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Posts Tagged ‘Cooking’

HOT CHOCOLATE on Steroids!

Posted in Amuse-bouche du jour, New York Speaks, Only in New York, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

city bakery

City Bakery (Photo credit: roboppy)

IF you have never tasted the hot chocolate from City Bakery in New York City, you have NOT yet died and gone to heaven!  Trust me….I know my chocolate.

Chocoholic from birth and still going strong, I swear there is NOTHING like City Bakery’s world famous hot chocolate.

February (and HOW did I ever forget to include this in my February blog post?) is a month long celebration of hot chocolate at City Bakery.  Every day there is another amazing, mouth-watering, sensuous, soothing (and yes artery-clogging) flavor to seduce you.  I say it’s worth skipping breakfast and lunch for one small cup of this molten chocolate.

Today’s flavor is Vietnamese Cinnamon Chocolate! I’m there this afternoon without a doubt.

City bakery, hot cocoa, Maury, February menu

Flavor of the day

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Chicken Cacciatore – I’m Cooking!!!

Posted in Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Slow-Cooked Chicken Cacciatore a/k/a Chicken Hunter Style

Tomorrow morning I’m taking the crock pot and gonna cook up a storm.  I need to make a couple of meals and freeze some of them.  If I don’t, I find myself coming home late and too tired to cook and that leads to ordering in or eating junk.  Either way it’s no good, one costs too much money and the other ends up being empty calories.  So tomorrow morning I’ll make the Chicken Cacciatore and give my husband a real meal and freeze the rest.

3 lbs cut up chicken (split chicken breasts and thighs)

Flour for searing

2 TBS olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

8 oz of baby bella  mushrooms sliced

2 cups diced green peppers and onions

1 cup dry red wine

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 pkg (24 oz) of seasoned tomato sauce.

Salt and pepper to taste

Dust chicken with searing flour

Heat oil on MEDIUM in large braising pan; add chicken.  Brown lightly on all sides, 8-10 minutes.  Transfer chicken to slow cooker.  Discard all but 1 TBS oil.

Add garlic, mushrooms, peppers and onions to pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, 3-4 minutes, until vegetables soften slightly.  Add wine; cook 1-2 minutes.  Add Italian seasoning and tomato sauce; stir.  Bring to simmer and remove from heat.

Add sauce mixture carefully to slow cooker.  Cover;  cook 3-4 hours on HIGH or 6-7 hours on LOW.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  I’m going to add some red pepper flakes too.  Serve over pasta or rice.

And omg, this house is going to smell DEE-LICIOUS tomorrow!

Recipe from Wegman’s Menu Magazine Fall 2009

Cooking Lab: Italian - Pollo alla Cacciatora (...

Chicken Hunter Style

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December 12th-Count Down To Christmas-Gifts That Give Back

Posted in Amuse-bouche du jour, BY THE WAY, tagged , , , , , , , on December 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“It’s better to give than receive” and if you believe in this theory and have taken it to heart, then you might be interested in this list of Christmas gifts that not only give pleasure and joy upon receipt, they also give back to a worthwhile cause.

  1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

    A jar of homemade goodness. This sweet mix is packed with all of the ingredients (flour, brown sugar, chocolate chips) for baking three dozen tasty treats. Williams-Sonoma will donate a portion of the proceeds to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign to end childhood hunger through December 31, 2011.

    To buy: $16, williams-sonoma.com.

  2. KLAPPAR ELEFANT    

    Soft, snuggly, and begging to be hugged. An adorable pick for the young–or young at heart–on your list. For every soft toy sold, the IKEA Foundation will donate $1 to UNICEF and Save the Children education programs through December 24, 2011.

    To buy: $15, ikea.com.

  3. Mercury Owls

    If you’re looking for a decorative piece with a little extra sparkle, these mercury glass owls are a wise choice. For every purchase, West Elm will donate 50 percent of proceeds to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Available in two sizes.

    To buy: Starting at $14, westelm.com.

  4. Kids’ Victorious Graphic Tee

    There won’t be any complaints about getting clothes when he unwraps this cool graphic tee, designed by Dallas Clayton, author and illustrator of the Awesome book series. Proceeds from the sales of the t–shirts go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We’d say that makes this gift pretty awesome.

    To buy: $25, jcrew.com.

  5. TOM’s Campus Classics

    Cool enough to wear around campus; comfortable enough to make your weekend shoes. For every pair of kicks purchased, TOM’s sends another to a child in need. Available in 26 styles.

