My kids and my kids' friends love my fluffy buttermilk pancakes. They are a staple of weekend mornings and sleepovers at my house. Who needs pancake mix when they are so easy to make from scratch! At my daughter's high school, every few weeks, they have what they call a Late Arrival Wednesday. The teachers have professional development in ...
Pearl Barley with Figs, Apple & Pomegranate for Tu B’ Shevat
Celebrate Tu B'Shevat with a sweet and nutritious grain salad made from Biblical ingredients like barley, figs, apple and pomegranate seeds. Tu B’Shevat is a minor Jewish festival at the beginning of the Biblical agricultural cycle known as the New Year for trees. In ancient times, worshippers brought fruit offerings to the temple on this ...
Guacamole and a Cooking Demo with Chef Josh Capon
This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Macy’s; as always, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are entirely my own. Calling all Chicago readers! Join me on January 19 at 12pm for a delicious afternoon at the Macy’s on State Street with Macy’s Culinary Council and Chef Josh Capon. Learn from this master chef as he ...
Papaya Salsa
Sweet and spicy papaya salsa goes with everything from grilled chicken to fish tacos to your favorite tortilla chips. Keep your healthy eating resolutions with this easy vegan and gluten-free recipe. My family just returned from a fabulous trip to Belize. If you are not familiar with this small Central American nation, where English is the ...
Bloody Mary with Dill Pickle Vodka
Skip the lines and brunch at home this New Year's with a restaurant-style Bloody Mary made with homemade pickle-infused vodka. My husband is not much of a drinker. In fact, when we go out to dinner with friends, he is inevitably the designated driver. Wine, beer, cocktails -- they just doesn't do much for him. (I myself enjoy wine and never ...
Hot Cocoa Cookies
One of my family's all-time favorite recipes, hot cocoa cookies taste like a mug of hot chocolate in cookie form. Leave some for Santa this Christmas Eve! I have probably made this recipe three times just in the past week. At this time of year, when my children want me to make cookies for a party, to give to teachers, or just to snack on, ...
Edible Gift: Jam-Swirled Marshmallows
Beautiful jam-swirled homemade marshmallows are the perfect edible gift for the hot chocolate lovers in your life! Homemade marshmallows are satisfying to bite into, melt in your mouth and burst with flavor. They are are so superior to store-bought versions as to be almost a different food. I love one and cannot abide the other. Indeed, once ...
Mexican Chocolate Pudding
A dairy-free chocolate pudding with warm, earthy spices, like cinnamon and cayenne, for an indulgent holiday dessert that everyone can enjoy! The holidays can be a difficult time for families with food allergies or dietary restrictions. Grandparents may not understand how to feed their newly vegan granddaughter. Aunts and uncles aren't sure ...
Easy Homemade Naan
Thanks to Gourmia for sponsoring this post about how easy it is to make piping hot naan and other global flatbreads at home with the Gourmia Electric Flatbread, Pita and Tortilla Maker. Flatbreads are a staple in so many global cuisines whether they are leavened or unleavened; thin and plain or stuffed with meat and cheese. Think of the ...
Vegetarian Burrito Bowls
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SimplyAvocado #CollectiveBias Rice bowls are one of my go-to weeknight dinners. They are quick to make -- especially with some advance planning, namely cooking the rice ahead of time -- and infinitely customizable. For this reason, rice ...
Classic Potato Latkes
With Hanukkah approaching, everyone needs a classic potato latke recipe. On Hanukkah, we celebrate the miracle of how a small amount of olive oil — enough to light the eternal flame for a single day — lasted for eight days, giving our ancestors enough time to make new oil and rededicate the temple that had been destroyed by Greek ...
Arugula and Fennel Salad in Edible Parmesan Bowls
Today’s post with a tutorial on how to make edible Parmesan bowls is sponsored by Parmigiano Reggiano. I am proud to be a 2017 Parmigiano Reggiano Brand Ambassador. Real Parmigiano Reggiano, imported from Italy, is the only parmesan for me! If you are looking for a special first course this holiday season, look no further than this arugula ...
The Ultimate Winter Cheese Plate & Gloria Ferrer Sparkling Wine
Thank you Gloria Ferrer for sponsoring this post. Elevate your everyday entertaining this season with Gloria Ferrer wines! Entertaining this season? What could be more festive than a stunning cheese plate paired with crisp, lively sparkling wines. Today, I am going to walk you through how to create the ultimate winter cheese plate and pair ...
