tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-296365882011-11-30T10:16:13.852-08:00Seven grad student/twentysomethings and enthusiastic amateur cooks explore the culinary world beyond Top Ramen, Easy Mac and microwave popcorn. Recipes, techniques, food shopping, thoughts on restaurants, cookbook reviews and general food pr0n... it's all here. So dig in.Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.comBlogger851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-71022986477936819262008-09-03T18:12:00.000-07:002008-09-03T18:29:30.678-07:00

A friend got me a subscription to Cooking Light magazine when I got married. This has been the source of many delicious new recipes for me, and I think two big winners are the big winners has been the Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese and Sungold Tomato Salsa Cruda with OrzoThe chicken-orzo salad is a great main dish and the salsa cruda salad makes a phenomenal side dish for a cookout. I love

Bethnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-58604568053616824092008-07-15T18:53:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:33:56.451-07:00

Although I missed out getting on my own CSA farm share this year, one of my good friends got one and has been generous in handing over her beets to me. I love beets just plain, cool, sliced and sweet, but this week I wanted to make something with them. I turned to Mark Bittman, a.k.a. "The Minimalist", and found exactly the answer to my beet question: Beet Rösti with Rosemary. I wasn't familiar

Kellynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-22547769443600777082008-04-04T15:02:00.000-07:002008-04-04T15:03:37.871-07:00

Since we've started getting sweet potatoes in the farm box (around November or so), I've been wanting to make waffles. We tried these last year and they were delicious. Not only does the flavor of sweet potato go really well with brown sugar and cinnamon, but it adds interesting texture, and the moistness of the potato helps keep the waffles from becoming dry. Besides, since sweet potatoes are

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-56538025969813068282007-05-19T06:46:00.000-07:002007-05-20T09:37:47.586-07:00

It's so cold here in New England, despite it being May 19th, so thoughts turn to making the house warm and lightly scented. What better than bread? Now, we have a KitchenAid mixer, so kneading isn't really a concern. However, sometimes it's nice to not really have to work for your bread. With this in mind, I present to you a recipe I got from the New York Times, for No-Knead Bread. You can

KrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634085283364889843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-70703724131856268762007-05-09T17:17:00.000-07:002007-05-09T17:27:35.362-07:00

Today's New York Times has a great article in which Mark Bittman describes how to equip your kitchen with the essential gear for, apparently, under $200 - I don't know where he's shopping, but *my* local restaurant supply store is a lot pricier than the one he visited. Still, I tend to agree with his list of essentials. It's quite similar to our "Necessary Objects" list from last year.

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-36506555322824260012007-05-04T11:45:00.000-07:002007-05-04T17:53:05.480-07:00

My neighbor had a barbecue the other night, and I was charged with bringing dessert. I wanted to do something summery/barbecue-y and not too heavy, and thought a berry cobbler paired with french vanilla ice cream would work nicely. This recipe from America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated (free registration required, but it's worth it) uses frozen blueberries. I had a couple bags of mixed

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-91074151381667740042007-05-02T21:39:00.000-07:002007-05-04T17:42:56.896-07:00

image courtesy epicurious.com*As it turns out, I make a salad. A quite delightful one, at that.In our first week with the CSA, we got a delivery that included all the vegetable ingredients for this salad - asparagus, fava beans, and salad greens. We didn't have the pecorino cheese that the recipe called for, but I made do with a hunk of parmigiano reggiano. The salad itself was pretty simple -

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-40342082252752168182007-04-16T23:43:00.000-07:002007-04-17T01:00:40.730-07:00

I'm fortunate enough to live in one of the few areas of the US, maybe even the world, where eating according to the 100 mile diet entails very little work. Northern California produces tons of great food year round, so there's really no excuse not to eat local. Having read "The Omnivore's Dilemma", and read/watched "Fast Food Nation", I'm always grumbling about the industrialized food chain, and

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-75501747077032469972007-04-15T20:41:00.000-07:002007-05-04T17:42:56.901-07:00

I first tried out this recipe when I was living in a co-op here in Berkeley (in my first semester of grad school). We always had lots of whole grains and beans on hand, and were also always trying to come up with recipes that were suitable for the vegetarian/vegan members of the co-op. This one, probably adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook (?) was so good I had to write it down. :) The finished

