Happy National Daiquiri Day!

Today is National Daiquiri Day and all I can say is...what a great country we live in!  Brian and I are quite enamored of daiquiris, particularly the frozen kind, and the hot weather lately has been supplying us with ample opportunity to indulge in all our favorites.  As for the classic, non-frozen version, we've jazzed it up with a touch of Cointreau and a bit of mint for a delightful year round cocktail.

Click here to see all our daiquiri recipes and enjoy the day.  Cheers!

BBQ Pulled Beef

This week, as I was pondering the age old question of what to cook for dinner I had an urge for BBQ pulled beef. I've been seeing a lot of recipes for pulled pork and BBQ'd meats. I've even seen recipes for slow cooker briskets. But I don't have a slow cooker and none of those recipes were exactly what I had in mind. I did a search but still no exact matches. Oh, well. It seemed as if I was going to have to invent the recipe.

Lemon Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping

I have a love / hate relationship with lemon cakes. Most of the store and bakery options I've tried have tasted harsh and artificial. No doubt they rely on lemon extracts and flavorings and those do not appeal to me. Even my own attempts to make lemon cake, using lemon juice, have been too harsh. But I'm still tempted whenever I see a photo or recipe which explains why I pinned this beautiful looking cake from Martha Stewart. A few weeks later, I saw that Elyse from The Cultural Dish had made the recipe and her photo was as tempting as the original so I was determined to give it a try.

Mock Apple Strudel Cups (Guest Post at The German Foodie)

Today I have the pleasure of guest posting for my friend Sofie, The German Foodie while she and her family are on vacation. Sofie and I hit it off right away both on email and on the phone. When we finally had the chance to meet in person last April, our bond was sealed! She's smart and fun, has a wicked sense of humor and is one hell of a cook!

Deep Blue Sea Martini

There's just something about a blue drink... It's interesting and enticing, fun to look at, to serve and best of all, to drink. And when that blue drink is called Deep Blue Sea and is served in the summer it's pretty much irresistible.

A Trio of Spiced Chickpeas

Can a healthy snack taste really, really good? Yup, and this one definitely does. If you're not already eating chickpeas than you're missing out on 6 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber and heaps of deliciousness. The downside is that on their own, the little garbanzo beans are pretty mild tasting...and pretty boring. But the good news is that it's very easy to add a ton of flavor with very little work.

Pear, Ginger and Thyme Martini

Experimenting with cocktails in the summer is as easy as a trip to the fruit stand. Smelling ripe fruit at the market instantly brought ideas for new refreshments but not all fruit lend themselves well to being pureed. If the fruit is not particularly juicy or if it's very fibrous, I find it more efficient to let the beverage department of my supermarket help me out.

The Most Tender Meatballs Ever

Did you ever find yourself ridiculously slow to realize something simple? For years I've made my meatloaf, not with the standard high fat meatloaf mix but with extra lean ground sirloin. And the way I kept my meatloaf moist and juicy was by loading it with veggies. Yet somehow, it's taken me years to come to the same realization with meatballs.

Mango Martini

I'm sure that many of you are quite familiar with mangoes and so this post will be mostly comedy. I say that in light of my recent incorrect assumption that I could figure out how to properly cut open a mango. I'll spare you the gory details but lets just say that I ended up with sticky mango juice on the counter, the floor, my shirt and the dog.

Happy National Martini Day!

Click on the photograph to check out all these martinis and the rest of the amazing cocktail creations available on our blog.  Cheers!

Cheesy Beef Tortilla Cups

I love Italian food and usually when I visit Claudia's What's Cookin' Italian Style Cuisine blog, it's to admire her Italian recipes. If you haven't seen it yet, be prepared to immediately want to bookmark lots of her tasty offerings. But considering that, it was quite ironic that the first recipe of hers I ended up actually trying was Mexican inspired! Back around Cinco De Mayo, Claudia posted her tempting looking recipe for Mexican Taco Cupcakes. It was so instantly appealing and I had all the ingredients in the house so I made it for dinner that night and Brian and I both really liked it.

Strawberry Cheese Crumb Cake

Despite my deep love of chocolate, somehow warm weather brings out my desire for fruit based desserts. Oh, I'm not quite ready to give up the flour, butter and sugar. It's just that I'd rather see lemons and blueberries in the batter than cocoa powder and chocolate chips.

An Anniversary Overlooking the Hudson (Review of Harvest-on-Hudson)

Harvest-on-Hudson, 1 River Street, Hastings, NY 10706, 914-478-2800 www.harvest2000.com

Sometime last year I accidentally came across the web site for this restaurant and was immediately taken with the stunning photographs of the place. I knew that I absolutely wanted us to go there but somehow, a year passed, life got busy and we never quite found the opportunity. This past weekend, however, Brian and I were celebrating our 5th anniversary and we did so with a reservation, at long last, for dinner at Harvest.

