People are always impressed when I cook risotto. Dave knows better: Delicious it is; a culinary achievement it is not. Not to say that I don’t appreciate artfully crafted restaurant risotto. Or that the inventor of the dish isn’t a genius. That person deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. But I digress. Risotto is perhaps one of the easiest, no-brainer, no-measurement-needed, no-recipe-needed meals you can make. So much so that I hesitate to even give an actual recipe. Here’s the thing: In my opinion, many of the things that go wrong with risotto come from using a recipe in the first place. Make risotto the way I do, and this dish it utterly…
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Pasta procrastination
Does your kitchen equipment taunt you? Maybe it’s a stand mixer, gathering dust on your countertop. A cast iron skillet peering out from behind those lower-maintenance pots and pans. An immersion blender that hasn’t seen any action since 2003. For me, it was three gleaming KitchenAid pasta attachments and a still-packaged pasta drying rack—staring me in the face every time I reached to grab their more popular cousin, the pizza stone. Then finally, a year after I got them as wedding gifts, it was their turn. Fresh pasta (Adapted from Mario Batali’s fresh pasta recipe) You’ll need: 3 1/2 cups of flour 5 medium eggs Water to moisten as needed…
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Macaron mania
When it comes to baking, I can get a little obsessed. Exhibit A. So when I decided to make notoriously tempermental macarons, I had the sneaking suspicion that it wouldn’t be a one-and-done deal. Still, I had NO IDEA what an art—and a science—it actually was. I dove in naively at first, using what I now know to be a laughably imprecise recipe that does beginning macaron makers NO favors. Thanks a lot, Martha. Regardless, my first batch of lavender-lemon macarons came out half decent, considering I used totally inexact measurements, unsifted almond meal and under-mixed batter. More on that later. Anyway, I chalk the fact that my macarons had any…
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Bring on the beans
Let me start by saying: Holler if you love baked beans. Like, really love baked beans. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one. Sure, most will take a modest scoopful from the BBQ buffet line, but few make a plate in which their hot dogs/chicken/ribs/etc. are swimming in a sea of ’em, like I do. In my quest to convert the non-believers, I served up a crock-pot-size vat of these beauties, studded with an entire pound of pork belly: Pork belly baked beans #ratingval# from #reviews# reviews Print Author: Adapted from thepioneerwoman.com Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 6 hours Total time: 6 hours 15 mins Serves: 10-14 …
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Veggie burgers for the carnivore in your life
No offense, Morningstar, but your veggie burgers don’t hold a candle to these babies. While I can’t say they’ll satisfy cravings for a big, juicy hunk of ground beef (but let’s be honest, what veggie burger will?), they’re a ridiculously addictive, filling and flavorful meal option that anyone—even the most meat-and-potato midwesterners in your life—will thoroughly enjoy. Chockfull of fiber and veggies, they’re healthy to boot. I first encountered these at Atwood Cafe in downtown Chicago—and since spent a few random afternoons reminiscing and searching Google for the recipe. Recently, when the food memory popped into my consciousness, a search yielded the recipe. FINALLY. They’re as delicious as I remember…
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Orange overload
Orange is not my favorite color. Not by a long shot. Unfortunately, I now have no choice but to embrace it—as my company’s new branding revolves around a wildly intense shade of it. My vehement protest against the change was to no avail, so I’ve adopted the if-you-can’t-beat-’em-join-’em mentality. A turning point in this acceptance came after baking this little beauty for the agency rebranding celebration: Not only did it turn out beautifully, but I won the party’s orange food contest (a small consolation for having to stare at the orange, agency-branded coffee mugs, drinking glasses and other tchotchkes that have recently infiltrated my workplace). This post isn’t a recipe,…
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Driving traffic to your food blog—an addendum
My original post on driving traffic to your food blog remains one of my most popular—and surprisingly, after almost three years, the information is still all very relevant, in my opinion. But there is one MAJOR traffic-driver that was not on the old list, as it’s only recently popped up, virtually out of nowhere: Pinterest. If you are a food blogger and you are not on Pinterest, create an account and start pinning NOW. Seriously, do it now. ALSO—look to your right and click the button to follow me on Pinterest. Please and thank you. Most likely you’ve heard the buzz about Pinterest; but take it from a blogger than…
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Living on the edge with slow-cooker carnitas
When it comes to activities that could cause bodily harm or physical destruction, I ALWAYS err on the side of caution. Meaning, I don’t partake. That’s so dangerous! is a big phrase for me. Leaving a slow-cooker unattended for a moderate stretch of time is on my list of no-nos. But alas, left with no dinner options and package of pork that would be unusable in a few days, I took a walk on the wild side. I know what you’re thinking: That’s what a slow cooker is for. In fact, upon some investigation, I discovered evidence that debunked my fears in Crock-Pot’s own tagline: Cooks all day—while the cooks away!…
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Bacon cheddar hush puppies
The smell of spring—and bacon grease—is in the air, and both are equally intoxicating. If you care to fill your kitchen with the latter, these little fried morsels will do the trick. While I’m tempted to recommend them alongside more fried food (fried chicken anyone?) they’ll probably seem less gluttonous as an appetizer shared among friends. I had to troubleshoot a little with these because my first batch was a little dry, so I suggest dropping one in the frying pan first to test, then adding a little more butter, cheese or perhaps a little dollop of sour cream to the batter if you need to moisten them up a…
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Chilaquiles
It’s been a while since I’ve had a good mexican breakfast. A local eatery that shall remain nameless was my go-to spot for out-of-this-world chilaquiles, but all of a sudden, the dish that arrived at my table wasn’t the same one I knew and loved. Convinced these new mediocre-at-best chilaquiles were a fluke, I persistently returned for a second, third and fourth taste test. No dice. Change in kitchen staff or management? Cracking down on ingredient costs? Who knows. All I know is that I no longer had my spicy, crispy, melty hangover cure. Time to attempt a home-kitchen recreation. The results were delicious. The only problem? I wasn’t being…