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-70131320725015250152007-03-15T16:57:00.000-07:002007-03-15T13:58:57.777-07:00

I love eating a nice hot bowl of soup or chili when it's cold outside but I'd never made it myself before.I found this recipe for Taco Soup on The Food Network's web site. Ingredients:2 pounds ground beef (I used about 1.5 lbs ground turkey instead and it worked out well)2 cups diced onions 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-89106479514895457012007-03-11T19:54:00.000-07:002007-03-12T13:34:03.686-07:00

About a month ago I resolved to clean out my freezer a bit. I have a tendency to buy meats when they are on sale, stick them in my freezer, and then forget about them. I found both sweet and hot italian sausage in my freezer and decided to try out some new recipes with them. I did a quick search on foodnetwork.com (which, by the way, I am completely addicted to. I think I check it 4 times a day

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-18236777308107228522007-03-11T19:42:00.000-07:002007-03-13T12:19:43.929-07:00

I received a canister of Godiva's Dark Chocolate Truffle Hot Cocoa for Christmas. I'm a huge choc-o-holic but I didn't try it until this weekend. I managed to put it towards the back of a shelf in my kitchen and then forget about it (it seems that I have a bad habit of forgetting about food...). I found it again tonight while looking for something to calm a major chocolate craving.This hot

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-49691496969026663982007-03-03T14:09:00.000-08:002007-03-03T18:15:09.051-08:00

I haven't been doing much cooking worth noting lately (unfortunately)... just a lot of the same old standbys. I HAVE, however, done some eating worth noting. A local chocolatier whose bars I've always enjoyed is offering free chocolate tastings every Saturday in their new location. They're still in the midst of construction on the factory/cafe bit, but the guy behind the counter told us all about

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-78959200113871064092007-02-15T13:35:00.000-08:002007-02-15T13:41:14.973-08:00

The folks at Meat & Livestock Australia are offering a free cookbook, full of interesting ways to prepare lamb for any occasion. Click here.* I just heard about this from a friend, so wanted to share the cookbook (and lamb) love.

Kellynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-91425465856092227132007-02-12T20:48:00.000-08:002007-02-12T21:17:32.453-08:00

I adapted this recipe from (yet again) something in the most recent issue of Real Simple. It's healthy, tasty, and best of all, takes maybe 10 minutes to make and only uses two dishes (one pan and a bowl). Sign me up!Start out by making the couscous. This could hardly be easier - measure 1 c. of couscous into a glass bowl, boil 2 c. of water and then pour it over the couscous (that will make 4-6

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1655002214696863352007-02-08T07:51:00.000-08:002007-02-12T21:18:23.916-08:00

Okay, so it's winter, and nobody likes to go out. What to do, what to do? I have a solution! Make these delicious Milk Chocolate Brownies, from the Feb 2007 issue of Gourmet1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter8 oz fine-quality milk chocolate, chopped3/4 cup packed light brown sugar1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract2 large eggs3/4 cup all-purpose flour1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder1/2

KrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634085283364889843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1770018206456477692007-01-24T05:15:00.000-08:002007-01-24T05:37:56.488-08:00

My boyfriend has been working late the last 2 weeks and as a result I've been doing all the cooking. It's given me a chance to try out a lot of new recipes. I found this recipe for Spaghetti with Clams on the Food Network's website HERE, originally by Giada De Laurentiis. This dish looks fancy but was suprisingly quick and easy to make, taking only about 20 mins to cook. The sauce looks plain but

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-26017929506396399752007-01-04T11:40:00.000-08:002007-01-24T05:34:31.059-08:00

When I was young I used to make these cookies with my grandmother before Christmas. She passed away 11 years ago and I still make them to bring back happy memories.They make great Christmas cookies, but they are delicious and could be made for any occasion.I'd always thought that this was a Super Secret Family Recipe but upon doing some research I discovered that it originally came from the back

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-55507718843083695442007-01-04T07:17:00.000-08:002007-01-04T08:59:55.431-08:00