Watermelon Martini

I crave watermelon in the summer. When it's hot outside, I want that sweet, juicy refreshment to cool me off. And the practice of carving out a watermelon bowl and pouring in vodka is certainly nothing new at picnics and BBQ's. So why not just blend it all in a chilled martini glass?!

Cucumbers with Tahini and Crumbled Feta

Some foods just represent summer to me. Ice cream, of course, and sweet cherries and grilled corn to name a few. But the quintessential summer veggie for me is cucumbers. Something about the light, crisp flavor begs to be eaten in warm weather. I slice them raw and put them on top of toasted bread with cream cheese for breakfast and I throw chunks of them into practically every salad I make.

Welcome Summer! Memorial Day Weekend 2012

Friday afternoon after a full day of stocking up at Costco, mowing the grass, cleaning and dragging out the patio furniture.  Aahhh...

The Ultimate Macaroni Salad

One of Brian's most favorite foods is macaroni salad but not just any old version will do.  He and I share a mutual aversion to the mass market flavor of supermarket salads that all taste as if they originated in the same warehouse.  But he is particularly opinionated on how his favorite summer side dish should taste.

Fire Up the Blender! (Countdown to Memorial Day)

Whatever the calendar says about the official start of summer, we all know it really begins on Memorial Day weekend!  For the two of us, that is also the start of summer weekend getaways to the south shore of Long Island, to strolls on the beach, grilling, outdoor dining, the dog running free on the grass and lazy afternoons sitting in the garden drinking frozen cocktails. And so, as we hit the road early this Friday, settle in at the house and dust off the blender, here are our summer favorites as inspiration for your own blenders.  Cheers and have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Veggie Lasagna Roll Ups

Back in March I spent a cold, rainy Sunday making a pan of hearty lasagna. But instead of the traditional version, I made adorable individual rolls filled with tangy cheese, lots of fresh herbs and baked in a rich, meaty sauce. As popular as my recipe was, I almost immediately began getting requests for a vegetarian version.

Creamy Corn Salad

Today I have the great honor of guest posting for Chef Dennis. He left the choice of dish up to me and I've created a delicious creamy corn salad, just perfect for summer. It's technically based on the Mexican street food called esquites but I've adapted it to suit our milder and healthier palates. Enjoy!

Interrupting My Cooking...

MONDAY:
Ring Ring
Me:  Hello
Machine Voice:  This is a very important notice concerning your credit card account.  There's no problem but this is your final opportunity to speak to a representative about lowering your interest rate.  Please press 1 to speak to a customer service representative or 3 to discontinue further calls.  Again, this is your final notice.
Me:  Click (while foolishly thinking that, if this is my final notice, I can just ignore it.)

Beet Love!

While I was playing around with beet recipes I realized how easily I've dismissed the preparation with words like "roast a bunch of beets" as if everyone is going to know how to do that. While second nature to me now, I still do remember the first time I was faced with a bunch of fresh beets and wondered where to begin.

Strawberry and Basil Martini

It's strawberry season here in New York and we've been popping so many of the plump, red berries into our mouths that we're about to turn plump and red ourselves. It's true that in New York you can get strawberries year round but they are imported, expensive and largely flavorless. We don't bother, so when strawberry season arrives, we're all in.

Some More Blog Love

I am, unfortunately, very late in thanking some of my fellow bloggers for a few awards they've generously passed onto me.  It's so terrific to be part of this amazing community of talented food bloggers and I am so honored when they feel I'm worthy of an honor myself.

Strawberry Sauce

I love fresh, seasonal strawberries as much as anyone. But what if a man comes home from Costco with the big 'ole, honking, giant, feed an army, monster tub of strawberries? I gave it my best effort but after 3 days of stuffing myself with strawberries to the point where my skin was about to change color (while said man was off on a business trip), I knew I would lose this battle. So, what to do? Make strawberry sauce, of course!

Bocca East Restaurant

1496 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10075, 212-249-1010 www.boccaeast.com

Let me begin by saying that it's lucky we even ate at this restaurant. A couple of weeks ago, Brian and I had plans to meet a dear old friend for Sunday brunch. I'd suggested Bocca because it always looked inviting whenever I walked past and the menu on its web site was compelling. She agreed and said she'd take care of the reservations.

Blue Margarita

It is said that we eat with our eyes first but I think we also drink with our eyes. And there's something about a crisp blue cocktail served in an old fashioned mason jar on a warm spring day that just begs for a sip. And when that blue drink is a margarita and the occasion is Cinco De Mayo it's time to drink up!

What Smells Better Than Home Cooking?

