Posts categorized as Recipes

I’m glad I was able to fit one batch of cookies in before Christmas and if you can only choose one, it is Ricotta Cookies. Us Sicians are thrifty, ricotta (and the cookie) origins trace to Southern Italy, where ricotta — a byproduct of cheese-making — was used in desserts to avoid waste. Ricotta means “recooked.” Some of the most classic Italian dishes we enjoy today are the result of humble resources transformed through culinary creativity. Italian Ricotta Cookies are soft, cake-like treats with a subtle, creamy flavor from the […]

Pumpkin bread will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to five days or refrigerator for up to seven days. Doing is the easiest way to get better at anything. Just keep trying and learn from your mistakes. Even Martha Stewart has made her share of  “mistakes.” But what really qualifies as a mistake, anyway? Martha Stewart was the first social media influencer. She taught us about lifestyle living by blending practical everyday tasks with elegance, showing us that cooking, decorating, and entertaining is an artful expression […]

Fran Honan has been contributing her writings to theglorifiedtomato.com for the past 13 years, and her stories have always resonated with me. I’m excited to share her peice with you. It expresses sentiments about giving, community, and food.”  – Paula A few weeks ago, on a cool night in the fading days of summer, our neighbor Augustin rang our doorbell with some of the season’s bounty. It was a white basket filled with green and purple figs, grown with love and care from him all season. I’ve been obsessed with figs since I […]

I thought I smelled French toast but I walked into the narrow surf shack galley kitchen and it was a surprise to see eggs, strategically placed in the middle of sliced semolina bread. My friend Mike – over the stove – said his family calls the breakfast “surprise eggs!” It makes sense, as the over-easy eggs (if done correctly) are perfectly meshed within the bread, making it hard at first glance to know there is an egg hidden within. As you slice the bread, a golden river of yolk streams […]

The saying goes “You win some, you lose some.” right? Welp, this one I lost. My baking saga last week reminded me that most often, failing teaches us more than when we succeed. Embracing defeat as a learning opportunity is a fundamental aspect of personal growth. It’s through setbacks that we gain insights and refine our strategies to move forward. And so, while this is embarrassing, I decided to publish my baking failure instead of scratching the column. Also, I couldn’t think of anything else to write about. Just in […]

I’ve written about fennel on several occasions. It’s an Italian thing – the native Mediterranean vegetable is put on the table after dinner and before dessert…  It’s good for digestion. But really, it’s just a segway to more eating, making it easier to justify indulging in the next course of sweet treats. Italians like eating it raw and dipping it in a mix of high-quality olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, a dash of salt,  ground pepper, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. But you want to know something… I’ve never […]

For the majority of my life, I associated beets as the giggly mass with ringed lines that only appeared once a year on the Thanksgiving table. And the taste of the gelatinous red form wasn’t appealing – sweetness doesn’t always equate to palatability. As I evolved as a home cook, I felt compelled to explore foods that challenged me. Ahem, beets. I’ve tried incorporating the root vegetable in many meals over the years learning the flavor of fresh-cooked beets is quite good. In contrast to their canned counterpart, fresh beets […]

This recipe popped up on my Instagram feed and I wanted to share it with you. The stuffed Pumpkin is delicious and will be perfect on your Thanksgiving table next week! The rich, nutty cheese flavor infuses with the sweet pumpkin. The cheese melts into the tender pumpkin and forms a creamy texture. I added a hint of hot pepper for a jolt. The result: a warm, tasty comfort food that will serve as an impressive appetizer for your family and friends. A stunning centerpiece on your Thanksgiving table, the […]

If you’re a regular reader of The Tomato, you know by now that I enjoy taking on creative food projects. And Halloween is a fine time to get weird in the kitchen. Last year I made funny little Frankenstein Avocado Toasts (recipe here). This meal is a cute activity for the kiddos and they get the enjoyment of eating their monster creatures for breakfast. This Halloween weekend I challenge you to create Gooslish Quesadilla Pumpkins! I had a blast with this. Get wild with the Jack-o’-lantern expressions. The more cheese […]

Sip echinacea tea on a chilly fall evening, taking a pause to enjoy a quiet moment. I’ve been puttering around the garden. There’s so much to do, see, smell and enjoy in the fall. I’ve discovered a landscape of mushrooms under the oak hydrangea and other mushroom villages nestled below the brush. They indicate a healthy garden because mushrooms thrive in rich, organic soil. I’m not a mushroom expert but I take pleasure in investigating the funny little things. With the cool autumn season and consistent rain, the fungi appear […]