In A Nutshell

A festive, refreshing and delicious drink; I have a lot of cranberries in the fridge and thought they would be a nice addition to a cocktail that I already love. 10 cranberries, chopped (you can use a mini-food processor) 1 lime, cut into quarters 1 T superfine sugar 2-3 oz. vodka (depending upon how strong you want it- I poured just slightly over 2) In a glass, muddle the cranberries and lime with the sugar until juicy and mushy. Add the vodka and stir well; top with ice and stir again. Yum yum!

We had this drink in Washington D.C. at the recommendation of my niece Maggie-- it was the best drink EVER and I have humbly tried to duplicate it as best I can. Thank you Maggie-- my quality of life is greatly improved! 2 oz. Stoli blueberry vodka 1 1/4 oz. créme de cassis (buy a fancy French one in the liquor store) 1 oz. passion fruit pureé (you can find this in the freezer section of any worthwhile grocery store or Hispanic market) 1/2 oz. lemon juice 1/2 oz. simple syrup Shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and serve in the prettiest glass you have. 

These just melt in your mouth.... and because you cut them into bite-sized pieces, they really don't have any calories. So there's that..... Adapted from Food and Wine magazine. 1 3/4 cup flour 1/4 cup plus 2 T cornmeal 1/2 t salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp 3/4 cup powdered sugar 2 t grated orange zest 1 t vanilla (or 1/2 t vanilla plus 1/2 t orange extract) Beat the butter and powdered sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the orange zest, vanilla extract and salt. Add the flour and cornmeal and beat at low speed just until dough comes together. Pat the dough into a disk or square, wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Preheat oven to 350º.  Roll the dough into an 8" round or square that is 1/2" thick. Cut the dough into 1/2" long strips and line them up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 1" between them (I managed to cram them all on one because I ate like half the raw dough....). Chill the strips for 30 minutes and ...

I don't think a person exists on this planet who loves pizza more than I do.... I love it in all its incarnations: deep dish, pie cut, square cut, fancy Neapolitan-style pizzas but most of all the awesome mom-and-pop pizza that you can find in any neighborhood in Chicago and the outlying area. Having said that.... if any of the following scenarios apply: attempted weight loss via low-carb diet, gluten = tummy-shame or diabetes, this pizza is truly a good alternative. It tastes really really good (please believe me because I don't even like cauliflower very much) and can scratch that itch for pizza-- maybe not as a forever substitute but on occasion. My daughter found a good crust recipe from  Detoxinista  that holds up after baking-- we've modified it a bit. As for the toppings, you can put anything you like on there. For me pizza is a way of using up leftover ingredients that are hanging around the rotter drawer of the fridge. In this case, I sautéed swiss chard from my...

There are a lot of variations of this salad; I don't have an exact recipe.... just kind of wing-it! cubed watermelon cubed cucumber (take those wretched seeds out first) diced red onion cubed feta (I like to cut this myself so that the pieces stay in discreet squares) chopped cilantro salt and pepper extra-virgin olive oil lime juice to taste (not much, maybe one or two limes juiced) In a separate small bowl, soak the onion in the lime juice while preparing the rest of the salad. In layers add the watermelon first, cucumber the red onion, chopped cilantro and feta on top. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle some EVOO over the whole thing (not a lot), pour the lime juice over and toss only when about to serve. It's a beauty of a salad.

Milo really really wanted to eat that cream..... the longing in those hound eyes is too much! I used some new-fangled apricots that I found in the store called Red Velvet Apricots; they were a bit larger than regular apricots and absolutely delicious. I also used peaches because I didn't have enough apricots. The recipe in F&W included chopped mint in the apricots; I forgot to add that but I think it would be good (or even maybe some chopped basil??). You can make these earlier in the day that you plan to serve them but you don't want them sitting around too long. 2 T brandy 2 T lemon juice 2 T superfine sugar 12 apricots, sliced Combine the brandy, lemon juice and sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the sliced apricots and let stand at room temperature while preparing the rest of the dessert. 4 oz. mascarpone 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 T powdered sugar 1/2 t vanilla Combine using a mixer until whipped fluffy- don't over mix. 1/2 cup graham cracker c...

This salad is refreshing and delicious-- adapted from Food and Wine. The taste hinges on good garden tomatoes and fresh, ripe peaches. 1 1/2 T red wine vinegar 2 T EVOO 1/4 t coriander kosher salt and pepper 2 peaches or nectarines 2 medium tomatoes 2 T chopped red onion crumbled feta chopped cilantro 1 cup broken pita chips (I prefer Trader Joe's) Combine vinegar, EVOO, coriander, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the chopped red onion and let it marinate while you are preparing the remainder of the salad. Slice the peaches and chop the tomatoes. Add to the onions along with the cilantro; right before serving, gently stir in the pita chips and top with feta crumbles.

