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Tim in the Kitchen

Martin's Sausage - Reading Terminal Market

We headed into the city, today, to see the new Cherry Street Pier that just opened on the Delaware River. For this being its opening weekend, I have to say I was pretty underwhelmed. It doesn't seem to know what
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Tim in the Kitchen

Sicilian Braised Beef

Victor just made the mistake of calling me into the living room to see something Maryanne Esposito was making on Ciao Italia - an eggplant dish with candele pasta. Candele pasta is a really long tubular pasta that got its name
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Tim in the Kitchen

The End of Week Thirteen

Ah... what a week this has been! I have spent more time dealing with the Medical Industrial Complex than I would prefer - but - so far, all is swell. My latest foray was to an urgent care center this morning
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Both of Us in the Kitchen

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

A few weeks ago, Victor made sweet potato gnocchi. We had no plans for it other than freezing for use at another date and time. Today was that day and time. There is something about homemade pasta that really can't be adequately
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Tim in the Kitchen

Faux Paella

It's getting towards the end of the grocery week and the produce bin is looking a bit scarce. I'm trying not to overbuy - something that is really easy to do when going to a produce store - and I'm
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Tim in the Kitchen

The End of Week Twelve

24 pounds, boys and girls. Twenty-Four Pounds! I am really psyched. When we started this, we had a goal - something that seemed nigh on impossible - but we had to aim somewhere. Today, our goal is not only realistic, but
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Tim in the Kitchen

Chinese Chili

Okay... here's one for the fusion-folks - a mashup of cultures with a familiar look but an unexpected taste! I was looking for a brisket recipe and stumbled upon this from the New York Times. I set my skepticism aside and
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Tim in the Kitchen

Lentils

The first time I remember seeing - or tasting - lentils was when my Grandmother stayed with us after having a heart attack - sometime in the mid-to-late '60s. Her Doctor told her to eat them because they were good
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Tim in the Kitchen

Braised Pork Tenderloin

Sometimes, the simplest meals are the tastiest - and this was definitely simple! I cut a pork tenderloin into 1-inch scallops and lightly browned them in a braising pan. Out they came, and into the pan went chopped onion sliced shallots
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Tim in the Kitchen

Potato Broccoli Pancakes

Growing up, I always had mashed potato pancakes. I really don't remember ever having shredded potato pancakes - latkes - as a kid. Mom does have a recipe for them in her cookbooks - she switched it out to use
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Tim in the Kitchen

The End of Week Eleven

At the end of eleven weeks, we're still on track - averaging a 2 pound a week weight loss. This is crazy-wonderful. It means that all of this is actually worth it. At least it is when I'm sitting here.
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Tim in the Kitchen

Chorizo and Beans

I'm surprised I don't have indigestion. I broke my self-imposed rule and have been semi-watching the Kavanaugh hearings. If this charade doesn't galvanize voters in November, we are truly doomed as a society and as a country. This is filthy
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Victor in the Kitchen

Pasta e Fagioli

In the song That's Amore, Dean Martin sings "When the stars make you drool, just like a pasta fazool, that's amore". Pasta Fazool. So how did fagioli become fazool? Because, while the Italian word for beans is fagioli, the Neapolitan word is
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Tim in the Kitchen

Canning Dried Beans

When I was at the grocery store last week, I went to grab a couple of cans of beans. In the grande scheme of things, I'd rather cook my own, but you can't deny the convenience of having them cooked
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Tim in the Kitchen

Mahi Mahi

Back from Gentile's with lots of good produce. You can really see the difference in seasons - stone fruits are pretty much gone and apples are everywhere. Melons are slim and squash is a'plenty. I do like the changing seasons and
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Tim in the Kitchen

Beef Stew

It's the first full day of Autumn - and it's damp and rainy. It's also Sunday - the end of the grocery shopping week when the pickin's can be a bit slim. Time to make a batch of beef stew. I'm reasonably
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Tim in the Kitchen

Shrimp, Grits, and Peppers

It's the first day of Autumn and the hot peppers are still growing like mad. We pretty much gave up on them earlier in the season - they were looking pretty sad. The tomatoes, on the other hand, are history.
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Tim in the Kitchen

The End of Week Ten

We're both down twenty pounds! This, boys and girls, is pretty heartening - it means all of this work is actually paying off! We feel better. We have more energy. Everyday tasks are easier to do. It's a flippin' miracle. This proves
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Tim in the Kitchen

