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Young & HungryIf you can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen! |
| 2 February |
Hey guess what – January’s over! Time to focus on chocolate, fondue, and something delicious to make for that special someone so they’ll still be yours after Valentine’s Day. What’s more romantic than a dinner in? Let me rephrase, what’s more romantic than a dinner in when you’re used to dining out? I might, for once, prefer not to slave the day away, but I’ve no doubt put in more than my fair share of kitchen duty. So what to make for that special someone who will, for this one day at least, be your culinary inspiration? Well, if you’re a lady cooking for your mister, you cannot go wrong with this pork roast. It’s juicy and tender and doesn’t require constant attention so you can focus your first course elsewhere. If you’re a mister cooking for your miss, perhaps this is a selfish choice of meat, but she’ll never question your machismo.
Since I did first whip this up back in 2009 when I was stuffed from an indulgent December, I left the meal at meat and veggies. You surely have recuperated by now and are ready for some starch. Try a mashed parsnip or simple risotto. The gym lines are finally clearing, so you should have more than enough time to give this roast the extra hours of TLC it deserves. I promise you’ll be paid back one hundred kisses over.
| 16 December |
O Kitchen Aid, Kitchen Aid, wherefore art thou Kitchen Aid – mixer? Shiny and red and steadfast mixer… After three mixer-less batches of biscotti, my arms are now made of steel. And the remainder of me: flour, sugar, egg, and nuts… My days of beating, stirring, kneading, battling by hand are now over. I’m passing the torch to you, reader.
But before I say adieu, here is the last and best of the biscotti recipes. The traditional and original recipe from which all my previous variations were born. I was raised on this anise scented cookie and, as my affection has grown with each passing year, look more and more forward to a batch (or two) each passing birthday or Christmas. Of course now that I finally know how exactly to make them, I have no excuse to not have biscotti around at all times. There’s just something to be said for the ones made by Nonna herself, a special Grandmotherly touch if you will. While I know hers will always be the best to me, I hope that yours will be just as perfect. If not, select all, copy, paste, and send to Grandma!
| 7 May |
The next best thing to biscotti must be scones. Not too sweet, not to salty, and the perfect compliment to my latest coffee beverage of choice cafe con leche or a misto if you’re asking Starbucks…Speaking of, I think Starbucks actually sells a maple pecan scone, but they most definitely cost at least $3 and they most definitely are not whole grain like mine are. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that the only reason mine are whole grain is because I couldn’t find our white flour, but they were just as good, if not better, and you get your fiber. I’ll never eat oatmeal again!
Last week, post scones, I was walking around the mall during lunch when I had the realization that scones, like biscotti, are meant to be a part of my life. During the holidays and the associated yearly goal setting I conjured up a new business concept that included my first love, but on said lunch break it became apparent that scones were to be a main player in this venture. Said venture will remain undisclosed. Not that anyone threatening is actually reading this entry, I actually doubt that anyone at all has gotten this far, but I need a life dream and better safe than sorry.
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