The Month in Review - April 2014

After a chilly and rainy April, I'm happy to say that spring seems to have finally arrived in New York.  The trees are flowering, the tulips are in bloom and the days are getting wonderfully long.  I've come to love the hour between 7:00 and 8:00 pm the most.  The work day is done but there's still plenty of light, a gentle breeze coming in through the open windows and dinner is on the stove.

And speaking of dinner, the month brought plenty of the cooking and cocktail making that go on regularly in my kitchen.  April saw a whole bunch of veggies, a few cookies and lots of cheer.  Enjoy!

Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies

I don't know if it's possible to truly dislike any cookie but there definitely are two schools of thought.  The soft and chewy cookie lovers versus the crunchy cookie lovers.  I am completely in the second group.  Not even thin and crispy but, rather, thick and crunchy.  And that means shortbread.  Wonderfully, buttery, thick, crumbly, sweet but not too sweet shortbread!

Thirsty Thursdays: Mint Julep

Mint Julep

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this Kentucky Derby classic!

Baked Chocolate Hazelnut Doughnut Holes

A while back I was playing around with a little baked chocolate doughnut recipe.  It needed some tweaks but somehow other projects ended up taking priority and I put my notes away without remaking the recipe.  But a little spring cleaning turned the notes up and I was suddenly really in the mood for them.

Roasted Squash and Gorgonzola Phyllo Tart

I love Greek food and still remember the dish that started my interest in those flavors.  Spanakopita is the traditional Greek appetizer of spinach and feta cheese wrapped in layers of crispy phyllo dough and I loved it the moment I tasted it.  Of course, a dessert of baklava didn't hurt either.  But although I've learned to cook with those flavors and spices, I've never tried working with the dough.  Something about all those cooking shows advising great care with the delicate "leaves" made me stick with my own, much less finicky, pastry dough.

Quinoa and Feta Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers

Last week when I stopped by our local fruit cart (is this a Manhattan thing?), I saw that they had bags of colorful baby bell peppers.  They looked so good and I was tempted but I already had some holiday menus planned and knew I wouldn't have a chance to use them.  So I passed but now my head was full of potential pepper recipe ideas.  Happily, I came home the other day to a delivery from Baloian Farms containing those very same colorful baby bells.

Thirsty Thursdays: Gin and Cucumber Smash

Gin and Cucumber Smash

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this refreshing drink.

Strawberries and Cream Trifles

Have you found that, with the arrival of spring, you crave lighter fruit based desserts instead of rich chocolate and peanut butter type treats?  Yeah, me neither.  I crave them both!  But when I was out walking Hadley the other day, I passed our local fruit cart man and was lured in by the sweet smell of fresh strawberries and had to have them.

Happy Passover!

Tonight is the eve of Passover and the time when Jewish families gather for a Seder.  Ours will be a simple one this year with a small group of family and friends.  As with most holidays, it's a time for people to come together and bond over some delicious traditional food.  The matzo ball soup is always the highlight at my table but below are some of the Passover foods I've prepared in the past.  Enjoy and have a happy holiday, whichever you're celebrating.

Falling in Waffle Love at Wafels and Dinges

New York and food trucks definitely go together.  Hot dog carts and salty pretzels are long time staples but these days the array of sweet and savory food truck offerings is amazing.  When the Wafels and Dinges truck came on the scene I noticed on their Twitter feed that one of the trucks spent Sundays parked about ten blocks from my apartment.  That was just far enough away to resist regular temptation but close enough to maybe go check them out sometime.

Thirsty Thursdays: Pear & Thyme Gin Fizz

Pear & Thyme Gin Fizz

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this aromatic sweet and savory drink.

The Tao of Tahini...with Roasted Beets

Both of my European parents spent a few years living in Israel before they met.  And both fell in love with Middle Eastern cuisine.  Years later when they married and moved to New York to raise a family, they retained their love for the food.  Tahini is a staple of Israeli menus and it was frequently on our table when I was growing up.  I loved it then and now.  Beets also made appearances thanks to my mother's Russian heritage but I admit I didn't develop a taste for them until I grew up.  What I don't recall is ever seeing them paired back then.

