In A Nutshell

This takes me back to childhood when the sound of a pull-tab popping on a can of Snack Pac made my heart sing, and I risked injury to my tongue just to lick off any little bits of pudding sticking to the top of the can. Now they are made from plastic... where's the fun in that??? Adapted from Bon Appétit magazine. 1 cup sugar 2 T cornstarch 2 T unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder pinch of kosher salt 4 egg yolks 2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 t vanilla bean paste (much easier) 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted (I used a combination of dark and bittersweet from Trader Joe's) 1 T unsalted butter 1 t vanilla whipped cream and crushed pretzel thins (I just got to thinking that chocolate-covered pretzel thins or chocolate-covered potato chips from Trader Joe's might be divine) for topping In a heavy saucepan, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, salt and cocoa powder. In a medium bowl, whisk yolks, milk, cream and van

This is a grain salad for olive lovers. Although I'll admit I was skeptical of the outcome, the combination of flavors is very good- don't leave out the walnuts-- they really make the salad! This recipe hinges on using your absolute favorite olives in the world (in my case, the spicy olives from the Whole Foods olive bar). I did not have golden raisins, so I can't in good faith vouch for that particular ingredient but I would guess that they would enhance the salad even further. Adapted from Food and Wine magazine. 1 1/4 cups farro, cooked according to package directions and cooled 1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped olives of your choice 4 scallions, chopped chopped chives 2 T golden raisins 1/2 t crushed red pepper 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 T lemon juice 1 T honey salt and pepper shaved Pecorino cheese, for serving (I forgot to do this) Combine the EVOO, CRP, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the remaini

This is an adaptation of another Rachel Ray recipe; it is a meal in and of itself. I used my own turkey chorizo but you can easily find it at the store (Whole Foods often has either chicken or turkey chorizo) or you can use regular chorizo. 1 T vegetable or canola oil 1/2 lb chorizo, cooked and crumbled 1 onion, chopped 1 jalapeno, small diced 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 t ancho chili powder 1 t cumin 1 t coriander salt to taste 2 cans black beans, not rinsed or drained 3 cups chicken stock eggs, over easy shredded or crumbled queso fresco chopped cilantro diced radish pickled jalapenos diced tomatoes crushed tortilla chips Cook the onion, garlic and jalapeno in the oil for about 5 minutes and then add all the spices, stirring for a couple of minutes. Add the chorizo. In a blender, blend one can of beans with 1 cup of chicken stock. Add this to the pot and then the rest of the beans and stock. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Add salt

Although the color in the photo looks a little garish, this Champagne cocktail was gorgeous in person! The recipe comes from Food Network magazine and is only slightly altered. This would be a beautiful drink to serve on Christmas. Aperol Blood Orange Juice (freshly squeezed) Simple Syrup Orange Bitters Sparkling Wine Combine 1T  Aperol, 1 t simple syrup,  3T  blood orange juice and a dash of bitters in a shaker filled with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and top off with some sparkling wine. Add a twist of blood orange peel. Makes 1 cocktail.

Chubby winter-me wants comfort food-- puddings and other starchy fattening things from childhood. This has always been one of my favorite desserts; we are divided in our house-- my husband and son gag at the sight and smell of rice pudding; my daughter and I, on the other hand, can't get enough of it. The recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit. 2 quarts whole milk (I often use 1% because that's what we tend to have in the house) 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice 2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar (to taste- I like 2/3) 2 T unsalted butter 1 t vanilla 1/4 t salt 2 egg yolks 1 cup heavy cream (hey.... don't feel bad... you used 1% milk- right?) cinnamon for the top Bring the milk, rice, butter, sugar, vanilla and salt to a boil in a heavy 4 quart saucepan; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently (don't be put off by the crust that forms while cooking- it gets stirred away) until rice is tender and creamy, about 1 hour. Whisk eggs in a bowl and add about 1 cup or so of the

The recipe for these rolls comes from a Serbian blog called foodforthought ; there are English translations but I hope to simplify the recipe for you. They are incredibly tasty and not difficult to make. I used ricotta cheese for the filling but you can also use crumbled feta if you want a stronger flavor. Since my son doesn't like cheese, I left half of them empty-- those soulless vessels were delicious as well. Have you ever noticed how every bread or roll recipe tells you to "let cool completely"? I really don't get that... why would you want to eat homemade rolls cold? My advice is eat them while they're warm... even if you have to burn your tongue- they're worth it! 3-4 cups all-purpose flour 2 t instant yeast 14 oz. milk, warmed 2 heaping tablespoons sour cream 2 T corn, canola or vegetable oil 2 egg yolks 1 t salt 1 stick of butter, room temperature ricotta or feta 1 egg white, for glaze In the bowl of a mixer, place 3 cups flour, the

January is a terrible time if you enjoy looking at cooking magazines... it's all kale and quinoa... poached and boiled... penance on a plate; so I'm offering a stick-to-the-ribs soup with carbs and cream and all that good stuff our bodies crave during the coldest month of the year. Very slightly adapted from Food Network. Leave out the bacon and use vegetable stock to make this vegetarian. 5 slices bacon, cut into little pieces 2 T butter 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 1/2 lbs mixed mushrooms (I used white button and shitake) 2 medium potatoes, diced 2 T flour 1/2 cup dry sherry 4 -6 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1/2 cup heavy cream chopped parsley for garnish Cook the bacon in a large pot until crisp; remove to a paper-towel lined bowl and pour off all but about 1 T of the fat. Saute the onions in the bacon fat along with 2 T butter until they are very soft, about 8-10 minutes. This will make your kitchen smell like food heaven. Add the garlic an