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Young & HungryIf you can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen! |
| 31 August |
There is a method to the madness that is making risotto, but that doesn’t stop the sparks of fear inside me & my classmates each time we see it listed on the board. It seems as though something with such a detailed regimen would be foolproof, but I’m pretty sure disaster can only be avoided with constant babysitting and knowhow from failures past. If you also take into consideration, however, that each individual prefers their risotto served according to their unique taste, then you’re pretty much reaching for the stars. That said, my chef’s stars are, after multiple risottos, within my grasp, so we will follow Guido’s guidelines in the following lesson.
| 5 March |
Taken from a Christmas party my mother threw. Mom, you outdid yourself!
- I want to be invited to THIS party!
Clockwise from top: genoa salami, gruyere, grape tomatoes, rosemary & sundried tomato ham, marinated asparagus, buffalo mozzarella, chickpea salad, pepperoni, cured kalamata olives, marinated mushrooms, sharp provolone, marinated artichokes
Center from left: marinated roasted peppers, my grandmother’s olive salad
| 20 November |
My roommate makes me these for brunch on the weekends after late nights out and about. They’re easy. You have these things on hand. If you don’t keep them around they freeze well. And last forever. So no excuses. Add these ingredients to your grocery list. They. Will. Save. You.
| 16 September |
Migas are kind of like chilaquiles with eggs. For those of you that don’t know, chilaquiles are a Mexican tortilla casserole of sorts. I’ll make mine, basically chicken, tortillas, and pico, and provide you with the recipe soon. Speaking of chicken, that might be an excellent addition to the migas. There’s just something about chicken and eggs… I wonder if they figured out which came first?
Anyway, if you’re like me and have restless Sunday syndrome, I always wake up early and get bored waiting for everyone else to stir, why don’t you try making brunch for your friends! There’s nothing like some cooking to keep you busy in the wee hours of the morning when only the unfortunate souls like me are up and at ‘em and everyone will thank you for it!
| 23 August |
For those of you that live alone, skip to the recipe or, if you’re lonely, keep reading with a reminiscent heart. Now, to the readers who cohabitate, let us reflect on all the lessons learned from roommates past. There was my first roommate from West Virginia who taught me that most of the rumors about people from West Virginia are not in fact true, most. She also tried to teach me how to shotgun a beer in our freshman hall’s bathroom to no avail. My next roommate taught me a lot about boys, you could call her a boy magnet of sorts. She had flirting and the fine art of dating down to a T, ahh that was a fun year. Next I went through an assortment of roommates traveling abroad to Florence and west to UCLA. They taught me a myriad of things from the greatness of In-N- Out to how to appreciate a fine wine. I learned to recognize cheeses even though they mostly look and feel the same, that the only thing Italy got wrong was that they forgot to put the gelato between two freshly baked Diddy Riese cookies, and to appreciate tofu – the other white meat? Finally, they reminded me how to swim laps to work up an appetite for aforementioned good eats, particularly during water polo practice.
My current roomie has followed suit bringing an entirely new set of lessons to the table, my favorite of which are probably from her Mom’s organic garden which turns out by far the best tomatoes and blueberries I’ve ever had. When she’s not feeding me my veggies, however, we take delight in our love of mayonnaise and late night pizza. Not at the same time of course, usually. She also has taught me that impromptu infomercial purchases can, in time, earn their keep. And so, we were happy when we were able to use both the Chop Wizard and the mass quantity of mayo in our kitchen for this recipe. The ShamWow, however, I fear will never see the light outside our laundry room… Here’s to a Snuggie come Christmas.
| 26 May |
It has been brought to my attention that my recipes tend to lean towards the appetizer and side dish distinction; guilty as charged, I suppose, given that I am a longtime vegetarian and thus accustomed to eating what many consider garnishes as my main dish. In response to such criticism, I give you an inarguably full-fledged entrée, perfect for a light dinner, and here paired with delicious, healthy roasted asparagus. The salmon recipe comes courtesy of the consummate grilling master, Bobby Flay (and while this recipe is not grilled, I suspect it would be likewise delicious on the grill,) and the asparagus is based off that which my mother makes so frequently during the summer.
Viola!
Regarding the salmon…at the risk of committing heresy, I recommend buying a high-quality, farm-raised salmon for this recipe, as opposed to wild. While the wild variety gets good press for being richer and pinker (which it is) it also has a distinctively fishy flavor which would overpower this particular marinade.
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