Ochazuke made with genmaicha, salted salmon, and furikake. Kabocha simmered in dashi with some mirin and soy. Quick, tasty, healthy.
Also, it’s funny that cooking dinner and taking a photo of it is a sign of mental health, for me.
On a balmy Tuesday afternoon, I spent my lunch break watching Sam and Ilan from Top Chef season 2 duke it out in a quickfire challenge in Union Square. Continue reading
Pan-seared Cod with Lemon Potatoes and Corn Salsa
Scrambled eggs on sourdough toast, served with pan-roasted cherry tomatoes and button mushrooms
I’ve never been a big fan of Gordon Ramsey. He just comes across as one of those TV personalities that’s a little too overbearing and full of himself. That said, having tried these scrambled eggs, it’s entirely possible that his overweening ego is justified. (dammit.)
The recipe (if you can call it that – it’s more a method of making the eggs) takes the form of a YouTube video. Seriously, these are the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever had in my life. Don’t change a thing about it. Get good sourdough bread, get some creme fraiche, chives, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. Oh, and the eggs, of course. All the flavors and textures work so perfectly together – crunchy and sour bread, creamy savory eggs, slightly smoky sweet cherry tomatoes, and delicious mushrooms. I could eat this every night.
The best thing about this recipe is how easy it is to whip up for a group. I made this recipe for 6 people one Sunday, and it took me only 15 minutes from start to finish!
At work, we celebrate birthdays on a monthly basis. With twenty people in our department, this means I have a monthly excuse to try out new cake recipes. This month’s cake was a definite keeper. Moist chocolate layer cake with chocolate pudding between layers, and a fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting all around. I’m also having a lot of fun working on my cake decorating skills!
This blackout cake recipe comes from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle, which is turning out to be a great source for delicious, reliable cake recipes. I made this extra decadent by using Ghirardelli cocoa powder for the cake, Callebaut bittersweet chocolate for the pudding, and Callebaut unsweetened chocolate for the frosting.
Oatmeal Pancakes and Maple Sage Sausage
French Toast Waffles
Pistachio and Cocoa Nib Cookies
Some friends and I meet once a fortnight to talk and linger over cups of hot chocolate – we call this gathering HotChA, our Hot Chocolate Appreciation nights. We’ve had some really wonderful cups of hot chocolate this winter and last winter, and more than a few engaging and energetic conversations. Hot chocolate and warm company have really brightened my winter nights.
As the winter winds to a close (it’s still plenty cold in New York, despite today being the first official day of spring), we’ve started planning a HotChA at home event, with homemade marshmallows, homemade hot chocolate, and special guest appearances from hot chocolates around the world. Here are the current fruit of my Internet research:
As a special bonus, I also found antique chocolate truffles on Zingerman’s. Claims to have large crunchy crystals of sugar in the truffles, and I’m always all over the large crunchy crystals. I love the textural difference.
Poached Egg and Corned Beef Hash