Posts categorized as Recipes

I was flipping through a magazine and came across a recipe for homemade jumbo soft pretzels. It struck a chord. I remember as a kid going into Manhattan to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree with my family. My sisters and I would beg my dad to stop and get us pretzels from the corner cart. It was December and cold outside. The steam rising from the twirling pretzels inside the glass case was all I could focus on. It reminded me of the animated Christmas displays – the ones […]

My husband thinks I’m silly for decorating the house for Valentine’s Day. He tolerates Christmas and Easter but he can’t help making snarky comments about this Hallmark holiday. I tell him, “But… it makes me happy!” I enjoy rearranging and switching things up in the house. Re-designing makes your living space feel fresh and It’s also an incentive to clean! Or, in Matt’s words “Yo this is corny.” Whatever. In addition to seasonal decorating, I also love seasonal cooking. My mother-in-law Maureen dropped off a bunch of old magazines a […]

Fresh spinach adds even more nutrition to this recipe. We are in the thick of winter now and the soup is on. I’ve always enjoyed a steaming bowl of lentils, even before legumes became so trendy. To some these seeds are a new superfood but lentils are crazy old!  I’m talking caveman old. The lentil plant has been around for five million years. Once domesticated, this crop became known as  “the poor man’s food”, because they were cheap to harvest and available worldwide. Today a 16 oz bag is only […]

Everyone is talking turkey but I’m talking soup. I’ve been cooking a different soup each Sunday – escarole soup, vegetable soup, french onion soup, lentil soup – Italian style and an Indian curry version. This past week I made split pea soup for the first time. I’m not a big pea person but I wanted to give it a try anyway, to experiment. Because storage of dried peas is easy and low-cost, many cultures have pea-based soup recipes. The traditional split pea variety originates in the 19th century. Sailors would […]

A few weeks ago I wrote about the abundance of kale in my garden. Well, the dill I planted is also growing wild now. It’s called dill “weed” for a reason. And the plant bolts in the heat, so it makes sense with the heat wave last week that my herb plant is three feet tall! The lemony, sweet and bitter flavor of dill is most pungent when it begins to flower. Snip the feathered leaves for immediate use. Wait until the flowers mature and snip those off at the […]

Recently, I’ve learned a few interesting facts about bananas. As I was enjoying a banana at my desk a few weeks ago, my co-worker Mark Hogan mentioned that apes and monkeys peel bananas the opposite way we do, from the bottom not the top. They pinch the softer bottom and it splits clean. The top stem then becomes a sturdy handle. These mammals are intelligent beings. Maybe humans have been doing it wrong all along? Give it a try next time and see what you think. In my quest to […]

If you remember, a year ago I wrote about my decision to become a vegetarian. Since September though, I’ve introduced two portions of meat protein a week into my diet. I still hold the same feelings about industrial mistreatment of animals and the effects of meat processing on our global environment. When I do choose to eat meat, I buy the free-range, grass feed, humanely treated products. True vegetarians may see this as a  “step back” but I’m trying my best to be accountable while managing my personal health. The […]

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays we all love: it’s all about sharing with one another and remembering all that we are thankful for. And food. If you’re unsure what to make for your vegetarian guests this Thanksgiving or you’re interested in trying something unconventional this year, I have the recipe for you! This autumn-inspired taco is delicious, beautiful in color and you can prepare it in advance. And who doesn’t love a taco station! There are several steps for each component  which I will outline for you. It seems like a lot but […]

It’s mid October and I still have tomatoes on the vine but they’re not turning red. I’ve noticed a few critters getting to some so I decided to take ’em as is and make fried green tomatoes! It was my first time frying up green tomatoes. The combination of soft, tart tomato with the fried crunchy cornmeal coating was delicious. And when you add in a creamy creole dipping sauce you end up with the perfect comfort food. And the perfect snack to eat while watched the classic… Fried Green […]

Paula’s Pesto (makes 1 cup) 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (don’t use cheap stuff) 1/3 cup pine nuts 2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced ½ lemon squeezed Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Directions: Mix all ingredients in a food processor except the olive oil, salt and pepper. Once roughly chopped, slowly add the olive oil, then salt and pepper to taste Seal tightly in a container. You can freeze pesto by adding a layer of […]