For New Year's Eve dinner, we planned to order a Turducken from the Food Network-approved Cajun Grocer website. However, the cost of the beast plus shipping, turned out to be rather high, so my friend and I decided to make our own. It was an intimidating undertaking, but we succeeded. The finished product absolutely justified the several hours of prep work. Here's how we did it.Ingredients:1

Kellynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-22542240227514689692006-12-21T20:05:00.000-08:002006-12-21T21:12:19.547-08:00

Okay, so I'm moving this weekend and I just got hit by Denver's "Blizzard of 2006." This creates two (culinary) problems: All my dishes are packed and all my food is at it's bare minimum, and I can't go out and buy anything as all the supermarkets have been closed down.Last night we had a little less than a half chicken breast and some assorted foods, and we wanted to make some warm soup to get

Bethnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-81599635251908830682006-12-20T12:55:00.000-08:002006-12-20T13:28:54.348-08:00

I wanted to make a fancy-looking appetizer for the cookie swap/party I had this weekend, and came up with the idea to do a twist on the typical bruschetta using very finely diced butternut squash instead of tomato. I used maple syrup, sage and chili powder to give it both sweet and savory flavors, some bacon for extra dimension (we used soy "bacon" because we had some vegetarians coming to the

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-31511081453444048902006-12-18T12:48:00.000-08:002006-12-18T13:14:06.571-08:00

Seeking a cool taste of summer during this weirdly warm winter in NYC, my boyfriend and I made some pickles. Even though cucumbers aren't particularly in season, these tasted fresh, bright and crisp.3 medium cucumbers, sliced into rounds or cut into spears.5 cloves garlicfresh dill1 cup white vinegar5 cups water1/2 cup sugar1/3 cup saltBring the vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil in a small

Kellynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-58680693908502839792006-12-17T22:25:00.000-08:002006-12-17T23:14:39.963-08:00

These are the cookies that I made for the cookie swap I hosted this evening (it went smashingly). They turned out very well, but I'm not sure I'd make them again - I always find the rolling and cutting process pretty tedious!Dough:1/2 c. butter1 1/2 c. sugar1 tsp. orange rind2 eggs1/4+ tsp. cinnamon1/4+ tsp. nutmeg3 c. flour1/2 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. saltFilling:1 c. cranberries1 c. pecans4

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-43578056141429319252006-12-14T21:03:00.000-08:002006-12-14T21:45:45.756-08:00

I know it's a little late to be talking about Thanksgiving leftovers, but maybe some of you still have as much turkey meat in your freezer as we do! In my humble opinion, there are few better uses for pre-cooked poultry than this pot pie. My husband and I often make this with chicken when we've roasted a whole bird and have a lot of leftover meat.The recipe is based on this one from Good Eats (

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-87665697463172529992006-12-14T00:58:00.000-08:002006-12-14T01:05:32.921-08:00

Blogger Beta, that is. We switched over just today - I hope you will enjoy some of the new features (much nicer tags for entries, for example, and expandable post summaries). I also want to extend a "mea maxima culpa" to all those who read us on LiveJournal syndication - in the process of switching, it seems that Blogger republished a good half of our sixty entries to date and probably clogged up

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1166026503583250612006-12-13T08:03:00.000-08:002006-12-13T18:12:58.855-08:00

Some nights I just don't feel like cooking. When it's been a long day all I want to do is throw together a quick meal and watch some TV.I still want to eat something healthful and fresh on these nights though, so I've been experimenting with ways to make a simple salad more exciting.The best thing I've come up with is my buffalo chicken salad.With the help of my George Foreman grill, this takes

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1165903358017855652006-12-11T21:05:00.000-08:002007-12-21T14:53:33.349-08:00

Around the holidays, my family always made these caramels. The recipe was originally from my grandparents' best friends, and I grew up thinking that it was a super secret family recipe. Last year we discovered an almost identical recipe in Shirley Corriher's excellent book Cookwise. Go figure.Candymaking can be tricky, but it's within reach if you have the right tools and a few important bits of

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1163450404386204142006-11-13T12:18:00.000-08:002006-12-13T18:03:47.753-08:00

