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 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
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
Collard greens have a long history in the African-American community. No self-respecting soul food restaurant would dare omit them from the menu! They were always on our dinner table on holidays when I was a kid, and even now that my siblings and I have children and grandchildren of our own, we still look forward to them every
Bottled iced teas for me are very hit or miss – usually either too sweet or not sweet enough. So, when I want iced tea at home, I tend to make it myself. My first few attempts at a lightly sweetened homebrew always came out with a slightly bitter aftertaste. I didn’t want to add
One of my favorite childhood memories is getting up at dawn and going to the renowned Fulton Fish Market with my mother to buy fish, fresh off the boats. We lived nearby so we would walk down the quiet, empty cobblestone streets near the market until we reached the bustle of fishmongers and shoppers. Mom
I’m not sure why packets of hot chocolate mix contain so many ingredients, when a rich and creamy hot chocolate can be easily made at home with just three. Leave that Alpine lady up in the slopes and warm up against winter’s chill using my no-measure method. [Don’t worry, I’ve included precise measurements as well,
This is the unsung hero of my cookbook. Since the recipe consists entirely of pantry staples, it’s one I never really have to shop for and therefore often overlook. But I’m always delighted when I come across a long-forgotten can of tuna in the back of my cupboard because I know immediately that I can
Please resist the urge to use an apple corer to prepare this dish. Too much of the apple is discarded that way, and trust me, you’ll want to keep as much as you can. Warm, sweet, and spiced – this comfort food is the epitome of a fall treat. On chilly autumn days, I enjoy
Breakfast for me is usually cold and fast – a bowl of cereal, a breakfast pastry, a piece of fruit. But sometimes on the weekends, I go all out and make a full hot breakfast. When I’m all out of bacon, I get my pork fix by making sausage patties. My mom (and co-author of
I’ve probably eaten my weight in spareribs over the years but wasn’t sure I could ever make them successfully at home — until I made them in my slow cooker. You’ll need to finish them in the oven but only for about 15 minutes. The hot oven helps the sauce caramelize and cling to the
I came up with this one a couple years ago, when I wanted to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but was all out of jam. I had recently learned how to make simple syrup (boil a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar until sugar dissolves) and figured, cooking down some fruit into the
Though typically regarded as a summertime drink, limeade has become a year-round staple in my house. For the past six years, not a week has gone by when we haven’t had a full pitcher of the stuff in our refrigerator. It’s a nostalgia thing. For me, it brings back childhood memories of rolling lemons for
For years, asparagus was one of those veggies I only ate in restaurants. It just seemed too exotic to make at home, probably because I was raised mostly on the usual boring variety of canned vegetables: peas, corn, and string beans. As my cooking skills improved and I bade goodbye to canned vegetables forever, I
For years, I’ve been using a pretty surefire method for hard-boiling eggs in such a way that the shells don’t stick: the cold start method – submerge eggs in water, bring to a boil, let steam 10 minutes, then shock in ice water before removing shells. But I’ve just tried an even better method: the
A proper shortbread adheres to a strict 3:2:1 weight ratio–3 parts flour, 2 parts butter, and 1 part sugar. I’ve included volume measurements too, but—to be honest—I’ve never used them. (I’m a stickler for precision.) If you ever needed a reason to buy a kitchen scale, this recipe would be it. The subtle sweet and
I never used to like chicken breasts. They’re too easy to overcook so I generally stuck to cooking only thighs and drumsticks. This recipe completely changed all that. In fact, I often buy chicken breasts just so I can make this recipe! 🙂 I’ve made this several times and these breasts always come out tender,
This recipe does not actually contain (tomato-based) sofrito, but instead calls for recaíto (Puerto Rican cilantro-based sofrito). Perhaps, I should have named it Recaíto Eggs, but I learned this recipe from my husband and his family and this is what they call it, so it’s fine by me too. This dish is cooked quickly, almost
This basic marinara — calling for only five ingredients — is proof of how little is needed to deliver satisfying flavor. Some cooks sweeten their sauce to balance the tomatoes’ acidity, but I don’t find this hack necessary. Raw tomatoes may start out a little bitter, but that acerbity disappears all on its own if
