This gallery contains 2 photos.
Two of my kids’ favorite vegetables. Broccoli and green beans. I can offer them these any day of the week and they’ll eat them without any hesitation. If you notice, these are cooked. They’re ready to reheat and serve. But … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
Brussels sprouts with Hazelnut Oil! I’m not the hugest fan of Brussels sprouts but my husband and eldest son adore them. There are ways I prefer them cooked and this is one. Blanch in pot of boiling water until almost … Continue reading
This should really be titled: you won’t believe this is gluten free or even if you can eat gluten, this recipe rocks.
One part of trying to eat gluten-free foods that I find really difficult is giving up bread and many baked items. Trust me, most gluten-free recipes (especially bread) just doesn’t compare. So, I’ve been scouring the web and cookbooks for some ideas to satisfy my occasional craving. (Funny, since I do notice that I don’t actually crave as many carbs since I’ve gone g/f)
Today I found a scone recipe through King Arthur Flour and I adapted it. 
I am so pleased. This will satisfy the pickiest eaters too and those suspicious of gluten free things (yes, there are those people out there). They come out fluffy, moist and slightly sweet but not overly. My recipe is not for all allergy sufferers as it has almond and dairy in it. Continue reading
Tonight while reading Green Eggs & Ham to my youngest son (6 years old now) I realized I am Sam! No, really I am Sam, as in Sam I am of Green Eggs and Ham. I am the one out there trying to get people (not just kids) to try things I’ve made or just to try something slightly different than they’re accustomed to. I am the one thinking, you just need to be in the right situation, place, weather, darkness… to try the food. If you notice at the end of the book Sam looks a bit dejected but thinks he’ll just try a different angle. “You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may. Try them and you may, I say.” Other guy agrees. Then the long pause with the visual picture of the other, grouch guy (Knox from Knox in Socks?) eating it and he likes it! (Maybe his name is Mikey.) Anyway, I realized that’s me—SAM IS ME.
Friend’s cool cookie cutter invention
A friend of mine invented a new way to cut out cookie shapes. It produces even-thickness every time… ensuring evenly baked cookies.
Watch it and tell me what you think. Would you buy one?
Thx!
This gallery contains 3 photos.
Some days I think it’s impossible to get my youngest to eat what we’ve made for dinner (or breakfast and lunch) if it’s not one of his limited favorites at the moment. He said he was NOT going to eat … Continue reading
My husband and I are embracing sous vide cooking. Recently he prepared a leg of lamb —dividing it into more reasonable portions for a family of five, marinating it with rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil, vacuum sealing each portion and freezing two that we would eat at a later date. He could have done each lamb portion with different marinades, but kept with his favorite, classic choice. The remaining portion he cooked in a water bath with an immersion circulator (which was a wonderful gift from my generous brother).
I absolutely love the way lamb is cooked a la sous vide. I don’t think I’ve had a more perfectly cooked leg of lamb. I usually like my lamb on the medium side of done rather than medium rare or rare like I like beef. This method cooks the meat the same temperature all the way through– not more well done on edges and more rare in the center.
It might not look it from this photo, but the lamb is medium.
Continue reading
This gallery contains 1 photo.
Bacon potatoes! Lightly saute a couple slices of bacon then toss with slices of unpeeled but scrubbed potato (so that the fat slightly coats them), tiny bit of salt and black pepper. Bake at 400F for about 30 minutes. Watch … Continue reading
This gallery contains 7 photos.
Fried chicken that’s only lightly fried then baked to finish cooking. (Less absorption of fat for those who are so concerned. But just as delicious!) Soaked the chicken drumsticks in buttermilk overnight then coated them in flour mixed with thyme, cayenne, … Continue reading
My very generous brother, whose latest passion is cooking especially via the Modernist Cuisine cookbook, has given me some essential tools so that I too can cook with many of the methods highlighted in the book. He gave me the Modernist Cuisine at Home, an ARY VacMaster Chamber Vacuum Sealer, vacuum sealing bags (think they’re thicker than 3 mils and BPA free) in two sizes, a PolyScience Immersion Circulator for cooking sous vide and he’s actually sending me some more supplies including citric acid and malic acid. It’s been fun learning new, and using some old, methods of cooking. The cookbook itself has amazingly beautiful photographs. You can find many of these items in my Have to Have link on the lower right side. (Have to Have recently co-sponsored a dinner and ticket to the Broadway showThe Heiress with Jessica Chastain and Dan Stevens-Downton Abbey’s Matthew Crawley. Unfortunately Ms. Chastain was not performing that night but I still enjoyed the cringe-worthy play.)
The other day we defrosted a big piece of top round steak (a gift from my sister-in-law) and decided the best way to cook it was sous vide. Top Round (London Broil) is a fairly tough meat that greatly benefits by marinating and needs to be cooked the right way so it comes out tender. This is a two day process by first placing it in a vacuum sealer bag with marinade then vacuuming and sealing and refrigerating overnight. The next day we prepare the water bath and immersion circulator (you can use a bucket to cook this way!) and preheated water to 135˚F (57˚C).
Cooked the steak (just place bag in water) for 5 hours. 
Right before we are ready to serve, we seared the outside of the steak in a lightly oiled, hot iron skillet. 
Sliced and served.
Simple Steak Marinade
3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil (need the olive oil to conduct heat in bag)
Handful of fresh thyme, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, sliced
Salt and pepper
Prepare above then coat the steak and vacuum seal.
The meat was tender, succulent and perfectly marinated. The flavors were phenomenal— vacuum sealing the marinade really permeates the steak thoroughly. It was perfectly and evenly cooked, although my husband would have preferred it slightly, on the rarer side than it was. (130˚F for 4 hours would have accomplished that.) We served it with a plain green salad, snow peas and roasted potatoes. All the boys loved the entire meal and there was nothing leftover.