Okay, so it's coming. One of the biggest eating holidays of the year. And the centerpiece is usually turkey. Turkey can be a tricky thing. It seems like you could cook birds of the same size for the same time and one will be dry, and the other raw. It can be tasty, but sometimes can be flavorless (a particular complaint of dry turkey). It seems confusing, no? Well, never fear, because here

KrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634085283364889843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1163441328168974192006-11-13T09:46:00.000-08:002006-12-13T17:28:21.076-08:00

Continuing the pumpkin kick...My boyfriend and I whipped up a hearty sausage and pumpkin soup last night, perfect for a rainy Sunday night. We just sort of threw things in the pot willy-nilly, and here's what ended up in there:- 6 hot Italian sausages- 1 onion, chopped- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped- 1/2 chipotle pepper with adobo sauce (chop up the pepper)- 1 29-oz can of pure pumpkin- 1 15-oz

Kellynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1163366058850503782006-11-12T12:51:00.000-08:002006-12-13T17:28:45.456-08:00

One of my favorite things about this time of the year is all the delicious desserts that can be made with pumpkin. I get excited for my aunt's home-made pumpkin pie a few months in advance of Thanksgiving.I've never done any pumpkin baking before so I decided to give it a try. I figured an easy way to start would be this recipe of a variation on zucchini bread--something that I know to be fairly

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1163302418245989292006-11-11T18:49:00.000-08:002006-12-13T16:24:40.101-08:00

The pumpkin that we never got around to carving on Halloween needed to be dealt with. I originally wanted to break it down into chunks, but that wasn't going to work - the skin was impossible to peel and the shell was too hard to cut it into wedges and "peel" with a knife. I managed to crack it in half and scoop out the seeds,* then put both halves on a cookie sheet in a 450°F oven for about an

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1163052946862790292006-11-08T21:55:00.000-08:002006-12-13T18:39:29.990-08:00

Last week I was watching Food Network, and Tyler Florence was helping a 12-year-old kid make spaghetti and meatballs for his mom. Since Tyler put MOZZARELLA into the center of them, I was sold. So, my fiancé and I mad meatballs together for the first time. When I looked up the recipe, I realized that there were two similar ones, so I combined them to suit my needs. One was for Food 911 and the

Bethnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1163027014984112532006-11-08T14:58:00.001-08:002006-12-13T17:29:18.893-08:00

Okay, so Jackie made a nice post about cranberry orange jelly, which reminded me about my absolute favourite Thanksgiving time treat (and yes, I'm including the pumpkin pie which Mom only makes twice a year). I hereby present to you a tart and textural version of Jackie's lovely recipe:Cranberry Orange Relish:1 large navel orange1 16 oz. bag of cranberriesQuarter the orange. Get out the food

KrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634085283364889843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1163011654948763012006-11-08T10:42:00.000-08:002006-12-13T16:25:04.547-08:00

I mentioned the necessity of an oven thermometer in my Necessary Objects post a week or so ago. This morning's San Francisco Chronicle has an article on why not all ovens bake the same - a lot of the focus is on newer ovens with convection capability, but there are a lot of useful tips for getting to know your oven and getting the best results from it. Plus: recipes for chocolate chip cookies,

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1162882081672263502006-11-06T22:19:00.000-08:002006-12-13T16:25:25.425-08:00

If you're hosting any sort of holiday gathering - or attending one where you've been requested to bring food - nothing seems to impress people more than homemade cranberry sauce. I don't know why, since it's actually really easy to make. It's also one of those things that tends to taste much better homemade. I couldn't find my fave recipe (no clue where it came from, even), so I tried to

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1162786461147716512006-11-05T19:48:00.000-08:002006-12-13T16:26:07.616-08:00

I don't know if this is a new product or an old product that I only just discovered, but let me say I love it already (and not just because their name is so close to ours!) Better Than Bouillon is a lovely, concentrated goop that packs more flavor (and significantly less sodium) than traditional bouillon cubes, but doesn't take up as much room as cans/boxes of the liquid stuff. Basically, you

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1162613471061652252006-11-03T19:52:00.000-08:002006-12-13T16:26:42.382-08:00

In the past two years that we've lived together, my husband and I have made pizza pretty much every Friday night (with a few exceptions). Most of the time we just have plain cheese, though we have been known to go Hawaiian (frozen pineapple chunks and prosciutto/bacon/ham) on occasion. Red onion and roasted red pepper is another favorite combination. But tonight I went a little crazy - sweet