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Bread

Chocolate hazelnut spread is a close second to peanut butter in my favorite treats category.  So, when the nice folks at Bob's Red Mill sent me a bag of their hazelnut flour to experiment with, my mind immediately conjured up thoughts of that spread.  And I wondered, if I used it to bake a sweet bread and included chocolate chips, would the flavor resemble the spread at all.

Cauliflower and Gruyere Gratin

Today I am bringing you yet another of my many, many cauliflower recipes because I seriously never get tired of cauliflower.  It's actually hard to get tired of it just because it is so versatile and can be made to taste so many different ways.  Every time I try a new method of preparing it, I think it is my favorite.  At least for a while, until my next new favorite way.  So, today, this is my new favorite way!

Thirsty Thursdays: Carrot Cake Cocktail

Carrot Cake Cocktail

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this fun twist on a springtime classic.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad and the Art of Parties

This past week, the New York Times Sunday Magazine ran a lighthearted article that looked into the typical refrigerator contents of a few chefs and it made me consider what's always in mine.  Eggs, butter, yogurt, milk and cheese are the constant and, interestingly, was for them as well.  Although the article didn't glance into their pantries, I would hope it included chickpeas.  The NYT asked the chefs if they could pull together a meal for an unexpected guest and most said yes with those ingredients.  I could, too, and while chickpeas would probably form the base, the cheese would elevate it and that holds true whether I have a surprise dinner guest or invited party guests.

The Month in Review - March 2014

Last month when I did my recap, I complained bitterly about the cold weather.  Note that me complaining about cold weather is a running theme in my life.  I remember saying something about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb.  Sadly, it's frozen lamb.  We're also getting a little drenched in rain these days but I noticed that its causing the tulip bulbs to start popping up.  So there is hope....

In the meantime, there is cooking.  Lots of tasty and healthy recipes were created last month along with a couple of sweet indulgences and, of course, a cocktail or two...or four.  So let's take a look back at March while we try to get this lamb thawed out.  Enjoy!

French Onion Spaghetti Pie

 

Spaghetti pie is typically a pasta baked in tomato sauce and cheese.  It sounds good and has been on my to-do list forever now.  But when I saw this French onion version in Good Housekeeping, my head turned.  Sauteed onions in the pasta?  My mom used to do that with egg noodles and I loved it.  Gruyere cheese?  One of my absolute favorites!  White wine sauce?  How gourmet!  This had to be made ASAP.

Thirsty Thursdays: Frozen Fluffernutter Martini

Frozen Fluffernutter Martini

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this adult take on a children's classic sandwich!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Crumb Parfaits

Today, 30 of my fellow food bloggers and I are celebrating the most amazing made-up holiday you've never heard of.  Yes, we have declared it Chocolate and Peanut Butter Day because such a thing needs to exist.  Our little movement is hosted by Carla of Chocolate Moosey and Miriam of Overtime Cook and sponsored by some amazing companies.  Follow #chocPBday on social media and our Pinterest board for lots of amazing recipe ideas.  And be sure to enter the raffle where 3 winners will receive prizes from OXO, King Arthur Flour or Peanut Butter & Co.

Swedish Meatballs

When I was growing up, my mother almost always cooked our dinner.  But, every once in a while, I was allowed to choose a pre-packaged frozen dinner.  Somehow that was a treat back then although now I can't tell you why.  My choices were pretty predictable, though.  Either I'd want that perennial kid-favorite, Salisbury steak, or Swedish meatballs with noodles.  For me, it wasn't even about the meatballs but rather that creamy brown sauce, so different than the tomato sauce I was used to seeing with meatballs.

Simple Apple Cake

Sometimes you need simple, easy to make cake.  Not box mix easy, fresh made easy.  With a moist, just-sweet-enough batter, perfumed with vanilla, and a thin layer of cinnamon apples and powdered sugar on top.  Really, really good simple cake.

Thirsty Thursdays: Springtime Martini

Springtime Martini

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this citrus blend martini to celebrate the first day of spring!

Peanut Butter Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

I was so excited for the first day of spring tomorrow.  I set aside some light jackets to be dry cleaned, started some spring house cleaning and got out my sunny daisy cookie cutters.  Then I went outside to walk the dog.  Ugh.  Who put the winter in my spring???