Lemon Olive Oil Ice Cream for Hanukkah
A fresh take on Hanukkah fare: olive oil ice cream. Don't be skeptical: it is lick-the-bowl delicious! This year, Hanukkah starts at sundown on December 12. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of a small group of Jews, the Maccabees, over the army of the Syrian-Greek King Antiochus in the second century BCE. After the Jews drove the Greeks ...
Cooking Demo with Chef Bill Kim at Macy’s and a recipe for Korean Scallion Pancake
This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Macy’s; as always, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are entirely my own. Calling all Chicago readers! Join me for a delicious afternoon at the Macy's on State Street with Macy's Culinary Council and Chef Bill Kim (of urbanbelly and bellyQ fame) on December 8 at 12pm. Learn ...
Easy Mashed Potato Bread
Leftover mashed potatoes? Turn them into an easy, soda-risen, mashed potato bread perfect for a weekend-after-Thanksgiving breakfast. It's the Friday after Thanksgiving. You have leftover mashed potatoes sitting in your fridge. Don’t try to deny it. I am sure that those mashed potatoes were absolutely delicious at your Thanksgiving dinner. I ...
Making Stock Using Your Turkey Carcass
When Thanksgiving is over,don't throw away that turkey carcass! Use it to make delicious turkey stock and treat everyone to turkey noodle soup this week. Will your family enjoy a wonderful roast turkey this Thanksgiving? When you are cleaning up after the big feast on Thursday night, be sure to save the turkey carcass! You can turn those ...
Apple Honey Challah Stuffing
The perfect holiday stuffing made with rich challah, crunchy apples and sweet honey. A Jewish take on stuffing! Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but I have time to give you one more recipe before you have to start cooking. So far, this month, we have talked turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, vegetables and, naturally, dessert, ...
Pear Tart with Pecan Streusel
Not feeling pie for Thanksgiving dinner? This Pear Tart with Pecan Streusel is elegant, easy-to-make and a fresh twist on dessert for the biggest meal of the year. I think pears are overlooked as a fruit for Thanksgiving. Everyone, including me, automatically thinks about apples and pumpkins and perhaps sweet potatoes. But pears are just as ...
Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy
Calling all white meat lovers! The perfect roast turkey breast with gravy made from pan drippings. Just in time for Thanksgiving. There are many reasons to roast a turkey breast. Perhaps you are hosting a small group for Thanksgiving. Perhaps you are hosting a large group but with a disproportionate number of guests who prefer white meat. ...
Purple Passion Hummus
Do not adjust your monitor. You are seeing correctly. That's purple hummus! I make it with a secret ingredient: Stokes Purple sweet potatoes. Before you recoil in horror at the idea of hummus in a never-before-seen shade of purple, let me assure you that this hummus is not so very different from the hummus you know and love. This is not some ...
Brussel Sprouts with Pickled Cranberries and Pecans
A perfect Thanksgiving side dish: roasted Brussel sprouts drizzled with a touch of honey and tossed with pickled cranberries and toasted pecans. After I posted the recipe for pickled cranberries last week, I received a few comments along the lines of: "That's nice, but what am I supposed to do with pickled cranberries?" I mean, I did give ...
Stokes Purple Sweet Potato Souffle
Gorgeous Stokes Purple sweet potatoes bring an earthy warmth to this just-sweet-enough soufflé. A perfect way to end a holiday meal or impress guests at brunch. I don’t think there are enough purple foods. Purple is not only beautiful and vibrant — my favorite color, in fact — but when you see it in a food, it is a sign of heathfulness. A ...
Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Today’s post for classic mashed potatoes enhanced with real Parmesan cheese is sponsored by Parmigiano Reggiano. I am proud to be a 2017 Parmigiano Reggiano Brand Ambassador. Real Parmigiano Reggiano, imported from Italy, is the only parmesan for me! Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes. That's a given. But what kind of ...
Pear Cranberry Relish
Combine fall favorites pear and cranberries with spicy ginger for a sweet-tart relish that will add zing to your Thanksgiving turkey. It is officially November and that means it is time to start planning your Thanksgiving menu. I will be here to help all month long. So, let's dive in! Not much of the Thanksgiving feast can be prepared in ...