Posts Tagged ‘recipe’

Simple is best in almost every situation. That also applies to cooking.  Minimal ingredients allow you to enjoy each individual flavor and really taste what you’re eating for what it is. I had baby portobello mushrooms in the fridge and I had planned to make stuffed mushrooms but I didn’t have much time last week and I didn’t want to deal with the mess. So, I thought to just sautée the mushrooms in butter. I had basil from the garden on the counter and I garnished with that. The earthy […]

Strawberry Fields Forever!! John Lennon’s reference in the Beatles song is based on nostalgic childhood memories of him playing in the garden of Strawberry Fields, at the Salvation Army Children’s Home in Liverpool near where he grew up. The Beatles spent 45 hours in the studio over 5 weeks, tracking the song and ended up with three different renditions, finally combining two of them. Is this why the lyric mentions  “forever”? It also may have to do with the fact that strawberry fields actually last forever. You plant one container […]

This past weekend was The Beach 91st Street Community Gardens’ plant sale. A big thank you to the garden members who donated plants and helped manage the event. Special thanks to Walsh Properties, Inc. and Rockaway Beach resident Joanne McGrath for donating so many beautiful perennials and bulbs. Props to The Wave for promoting the sale in The Happenings section last week! The event was a great success. Most importantly, it was an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy the garden space, talk about plants, and mingle. It was […]

Confession. I’ve made guacamole only a handful of times in the past few years. This is because Key Food, on Beach 87th and Rockaway Beach Blvd. has an absolutely delicious guacamole. Guac is a bit of a chore to make and it’s just so easy to grab the container off the shelf. The one I get has the deli label on it, and they have it on Fridays throughout the weekend. For a person who is “almost vegetarian,” avocados add richness and satisfaction to meals. Not to mention they contain […]

Several months back I treated myself to a weekend subscription to the New York Times. It’s taking over my physical world. I want to read and look through every page so I’ve been saving the sections I don’t get to every week. It’s piling up. The paper has effectively taken over my dining room table and now has expanded to the living room coffee table. And it sort of feels good. Besides enjoying the articles, I get really excited looking at the illustrations, layouts and typographic design. It’s been inspiring […]

On New Year’s Eve I made a decadent tray of ziti. I put the cheesy videos on Instagram stories. Several people messaged me asking for the recipe. I gave them some quick pointers because I don’t have a recipe written down. To elaborate, I want to share my secrets to a delicious ziti here. And I’ll say, it’s more about these tips than it is about following a recipe to the measurement. The Sauce: It’s easy to make a good sauce if you throw a piece of pork or sausage in […]

I’m hungry and I open the fridge but I know it’s empty. I’m too cold and lazy to drag my starved body out the door to Key Food. My eyes scan the shelves and I pull out what I can find. Baby arugula, slightly wilted, edamame unopened, queso fresco (white cheese) – it’s been in there for a while but seems to smell fine. On the side of the fridge door I find black oil-cured olives (my favorite olive). “This will do!” I add all the ingredients into a bowl […]

A friend of mine posted a video on his Instagram story showing sizzling cheese and roasted tomatoes hot out of the oven. It looked decadent – heart-eye emoji sent. He responded and shared the recipe with me. It’s from grilledcheesesocial.com and it’s called Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil. The blogger MacKenzie Smith, annoyingly beautiful and seemingly perfect, is a two-time Food Network Champ, Cookbook Author, Cheese Expert (really??), and Executive Chef in Florida. She writes that this is a quick after-work meal that is delicious. Well, […]

I love Indian food. And until someone in Rockaway opens an Indian Restaurant (hint, hint), I will continue my quest to learn how to cook spicy, savory currys, masala, lentils and dahls. Each region of India is famed for their individual styles. One of my favorite dishes is from northern India – saag paneer. In Hindi, Saag means greens, referring to spinach, collards, fenugreek and other leafy greens. Paneer is a mild, unaged soft cheese which makes it simple to make at home! Be aware, paneer does not melt. I […]

I’m obsessed with Queer Eye. I’ve binged-watched the new season already and I’m bummed I have to wait so long for more. My husband tolerated it, but would remark here and there when he saw me watching the show in bed, tearing up with a glass of wine in hand. “… but Matt, The Fab 5 are changing people’s lives!!” If you’re unfamiliar with the re-make Netflix show: “The style experts on Queer Eye forge relationships with men and women who often have different beliefs from them, leading to moments […]