Posts Tagged ‘Baking’

This was my first try at homemade icing. I don’t have much baking experience and so this was an attempt to gain some. It was so easy and guess what… it tasted like real frosting! I want to try different flavors next time and add nuts or strawberries. I found this recipe on delish.com. My only tip is to make sure the frosting is at room temperate before using. I’m sure all the bakers out there are laughing – you would think this is intuitive but I made the frosting the night before and put it […]

There’s food that you just start craving when the weather is vortexing. I turn to soup, hearty meats, red wine and a touch of whiskey here and there. Possible explanations for these cravings… We are less active and less social in the winter, which could increase anxiety and depression and lead to stress eating and overconsumption. (I’m guilty of all mentioned here) Comfort foods are generally sweet, fatty and calorie-dense, which may help temporarily improve mood and alleviate anxiety or stress. In other words, many people may be self-medicating with […]

  The Christmas songs always start right after Thanksgiving. The car radio would remain on the station playing the festive songs, and as my girls were growing up they would get so excited because they knew what was just around the corner. The weeks up to Christmas were a constant reminder of that special day. We had our annual trip to visit Santa at Macy`s for photos. We would stop and look at the tree at Rockefeller Center, and stop in St. Patrick’s to light candles. Then we would walk […]

Ok the name doesn’t sound appetizing but I swear it’s really good! Maureen gave me this recipe, it’s fast and easy, you just “dump” everything into a 9×13 inch pan and bake. Now you understand the name… This is a great one for experimentation – blueberry could work well as a substitute for the cherry filling. For variety, I want to try different types of nuts – pecans, almonds, pignoli!  I would also love to add fresh fruit toppings. This can only get better and better! We do need a new name […]

After all the summer indulgences, it’s time to slim down, and this dessert is perfect if you’re watching your waistline. I’m not sure how I came up with this idea but I guess it’s partly because Matt is obsessed with honey these days. Sometimes at night we’re just craving for sweets. This recipe does the trick! Ingredients: Serves 2 2 small bananas 2 small peaches Honey Cinnamon Walnuts (or your preference) Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Chop the nuts in a food processor or by hand Cut the […]

At this point, I can read a recipe and know if it will be good or not. If you cook regularly, I’m sure you feel the same way. I found this spinach casserole recipe on barbellsandbellinis.com  and thought the bulk of the ingredients were great.  Like most Italian cooks, we like to take the fundamentals of a recipe and then modify, making it our own.  Saying you followed a recipe is a little embarrassing, no? I’ve been loving cauliflower lately so I thought to add that to the mix, increase […]

I love to watch the cooking shows with chefs who refuse to divulge the “secret” to their recipes. It seems kind of snobby. Most people can usually tell the “mystery” ingredients just by tasting, although the amount can be way off. And what’s so sacred about a secret? We all know what’s in the secret sauce on Big Macs — and billions of people still eat there. I have been baking brownies for years. I will make trays of them for birthdays, parties,house-warmings, school events or just a dinner.  With incredible […]

Time is passing here in Rockaway and we are moving forward. Our neighborhood is not where it was or where we hope it could be, but it is winter and spring will bring renewal. But we need the familiar, the normal, the comforts of before Sandy. In this spirit, after Thanksgiving had come and gone in the cold, I was reminded of what was always normal for me at this time of year — pumpkin bread. Every year I would bake all through November and create delicious, spicy, tasty pumpkin […]

To celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary, my husband Mike signed me up for a cooking class at Rustico in Manhattan. I thought for a second that he was dissatisfied with the food I have been serving him, until he explained why he got it for me. “I thought it would be something different,” he said. No longer offended, I checked out the site to see what class I’d choose. I selected a holiday cookie class. We would make 6 Italian style cookies in less than 3 hours – something I […]

The Vermont – New York Crossing is a short drive from Roger’s Rock, our favorite Lake George campground. We go just about every year, but we’d never ventured into Vermont. This time, we decided to make the journey. The ferry ride is 7 minutes across beautiful Lake Champlain. You drive your car onto the ferry, which is basically a concrete slab suspended by cables that run across the lake. You can get out of the car , walk around on the deck and take pictures. You can also buy maple syrup from Vermont. Oddly, the second […]