Pan Roasted Tomato Barley Risotto

 

Of all the canisters of grains and seeds in my cupboard, barley feels the most like a starchy side dish to me.  Sure, it's great in soup but it's much greater cooked on its own and blended with vegetables, herbs or cheese.  Nutritionally speaking, barley is high in protein and fiber so it keeps you feeling full for longer periods of time and anything you can do with rice, you can do with barley.

A Whole Lotta Pie!

Today is National Pi Day.  That's pi as in the Greek letter π which represents the ratio used to compute the circumference, area and volume of circles.  And yes, I had to look that up because middle school was many centuries ago for me.  The day is meant as a celebration of mathematics but around here, it's a celebration of sweet stuff in a crust.  Way more fun!  So here then is a re-cap of some of the pies I've made in the past so that we can properly honor this day.  Enjoy!

Introducing Thirsty Thursdays

Although I love to be in my kitchen cooking, baking and wielding a cocktail shaker, I've actually spent most of my professional career in the big advertising agencies of New York.  It's not exactly like Mad Men...but it's not exactly not like it either.  It's a serious business with a relaxed style.  Business hours are relative, dress codes are non-existent and there's bound to be a bottle of booze in the drawers of at least half the creative department.  OK, maybe more than half.  Don't get me wrong, ad people work seriously hard and till all hours of the night so ad agencies tend to reward the extreme dedication with perks such as free food and weekly booze carts. Some places call it Thirsty Thursdays and some opt for a Friday 4:00 pm cocktail hour but I don't think I've ever worked at an agency that didn't do one or the other.

Irish Mudslide Sauce

Last year, I used Irish cream liqueur to make a delicious trifle for St. Patrick's Day.  So, for the past few days, I've been staring at my bottle of Irish cream and wanting to create another recipe with it.  I kept thinking, what would I like to pour this into, other than just a big glass.  So, the desire to just drink it made me think about pouring it over something and that's when I realized that it really, really needed to be a sauce.

Polenta with Butternut Squash, Sausage and Caramelized Onions

When it comes to grains and flours, I usually keep a fairly well stocked pantry.  So, barley, bulgar wheat, farro and quinoa are usually on hand right next to the white flour, whole wheat flour and cornmeal.  But when I'm planning my dinners, I sometimes forget to shop in my own pantry.  The cornmeal, for example, has been sitting there lonely and unused except for the occasional urge for cornbread.  When I'm in a restaurant, a dish of polenta always sounds so appealing so there was really no excuse for the canister of cornmeal not to be shown a little more respect

Savory Beet and Gorgonzola Galette

Every couple of weeks, I come back from grocery shopping with a big bunch of beets.  I roast them, peel them, dice them and toss them into my dinner salads for a few nights.  Tasty and healthy.  But the last bunch was still sitting in the veggie crisper a few days later.  As much as I like roasted beets, I was clearly not motivated enough for even the simple task of wrapping them in foil and sticking them in the oven.  Beet boredom?  Something had to be done!

Scones Spoken Here

If you had visited my home over the weekend, you would have noticed a thick layer of flour dust covering the entire kitchen, a large section of the dining room table and most of the dog.  (She sits at my feet when I cook and I can't make her move.)  The reason for this lapse in housekeeping is that I've been baking scones.  Lots and lots of scones.  My scone-loving mother taught me to appreciate them but she always bought them from a bakery.  I've spent my adult years in search of the perfect scone recipe and, while I've made lots of good ones, I'm always looking for the "perfect" version.

The Month in Review - February 2014

I can't pretend I'm sorry to say goodbye to February this year.  It was a challenging month on several levels, not to mention one of the snowiest on record.  Not that there's any great improvement today with arctic temperatures and yet more snow in the forecast.  But, if the adage is true about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb, I'll be hoping for sun and warmth soon.

Squash Dumpling Chili Pot Pie

With no let up on the cold weather around here, I've been craving a steaming hot bowl of chili for dinner.  OK, that's easy enough, but what to serve with it?  A chili mac would be delicious but I'm trying to stay away from pasta for a while.  Fritos are another yummy option but I love those too much and am always tempted to just eat the whole bag standing up in my kitchen.  Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels that way about Fritos.