Chicken, Beef, and Pork

We've been eating - I just haven't been writing about it. I've been busy updating the Tim and Victor website, going to the Doctor for my annual physical, making all of the appointments for all of the follow-up tests... Blood pressure
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Tim in the Kitchen

Mushroom Ravioli

The Bayshore Diner was the full-service restaurant in the Westin San Francisco Airport when I opened the hotel in 1988. It was a '50s-themed diner with black and white checked floors, Wurlitzer Jukebox, and hostesses in poodle skirts and roller
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Tim in the Kitchen

The End of Week Nine

It's been nine weeks. Nine whole weeks since we began this odyssey. And, slowly but surely, it's starting to pay off - Victor is down 19 pounds, I'm down 17 1/2. Hallelujah! I hafta tell ya, though, this has not been
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Tim in the Kitchen

Oven BBQ Brisket

My impulse buy of the day, yesterday, was a brisket - they were on sale in my WASP grocery store for Rosh Hashanah. Brisket is not one of my normal go-to's in the beef department. I don't have a Jewish bubbe
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Tim in the Kitchen

Chicken Rice Soup with Leeks and Lemon

Since Victor made a vat of chicken stock, I thought it only fitting to make a small pot of chicken soup. I'm clever like that, sometimes. My mantra is soup is soup is soup. You put stuff in a pot and
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Victor in the Kitchen

Chicken Stock

Last night, as I was making my shopping list, Victor said, if you get a couple of chickens I'll make chicken stock and you can can it. With an offer like that, how could I refuse?!? We both prefer homemade stock,
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Tim in the Kitchen

Corn and Fish Chowder

Wow. It's cold enough to make a pot of soup! How did that happen? It's been raining all day - flood watch until Tuesday - with that wet, penetrating cold. Granted, I'm sill in shorts, t-shirt and thongs - flip-flops
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Bread

Sourdough Bread - Two Ways

I've just spent the past 10 days making sourdough bread. Well... Most of the time was sitting around and waiting for the starter to start - and then throwing out one batch that didn't start - but methinks the end
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Tim in the Kitchen

The End of Week Eight

We've made it through eight weeks. That's like half of Boot Camp. I went into Boot Camp right around this time in 1971 - 47 years ago. I don't remember it being this tough, however. I'm sure that it has
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Tim in the Kitchen

Eggplant and Shallots

The eggplants are still coming in and I've been looking for more and different ways to cook them. Every time I turn around, there's another one or two ready to eat - and the neighbors are starting to avoid me.
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Tim in the Kitchen

Leeks, Fennel, and Rice

I really can't count the number of times I cooked steaks for us and midway through dinner said we could have gotten by with one. Knowing I was cooking too much food never seemed to stop me from cooking two,
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Tim in the Kitchen

Corn Two Ways

Tonight's dinner is brought to you by my friend, the fresh cob of corn. Corn on the cob is such a good friend that I picked up two ears of it today. As I was putting groceries away, I noticed
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Tim and Victor's Totally Joyous Recipes

Welcome to the site!

We have recipes from family reunions, heart-healthy from the ’90s, artery-clogging from the ’60’s, rustic breads, gooey desserts, hundreds of recipes from friends and family, quick and easy ideas, and whatever we decided to pull together for dinner.
Eclectic, to say the least.

And eclectic really does sum up what it’s all about – fun food for fun people with something for any occasion.

Peruse the site and have some fun! There are several thousand recipes just waiting for you!

Bread

Sourdough Bread – Two Ways

I’ve just spent the past 10 days making sourdough bread. Well… Most of the time was sitting around and waiting for the starter to start – and then throwing out one batch that didn’t start – but methinks the end result was worth it. Really worth it! T...

by Tim Dineen

Tim in the Kitchen

Martin’s Sausage – Reading Terminal Market

We headed into the city, today, to see the new Cherry Street Pier that just opened on the Delaware River. For this being its opening weekend, I have to say I was pretty underwhelmed. It doesn’t seem to know what it is… Or, at least, we couldn’t figure it out. T...

by Tim Dineen

Desserts

Vanilla Cake for Two

Since I made a Chocolate Cake for Two a couple of weeks ago, I thought it time to make a Vanilla Cake for Two. I love cake. hell – I love desserts, period. This is where I really take after my mother. You’ll note in the cook books she put together over the years tha...

