food . . . friendship . . . inspiration
This blueberry cake recipe is for Debbie and of course all of you! During our massive cooking date last week, the grease was splattering, pots of water boiling and the mixer was whirling as Debbie and I made Maryland crab cakes (the real stuff), blueberry cake (with Jersey berries) and a large vat of farm fresh tomato sauce.
It’s that time of year when I’ve always got a pot of sauce simmering on the stove. This past week, I made farm fresh tomato sauce three times. One batch for a bunch of hungry teens, another to break in my friend Debbie’s new kitchen and another batch for the freezer. I’ve got the process down to a science and I’m going to share my tips with you now.
Make these corn empanadas vegetarian or spike them with some bacon or lobster. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this ideal package for preserving farm fresh flavors.
Sometimes something from the past deserves a reinvention for a new time. Take this vintage cone sieve with wood masher which finishes your tomato sauce better than any sieve with a hand crank. I used it this afternoon to get the most puree out of the remaining seeds and skins which were leftover from my blanched tomatoes which has been seeded and skinned.
These two bite Gefilte fish appetizers are the perfect way to serve this classic food at your Passover dinner. Served with a tangy horseradish sauce, you might not even have any leftovers!
Reminiscent of old fashioned jelly filled donuts, cake flour makes these muffins light and airy. The cranberry sauce is a tart surprise with every bite of these sweet treats. They are a terrific way to use up your leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving.
These fresh salmon cakes served with Chipotle Lime mayonnaise are packed with spices, peppers and scallions which give them plenty of zing. Trust me, they will hit just the spot. Plus they freeze exceptionally well and can be pulled out for individual meals throughout the busy work days. Make them dinner sized or two bite sized and serve as a party appetizer.
A layer of buttered pecans, Dulce de Leche and dark chocolate set in heart shape molds are topped with just a hint of sea salt for a sophisticated take on the classic chocolate caramel turtle.
Upon my return from vacation, I was greeted by an overgrown garden with one extraordinarily large, on steroids-like, zucchini. I wasn’t functioning too well the first day feeling the jet lag pretty strongly and having already had a few mishaps in the kitchen like nicking my finger on the mandoline, I waited until day two at home to put this massive zucchini to use. And what better way than to make 12 mini loaves of two kinds of zucchini bread?
When I think about my vacation kitchen, far away across the Atlantic Ocean, I think not just of the foods I’ve made for more than two decades with and for my family, but what it is that I will make that’s new this year. My vacation kitchen is in the Algarve region of Portugal, surrounded by fig, orange and olive trees and wild herbs like sage and rosemary. Just inhaling the air is tantalizing and inspirational.
I’ve hired a caterer for my son’s graduation party and it’s me. Whether it’s with a friend or solo, I’ve been cooking and freezing for the last few weeks getting ready for his high school graduation party.
Sometimes things just don’t go right in the kitchen. Last week, it was as if a bomb exploded in my oven. As smoke rose and the aroma of burnt blueberry bread swirled about the kitchen, I watched a disaster form in my new oven.
Last night I taught an enthusiastic group of men and women a hefty agenda. In each corner of the host’s center island I had a work station for each of our menu items — curry chicken meatballs, dumplings, lettuce wraps and salmon cakes. For two hours, I flittered from station to station guiding a whirlwind evening of cooking and eating. I think it was a successful evening as people left full and satisfied.
When I get a new ingredient to bake with, I’m always eager to call my friend Suzy to help me create new recipes. She’s the ideal friend to test and taste since she’s always honest and will tell me what she really thinks. Yesterday, still soaring with excitement after my successful dinner incorporating Zereshk (barberries), I couldn’t wait to use these tart zingers for something sweet. I’d been kind of obsessed with the idea since Monday.
Seven Spoons By, Tara O'Brady Maybe it was the cover of this delightful and delectable new book which lured me at first glance. Perhaps it was the freshly sliced figs which caught my attention and brought me back to lazy days filled with figs ...
Flour + Water By, Thomas McNaughton Finally a book from San Franciso's very popular restaurant Flour + Water. And it comes just in time for some cool weather cooking and in my house that means lots of pasta! This new cookbook inspires home ...
French Roots By, Jean-Pierre Moulle & Denise Lurton Moulle This lovely new cookbook captures the country lives of a couple defined and enriched by local and regional food. The book eloquently merges the old French rural way of cooking with the ...