This recipe is adapted from EveryDay with Rachel Ray; we were doing a low-carb thing so the sliders are shown without buns but you can imagine them with some nice little pretzel slider buns.... yum!!! For the Sliders: 1 lb ground chicken thigh 1 t salt 1-2 T Frank's Red Hot sauce 1/2 t pepper blue cheese slices OR good blue cheese dressing sliced celery slider buns (or not if you are going low-carb) Buffalo sauce (recipe follows) Mix gently and form into 6 small patties or 8 meatballs. Cook in a pan heated with just a bit of oil for 4 minutes per side over medium heat. Serve with all the fixins' and an ice cold beer. For the Sauce: 1 stick of butter, melted 2 T Frank's Red Hot sauce Mix together and keep warm.

This recipe also comes from the Chicago Tribune; it was absolutely delicious and just as good cold for lunch the next day. The grilling method of 7-6-5 comes from Fine Cooking magazine via my friend Mary. Marinade: 2 shallots, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 T freshly grated ginger (I use a mini food processor to do this) 2 t coriander 2 t sugar 1 t salt 1 t ground cumin 1/2 t cayenne pepper Mix all ingredients and marinade two pork tenderloins (about 1 lb each) overnight in a ziplock bag. Heat the grill to high and grill on one side for 7 minutes, turn it over and grill for 6 minutes longer. Turn off the grill and leave the tenderloin on the grill with the lid closed for another 5 minutes-- it will be perfectly cooked.

This recipe comes from the Chicago Tribune food section; I altered it a bit mainly by greatly reducing the amount of sugar in the marinade. Leftover chicken is great sliced up in an Asian-style salad. Marinade : 6 T Asian chili paste with garlic 1 T sugar 2 T soy sauce 2 T unseasoned rice vinegar 2 T sesame oil 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed 1 T fresh ginger, chopped in a mini food processor or grated Mix all ingredients and pour the marinade over as many chicken breasts as you want to grill (I used all the marinade for about 3 lbs of chicken breasts). I let this marinade overnight and then grill chicken breasts for 6 minutes per side on high heat (if they are very thick I go 6 1/2 minutes). Note: I like to trim the chicken breasts of fat and gross stuff and then, using a fork, poke a lot of holes on both sides in order for the marinade to be able to penetrate the chicken.

In my opinion the margarita forms the foundation of the hedonist food pyramid; it's nature's supreme offering to us-- take a moment here to fully appreciate that.... you're welcome!!! 2 strawberries 2 oz. tequila 1/2 oz. triple sec 1 oz. lime juice 1/4 oz. simple syrup (adjust according to the sweetness of the strawberries) Muddle the strawberries in your glass (preferably salt-rimmed). Add ice. In a shaker with a bit of ice, add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously (try to think of this as your muscle toning exercise for the day). Pour over the strawberries and enjoy!

This drink recipe comes from the Rachel Ray magazine; it calls for serrano peppers, however, I really love the taste of Fresno peppers-- you can use whichever you prefer. 1 T coarse salt 1/2 t chili powder Combine and put onto a small plate. Moisten your glass and coat the rim with chili salt. 1 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice 3 thin slices Fresno pepper, serrano or Jalapeño 3 sprigs of cilantro 2 1/4 oz. silver tequila (I probably round up a bit here.... who can even measure a 1/4 oz???) 1 1/2 oz. triple sec 1 oz. simple syrup In a cocktail shaker, muddle the pepper slices with the cilantro. Fill the shaker halfway with ice and add the remaining ingredients. Shake with gusto for about 20-30 seconds and strain into the salt-rimmed glass (with or without ice... your choice). 

Keep the defibrillator nearby... Adapted from Rachel Ray magazine. 2 T butter 1 t onion powder 1/2 t garlic powder 1 cup dry white wine 3 cups heavy cream 1- 8 oz. container cheddar cheese spread (yeah... that stuff in a tub!) 8 oz. cream cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar 1 lb shells or elbow macaroni 1 cup panko plus 1 T butter chopped parsley for garnish if desired (I did not desire the extra work...) In a large saucepan, heat the butter along with the two powders; add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes until some of the liquid evaporates. Add the broth and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the cream and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes; add all the cheeses and cook over low heat, whisking until smooth. While you are doing this cook the pasta following the instructions for al dente. At this point, I will tell you that the cheese sauce will be very thin-- add the pasta; if you are like me, you want to get this done a little ...

This pesto is so fresh tasting and versatile- it's awesome on fish, chicken and I also used it in my chicken tortilla soup. I would imagine it's good on chili, steak and burgers as well. 2 bunches cilantro, washed 1 t salt 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 t cumin 1/2 t hot paprika 2 T lemon juice 1/2 cup EVOO 1/4 cup cotijo cheese (I call this Mexican parmesan) Chop all the ingredients except the oil and cheese in a food processor, scraping down the sides a couple times. Add the EVOO in a thin stream through the feeder tube and process until well combined. Add the cheese and pulse a few times. You could obviously improvise with this pesto, using different spices, perhaps adding nuts etc.