    To buy: $48, toms.com.

  6. Kiehl’s Crème de Corps

    Even winter skin needs extra TLC. Tuck this rich hydrating cream into stockings and feel even better knowing that Kiehl’s will donate 100% of the net proceeds from this collection to the Koons Family Institute on International Law and Policy.

    To buy: $29 for 8.4 oz bottle, kiehls.com.

    Uniceff, IKEA, Save the Children

    KLAPPAR Elephant

    St Jude's Children's Research Hospital, West Elm

    Mercury Owls

    Tom's shoes

    To A Child In Need

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5 Signs Summer is Over and Fall is Here

Posted in BY THE WAY, Ha-P 2 B in OG, tagged , , , , , , , on October 23, 2011| 1 Comment »

It’s a sunny Sunday in October, one of those peculiar days in that time of the year when it’s warmer outside than it is in the house.  I feel like I have to open the windows to let some warm air in.  The angle of the sun is just so warming, I wish I was sitting in the back yard instead of the cold living room.  Peter is replacing some of the screens in the doors with storm glass and that for sure is a sign summer is over!

1. The Morning Glories are getting really scraggly and dying, and pots of purple, rusty red, orange and yellow mums are omnipresent on porches all over town.

2. We made our seasonal pilgrimage to Delicious Orchards, loading up on apples and cider donuts.  If this were summer, we’d be at Matt’s buying corn and tomatoes.

3. Hard as it might be to believe, I have packed away my flip-flops and even my Tevas, not sure how my feet are going to react to real shoes.

4.  Somewhere between Labor Day and Columbus Day, the urge to take the crock pot out overcomes me and I begin to think about Hearty Beef Minestrone, Chilli, and One Pot Chicken.  Slow cooked meals are a hallmark of Autumn.

5. The air conditioner units are out of the windows and put into storage, the door-draft snakes are out of storage and the lawn furniture is cleaned and ready to store for the winter.

Mum's the Word!

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Pan-Steamed Cauliflower with Barilotti

Posted in Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, We Called It Macaroni (Pasta recipes), tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 4, 2011| 2 Comments »

Wegman's

Pasta with Cauliflower

TASTY TIDBITS TUESDAY

The other night I made a really tasty pasta dish, the perfect Sunday night supper.  The recipe which came from Wegman’s and called for using a pasta called Barilotti which is a thick twisted curl of macaroni.  It’s also a little pricey so I opted to use Gemelli or Cavatelli.  This is a great vegetarian meal.

1 lb pasta such as Cavatelli or Gemelli

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

2 TBS basting oil

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

1 TBS chopped garlic

3 anchovy fillets

1/2 TBS crushed red pepper

1 1/2-2 lbs cauliflower, cut into 1 ” pieces (about 6 cups)

1/2 cup water

1 tsp salt

2 TBS fresh Italian parsley

Ground black pepper to taste

Use a braising pan – a heavy Dutch oven would be a good second choice

Combine panko and basting oil in small bowl.  Toast in braising pan on MEDIUM, stirring constantly, 3-4 minutes until golden brown.  Transfer to small plate to cool. Then toss with grated cheese in a small bowl.

Heat olive oil, garlic, anchovies and hot pepper on MEDIUM-LOW.  Cook, stirring 2-3 minutes, until anchovy fillets dissolve.

Raise heat to HIGH.  Add cauliflower, water and salt; stir.  Bring to simmer;  Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until water is evaporated, cauliflower is tender.  Turn off heat.

Add cooked pasta to cauliflower; stir to combine.  Add half the panko/cheese  mixture and parsley to pan.  Stir.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Garnish with remaining panko/cheese mixture.

Recipe courtesy of Wegman’s  –  Bring Home A Taste of Italy

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10 Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words

Posted in Thursday's Top Ten, tagged , , , on September 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Lemon Meringue Pie 1

Lemon Calf-slobber Pie

If it’s Thursday, it must be time for Thursday’s Top Ten List and this week, I’m continuing to work my way through a very, very bizarre book!  The title is Mrs. Byrne’s Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.  This week we are exploring the letter C.

