Kevin Lee Jacobs

A Guide to Creative Living

Chuck Roast in the Instant Pot

Snow, wind, and freezing rain -- it's meat-and-potatoes weather here in Upstate New York!  The meat du jour is an inexpensive chuck roast, cooked to million-dollar tenderness in the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is just one of many "multi-function" cookers on the market. It works as a crock pot,...
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Chuck Roast in the Instant Pot

Chocolate Malakoff

Orange liqueur-dipped cookies surrounding a soft mound of chocolate and almond flavored mousse? YES, PLEASE. Here's the video and printable recipe for this Chocolate Malakoff: Thanks for watching! And now, a few notes to note: "Malakoff" is a Russian name. From what I've read, Chocolate Malakoff and its cousin Charlotte...
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Chocolate Malakoff

Cheese Soufflé (GF)

This is what the angels eat for weeknight dinners in heaven. I say "weeknight," because a cheese soufflé is actually EASY to make! And ooh la-la, just wait until you taste the golden crust and soft, creamy interior. Here's the video and printable recipe: Thanks for watching. I hope you'll...
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Cheese Soufflé (GF)

A Gratin of Leeks

I think you'll love this French gratin. After all, who can resist a sexy side dish (or vegetarian main course) of tender leeks, gloriously suspended in Sauce Mornay (white sauce with cheese), and topped off with crisp, buttery bread crumbs? You can assemble the entire dish several hours ahead of...
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A Gratin of Leeks

Chicken in White Wine (Poulet au Vin Blanc)

Happy January! This month, I'm returning to my ancestral roots, and cooking French food for you! First up is Poulet au Vin Blanc -- chicken and veggies poached in an aromatic brew of Sauvignon blanc and tarragon leaves. Here's the video and printable recipe for this one-pot wonder: Thanks for...
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Chicken in White Wine (Poulet au Vin Blanc)

Easy Homemade Crumpets

Tea and Crumpets, anyone? These particular crumpets are particularly delicious. They're easy, too. The yeast batter requires just one rise! I hope you'll give these British breads a try. They're delicious hot out of the pan, generously topped with good butter and jam. Alternatively, you can let the crumpets cool...
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Easy Homemade Crumpets

All-Purpose Crêpes

What's the fastest route to Paris? Crêpes! These thin pancakes are extremely easy to make. I like to fill them with mayo-based salad (chicken, tuna, seafood, etc.), and then warm them in the oven for fancy luncheons and simple suppers. By "fancy luncheons," I mean the … [Read more...]

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Chuck Roast in the Instant Pot

Snow, wind, and freezing rain -- it's meat-and-potatoes weather here in Upstate New York!  The meat du jour is an inexpensive chuck roast, cooked to million-dollar tenderness in the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is just one of many "multi-function" cookers on the … [Read more...]

BY | 29 Comments

Chocolate Malakoff

Orange liqueur-dipped cookies surrounding a soft mound of chocolate and almond flavored mousse? YES, PLEASE. Here's the video and printable recipe for this Chocolate Malakoff: Thanks for watching! And now, a few notes to note: "Malakoff" is a Russian name. … [Read more...]

BY | 1 Comment

Cheese Soufflé (GF)

This is what the angels eat for weeknight dinners in heaven. I say "weeknight," because a cheese soufflé is actually EASY to make! And ooh la-la, just wait until you taste the golden crust and soft, creamy interior. Here's the video and printable recipe: Thanks for … [Read more...]

BY | 16 Comments

A Gratin of Leeks

I think you'll love this French gratin. After all, who can resist a sexy side dish (or vegetarian main course) of tender leeks, gloriously suspended in Sauce Mornay (white sauce with cheese), and topped off with crisp, buttery bread crumbs? You can assemble the entire … [Read more...]

BY | 3 Comments

Chicken in White Wine (Poulet au Vin Blanc)

Happy January! This month, I'm returning to my ancestral roots, and cooking French food for you! First up is Poulet au Vin Blanc -- chicken and veggies poached in an aromatic brew of Sauvignon blanc and tarragon leaves. Here's the video and printable recipe for this … [Read more...]

BY | 19 Comments

Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberry-Lemon Compote

Rich in fiber, protein, and B vitamins, buckwheat flour  is a gluten-free "super food." Use the flour for pancakes, and you won't be sorry. Top the pancakes with my uniquely delicious blueberry-lemon compote, and you just might be the happiest eater in the … [Read more...]

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Merveilles (French Christmas Cookies)

Thanks to Nova Ethel Metzger Jacobs (a/k/a The Christmas Cookie Queen; a/k/a my paternal grandmother), I fell in love with Merveilles when I was a kid. Who can resist these light, airy, orange zest-scented ribbons that are finished with a blizzard of confectioners' … [Read more...]

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Polenta and Egg Breakfast Casserole

Tip some creamy-dreamy polenta into a baking dish, dress it up with whole eggs, leafy greens, and thin slices of meat, bake the works until the eggs are set, and what will you have? Why, Sarah Copeland's simple and simply delicious "Cheesy Breakfast Egg and Polenta … [Read more...]

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