Sunchoke Hash with Bacon

Have you ever tried sunchokes, also called Jerusalem artichokes for reasons I don't know?  For years, they were just these mysterious little brown orbs in the gourmet produce section of my market.  Their knobbly exterior doesn't exactly scream 'I'm delicious, eat me' so I kept walking.  But a restaurant meal I had came with a tasty sunchoke puree and suddenly I had to look into this.

Oven "Fried" Crispy Cauliflower Poppers

When I was growing up, there were a few "special" dishes in my mothers repertoire that I always looked forward to and even occasionally begged for.  Certainly she always knew what to cook for me for my birthday.  Her pot roast with mashed potatoes and onion gravy was my all time comfort dish and the special treat was a fried veggie on the side.

Roasted Red Pepper Corn Salad

When I'm busy during the day, I find that I'm much more likely to eat a healthy salad for lunch if it's already prepped and waiting for me.  And salads certainly don't have to include lettuce.  So I spend part of my weekend making various bean and grain recipes that I can leave in the fridge for quick lunches or healthy snacks, if I'm hungry in the afternoon.

Skinny Spinach Tart with a Squash Crust

Quiches and tarts and hand pies...sweet or savory....I love pretty much all foods in a crust.  The trouble is that, no matter how much you skinny up the filling, there's all that butter in the crust.  I have made olive oil doughs before that are tasty and much healthier but still contain the calories.  What to do?

Banana "Nut" Scones

• “This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Post Pebbles, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #PostWalgreens http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.”

Did you know that February is American Heart Month?  Yes, I realize that many of us spent the weekend munching on Valentine's candy but let's move past that right now.  To help us eat heart healthy, the folks at Post cereals contacted me to let me know that they've partnered with Walgreens to offer some of their healthy cereals.  You'll be able to pick up a box of Post Honey Bunches of Oats, Fruity Pebbles, Great Grains or Grape Nuts so, that's just what I did.

Happy Valentine's Day & The Month in Review - January 2014

You may have noticed that I usually do the month in review posts at the very beginning of the month and here we are on the 14th.  What can I say?  Sometimes life gets in the way and plans go awry.  But, happy Valentine's Day and I hope you're celebrating with something sweet.

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

No Brussels sprout preparation I've tried, roasted, sauteed, sweet, spiced, has convinced the Mr. to eat these little cabbages.  But I don't let sprout prejudice stop me from enjoying them.  Yes, they do have a slight bitterness to them, which can be lessened with the right preparation, but it doesn't bother me any more than bitter salad greens like kale and arugula.

Chocolate Mousse Pie

Are you a creamy dessert person?  Do you gravitate towards puddings and cream pies?  Do you consider coffee cake to be too dry?  Do you live here?  Um, I mean, you and Brian have a lot in common.  I tend to go for heartier desserts like crumb cake or biscotti.  He considers even New York style cheesecake to be too dry.  Ah, there's no accounting for taste.

Strawberry Cheesecake Heart Pie

Today a few of my food blogging friends and I are sharing Valentine's Day ideas and I "road tested" this pie on my honey last weekend.  He loves pie!  I usually make fruit pies but this time I wanted to try something different, in this case, cheesecake.  I love cheesecake!  See, now we're both happy.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Pizza

Let's clear up one thing first.  I have neither the appetite nor the motivation to make this for breakfast.  The best I can manage is a bowl of dry cereal first thing in the morning.  Sometimes, if I'm feeling especially energetic, I'll add milk.  I could probably face this for brunch on a lazy Sunday but you should know that, when we go out for Sunday brunch, it's usually around 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon.  So, what I'm trying to tell you is that, when I say breakfast, I mean breakfast for dinner.  I love breakfast for dinner.  It's my favorite meal of the day.

Veggie Pot Pie with a Cheesy Crust

Pot pies mean comfort food to me.  A hot, creamy filling and a flaky pastry sound so good.  And I love when they're made into individual portions so I can have my little savory pie all to myself.  As for the filling itself, Brian finds a chicken pot pie comforting but I prefer my chicken served on the side.  Or, if I have a pot pie, then not even at all.  Creamy veggies make me the happiest.