by Tim Dineen

Victor in the Kitchen

Pasta e Fagioli

In the song That’s Amore, Dean Martin sings “When the stars make you drool, just like a pasta fazool, that’s amore”. Pasta Fazool. So how did fagioli become fazool? Because, while the Italian word for beans is fagioli, the Neapolitan word is fasule. To ma...

by Tim Dineen

Holidaze

The Social Security Birthday – and a Four-Day Birthday Weekend

One of the [many] fun things about being retired, is I can take a 4-day birthday weekend and not have to use vacation days! We get to just go. Well… after arranging the Nonna-Sitter, and all… but, you get the idea. It’s totally liberating to just do things when ...

by Tim Dineen

Both of Us in the Kitchen

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

A few weeks ago, Victor made sweet potato gnocchi. We had no plans for it other than freezing for use at another date and time. Today was that day and time. There is something about homemade pasta that really can’t be adequately described. It’s over-the-top good ̵...

by Tim Dineen

THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Family
and
Friends

This is a collection of recipes from family and friends, TV personalities, and stuff just found along the way. There are handwritten recipes from long-gone relatives and things we’ve recently found. There’s no real rhyme or reason to anything other than they’re things we like. Because that’s really what it’s all about.

THE RECIPES
THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Outrageous
Holiday
Cooking

These are recipes shared by our wonderful family and friends. Recipes that have been handed down over the years as well as fun foods newly created. A one-stop-shop for all your Holiday Cooking!

THE RECIPES
THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Family Reunion
Recipes
One

Family recipes shared at our first Family Reunion at Fort Robinson, Nebraska in 1986. They run the gamut from savory to sweet - with something for everyone.

THE RECIPES
THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Family Reunion
Recipes
Two

Family recipes shared at our second Family Reunion at Fort Robinson, Nebraska in 1996. Even more fun foods!

THE RECIPES
THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Tim's
Mom's
Cookbooks

Here it is! Tim’s Mom’s collection of recipes from the 1960’s and 1970’s. Days when cooking was definitely more fun and adventurous! The two original loose leaf binders contain recipes culled from magazines and newspapers, as well as handwritten recipes by her, her mother, and other friends and relatives.

THE RECIPES
THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Recipes
From The
Heart

These recipes were created for the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center by menu and recipe coordinator Christine Leishman, who has extensive experience in some of San Francisco’s finest restaurants. They are for anyone who is serious about cooking and eating delicious and healthful foods.

THE RECIPES
THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Little Gram's
Cookbook

“Little Gram” was Mary Ferante, nee Taomina. She was our sister-in-law Marie’s Grandmother, and, while not exactly a blood relation to us, was nevertheless “Little Grandma” to us as well. She was spry, active, and ready to talk politics or cooking right up to her passing in July 2008 at 105. Yes, one hundred and five.

THE RECIPES
THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Recipes
From
Villa Modica

The villa is located in Modica, province of Ragusa, in Sicily – in the southeastern corner of the island. Close to Syracusa, Catania, and easy driving to Mount Etna, it’s the perfect location. And the food. The food. The food...

THE RECIPES
THE COOKBOOK COLLECTIONS

Quick Meals
In
Minutes

These are mostly recipes created when Tim was doing demo work. They are quick and easy - and should really take only minutes to throw together.

THE RECIPES

Martin’s Sausage – Reading Terminal Market

We headed into the city, today, to see the new Cherry Street Pier that just opened on the ...

Tim in the Kitchen

Tim Dineen
Sicilian Braised Beef

Victor just made the mistake of calling me into the living room to see something Maryanne ...

Tim in the Kitchen

Tim Dineen
The End of Week Thirteen

Ah… what a week this has been! I have spent more time dealing with the Medical Indus...

Tim in the Kitchen

Tim Dineen
Sweet Potato Gnocchi

A few weeks ago, Victor made sweet potato gnocchi. We had no plans for it other than freez...

Both of Us in the Kitchen

Tim Dineen
Faux Paella

It’s getting towards the end of the grocery week and the produce bin is looking a bi...

Tim in the Kitchen

Tim Dineen
The End of Week Twelve

24 pounds, boys and girls. Twenty-Four Pounds! I am really psyched. When we started this, ...

Tim in the Kitchen

Tim Dineen
Chinese Chili

Okay… here’s one for the fusion-folks – a mashup of cultures with a fami...

Tim in the Kitchen

Tim Dineen