Although I do from time to time dream of the day when I’ll set a grand table and serve a Norman Rockwell-inspired meal amidst oohs and ahs from family and friends, most of the dishes and desserts that come from our kitchen are served to a gracious though not unusually enthusiastic audience — until last…
Archives for April 2013
Fun and fancy’s not free: Cardamom and currant snickerdoodles
The other day Jared sent me a New York Times article about Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook, It’s All Good. The title of the article is “Healthy Eating on Just $300 a Day,” and talks about how, because of oft exotic dishes and a call to use the best of the best ingredients at every turn,…
The missing zing: Balsamic-glazed penne with roasted asparagus
I love balsamic vinegar. Like, really love it. I add it to pasta, salad, rice, almost any savory dish that seems a little lacking in flavor. And I add it in quantities that would probably make most people shudder. Jared certainly likes it well enough, too, but any time I’m cooking and he sees me…
Admiration and emails — and lemon cream cheese cookies
This cookie is based on a recipe that’s been saved on my computer for more than a year. It’s from Merrill Stubbs at Food52, and I remember saving it simply because I think Merrill is the cat’s pajamas. If she says it’s a hit, I believe her. Allow me to explain. For the first 16…
Out of the rut: Barley risotto with spinach and sweet potatoes
New baked goods are a regular occurrence in our house, but when it comes to dinner, I get stuck in a rut so fast. Try as I might, I just don’t get as excited about savory dishes as I do about sugar. Or butter. Or whipped cream. You get the idea. I know, I know….
A tale of time and taste: Sour cherry cream cheese coffee cake
Some recipes are wonderfully simple and can be whipped up in a flash. You don’t really have to plan for them (aside from having the ingredients), they’re easy enough to make while your mind juggles other matters, and you can mix them up in the time it takes for your toddler to pull out everything…