Posts Tagged ‘Baking’

Most of my choices are based on aesthetics, not practicality. Look at this cover design! The book also matches my cat. A few weeks back I wrote that I’ve pulled my cookbooks off the shelf, using them for recipes instead of the stupid internet. This week, I chose Better Homes and Gardens, New Cookbook.  Note, “new” means published in 1981. That’s my birth year and all the more reason to try it out.  Old doesn’t mean irrelevant. After flipping though, I firmly concluded this is a fantastic book. The recipes […]

Chances are you’ve seen focaccia flower bread recipes popping up everywhere in your social feeds. My natural inclination as a “traditional cook” is to snub food trends. But I have to admit, this recipe looks pretty, pretty. Also… I love flowers… and I love bread. So I put my food snobbery aside and jumped on the bread wagon. Also, I’ve been meaning to venture into breadmaking and baking to challenge myself this winter. Here was the opportunity. The incentive for me was adorning the bread with beautiful flower depictions made […]

As a follow up to my column in this weeks Wave, I’ve posted three delicious Rosh Hashanah recipes. If you try them, I would love to hear about it and see pictures! Gloria’s Noodle Pudding Honey Caramel Apple Galette Found on: girlinthelittleredkitchen.com Ingredients For the pastry dough – adapted from Alice Waters: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons, cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 3 1/2 tablespoons cold water For the galette: 2 pounds tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced into […]

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 […]