busy.  Not to mention the family vacation on the South Jersey shore with—miraculously—all four of my boys, or the invasive plant that I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to eliminate from our property every spring (I'm talking about you, garlic mustard!).  I think you get the idea... I am easily distracted.  But lest you think all of my distractions were welcome and happy, sadly they were not.  My father died in the spring.  Although he was very old and very difficult, closing a chapter of one's life is always an adjustment. Read more.

When I look back on the years when my boys were all still at home, it strikes me how little I recall the small details of most days.  I don't remember what we had for dinner each night, who I spoke to when I picked the kids up from elementary school each day, or what time Kevin came home from work each evening.  But sprinkled in were those precious few days I thought about long after they were gone, about which I remember every detail.  When a friend invites me over for dinner, for example.  Now that's a day I remember.  There is something so personal about being invited into someone's home, glimpsing into their private sphere, and then proceeding to share the evening with them.

About twenty years ago, our friends Suzanne and David invited me and Kevin and over for dinner.  Even though it was such a long time ago, I still remember sitting on the porch in their backyard, eating a fantastic seafood dinner, and sharing stories from our day-to-day lives with each other.  But the most memorable moment from that evening came after dinner, when we were sitting at the kitchen table as Suzanne made a chocolate ganache at the stove.  Read more.

When I was young, I didn't like hamburgers, which is odd because it's one of those foods that all kids seem to like.  I eventually realized that my issue wasn't the hamburgers, but the ketchup.  I know it sounds a bit un-American to dislike ketchup, but I'm quite put-off by the concept and execution of a tomato product that tastes sweet.  I now love burgers but I highly recommend topping them with mustard, strong dill pickles (homemade if possible), and sliced avocado.

Homemade burgers often pale in comparison to the restaurant variety, not least because they're dry rather than juicy.  Professional chefs tout using meat with the highest fat content, but even then burgers can end up disappointingly dry.  I have found that adding a bit of unflavored gelatin to the ground meat results in a juicy burger every time.  Don't go overboard with the gelatin, as too much of it will cause the burger to fall apart when you flip it.  I like my burgers rare, but my husband likes them medium-well, so I speak from experience when I say that even a medium-well done burger will stay juicy with gelatin.  Read more.

Not all of us are crazy enough to homemake every component of our hamburgers, but these are the hamburger rolls to bake if you are.  They are so fluffy and so moist that you'll refuse to return to grocery store rolls afterwards.  They're a bit time consuming (compared to buying rolls), but you can make them early in the day or even the day before, as hamburger rolls don't necessarily need to be served hot.  If making them the day before, I recommend slicing, lightly buttering, and grilling them just before serving.  Read more.