We all know the way to make a house smell like a home is to cook dinner, make fresh bread or bake a pie. But bringing the outdoors in can also work wonders. Our lilac bushes bloomed a little early this year due to the unusually warm winter. We almost ran out of vases and containers to put them all in and now our place both looks and smells amazing.

A Kicked Up Frozen Watermelon Margarita

If you've noticed a lack of tequila drinks on our blog it's because neither Brian nor I drink much of it. Oh, we like the taste just fine but it does tend to hit us much harder than other liquors. With Cinco De Mayo coming up, though, we figured the holiday was worth a true margarita. Of course, when I say "true" I mean it's gotten the Hungry Couple cocktail twist.

Torta De Cielo (Mexican Almond Cake)

With Cinco de Mayo coming up, I've been seeing recipes for this traditional Mexican cake popping up on Pinterest and various food blogs. Based on the original recipe by Diana Kennedy in her book The Cuisines of Mexico (1972), this almond sponge cake recipe is quite simple to make.

Hey Everyone, Show Us Your Freezers!

So it's a gloomy, rainy day in New York city. That reminds me of one of my favorite old songs by the band Chicago - "Another Rainy Day in New York City." Anyway, I'm spending the day catching up on my blog reading and am seeing a few posts that include photos of people's freezers and refrigerators for various reasons.

Pasta with Sweet Italian Sausage

This past weekend was rainy and quite chilly in New York compared to the warm weather we've been enjoying. Oh well, the flowers need the rain and we got to enjoy a lazy weekend of cuddling, movie watching and puttering around the kitchen.

Southside Cocktail and a Guest Post

Today I'm guest posting over at Young Grasshopper. If you haven't already met Heidi, you'll quickly learn that she has a wicked sense of humor, juggles a challenging career, a husband and three kids while cooking, blogging and mixing up the cocktails. She has a particular fondness for gin and gave me the great honor of asking me to contribute a recipe for her "Gin-sanity" series. Well, how could I possibly say no to that?

A German Inspired Cheesecake

Did you ever see a photo or read a recipe for something that made you instantly know you will make that? That's how I felt when I saw Sofie, The German Foodie's blog post for German Cheesecake. I LOVE cheesecake! If it were appropriate to do so, I would list it under interests on my resume. I don't make it often because it's a calorie catastrophe but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Peanut Butter Biscuits for the Birthday Girl

This is Hadley, affectionately known to my blog readers as the furry sous chef. At various times, Brian and I also refer to her as doggie, puppy, mutsky, her royal muttness and the tail-wagger. Today she is also known as the birthday girl!

My Date with an English Scone and a German Foodie

Alice's Tea Cup Chapter III, 220 East 81st St., New York, NY 10028, 212-734-4TEA www.alicesteacup.com

This "chapter" of Alice's Tea Cup is only a few blocks from our apart- ment and I've always wanted to check it out. I am definitely a tea and scones kind of woman. Unfortunately, Brian is not a tea and scones kind of man. That plus the fact that the place always looked a little "delicate" for him to fold his 6'4" frame into. :)

Couscous Primavera Salad

Sometime during the first couple of months that Brian and I were dating, we'd spent a lovely summer day in Central Park and then stopped at Citarella (a large gourmet market with stores in Manhattan and the Hamptons) to pick up a few things for a light supper. Brian liked the look of a coucous primavera salad and was not disappointed when he tasted it.

Passover Prep - Countdown to a Seder

Brian and I traditionally celebrate Passover at his mother's house with both our families in attendance. She always cooks up a lavish, multi-course feast so that by the time everyone is done with dessert, they need to change into larger sized clothing for the trip home. That is, after we spend some time with our bloated bodies passed out on her living room carpet. Oy vey, thank goodness it falls on a Friday this year! :) I typically bring a dessert and a couple of side dishes. But whether I'm cooking to contribute to her Seder or just for the two of us during the days of Passover, here are some of my favorite recipes. Have a happy holiday, whatever you celebrate!

The Fluffiest Matzo Balls!

These delicate dumplings are so comforting and have always been at the top of my holiday favorites list. Last year I posted about my long held belief that my matzo balls were the best (see the post here) and about my unpleasant discovery that Brian's mother made them better. She claimed Crisco was the secret to fluffiness and I dutifully followed suit. The result was indeed softer than my previous recipe but I just didn't care for the taste and texture of that particular shortening.

Capturing the Color

Though spring officially began at the end of March, for me there's something about the first week of April that fully brings on the feeling. It's typically when the trees are flowering, enveloping us in their dazzling, albeit brief, beauty. Tulips spring up all over the city in a multi-colored show and restaurateurs set up their outdoor tables. Manhattanites adore being outside and any eatery with a sidewalk cafe license is sure to draw a crowd.

