Balloon Organ, Yes, A Balloon Organ

In a piece that will have some people eagerly looking for some Afro Celt Sound System, others singing Where Do They Make Balloons, and some people just shaking their heads, this fellow, apparently standing in his bathroom, introduces us to another guy and his balloon organ. Really. Check this for more homemade organ fun.

Fish Tacos

Oh decadence! Veterans Day provided not only a chance for reflection but also a rare day free from the classroom. So what to do with this open period of time? The answer was easy, dinner party.
I have wanted to have my colleagues Roxanna and John over, but time is always an issue. I phoned them [...]

Playing With Food

Like all well bred women, my mother always told me not to play with my food. However, as we get older we realize that sometimes ignoring the rules is just as important as, generally, following them. Food is fun. It has wonderful tastes, smells, colors, and textures. Something with so many wonderful attributes is just [...]

Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookie and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Sandwiches

So once again, my husband called on my assistance with a Friday Food Fiesta challenge. This week’s theme was cookies and biscuits. I scoured my pantry, but alas, like Old Mother Hubbard, my cupboards were practically bare. The one interesting thing I did have was a bag of Hershey’s white chocolate chips. [...]

Sour Cream Berry Bread

My wonderful neighbor, Wendy, went berry picking and dropped me off a large container with luscious, fresh blueberries and raspberries. I decided to try a bit of an experiment and use the batter for one my favorite cakes with the berries. The result was this heavenly sour cream berry bread.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and [...]

Celebrate Independence Day With A Drink

Ok, the truth is that at MaisonBisson we celebrate all holidays with a drink. Since we take cocktails quite seriously, I wanted something very pretty for the little Fourth of July soiree we were having. I have found that the secret to a perfect strawberry daiquiri is using frozen strawberries. I also [...]

Cold Cucumber Soup

My beloved husband went off on a Boy’s Adventure Weekend. This left me with the entire house and kitchen to myself. When this happens, I become a bit like a mad scientist left alone in my laboratory. So, it was just me, the cats, and that most dangerous invention, Food Network. After some house work, [...]

Cake Robed In Chocolate And Strawberries

Like so many women, there are days when my desire for chocolate is nearly overwhelming. However, perhaps because I am a tad high maintenance, my cravings are not satisfied by a mere candy bar. When I crave chocolate I want something rich, decadent, and freshly baked, I want chocolate cake.
When one of these cravings coincided [...]

Ultimate Frozen Mud Slide Recipe

Who wouldn’t enjoy a frozen mud slide on a hot summer day? Typical recipes call for crushed ice and cream or ice cream. For some reason, we decided to try making them from ice cream, from scratch.
The MaisonBisson Frozen Mud Slide
This recipe requires an ice cream maker, we used the Deni Scoop Factory.

1.5 cups heavy [...]

Surf ‘n Turf Salad

My computer geek husband, who I do adore, joined a Flickr photo group called Friday Food Fiesta. A new theme is announced every Friday, and everyone contributes a single photo that illustrates that theme. The first themes he contributed to were burgers and pizza, but when salads came up, he needed help. Luckily for him, [...]