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1162365910596402182006-10-31T20:29:00.000-08:002006-12-13T16:27:08.502-08:00

Hypothetical situation: You're moving into your first apartment (or, have decided you need to do more than microwaving in your current apartment). You have some cash to spend, but not a lot. What are the most important items for the kitchen?I found myself in a similar situation not too long ago, and to be honest, I didn't really know what I needed. Lots of different pans? A plastic utensil set? A

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1162229995389428012006-10-30T09:39:00.000-08:002006-12-13T16:38:02.222-08:00

Something about October makes me buy several pounds of apples every time I go to the grocery store. I don't know if it's nostalgia for my childhood, when my family would go apple picking, bring home three bushels of apples and just bake bake bake for the next week straight, or if I just really like apples. Either way, I've been looking for new ways to cook them. This one is adapted from a recipe

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1162158643474059302006-10-29T13:46:00.000-08:002006-12-13T17:29:41.471-08:00

I found this delicious looking recipe in the latest issue of "Real Simple" - I know, it's not really a twenty-something magazine, but at least it's not Martha Stewart. Anyway, they suggest it as a side dish at Thanksgiving that is hearty enough to serve as a main dish for vegetarians. I'm not vegetarian but I do have a lot of veggie friends, and I tend to like Moroccan-inspired dishes, so I

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1162103047935018902006-10-28T23:17:00.000-07:002006-12-13T18:27:23.303-08:00

Okay, so I'm not a huge milk drinker, never have been. But, I work at Starbucks now and I like my flavored steamers/lattes (soy milk with caramel syrup? delicious!). Anyway, chocolate milk's always been a mixed bag for me--on the one hand, chocolate! On the other hand, ewww, milk...and triple ewww, the sludge on the bottom from a Quick or whatever. So today, at Whole Foods, I saw what looked

Bethnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1162056088891943112006-10-28T09:54:00.000-07:002006-12-13T18:27:53.962-08:00

I've made these muffins on two occasions and both times they've turned out delicious. I don't like bananas very much, but I LOVE banana bread. I was hoping to make a healthy alternative to the bread and found this recipe at the website for Quaker Oats.The recipe is very easy to follow and they bake quickly. Also, I've found that they keep very well and I can imagine that they would freeze well

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1161844736892617092006-10-25T21:04:00.000-07:002006-12-13T18:26:27.781-08:00

I was serious when I said I love fall food. This side dish really couldn't be easier, and the simple preparation allows the flavors of the food to really come through - perfect when the flavors in question are sweet potatoes and yams!You can vary the proportions as you like, but I think two of each is a nice balance:2 large carrots, peeled2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled2 medium yams, peeled2

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1161557029438718832006-10-22T15:17:00.000-07:002006-12-13T18:26:52.102-08:00

I love fall food, squashes and apples especially. This week, we picked up a couple nice looking Niman Ranch pork loin chops, and prepared them simply with some acorn squash and baked apples on the side.Sweet acorn squash: Slice a medium acorn squash in half, through the stem. Scoop out the seeds and strings. Using a fork, poke the flesh liberally - this allows the flavoring to sink into the flesh

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1160365561753144412006-10-08T20:27:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:42:07.300-08:00

I always used to wonder how fancy restaurants managed to make their vinaigrette dressings so thick. Thanks to Alton Brown (as per usual) I've learned that the key is to add a little bit of dijon mustard to your vinegar and olive oil mixture. The dressing that we've been using lately is a combo of fig balsamic vinegar and raspberry dijon - the fancy mustard was too cool-sounding to resist. This

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1157824674789895852006-09-09T10:29:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:44:40.484-08:00

Steel-cut oatmeal is one of my favorite weekend breakfasts - it's much creamier than "instant" oatmeal, it's warm and filling, and though it does take a while to prepare, it's simpler than pancakes or French Toast. This week we decided to add a new spin to it - raspberry sauce. Inspired partially by a brunch we had last weekend at La Note, and partially by the 6oz containers of raspberries that

