Italian Hummus
My wife hates garbanzo beans, so hummus is generally a non-starter. Saw this variation and thought, “That might be good.” It’s very good. Tweaked a lot from the original as it lacked acidity....
Peach Jalapeño Jam
A neighbor has a peach tree. Well, really, a stone-fruit hybrid tree, but the white peaches were ready. The jalapeños are optional....
Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette
Wife originally had something like this at Karen’s Bakery in Folsom, CA. Chef told me the basic ingredients and tried to reproduce, tweaking another recipe she found online. I think this is close. Great for salads or fish....
Sour Cream
Yes, you can make your own sour cream. I did it years ago for fun but recently thought I should add it here out of pity for a friend who worries that, in their travels, she and her husband won’t be able to find good sour cream....
Savory Relish
WORK IN PROGRESS Found a similar recipe — horribly written — on another site. They called it “Million Dollar Relish” or something. Apparently it was $1,000,001 to write it well. This is great on hot dogs and bratwurst. Updated 23 August 2025....