If you like chocolate and you like to bake (I’m guessing that’s a lot of you!), then you’ve probably stumbled upon recipes calling for Dutch process cocoa. When you head to your pantry and discover that your Hersheys powder is anything but, you wonder what the difference is between the two. Is one better than another? What’s the dealio here with cocoa anyway? Well, let’s talk about that…
Word on the street is this soup is a knock-off of a soup served at a psuedo-Italian chain restaurant. I’m not sure if this is true or not; but, what I do know is that it’s a delicious winter soup and I can’t say enough how pleased I am to have a recipe on hand that uses kale…and not just a little bit of kale…but the entire bunch. I’m convinced this is an often-overlooked vegetable; I can vouch for this fact as I’ve overlooked it for years! Hopefully this recipe will inspire you to get excited about incorporating something new, something different, and something full of nutrients, into your eating lifestyle. Enjoy!
I love taking advantage of this time of year to talk about lemons. Thank heavens such a delicious fruit is in season in the middle of winter! When I crave something fresh and tart on a gray day, lemons never disappoint. Eating produce when in season makes it tastier and less expensive…a great combination!
Based on emails and comments, I can tell that many of you are on the lookout for a delicious way to use all those lemons overflowing at the grocery store, Costco, or if you’re lucky to live in a warm climate, on your tree. May I present you with my absolute favorite lemon-based dessert? It’s extremely versatile, can be used in all sorts of desserts, which I’ll share with you, and is scrumptious enough to be eaten alone, with a spoon :) Like every lemon dessert, if you make it with Meyers, it’ll be that much better!
Go ahead, put those lemons to use…’tis the season! If you can possibly get your hands on Meyer Lemons, this recipe will be even more out-of-this-world. I promise you’ll never go back to boxed lemon bar mixes again after making and tasting these yummy bars. Between the simple, homemade shortbread crust and all that lemon goodness, you’ll find yourself coming back for more!
I love everything about Alice Waters’ philosophy, which in a nutshell can be described by the phrases, “eat locally”, “eat seasonally” and “use pure, fresh, organic ingredients”. Because of her efforts, great strides have been made in the restaurant industry and in some (very lucky) public schools. Her recipes are simple, unpretentious, and emphasize quality ingredients. Bottom line: very manageable!
I recently made her Winter Minestrone Soup (using turnips for the first time if you can believe it!) and found it a delightful mix of seasonal vegetables and beans…a favorite combination of mine. While some soups are actually better made ahead, you’ll want to enjoy this yummy soup on the same day you prepare it…enjoy!
I have a trusty list of desserts that always seem please, and this my friends is at the top of the list. The first time I made these parfaits, it seemed to take forever. I wondered if they would be worth the effort…they were. The second time around the process moved quickly. So quickly that I wondered if I’d missed a step.
I made the 4 layers in stages over two days (none of them taking more than 30 minutes each) and then assembled them just before serving. There is a reason this is a staff favorite over at Food & Wine…it is one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever made.
I love to make cupcakes and prefer to make them over layered cakes because of their petite size, presentation potential, and ability to fit into a little Chinese takeout box. Plus, when I make just one recipe, I can feed my family and my entire block. Good for me, good for you.
Today I’d like to share all my sources for cupcake liners/baking cups with you. I hope these links help you plan a fun birthday, shower or wedding! You wouldn’t be the first to create an entire theme from pretty cupcake liners 
Oh, and while we are on the subject of cupcakes, here is my favorite recipe to make in the Winter when citrus is in season.
Every cook has his/her standbys…this is undoubtedly one of mine! I make this simple side dish once a week. I love it for 3 reasons:
1. it’s easy to prepare
2. potatoes are inexpensive
3. it’s a crowd pleaser…I’ve never met anyone who didn’t enjoy them
You have a lot of flexibility with this side dish. You can make it with red potatoes if you’d like to dress it up a bit and add color to the plate. Or, if you really want to gussy it up, use gourmet fingerling potatoes. They come in beautiful colors and quirky shapes. Feel free to mix things up by rotating different herbs (tarragon, thyme, chives, oregano, sage, etc.). Use fresh herbs one time, dried herbs another, but always use good sea salt! One last note, I like to err on the side of making too many roasted potatoes. I figure I can always reheat the leftovers in a cast iron pan the next morning and serve the potatoes alongside scrambled eggs. The following recipe serves approximately 4 adults.
Cranberry Orange Bread
makes 1 large loaf or 4 mini-loaves
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon good salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
zest of 3 large oranges (about 1 Tablespoon, packed)
1 egg
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350°. Sift all dry ingredients together. Cut in butter until the mixtures resembles coarse meal. Over a plate or parchment paper, zest the oranges using a microplane zester. Set aside. Cut the oranges in half and juice. In another small bowl, combine the fresh orange juice, zest, and egg with a whisk. Add the orange juice mixture to the dry ingredients all at once. Mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped cranberries and nuts. Spoon the mixture into one greased loaf pan or into four greased mini-loaf pans. If you make one large loaf, cook the bread for 1 hour. If you are making the mini-loaves, set your timer to about 30 minutes (you’ll want to start watching it at 25 minutes as ovens are all different). Once out of the oven, cook the loaf pans on a wire rack for ten minutes. When the bread is slightly cooled you can tap the loaf/loaves out of the pans carefully and place them on the wire rack for additional cooling. Enjoy!
Since nutmeg is a popular ingredient in many holiday recipes, I’m sure you’ve seen something along the lines of “1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg” as opposed to “1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg” in recent weeks. Given the amazing, aromatic properties of fresh-grated nutmeg, it’s showing its face in recipes more frequently. It truly makes such a difference!
I remember a time when I had no idea little balls of whole nutmeg existed, let alone were offered in popular (more…)