Creamy Strawberry Mint Daiquiri

It's cocktail Friday and time for a new drink. But Brian and I are still really loving last week's Springtime Martini. And so, with no particular plans for a new beverage, we headed off to do some weekend grocery shopping and ran into a big bunch of ripe looking strawberries.

My Award Cup Runneth Over!

I am feeling the love around here lately, let me tell you!  In addition to my previous Liebster and Sunshine awards, I've just been the lucky recipient of four...count 'em...four more honors!

Lasagna Roll Ups

What's for dinner? I used to flip through cookbooks for inspiration but now I "flip" through Pinterest and Food Gawker. Don't you love food porn? And at this point I've probably got ideas to make or tweak or use as a basis for to last me a while so it's only a matter of what speaks to me that day.

The Water Club

The East River at 28th - 32nd Sts, New York, NY 10016, 212-683-3333 www.thewaterclub.com

The Water Club was built in 1982 on Manhattan's East River near the 34th street heliport. The culmination of a three year project, the restaurant is set on a floating barge and resembles a docked yacht. Although you can arrive by foot, its location off the highway makes that awkward and the restaurant recommends arriving either by private car or taxi. Valet parking is offered in the restaurant's lot and that itself is a rare luxury in Manhattan.

Springtime Martini

The start of spring is an occasion well worth celebrating with a cocktail. Of course, I tend to think that the arrival of Friday is to be equally celebrated but that is not the point. The point is that spring arrived this week and did so in an appropriate fashion. It's been sunny with temperatures in the 60's and 70's all week. The trees will be blooming soon as will the tulips that are traditionally planted all over the city. I love when colorful tulips fall over the sides of a vase...

Healthy Asparagus Spiral Puffs

Happy first day of spring! Yesterday was the official end of my least favorite season and this morning is to be sunny and 65 degrees in New York. My pup and I will be strolling around for a long time today, soaking up the spring. To be truthful, the northeast has enjoyed a very mild winter this year (the second mildest in history according to the news reports) and we escaped the majority of the deep freeze, snow and slush that normally blankets us for a few months. But psychologically, I still knew it was winter but now it is spring! OK, I'll shut up about that now.

Bailey's Banana Colada

For the past few months my bestie has been going on and on about some cocktail that she and her hubs had on their way to Montauk last summer. Finally, as we all gathered last weekend for some food and merriment, we decided to try to recreate it. We didn't have a recipe but we did have a blender and all the likely suspects for ingredients. The problem was that as we kept tweaking and pouring and tasting, we kinda lost track of what we'd added. So by the time we thought we had it right, we were all too drunk to remember the ingredients. Haha...what a bunch of wacky kids we are...except for the fact that we're all over 40!

Simple and Sweet Soda Bread

A number of years ago I had the pleasure of working with a few Irish clients and, consequently, found myself frequently dining at Irish restaurants. There was plenty on the menus to suit my taste but the soda bread was never particularly interesting to me. Last year, however, an Irish colleague brought a soda bread into the office and I was fortunate enough to get a small piece before it was set upon and devoured as if by a pack of ravenous wolves. The bread was actually made by a friend of hers and it was unlike any I'd had before.

Heavenly Cheesecake Brownies

On Saturday, Brian and I were invited to a friend's house for dinner. When I asked her a few days prior what she'd like us to bring she said she'd appreciate dessert, maybe brownies or cheesecake which are her two favorites. And so I thought to myself that I would bring cheesecake brownies and thus combine the best of both. I've never made them myself and I wasn't particularly in the mood to bake so I intended to buy them from a bakery. There's one near us that usually has delicious cheesecake brownies but this time they did not. I headed to another nearby bakery that had them but theirs looked stale and dry. Sigh. I guess I'm baking cheesecake brownies.

I am Bubbly and Full of Sunshine!

That, at least, is the opinion of Chock Chip Uru, the resident kitchen diva over at Go Bake Yourself, who has given me the Sunshine Award. If, for any reason, you have not already visited this lovely Australian girl's blog than get over there at once. I would, however, advise you to lose some weight first because you will want to eat everything in sight!

Beef Casserole with Cheesy Cornbread Topping

I was going to call this recipe a chili but I didn't want to start a debate on what does or does not constitute authentic chili. So I figured that if I called it a casserole, all it constituted was dinner :)

Peace, Happiness & Pinterest

I've been having fun with Pinterest, adding my pins and looking at other people's inspirations to fuel my own. It's certainly making me focus on what I really care about. I like a lot of things but only a few conjure strong emotions and while it would be fun to be able to buy all those lovely things on my wish list, that won't bring inner peace or happiness. So here, then, are a few things that make me feel peaceful and happy.