Kevin Lee Jacobs

Love cocktails? Appetizers? Stress-free entertaining? Then you will love the appetizers from my latest YouTube video, "Cocktails in the Parlor. " The appetizers in question can all be made ahead of time. This means that you, the host who might also have to wear the hats of cook, butler, and...

Yesterday, just for the joy of it, I made Apple Brown Betty. Do you know this autumn-scented 19th-century dessert? It's  easier to make than Apple Crisp. It's economical, too, as the only primary ingredients are apples and whatever bread you happen to have on hand. Join me in the kitchen,...

Yesterday, to celebrate the brief burst of cool weather, I served Chicken Francese for dinner. Are you familiar with this 1950s Italian/American dish? The lightly breaded chicken cutlets are dressed in a shimmering lemon-and-wine sauce. The dinner smells as wonderful as it tastes. And it comes together in a single...

Here's the recipe from the "A Perfect Blueberry Tart" video that was recently published on my YouTube channel. The tart is perfectly perfect in every way, from the tender-crisp pastry shell to the azure filling that contains both cooked and uncooked blueberries. You might like to serve the dessert for...

Holy mother of yeast doughs -- I have fallen madly/passionately/hopelessly in love with Friselle. Are you familiar with this centuries-old Italian bread? It's crunchy-munchy delicious. It's sturdy enough to support a mountain of olive oil-drenched cherry tomatoes and other juicy toppings. Few breads are so ridiculously fun to make. Make...

Thinking of hosting a brunch party for Father's Day or any ole day? I think you'll enjoy my latest YouTube video. Please join me as I set the table, make a flower arrangement, and prepare several cook-friendly recipes for an elegant make-ahead brunch! I hope the above video is useful...

Topped with smoked mozzarella cheese and fragrant basil, this Linguine with Vegetables and Wine Sauce is about as wonderful as wonderful can be. It's healthy to eat. It's fast to make, and therefore, perfect for a weeknight. And of course it's powerfully delicious, which is why I filmed and wrote...

May I offer you some Crispy Corn Fritters? These munchy wonders are made with lots of healthy veggies (besides corn), and just enough batter to hold everything together. Kids love the fritters as much as adults do. Looking for a fabulous first course, a casual main course, or a dazzling...

CAN I TELL YOU A LITTLE SECRET? I'm crazy about Blue Cheese Dressing. It's my favorite dipping-sauce for everything from raw veggies to French fries. I prefer it to vinaigrette for dressing lettuce greens, especially if I'm drinking wine while eating those greens. (Unlike vinaigrette, blue cheese doesn't kill the...

Honk if you love Classic Banana Pudding! This timeless treasure features cookies, bananas, and vanilla custard, all of which are lovingly layered beneath a mountain of meringue. I make the dessert from scratch, just as my mother did in the 1960s. Here's the video how-to along with a handy printable...

Holy shamrock, Batman! I made this stew the other day, and it totally rocked my world. It's a symphony of carrots, parsnips, and seriously-tender beef, all gloriously perfumed with dark beer, strong coffee, and bittersweet chocolate. In other words, it's...The Most Delicious Stew In The World.

Here's the printable recipe from my latest YouTube episode, "Classic Rice Pudding." This long-forgotten dessert deserves a comeback. Why? Because it's creamy-dreamy delicious. It's gluten-free, too, if that dietary aspect is important to you. And few desserts of silken custardy-ness require so little effort to make. All you need is...

Here's the printable recipe from the "Cabbage Pie" video that was recently published on my YouTube channel. The pie is delicious at any temperature -- hot, warm, or even cold from the fridge. And nothing could be easier to make. Make this vegetarian masterpiece once, and I promise you will...

This is my own, original recipe for Rustic Beer Bread. The bread -- actually, it's a "boule" -- has a deep, fermented flavor and a crackling-crisp crust. Its crumb is delightfully chewy and baguette-like. Looking for a loaf that goes with everything, and that you can easily mix and knead...

French Butter Cookies -- Sablés Breton -- originated in the northwest region of Brittany, France. In France and elsewhere in Europe, the cookies are instantly recognized for their fluted edges, crosshatch markings, and brilliant sheen. To me, the buttery biscuits taste like a trip to Paris without the jetlag. They...

If only you could visit me today, I'd gladly offer you a slice of this Chocolate-Cabernet Sauvignon Cake. It's as rich and decadent as you'd expect it to be. It's exquisitely perfumed, too. It's the kind of cake that says "Be My Valentine."

WHEN WEEDS INVADE MY PERENNIAL BEDS, I don't get mad -- I get newspaper. Newspaper-mulching, as we have discussed before, makes weeds disappear instantly. And it prevents them from re-emerging for an entire season, if not longer. I newspaper-mulched one of my weed-choked beds just this morning. Would you like...