The food: My boyfriend loves to grill. I love to eat BBQ. It works out well. When we were trying to decide what to grill last weekend, however, we were coming up short. We had fallen into a bit of a rut, cycling through steaks, chicken breasts, and pork chops on… Dress up chicken, beef, or pork before grilling, baking, or frying with this sweet and tangy Honey Mustard Marinade. It’s easy to make using ingredients you probably already have. With less or no garlic, this also makes a great dipping sauce for chicken fingers….

Almost everything tastes better with butter, and that definitely includes bread and other baked goods. I’ve recently learned about making compound butters, which is just a fancy way of saying mixing stuff into butter. If you like adding a bit of sweet to your muffins, toast, bagels, and the like, try this easy honey cinnamon butter recipe. It’s super simple (just three ingredients and 5 minutes!) and it’s pretty reminiscent of that delicious stuff they serve at Texas Roadhouse. Use it to top No-Knead Beer Bread or Sweet Cornbread.

I make no secret that I’m a novice in the kitchen. After two decades of making little more than tacos and spaghetti, I really focused on learning to cook about 2 years ago. My skills have greatly improved, but I have a long way to go before I’d ever feel…

I make no secret that I’m a novice in the kitchen. After two decades of making little more than tacos and spaghetti, I really focused on learning to cook about 2 years ago. My skills have greatly improved, but I have a long way to go before I’d ever feel…

Did you buy one of the 9 million vinyl records sold in the U.S. last year? If you’re among the many people who have rediscovered (or, for younger listeners, discovered) the magic of old-school albums, you may be interested in starting a collection. Before you buy, however, read these five tips for collecting vinyl records so you can avoid some mistakes we made while amassing our collection of nearly 2,000 LPs.

Start cheap: Shop thrift shops, hit garage sales, or visit estate sales. Mixed in with all the musical soundtracks and Perry Como records, you’ll likely find great foundation albums (the basics that everyone should own) in good shape for $1 or less. This is how I amassed more than half of my records, including pristine copies from crooners like Frank Sinatra and cowboys like Waylon Jennings. No, you probably won’t nab Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” or anything from The Beatles, but it’s a great way to get started without spending a fortune. It also gives you time to be certain you want to advance to spending big dollars on growing a collection.

Examine your picks:

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Unless you’re purchasing a brand-new, still-sealed record from a brick-and-mortar shop or online store that allows returns, there are no guarantees. I’ve made this mistake more times than I care to admit, ending up with an empty jacket, the wrong LP inside the jacket, missing albums in multi-disc sets, and records scratched to bits. Look over your pick before buying. If you’re shopping eBay, check the seller’s history, reviews, and return policies to decide whether it’s worth the risk.

Stick to originals: Whenever possible, choose original pressings of old albums over reissues. Why? Newer recordings are often made from the most recent version of the album because the record label may no longer own the original analog master. This only matters, though, if you’re into vinyl for the sound quality (reissues are basically just CDs on vinyl and lose much of the warm sound of the original).

Cover the classics: Not sure where to start? I recommend reading Rolling Stone’s picks for the 500 greatest albums of all time. We’ve been slowly chipping away at this list, starting with those $1 finds and then adding on with pricier purchases at record shops. I carry this list with me when we shop so we know where to start our search through the seemingly endless bins of possibilities. You just can’t go wrong adding the Bobs (Dylan or Marley), the Boss, the Beatles, or any of the others on this list to your collection. Not all will be easy to find, but it makes for a great wish list.

Collect what you love: Most of all, buy what makes you happy. If (like me) you love the Muppets and hate the Doors, more power to you. It’s your collection. Choose albums that you’ll play and treasure. Just because a certain jazz record is highly collectible doesn’t you’ll actually listen to it. That’s a waste.

The food: Sometimes you just want to clog your arteries a bit with a big, juicy steak topped with butter and cheese. When that mood strikes, make it worthwhile with a fatty bone-in ribeye and decadent gorgonzola compound butter (mitigate your guilt by adding a healthy… The food: One of my favorite things about Cooking with Vinyl is meeting other bloggers, especially those who like to write about cooking. This post is the result of tweeting back and forth with Jay and Dee in Birmingham UK (@jay_and_dee). Their blog is Cook It, Eat… Dress up chicken, beef, or pork before grilling, baking, or frying with this sweet and tangy Honey Mustard Marinade. It’s easy to make using ingredients you probably already have. With less or no garlic, this also makes a great dipping sauce for chicken fingers….

Des Moines is an amazing city. When I sing its praises to people who’ve never lived in Iowa’s capital, however, they tend to look at me like I’m joking, crazy, or a country bumpkin. Ask anyone who has spent meaningful time there and you’ll…

The food: Is it clear yet that I have a soft spot for foods that are best described as ooey gooey? Whether it’s super moist baked goods or extra cheesy dinners, I love rich, delicious treats. Not healthy, but absolutely delicious. This certainly holds true when it comes to my favorite Italian dishes. Cheese manicotti with meat sauce is high on the list, and this version with a hint of nutmeg makes me really happy.