A Cocktail Life, a Martini and a Sweet Pecan

This past week we launched our new website, A Cocktail Life.  It's one I've been thinking of for quite a while and I fussed over every detail like an expectant mother.  As you should know by now, we shake a pretty mean cocktail around here.  Dozens of them, actually, and we're bursting with ideas for more.  And so it was time to give them a proper home on a site dedicated to our favorite beverage.

Cheesy Roasted Red Pepper Skillet Soda Bread

Lately I've been thinking about soda bread.  Sure, St. Patrick's Day is coming up in a couple of months but that really wasn't why.  I've just been finding myself in the mood to make some or, more specifically, to eat some.  I really like my recipe for Simple and Sweet Irish Soda Bread but I'd never tried any variations other than the typical addition of raisins or currants.  But why couldn't it be more savory?

Cinnamon Bread Pudding with Salted Chocolate Rum Sauce

When the folks at Captain Morgan asked me to create Superbowl recipes, I was a bit stumped.  Not by the drink part because I can whip up a cocktail pretty easily.  But when I think of game day food I think of appetizers and wings and such.  Neither Brian nor I are much into that so I went blank for a while.  I even asked some football fanatic friends what they like to eat but it still felt foreign to me.

Roasted Cauliflower and Gruyere Soup

 

Another weekend with temperatures in the teens.  Another pot of soup.  I've actually been eating soup almost every day this winter but a lot of times I just get lazy and toss everything in a pot.  The result is good and warm and comforting.  But, when I take the time to do it right, I can develop layers of deep flavor.

Sweet, Spiked and Spicy Hot Chocolate

This month, the folks at Captain Morgan challenged us to make foods and drinks for a Superbowl gathering and the first thing that came to mind was Brrr.  As you probably know, this year the people responsible for choosing the venue have decided to kill all the players and fans by freezing them to death.  Um...wait...what I meant to say is that they've chosen to play, for the first time, in an open air stadium located in a cold weather climate. Yes, my very own beloved (and cold) New York will be co-hosting the event along with New Jersey which is another state that's currently covered in ice.

Cheddar and Thyme Cornbread Loaf

 

We're polar vortexing again!  Or maybe it's just January in New York.  Piles of snow and single digit temperatures means we're staying inside.  I put a pot of soup on the stove and this cornbread in the oven.  I'm sure the supermarket was packed with "panic shoppers" buying all the bread and milk.  But we're not exactly in the sticks here in Manhattan and I know the market will get a new supply truck within a day or two.  I'm pretty sure we have enough supplies to maintain us for a couple of days without having to eat the dog.  Actually, I'm pretty sure we have enough supplies to keep us, and the dog, fed till spring.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Martini

Welcome to Cocktail Day, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic, Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake, and Donna of Cookistry. We are raising our glasses to toast you all with some unique and delicious cocktails and mocktails in anticipation of the Big Game and Valentine’s Day. Be sure to bookmark or pin these creative beverages for your next gathering. We hope you enjoy this marvelous event and the incredible giveaways from our generous sponsors. Cheers!

Crunchy Loaded Chicken Salad

Can you believe that, until I made this recipe, I had never tasted ramen noodles?  Even though every grocery store in my neighborhood sells them.  Even though I graduated from college and they're considered the inexpensive staple food of undergrads everywhere.  Somehow, they never happened until now.  I wanted to add some crunch to a chicken salad and read that ramen noodles are a great addition but I didn't understand how.  All of my experience with noodles is that they're not tasty when they're raw and soft when they're cooked.  This whole ramen business was very confusing.

Portable Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pots

Well, hello there, you little resolution breaker, you.  Little pot of chocolaty, peanut buttery wonderfulness that you are.  I don't know if you taste as good as skinny feels but it's damn close, I tell you.  Damn close.  But, no worries about that because this little pot of love is for you to give away to someone you love, or like, or need a favor from, whatever.  Of course, it's important to love yourself, too, so you might want to make an extra one and stash it away somewhere in the back of the fridge for those chocolate and peanut butter craving emergencies.  I will not judge you.