Summer is officially here, and one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing the right summer cocktail: crisp, refreshing, and fruity without being too sweet. My new obsession is St. Germain, the french elderberry liqueur that seems to be all the rage lately. After trying out a few different recipes, I settled on this concoction. The gin helps balance out some sweetness and the sparkling water gives it just a bit of fizz. Continue reading
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This is my favorite recipe for lasagna, as it is more cheesy than it is saucy. If you are feeling really adventurous, you can throw in a few blue cheese crumbles. Like all lasagna, it is even better the day after! Continue reading
I recently had a craving for a thick and hearty black bean soup. After wandering the aisles of the grocery store without finding anything that was prepared, I pulled out my phone and realized that making it from scratch would be super easy. This black bean soup is loaded with pork products: pork belly for the fat base, and prosciutto and chorizo for flavor. Sorry vegetarians! Another great recipe inspired by Dave Lieberman. Serves 4. Continue reading
Pasta with bolognese sauce is a staple in our house, but as I’ve gotten “older”, I find that ground beef sometimes sits heavy in my stomach after dinner, particularly if I go overboard with the garlic. I recently started substituting ground beef with ground turkey in my bolognese, and have been thrilled with the results. The ground turkey absorbs all the flavors of the onions and garlic, while making the sauce light, or as light as a bolognese can be. Even though this recipe is not a traditional bolognese, it has all the ingredients I love: onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Also, the broccolini gives it a nice splash of color and texture. Serves 4. Continue reading
Last week I found myself having very intense chocolate cravings. I decided to bake my trusty Alton Brown brownies, but when I found a can of dulce de leche in the pantry I decided to jazz them up a bit. The resulting creation is a chewy, moist, and sweet brownie that only requires you to eat a small piece to feel satisfied. The addition of instant coffee makes the chocolate flavor even more intense. Continue reading
Like any normal red-blooded ‘Murrikan, I love Cheez-Its. Recently, my roommate started the Paleo diet and I scored nearly a full box of these cheesy wonders. I thought it would be a wise idea to store them at my desk for those times in the day when I need a little snack. BIG MISTAKE.
When I opened the box between morning snack time and lunch, I thought “oh, I’ll just have a couple.” A couple turned into one handful, which turned into another and another and another before I put the box in my desk where it would be too much trouble to reach in for just a few more. Then came afternoon snack time, the appropriate time for Cheez-Its. I could not control myself and ended up eating about half of what was left. By the time the end of the day rolled around, there was only about a quarter of the box left. “Good,” I thought. Just enough for a snack on Monday and I will never bring the entire box of Cheez-Its to work again.I posted of my gluttony on Facebook and a friend reminded me of the recipe she sent me for homemade Cheez-Its. I felt adventurous this week and decided to make them again using this recipe. Continue reading
I first discovered this recipe on one of those swivel stands at the Destin Ice Seafood Market. I found it again last week online, and decided it had been too long since we’d had this. It was as good as I remembered it. At first, you think fish and cheese should never ever mix, but this recipe will prove you wrong (as it proved me wrong). Continue reading
Even though the season of gluttony and sweets is behind us, I can’t help but share my grandmother’s recipe for pecan pie. We lost my grandpa last year, so this past December was the first time my grandmother came to visit us and spent the holidays in the U.S. We had a wonderful time, and she earned her keep by baking several pecan pies, which then only lasted about 24 hours as we greedily devoured them. Continue reading
Now that we are approaching the end of the year, it is time for ALL the parties! While I have no issues with slaving away in front of the oven cooking and baking all day, sometimes I just want to whip something up and be done with it. In the spirit of quick and dirty party planning, today I want to share recipes for sangria and a marble chocolate trifle that won’t take long to make. Continue reading
This is one of my favorite desserts in the whole wide world. I cobbled together the recipe by using Alton Brown’s brownie recipe, and Tyler Florence’s Ultimate Cheesecake recipe. Continue reading