Once about every three years I will buy a bottle of salad dressing as an experiment. I may use it a few times before its expiration date and then toss it, while cursing myself for allowing it to take up valuable refrigerator real estate for an unjustifiable amount of time. I have conducted this experiment long enough to know that bottled salad dressing is not for me. And I don’t mean to be bossy, but it shouldn’t be for you either....
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This homemade version of the classic is a show stopping centerpiece for your next birthday party or special occasion. Ice Cream Cake Doesn’t Involve Cake At All Although the name suggests cake, this ice cream cake doesn’t actually have any cake in it! It is composed of layers of ice cream with some fun goodies in between, made in a cake pan and frosted like a normal cake would be....
I had a basket of blueberries giving me the eye the other morning, as well as some ricotta cheese in the fridge begging to be used up. Hmmm. Blueberry muffins, maybe? Blueberry pancakes? Or pound cake? A lemon blueberry pound cake won the toss this time, a pound cake made even more dense and silky rich with the substitution of ricotta for some of the butter and flour. This lemon blueberry ricotta pound cake was declared a winner by all who tasted it....
Nuts About Berries Salad My daughter and I tried a similar Nuts About Berries Salad at one of our favorite lunch spots — Cafe Zupas (locations in Arizona, Idaho, Minnesota, Nevada, and Utah). We thought we would give it a try at home and it turned out great. I made a few changes and swapped out the almonds for pecans, added a sprinkle of feta cheese, and made a Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing instead of serving it with Poppyseed Dressing....
Aldie is just about 6 years old and loves to help out; she is especially good helping me find things in an unfamiliar kitchen, opening cans of olives with the can opener, spreading olive paste on baguette slices, and serving the finished work to her guests. Thanks Alden and thank you Heidi (Alden’s mom) for the recipe! Add Parmesan, butter, and olive oil, and process into a paste. Add butter mixture to bowl with olives....
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A Dijon vinaigrette is tossed with the cut potatoes when they are still warm, to help the dressing get absorbed. Capers, shallots, garlic, and parsley are tossed in as well. The salad is best if allowed to sit for several hours, as is just as good two days out as one. So it’s perfect for a make ahead get together. The secret ingredient of the dressing is the anchovy paste....
These freezer breakfast burritos, filled with sweet sausage, seasoned potatoes, cheese, scrambled eggs, and salsa verde, are my answer to this weekday struggle. Make Freezer Burritos for Busy Mornings! Freezer burritos are easy to prep in advance, can be frozen for up to three months, and only take about five minutes to reheat in the microwave—or ten minutes if you crisp the burrito in a skillet after reheating (which is well worth the extra few minutes)....
It feels like once a week I’m whipping together some kind of party food, and among my friends, I’ve become the person notorious for showing up with something that is heavy on the vegetable side, but still delicious. Vegan Bean Dip This sweet potato dip is sneaky . Its base is simple: roasted sweet potatoes and white beans (canned or made from scratch on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker)....
Brazilian Cheese Bread This Brazilian Cheese Bread is the stuff dreams are made of! I originally discovered it at a restaurant called Tucanos Brazilian Grill. Every time I go to Tucanos, I seriously have to try to limit myself to only a few of these little cheese rolls or I will completely go to town on them. I found a great recipe on the back of a bag of Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour and gave it a try....
Sodha’s collection of vegetarian and vegan dishes feature techniques and ingredients drawn from East and Southeast Asia—curries, noodle bowls, rice dishes, salads, and sweets, all bursting with color and flavor. One of Emma’s top cookbooks for the year! Every recipe is a dinner recipe (hence the name!), and the cookbook is organized by the main ingredient of that dinner—chicken, meat, fish and seafood, eggs, pasta and noodles, etc. The recipes are full of flavor and low on fuss....
It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and it’s GREAT. Anytime you have that many “-free"s in a recipe, I’m doubtful. But I will happily drink this anytime. In fact, I drank the whole batch. (Uh huh, no self control.) “Apple Pie in a Glass” is what my friend Tess Masters calls it; the recipe is from her fabulous new cookbook The Blender Girl: 100 Gluten-free, Vegan Recipes. So, what’s in it that makes it taste so good?...
I learned about chess pie in my first job out of college, by a coworker who was hosting a Southern-themed picnic. “Make a chess pie. Here’s the recipe,” and I was hooked. I’ve been making the classic pie ever since. The chess pie is similar to most custard pies, sweet and rich with eggs, but with a slight texture because of the addition of the cornmeal. In fact, chess pie was actually one of the first recipes that put my blog on the map....
As delicious as the dish sounded, though, I was looking for a dish that was slightly more lactose-intolerant-friendly and then I thought back to one of my favorite Thai soups, tom kha gai. Tom kha gai is a coconut-milk-based chicken soup scented with galangal (or ginger), lemongrass, chilies, fish sauce, makrut lime leaves, lime juice, and cilantro. The combination of sweet, salty, and sour flavors balanced in a creamy broth felt ideal for pairing with a mild, firm fish....
Easy English Toffee Recipe This is English Toffee recipe is the best! It comes out perfectly every time and has just the right amount of crunch. Not too soft, and not so hard it breaks a tooth. This version is from my mother-in-law who has English Toffee making down to an art! My husband made up this batch, and I think it was gone within 24 hours. We couldn’t stop sneaking pieces of it....
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Making cold brew coffee is no great secret, nor does it require the ninja-level skills of a trained barista in order to master. You don’t even need much special equipment beyond a large container for making the coffee and a strainer. Steps for Making Cold Brew Coffee Here’s how it works: Grind the coffee coarsely, which you can do yourself at home or wherever you buy the beans. Combine the grounds with water, then let it steep overnight, or for around 12 hours....
Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats are quickly taking the place of the traditional chewy goodies in our house. I make these as an after school snack on special occasions for my children and they go crazy for them! they are a fun twist on the classic treat. Add your favorite mix-ins for different flavors and textures or keep them plain. They’re perfect for family trips, picnics, potluck parties or just about any time....
What’s a Chiffon Pie? Have you ever had a chiffon pie? They first made an appearance in the 1920s. They are called “chiffon” because of how light and airy they are. Typically they involve folding beaten egg whites or meringue into a custard base that has been stabilized with gelatin. Then the pie is chilled until firm. Gingersnap Crust and a Rum-Spiked Pumpkin Filling This Pumpkin Chiffon Pie recipe is adapted from one my friend Heidi pulled from the Boston Globe many years ago....