The music: Italian food makes me think of Frank Sinatra, which stirs up images of New York City. I don’t think it’s crazy to say that Old Blue Eyes passed his baton along to a man born in Queens, Billy Joel. (Sinatra actually did covers of some Joel songs toward the end of his career.) This Joel album is nearly as old as me (and that’s old!), so it seems hard to believe that it was his fifth. “The Stranger” is the album that put Joel on the map; it’s #70 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time (we’re slowly but surely chipping away at this list in our collection). It’s fitting for this meal that the album features, “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” Most of what’s here is great, but I’m especially fond of “She’s Always a Woman,” and “Movin’ Out.”

Listen to Billy Joel’s “The Stranger” on my “Cheese Manicotti” playlist on Spotify.

The most difficult part of making manicotti, in my opinion, is stuffing the cooked shells. Do it too soon and they are too hot to handle. Wait too long and they get sticky and tear. My best advice is to pull the shells out of the hot water one at a time and lay them flat on a no-stick surface, not allowing them to touch each other. As soon as you can handle it, pick up one shell and use a spoon to drop filling inside and then immediately lay the filled tube in the baking dish. There’s no magic here, the key is just to move quickly but carefully.

This cheese manicotti includes a bit of nutmeg. Believe me when I say that a little goes a long way. It lends a touch of sweetness to the dish (reminiscent of a cannoli) that I really love, but feel free to skip it if it’s too weird for your palate. But please, for the love of all things holy, if you’re going to the trouble of making cheese manicotti, top it with homemade pasta sauce. It makes all the difference, taking the dish from decent to decadent. Also, don’t skimp on the cheesy filling or the cheese on top. You’re already indulging, so go for it. Just work out a little harder the next day or eat salad for a week to compensate for the calories.

Looking for more Italian dinner recipes? Try my Chicken Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Grilled Pizza, too.

Ingredients

• 1 box (8 oz.) manicotti shells (approx. 10 shells), cooked, drained, and cooled
• 1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups pasta sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan, eggs, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Use a spoon (or a plastic bag with a hole cut out) to stuff shells.
3. Cover the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 cup pasta sauce. Line the filled manicotti tunes in the dish, and cover with rest of the sauce. Top with remaining Parmesan. Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes.

https://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/cheese-manicotti/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: My favorite cut of meat, hands down, is beef short ribs, which are larger and meatier than their pork counterparts. They aren’t exactly healthy, but these chunks of beef are definitely worth splurging on from time to time. Over the years, I’ve ordered short rib sliders, nachos, tacos, and more from restaurants. I decided it was time I learn to make the meat, starting with the basics. Making these beer-braised short ribs in a slow cooker means you’ll come home to fall-off-the-bone meat after a hard day’s work. For a full meal, cook the meat with veggies (as with pot roast), which add earthiness and a different texture to the mix.

The music: When I’m eating a slow-cooked, hearty meal, I like to listen to something equally full bodied. The Head and The Heart is a Seattle-based folk rock band that soared up the alternative charts in 2011 with the release of this self-titled debut album. The LP includes the hit single, “Lost in My Mind,” and nine other mellow, moody, beautiful songs. A cool side note about this album is that it was released by the famous Sub Pop Records label. Founded in 1986, Sub Pop is best known for launching the Seattle grunge rock scene by first signing the likes of Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney. This fine pedigree continues today with some pretty cool acts, including Fleet Foxes, Mogwai, and The Postal Service.

Don’t own “The Head and the Heart”? Listen on my “Beer Braised Short Ribs” playlist on Spotify.

When choosing beef short ribs, pick pieces that are as big as possible (they shrink as they cook, of course). There tends to be as much fat as meat on short ribs—that’s what gives them all that juicy flavor—so be prepared to do some trimming when you eat. The good news is the meat will fall right off the bone after a few hours in the slow cooker. A word of warning: These may be beef bones, but they aren’t suitable for your dog after stewing all day (we learned that lesson after our pup ate half a bone before we realized it).

Looking for other ways to use your slow cooker? Try my recipes for Pulled Pork or Chicken Chili.

Beer Braised Short Ribs in a Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 carrots (or 14 baby carrots), chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp.)
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 1-2 lbs. short ribs (about 4 ribs)
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 beer (use cider if you’re gluten free)

Instructions

1. Line the bottom of slow cooker with the vegetables, garlic, and Worchestershire sauce.
2. Lightly salt and pepper all sides of the short ribs. Heat oil in a large skillet. Sear all sides of the short ribs, about 30 seconds per side, to lock in juices.
3. Place ribs on top of the vegetables. Pour beer around the inside perimeter of the slow cooker. Cook on low 4-6 hours, until meat falls off the bone.
4. Place ribs on plate, scoop out vegetables with slotted spoon and serve on the side.

https://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/beer-braised-short-ribs-in-a-slow-cooker/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: I came across a cute silicone candy mold from Good Cook at the grocer after a workout, when I felt like I had “earned” a sweet treat. I don’t decorate for the holidays, and definitely don’t cook for them. Yet for some reason, I bought…