  1. Cagamosis – an unhappy marriage.  I’m surprised I never heard this term before.
  2. Calf-slobber – meringue on a pie (slang).  I may never eat lemon meringue pie again.
  3. Capernoited – tipsy, lightly pifflecated.  Otherwise known as a 3-martini lunch
  4. Carfax – an intersection of four roads.  And I thought it was what you asked for when you buy an used car.
  5. Chittering-bite – a piece of bread put in the mouth to prevent the teeth from chattering.
  6. Clinchpoop – a jerk, boor, slob, boob, fathead – (an ex)
  7. Convertite – a reformed prostitute
  8. Catlap – a weak drink, fit only for a cat to lap
  9. Caliginous – obscure, dark or veiled.
  10. Cacoepy – incorrect pronunciation. (can you pronounce any of these words?)

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Tiffany’s Windows Will Make You Drool

Posted in Fab Fotos, Only in New York, tagged , , , , , on August 12, 2011| 5 Comments »

Those of you who are regular readers know that I am passionate about a few things; ice cream is one of them.  I just love the summer at the shore because ice cream is so available.  We have two great ice cream shops, each with a great history and better yet, delicious ice cream.  So what could be better than photos of ice cream cones in lots of flavors?  Tiffany’s current window dressings are BETTER.  Why? Because ice cream is one of the world’s best foods and last year I posted a blog practically swooning over the cold, the smoothness, the sensual coating on your tongue as sweet cream slips down your throat; check out https://pbenjay.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/so-many-flavors-so-little-time/ BUT look at these pictures!!  Ice Cream and Jewels!!!

ice cream cones, sassy sassafrass
I’ll have the Sassy Sassafrass

Sprinkles of course!

Make mine a double

Apple Atlas Pie

Strawberry is a perfect flavor for the Spring.

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

A special thank you to Gail for informing me that the Tiffany windows “were so you” and to Murray who went “on assignment” for me.  Without these two, this just wouldn’t be.

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Gazpacho or This is WHY I LOVE JERSEY TOMATOES

Posted in Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , , on August 9, 2011| 3 Comments »

Tomato

Luscious Jersey Tomato

I think I have to do a blog post to pay homage to the Jersey Tomato, one of God‘s blessings on the Garden State.  But not tonight because I’m too tired to think creatively and clearly.  However, I made Gazpacho Sunday night, a dish that is truly a celebration of the fruits of the summer. Tomatoes are the main ingredient and I used some of the best beefsteak tomatoes Jersey has to offer.

And there’s a back story to the Gazpacho recipe.  A few years ago there was a health food store on Third Avenue that made the BEST Gazpacho ever! I would call them from work and ask that they put aside some for me. Once I even served it as a first course at a dinner party! And I would also bring some to New Jersey to give to my friend, Jane.  I never made Gazpacho before so I did some serious research and read several recipes until I found one I that sounded like what I remembered the store’s version to be.  I was RIGHT!!  I’m happy to share it with all of you.  It is easy to make;  the only real work is the prepping of the veggies.

6 tomatoes, cored, peeled and chopped

1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 purple onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped

2 TBS chopped chives

2 TBS lemon juice

2 tsp sugar

4 cups of tomato juice

1 tsp Worceshire sauce

6 drops of Tabasco sauce

Combine all ingredients in food processor.  Refrigerate overnight so flavors can meld.

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Hibiscus Tea Punch – Tasty Tidbits Tuesday

Posted in Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , on July 28, 2011| 3 Comments »

This is the perfect punch to serve at an afternoon luncheon or tea in the summer.  It’s non-alcoholic so if you wish to add alcohol, I would suggest you substitute Prosecco for the ginger ale.

8 tea bags (Red Zinger or other tea containing hibiscus flowers)

4 cups of boiling water

1 quart of chilled pineapple juice

2 cups orange juice

1 quart chilled ginger ale

Steep tea bags in boiling water for 30 minutes.

Remove and discard tea bags

Add pineapple and orange juices

Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight

Add chilled ginger ale just before serving

recipe from Tea Time magazine

red zinger, hibiscus tea

Hibiscus Tea Punch

 


 

 

 

 

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Boozy Strawberry-Orange Milk Shake – Tasty Tidbits Tuesday

Posted in Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 19, 2011| 1 Comment »

Oh I am so excited about  this recipe because once again ice cream and alcohol are combined to make a delicious dessert.  

1 pint vanilla ice cream – room temperature**

1  1/2 cups strawberries

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup cointreau

In a blender, puree all ingredients till smooth.  Divide among 4 glasses.

** Microwave on high for 10 second intervals until it reaches desired consistency.

strawberry-orange drink

Boozy Ice Cream Dessert

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