Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
From Ancient Remedy to Beloved Dessert – A Spice Route Treasure – Rhubarb’s roots stretch back thousands of years to the mountainous regions of northern and central Asia (China, Mongolia, and Siberia), where it was cultivated primarily for medicinal purposes. The Chinese prized it as a digestive tonic and laxative,
Caramelized Endive with Gruyère
Cultivated chicory is found in these three categories: Radicchio – variegated red or red and green leaves Sugarloaf – looks like cos lettuce with packed leaves Belgian endive – small head of cream-colored, slightly bitter leaves Belgian endive is grown completely underground or indoors in the absence of sunlight in order to prevent the leaves…
Mushroom and Herb Polenta
Anthropologie is a favorite shop I like to frequent. It’s an interesting mix of clothing, accessories, gifts and home décor all which draw me in…it’s eclectic and I love it! The books they showcase are unique and it was at their Rockefeller Center that I spotted Yotam Ottolenghi’s book, Plenty. It’s a vegetarian cookbook although…
Rum and Chocolate Cake in a Jar
Desserts like this one, while look fancy, are easy to make and the taste – well let’s just say the jars will be squeaky clean! The key to making this cake scrumptious is to use good-quality ingredients and that means using chocolate that contains 70% cocoa. Do not use milk chocolate in this recipe as it…
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…
Portobello 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…
Chinese 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.…
BlueStar 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…
Roasted 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…
Cranberry 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…
Fresh 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,…
Christmas 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…
Poached 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…