I've had a little chili obsession recently; this is adapted from the Chicago Tribune. I made some changes so that I could make it in the slow cooker (another obsession). 3 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs 3 T veg oil 3 onions, chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced 8 garlic cloves, minced 4 t Mexican dried oregano 3 T cumin 2 t coriander 1 t cinnamon 1/2 cup good quality chili powder 1- 12 oz. bottle of beer 1- 28 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes 1- 12 oz. bottle fire roasted peppers, diced 2- 15 oz. cans pinto beans, undrained 1 square unsweetened chocolate, grated 2 T balsamic vinegar Garnishes: radishes, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, salsa, pickled jalapeño slices, green onions etc. etc. Sauté the onions in the vegetable oil until soft, about 8 minutes (I have a slow cooker pot that can go from stove top to slow cooker so that I don't have to dirty multiple pots). Add jalapeno and garlic, cook for about a minute and then add all the spices and cook for an...

I find that chicken chili recipes tend to be a bit bland and watery; however, I thought this was particularly delicious--the tortilla pieces cooked into the chili serve not only to thicken but also add flavor. It helps to have good toppings as well. This is adapted from the Food Network magazine. 2 T EVOO 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 jalapeño pepper, small diced 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced 1 T ground cumin 1 t ground coriander 1 t dried Mexican oregano 1/4 t ground allspice 2 lbs ground chicken thigh 2- 15 oz. cans white navy beans with their liquid 2 cups chicken broth 3 corn tortillas, cut into small pieces 1 bunch cilantro, chopped For toppings: corn salsa or plain corn pickled jalapeño slices shredded cheese sliced radishes avocado lime cilantro sour cream whatever else you can think of that you like Sauté the onion, garlic, both peppers and all the spices for about 5 minutes or so over medium heat. Add the chicken and 1 1/2 te...

I only ever make this salad for the holidays (and only if my niece Abby is coming, who once as a child told me she loved the salad and is now under a lifetime obligation to continue loving it!). It's creamy and fattening and good and I can't get enough of it... it's very dangerous for the waistline! This should be made the day you are planning to serve it. 3-4 lbs green grapes 8 oz. cream cheese, well-softened 1/2 cup sugar 1 t vanilla 8 oz. sour cream Mix all the ingredients together until well-blended (except the grapes) in a large bowl and stir in the grapes. Top with: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup toasted, chopped pecans

This recipe comes from my neighbor Jen; they are guaranteed to be a HUGE hit with everyone. I served them several times over the holidays and people couldn't get enough of them. You could fancy them up a little by putting a dollop of sour cream or guacamole on top. 1 lb ground pork, browned and drained 1 fresno pepper, very small diced small can of chopped black olives 1/2 package of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 6 oz.) buttermilk ranch dressing  Tostitos scoops Mix all ingredients, using enough buttermilk ranch dressing to moisten the mixture. Scoop the sausage mixture into to the tortilla scoops and bake in a 375º oven for 8 minutes.

This recipe is adapted from The Kitchen is My Playground ; I like to make the caramel sauce myself (the best caramel recipe ever!!! from The Pie and Pastry Bible ) rather than use the candies and also I leave off the chocolate drizzle from the original recipe because it seems downright superfluous. A sprinkle of Maldon flaked sea salt takes these to beautiful and dizzying heights! The leftover caramel sauce is great on ice cream. Cookie : 1 cup flour 1/3 c cocoa powder- (I like Valrhona) 1/4 t salt 8 T (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened 2/3 cup sugar 1 large egg, separated plus one additional egg white 2 T milk 1 t vanilla 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped Combine the flour, cocoa and salt (being lazy, I skip this step-- but this is what you're supposed to do). Beat butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy- this takes a few minutes. Add the egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Add the dry mixture and mix until combined. Form the dough into a ball and refrigerate for 1 ho...

I really wanted to post this before Christmas as it is a rather festive holiday cocktail, but it's o.k. to drink it any time of year! This recipe requires blueberry juice which I buy in an ethnic grocery-- it shouldn't be too hard to find. 2 oz. pear vodka 1 oz. St. Germaine 1 oz. sweet and sour mix (which consists of equal parts of lemon juice and simple syrup) 2 oz. blueberry juice 1 egg white, room temperature a dash of rhubarb bitters Combine everything except the bitters in a shaker full of ice and shake vigorously with enthusiasm. Strain into the prettiest cocktail glass you have and add a dash of bitters.

I had never eaten persimmons before and discovered that they are rather delightful though a little strange because they are reminiscent of tomatoes in texture and appearance. This is a delicious flavor combination-- I will have to remember to use the crisp prosciutto in other recipes as well. Unlike most salads, this is quite good the next day as well (although if you plan to make enough for multiple days, only add hazelnuts and prosciutto to what you are using right away). Adapted from Epicurious.com 3 oz. prosciutto 1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped 1/4 cup plus 2 T fresh lime juice 1 t Dijon mustard 1 T finely chopped shallot 1 t honey 1 small garlic clove, pressed 1 t salt freshly ground pepper 3/4 cup EVOO 2 bunches of kale, stemmed and thinly sliced 2 Fuyu persimmons, halved and thinly sliced goat cheese crumbles Preheat oven to 350º. Lay out prosciutto in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisp, around 20 minutes or so. Let it completely c...