Posts Tagged ‘Recipes’

I invented cold tacos last weekend by accident. I was craving something light and fresh, and started looking around the kitchen. In the pantry, I found cans of organic black beans and corn from Trader Joe’s that I had picked up a few weeks earlier in Brooklyn, when it was cooler and still acceptable to leave the peninsula. Sitting on the counter was a big, juicy tomato. There was cilantro growing right across the street in the Beach 91st Community Garden that I could grab, My original plan was to […]

The night of the big sandstorm in mid-July, I was at Rippers. Real Young & Lazy Horse was playing (@realyounglazyhorse). The wind suddenly picked up in fury! Within minutes, the sand was swirling, and the sky had turned to sand. It poured. Someone suggested taking cover on my porch, the closest refuge, so we all made a run for it. It turned into one of those impromptu porch hangs that always seem to be better than planned parties. As the night went on, the conversation got weird, as late-night conversations […]

  My grandmother used to take us kids to Friendly’s on Hillside Avenue out on the Island. It was always a treat to go to lunch with Grandma Pauline. And we could order whatever we wanted! For some reason, I often went for the triple decker sandwich. Which is a classic club: three slices of toasted bread, crispy bacon, turkey, iceberg lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, and mayo, stacked sky-high and cut into fours, each corner pinned with a toothpick holding the whole overstuffed situation together. Something about those little toothpicks […]

For about a year, I’ve been very into Diet Dr Pepper. I never drank it as a kid (or ever before this). My friend insisted it was delicious, and he was right. During the summer, I’d have an afternoon, icy-cold can of Diet Dr Pepper on the porch. It has to be diet. It’s way better than regular, and it’s not about the calories. The difference between the two is less of that “thick” syrup. It tastes lighter and more refreshing, and still has the deliciously different Dr Pepper Flavor. […]

Tom introduced me to a new version of lentils: lentil stew. It has a totally different feel and taste from the lentil soup I’ve been making for as long as I can remember, my father’s recipe. And I love lentils—and since I’m vegetarian (hard to believe), two versions are welcome in my kitchen. This stew is thick and cozy, and the secret is using an immersion blender. I can’t fully explain the magic, but it gives the stew a “meaty” heartiness and pulls all the rich flavors together in the best way. This is […]

Do you know what icing is made of? I didn’t until I made it last weekend. It’s very simply made from confectioner’s sugar, condensed milk, and lemon. It is different from frosting, which is fluffier and has fat, like butter or cream, and it is whipped. Icing is mostly sugar, has a smooth texture, and is thinner. Frosting is more malleable, and its purpose is full coverage on cakes and cupcakes; icing is better for decorating cookies, adorning cakes, and all that fancy stuff. I’m hoping this year I make […]

Martha Stewart is perfect, and so is her classic Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. Martha proclaims the stuffing is crisp and buttery-golden on the outside, moist and tender on the inside, and she’s right. The flavor comes from a generous amount of sauteed onion and celery, plus lots of fresh parsley and sage. She suggests adding toasted pecans and dried cherries for extra texture and a nutty–tangy moment – definitely include these ingredients. I couldn’t find the cherries and substituted them with cranberries; it worked nicely. I’ve adapted the recipe to a […]

I stumbled upon a true wow-factor pancake recipe—perfect timing for the holidays and all our houseguests rolling through. They’re guaranteed to impress. These pancakes are healthy and decadent. Yes, both can be true. Well, they’re about as healthy as pancakes get, with a wheat (not white) flour base, and high-fiber bulgur that adds a unique, hearty texture you don’t get from standard pancakes. That texture pairs beautifully with thick, creamy ricotta, and the yogurt adds a tang. Orange zest is in the mix, and a drizzle of maple syrup ties […]

Since my peanut harvest, I’ve had peanuts on the brain, and I felt like being cozy with cookies. I decided to make a warm batch of classic peanut butter cookies. I didn’t overthink it, I went straight to the queen, Martha Stewart, and found a perfect recipe. It calls for 1½ cups of peanut butter, and that made me think, “How did we get from peanuts to the smooth, creamy American treat we so dearly identify with from childhood?” According to the National Peanut Board, the Inca and Aztecs were […]

I have wonderful news. I’m predicting a fantastic tomato harvest this year! The NYC Zone 7 tomatoes are going to be spectacular due to all this rain we’ve been schlepping through. It is a juicy, divine blessing for our tomatoes. Let us be grateful. NYC Zone 7 tomato harvest is gonna be spectacular this year due to the consistent rain this summer, and when your tomatoes are ripe and ready, make my decadent tomato pie. One of the biggest problems for heirloom tomatoes is inconsistent watering — we get busy, […]