Posts by The Culinary Chase
Jalapeño Cheddar Crackers
I enjoy taking the train into the city…an easy 30 minute commute to Grand Central Terminal. Like any train station, there are newspaper boxes and one box in particular carries New York Cottages & Gardens (NYC&G). It’s a glossy magazine filled with upscale design and decorating tips. I picked one up for the train ride…
Read MorePortobello Mushroom Melts
Portobello mushrooms are one of my favorite mushrooms. Their meaty texture is a great substitute for steak and are a hearty addition to stir-fry dishes and sauces. Portobello’s are a grown up version of the crimini mushroom. Nutritionally, they are an excellent source of niacin (helps in the functioning of the digestive system, skin, and…
Read MoreChinese Meatballs with Sweet & Sour Chili Sauce
Ho ho ho! Yep, I’m gearing up for some holiday treats and this appetizer is absolutely scrumptious! I’ve been an avid fan of Matt Armendariz (Matt Bites) for a few years now…he seems the type of person I’d want to meet and I love these two lines from his bio: I believe life happens quickly.…
Read MoreBlueStar Cookware – review
Two weeks ago I received an email from Wendy of SmartClick Advertising asking if I would be interested in evaluating a set of BlueStar cookware. To be honest, my initial thought was how could this possibly compare with the set of All-Clad d5 I already use? After doing a bit of research on the company…
Read MoreRoasted Parsnips & Sweet Potatoes with Caper Vinaigrette
There isn’t a roasted vegetable I didn’t like and when there’s a combination like this, I am in foodie heaven! I love everything about this dish and let’s not forget about its nutritional content. I like to give the body a break from processing meat by abstaining from it for a day or two and…
Read MoreCranberry Pecan Muffins
While baking these beauties, I pondered where do you draw the line between a muffin and a cupcake? While a muffin might be considered healthier than a cupcake, once you start adding ingredients such as chocolate and streusel-like toppings or glazes it starts to resemble a cupcake. And, when you use cupcake liners for muffins…
Read MoreFresh Mozzarella and Roasted Tomatoes
I finally got the chance to make my first batch of fresh mozzarella! Beecher’s in the Flatiron District sell kits from Urban Cheesecraft and it was in the summer that I picked one up but never got around to trying it until now. Their deluxe DIY Cheese Kit allows you to make mozzarella, chèvre, paneer,…
Read MoreChristmas Fruitcake
Fruitcake dates back to the Roman times and in the 1400’s the British began their love affair with fruitcake when dried fruits from the Mediterranean first arrived. This cake was generally served at weddings – the dark cake was given out as the groom’s cake and the white fruitcake was the bride’s. It was the…
Read MorePoached Pears with Chocolate Sauce
There’s something exotic-sounding about a poached pear. It doesn’t really mater if it’s poached in water, fruit juice or wine, the presentation will make your family and friends salivate. So simple to make and you can fiddle with the poaching ingredients to suit your taste (i.e. orange peel, star anise, ginger, lemon peel). Poaching in…
Read MoreFeta Salsa – A Super Easy Dip!
I love it when I am able to recreate a dish that I enjoyed elsewhere. One of the grocery stores I frequently shop is Whole Foods. I love this place and it serves as a food inspiration for me. They always have something new to sample and their dips of all descriptions are marketed via…
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