There are probably a dozen different variations of macaroni and cheese and I think I’ve had them all: classic, southern style, gourmet, and the day-glo orange stuff that comes in a box. My own version had been hit or miss in the past but, this year, I finally got it just the way I like
I don’t typically cook a big, hot breakfast. Most days, I like a quick fix, or I skip the meal altogether. But if I’ve got potatoes in the pantry on a leisurely weekend morning, you can bet I’ll make home fries with eggs. My version of home fries differs from my mom’s in that my
A friend from Trinidad introduced me to my first taste of coconut sweet bread around the holidays. Before bringing me a slice, she described it as “a cake with fruit in it”, and said that her mother possessed a ‘sweet hand’, meaning only certain Caribbean folks had the special ability to turn out a perfect
There’s a lot of prep work involved with this one, but I don’t mind because I like to keep busy while waiting for the water to boil for the pasta. I prefer using a short pasta, like fusilli or penne, but I think this dish would work just as well with long pasta. — H.
I love classic American beef stew but sometimes I crave something similar but a little less heavy; something beefy without the stick-to-your-ribs potatoes and carrots. That’s when I think of this meat stew known as Ropa Vieja. I serve it over hot white rice but if you drain off some of the sauce, you can also
If you’re familiar with this blog, you may have already started to notice a pattern between my and my mom’s dishes. She’s more of the chef, making good use of her trusty cast-iron skillet—and I’m more of the baker, (perhaps a little too) obsessed with chai spice. Part of the reason I gravitate toward baking
Candied sweet potatoes are always on the menu at my family’s Thanksgiving dinners. I used to just layer the ingredients on top of the sweet potatoes but cooking the butter and sugar mixture on the stovetop first gives the topping some extra richness. This year my sweet potatoes were especially yummy because the caramelized sugar added
This refreshing salad is my new favorite no-cook summer side dish. Its simplicity makes it a snap to assemble and though the feta gives it a Greek/Mediterranean vibe, it’s really versatile enough to accompany a wide variety of mains, like Pan Fried Codfish. — H. Weal INGREDIENTS 1/2 pound plum tomatoes (about 3 medium), finely
When I was in grade school, my favorite lunch was canned tomato soup accompanied by an American cheese sandwich on wheat bread, cold or grilled. It’s still one of my favorite meals but as I got older, canned soup just didn’t do it for me. Classic tomato soup only requires a few ingredients and doesn’t
Lying somewhere in the middle ground between flavored water and juice, the classic Mexican drink aguas frescas (lit. “fresh waters”) comes in many different varieties, often featuring fresh fruit. I use frozen strawberries in my version because they are already a staple ingredient in my kitchen and come conveniently pre-hulled. Garnish with a sprig of
I’ve beefed up (pun intended!) my marinara recipe into a sort of Americanized version of ragù alla Bolognese. Can’t technically call this Bolognese, as it is lacking the requisite soffritto base, but like that classic Italian dish, this hearty meat sauce is perfect to partner with short pasta noodles or as part of the filling
Recently a friend at work brought me a bagful of lovely green tomatoes from his backyard garden. I went in search of some recipe ideas for my newfound treasure and came up with two. One is fried green tomatoes and the other is this soup which has become a new favorite in my “simple but
Fried green tomatoes are a traditional Southern treat. I’d heard of the dish and seen the movie, but this New Yorker wasn’t really interested in trying them until a friend brought me a bagful of lovely green tomatoes from his backyard garden. He swore they were so good you could eat them like apples, just
Karaage [ka-RAH-gay] has become one of my favorite snacks. It’s kind of like popcorn chicken with an Asian twist. This recipe requires marinating to make sure the chicken is well-seasoned–which you can do in an hour or so, but I like to marinate overnight. Karaage is often served in Japanese restaurants as an appetizer with a
I will admit, avocado is an acquired taste. I didn’t become a fan of the fruit–yes, it’s a fruit; a berry to be exact–until recently. For me, it’s best used for its creamy texture than for its taste. More specifically, I treat it almost like a soft, melty cheese. This open-faced sandwich is a perfect
Usually called Russian Tea Cakes, these crumbly cookie balls are a delightful little bite to enjoy with tea. My favorite tea is masala chai, so I couldn’t resist replacing the customary vanilla extract with chai spice in these late afternoon treats. Their small size and resemblance to snowballs also make them ideal to serve as
This is another one of those ‘simple but elegant’ meals I’ve grown so fond of, and it’s also a great option when the weather’s too warm to turn on the stove. The star of this dish is the steak. I prefer rib eye but any cut of steak will do as long as you slice
A hot kitchen in summer can be especially brutal in the sweltering heat of New York City, so at this time of year I look to make tasty meals that keep the cooking to a minimum. I love a good salad, especially one that lets me clear out the fridge. This version of pasta salad
My family of four is evenly split between early birds (me and our eldest) and night owls (my husband and our youngest), so we don’t typically eat breakfast together. But whenever those occasions crop up where we all have to be on the same schedule, Oven Roasted Bacon helps us get coordinated. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it
This recipe has become the star of my personal file of “simple but elegant” recipes when I want something a little more upscale than scrambled eggs. One of the best things about a frittata is that you can fill it with anything you like. A few weeks ago I made one with chopped crispy bacon
