Posts from ‘January, 2009’

I had been looking for a mushroom-based pasta dish for quite some time, and I finally found this delicious wild mushroom sauce by Martha Stewart. I’ve reduced the calorie load in the sauce by replacing heavy cream with light cream and I’ve substituted wheat flour for regular flour in this basic gnocchi recipe. The [...]

This stadium cake pan makes an appearance every year when I cook for the Super Bowl or for big college football games. The mold is intricately detailed in structure with every cake-filled crevice remaining true to the actual shape of an athletic stadium. For authentic stadium decor, I mix shredded coconut with green food coloring [...]

Sometimes there are ingredients that are so simple standing alone, but when paired together create the most amazing blend of flavors. This chicken sausage and Brie panini was inspired by a sandwich at one of my favorite coffee shops on the upper west side. The creamy Brie balances out the peppery bite of the arugula [...]

Salsa cruda, or uncooked salsa, is one of the easiest appetizers and toppings to make. My recipe, while traditional in appearance, includes the uncommon addition of brown sugar. The slight touch of sweetness balances out the acidity of the tomatoes while pairing well with the spicy kick of the jalapeño. Replace boring tortilla chips with [...]

I worked as a hostess and busser at a restaurant in La Jolla, CA, called The Cottage while I was in high school. It was the closest I’d ever come to working in a real commercial kitchen, and it was also home to daily dozens of the freshest, most delicious breakfast breads. This Blueberry Bell [...]

I met Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa during her cookbook signing in Manhattan a few weeks ago. As a star on the Food Network, Ina is just as friendly and inviting in person as she appears on her show. She has always been one of my culinary idols because of her casual style of cooking [...]

I should preface this recipe post with the caveat that I am in no way a calorie counter or health freak. But this low calorie carob fudge may just be the best sugary find since my first encounter with Splenda. This recipe was passed along to me by my dad, who I assure you can [...]

Pasta can get old after awhile, and since I was making Hungarian Pea Soup with Nokedli tonight, I decided to test out my spaetzle maker for the first time. While the gadget is simple in design, it more than serves its purpose. Each nokedli, or Hungarian dumpling, was uniform in size and texture. Best of [...]

This Hungarian Pea Soup recipe, courtesy of my mom, is a simple dish that can be made in less than 30 minutes. The nokedli, or traditional Hungarian dumplings, add body to the soup without weighing down the delicious blend of sauteed onion and authentic Hungarian paprika.
Shopping List
For the soup:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
¾ cup white onion, [...]

Del Frisco’s Steakhouse in midtown Manhattan is one of my all-time favorite restaurants, and while their steaks are some of the best in the city, their crab cake appetizer is what brings me back every time. The restaurant keeps the coveted recipe a secret, but after some searching online I was able to combine several [...]