Candy Box Chocolate Cake I’ve been writing about cooking, food trends and chefs for over three decades. Before that, I taught cooking classes, rounding up groups of culinary students to watch and listen as I prepared myriad concoctions. I conducted culinary tours to Europe and Asian long before culinary travel became “a thing,” and have written three cookbooks. Along the…
Chefs
After our interview, I tried cookbook author Mark Bittman’s recipe for Turkish Breakfast, a cinch-to-make hummus paired with sliced tomatoes, cucumber, olives and whole-wheat toast. I added a slab of watermelon and served it for a luscious eat-every-bite dinner. Better yet, I tried it for breakfast. Delicious. Much – so much – more flavor-packed than my lonely egg. Turkish BreakfastYield:…
Shaker Salad with just-right salty-sweet elements to make it irresistible I love Giada’s Shaker Salad. Limp greens and soggy veggies are often the fate of a made-ahead salad destined for the lunchbox. In Giada De Laurentiis’ newest cookbook, “Happy Cooking,” she provides a shaker jar strategy. Chill. Shake. Enjoy. Start with a wide-mouth quart-size jar. Giada’s Shaker SaladYield: 1 serving1 tablespoon store-bought…
Yes, I’m a Lidia Bastianich fan. I love the pace of her PBS show “Lidia’s Kitchen,” that recently started its tenth season. The programs move along to keep my attention but go slow enough to see how she prepares the dishes from start to finish. Her enthusiasm for Italian food and scratch cooking is contagious. Making her pasta dish that…
Described as a new-age diner, Toast Kitchen + Bakery specializes in comfort food with a twist. It’s mostly a breakfast, brunch and lunch spot, but currently the eatery is offering “happy hour,” open until 7 PM for early evening meals. Green Tea Soba Noodles were the focus of the video that executive chef-co-owner John Park recently taped with me. Colorful…
Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice: My niece Holly Sue is a chef. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, many years ago she left a restaurant career to raise her family, but later started a highly successful at-home personal chef business when her boys were approaching middle school age. Her clients pick up made-from-scratch family dinners twice…
Mark Bittman, NYT’s columnist and cookbook author, knows how to create tempting flavors without much fuss. Try out his Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil for a quick weeknight entree. This 5-ingredient recipe takes about 5 minutes to put together and roughly 12 minutes to bake. Easy. Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil Yield: 4 servings 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1…
There is mischief in Amar Santana’s eyes as his exuberant laughter fills my kitchen with culinary joy. He is relaxed, his confidence driven by a passion for cooking and a well-proven skill sets. The celebrity chef joined me to share the secrets of his silky corn pudding, a versatile side dish that can accompany everything from steak to sweetbreads. Watch…