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1157600158030587432006-09-06T20:09:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:45:49.101-08:00

My husband was feeling creative in the kitchen last night (that sounds a little dirty, doesn't it?) and suggested this funky casserole/one-dish meal. Apparently, it's based on something that was served for lunch last week in the high school he teaches at. Here's what went into it:2/3 c. rice1 1/3 c. water1 can red kidney beans4-5 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks1 red bell pepper (green,

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1156982401087422692006-08-30T16:33:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:46:47.616-08:00

Well, it was that time again here in the city. The time where restaurants offered a three course lunch for $20.06 and a three course dinner for $30.06. So we went out twice to splurge!Week One:Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar (I just call it Fleming's)They are a chain, but a quality chain.We were seated immediately, although we were 10' early for our reservation. The atmosphere was very

KrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634085283364889843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1156648030372934182006-08-26T19:09:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:47:45.728-08:00

My boyfriend and I cook a lot of Chinese dishes since he lived there until he was 10. This meal is very easy to make and takes very little time at all. A normal Chinese meal may have 5 or 6 different dishes, but since its just the two of us we usually make 2 or 3. Tonight we made steamed Tilapia, stir-fried bok choy, and egg & tomato.Steamed Tilapia You will need:-One fresh Tilapia, about 1 lb (

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07728204788257900700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1155765605044370922006-08-16T14:48:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:49:02.283-08:00

The third of a continuing series of what's ripe right now, according to this very useful site. August is peak season for tons of fruits and vegetables - in my area, the weather has finally cooled down enough that I might contemplate doing some canning, if I did that sort of thing (maybe next year), and I'm definitely more in the mood to cook than I was when it was 90° and humid. Anyway, to the

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1155701841385549612006-08-15T20:46:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:50:35.862-08:00

One of my favorite 'go-to' recipes is this Yellow Chicken Curry. We decided to take it a step further and have Thai iced tea with dinner... and then tried our hand at Mango with Sticky Rice for dessert.The curry is a pretty straightforward stir-fry like recipe... the ingredients list is pretty long, but it is not complicated to make. Most of the ingredients can be found at a regular grocery store

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1153940789291723122006-07-26T12:01:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:51:48.122-08:00

In my never-ending obsession with bars, I finally had a Lärabar. I like the idea of Lärabar: all ingredients are in their "whole, natural state" - un-cooked, un-processed, no preservatives, nothing that we can't pronounce. Since the bodega supplied no other choice but the Ginger Snap variety, I gave it a whirl. I do love gingersnap cookies.Ingredients: dates, almonds, pecans, ginger, cinnamon,

Kellynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1153792740360026952006-07-24T18:50:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:55:06.747-08:00

This weekend I had the best pork dinner I've ever made. Got the recipe from epicurious.com for pork tenderloin with maple glaze. It was sweet, tangy, with a hint of herb. So good! It's one of the few recipes I've ever made where I actually used all the ingredients listed :-P2 12- to 14-ounce pork tenderloins We split an 18oz in half2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage leaves1 tablespoon butter6

Bethnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1153681288738399002006-07-23T11:41:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:53:59.292-08:00

It's been too hot to do much cooking lately, but this is one dish we have all the time that doesn't take too much effort or slaving over a hot stove. No, it's not fancy, but it is tasty and filling.The components are pretty simple - one can of Trader Joe's Cuban Style Black Beans (you could use any type of black beans, or, if you want to work a little harder, make your own), rice, and pan-fried

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1153337213015238232006-07-19T11:26:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:59:32.211-08:00

And here we go with what I believe is BTR's first restaurant review.We all know Bobby Flay from the Food Network - the grilling, Tex-Mex master, the Iron Chef with an asshole demeanor that's just a little bit sexy. One of his restaurants in New York, Mesa Grill, is participating in Restaurant Week, so we took advantage of the reduced-price prix fixe and checked it out last night.We arrived a bit

Kellynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152977810554057292006-07-15T08:20:00.000-07:002006-12-13T20:58:44.817-08:00

Sometimes, the best recipes come right off the box. This one is no exeption.My husband and I eat a lot of turkey burgers, so in a pinch, I grab the pre-measured 1lb ground turkey package. I saw the recipe on the back cover card and I decided to make it. The first time, I made it with commercial style lasagna noodles. The second time, I made it with fresh pasta. What a difference that fresh pasta

Carolinenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152729153153536172006-07-12T11:18:00.000-07:002006-12-13T21:00:51.288-08:00

Some time ago, I promised my boyfriend that I would cook him a rack of lamb. Monday night was D-Day. Rack of lamb doesn't come cheap (at least $13/lb), so I was really hoping to succeed in my maiden voyage of cooking this adorable little creature. Happily, it all turned out just fine.Since it was marked as "easy" and from a trusted source, I went with Gourmet magazine's recipe for Rack of Lamb

Kellynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152645184920681952006-07-11T12:12:00.000-07:002006-12-14T01:39:23.474-08:00

I got all excited in the grocery store earlier this week when I saw a huge bag of cherries at some ridiculously low price. After eating quite a few of them as-is, I realized I'd have to do something with the rest before they went bad, and gorging myself on a half pound of cherries wasn't an option. I really kind of wanted to make something cheesecake-y, but we had neither cream cheese nor sour

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152529952257563382006-07-10T03:59:00.000-07:002006-12-13T22:02:45.901-08:00

This past weekend, my husband and I were invited to our neighborhood's barbeque at the pool. On the invitation were the famous potluck words- Bring a dish to share.Sounds easy, right? Not when your brain wants to go beyond the potato and macaroni salads that seem to overtake the classic American neighborhood BBQ. I wanted to make something different, but I wasn't sure what that would be.For

Carolinenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152512341368868832006-07-09T22:18:00.000-07:002006-12-13T22:04:38.378-08:00

When I was growing up, I was a much pickier eater than I am now (sometimes I wish I had kept a little of that pickiness, it would make weight maintenance a lot simpler). One dish I vividly remember turning my nose up at was one my parents made with excess summer garden bounty - tomatoes, zucchini and summer squash. Now that my taste has matured, I enjoy this quite a bit, and it always makes me

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152391803119897712006-07-08T13:42:00.000-07:002006-12-13T22:05:32.718-08:00

This morning, while deciding what to have for breakfast before I headed into the lab, I realized we still had a significant number of blueberries hanging around the house. So why not make some muffins? Lab could wait while I whipped these up.We pulled out one of my favorite cookbooks, Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for More Food and used his basic muffin recipe, which is good for all sorts of

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152235021369256502006-07-06T17:58:00.000-07:002006-12-13T22:07:06.338-08:00

I'll grant you that most people, during the summer, aren't thinking about baking. In my house however, it is ALWAYS time to bake. One of my personal favorite deserts is cheesecake-- it's versatile, impressive, and everyone seems to love it. Recently, we came across a recipe for this cheesecake, which is different than your average cheesecake (that I've had, at least), but absolutely wonderful

Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08910044191798530561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152210351890212562006-07-06T11:14:00.000-07:002006-12-13T22:11:26.710-08:00

I am back from my post-qualifying exam, and thinking about food again! What better way to celebrate than making yummy burritos?? Now, my boyfriend is a simple man, and likes meat and cheese and salsa on his. But it pays to be slightly more creative! So here's my basic recipe, and then lots of yummy yummy add ins!Ground beef (however much you need--easily adaptable to a large group). Now, you

KrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634085283364889843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152037392886982612006-07-04T11:10:00.000-07:002006-12-13T22:12:33.678-08:00

Since corn is in season and it's the Fourth of July, I thought I should share my new discovery about corn. My old corn cooking method was from David Rosengarten (from The Television Food Network's Taste show). For that, you put cold water in a pot, add corn, put on high, and the corn's done when it comes to a boil (living in high altitude, however, I had to alter that a bit to "boil for a few

Bethnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1152035279656755752006-07-04T10:29:00.000-07:002006-12-13T22:13:36.122-08:00

I've noticed a lot of patriotically themed desserts popping up all over the cooking blogosphere... JustHungry offers up a variation on Eton Mess with balsamic strawberries (!), blueberries, star shaped cookies and merengues; Slashfood gets retro creative with Jell-O and Cool Whip, and Coconut & Lime went with a baked good, whipping up a cranberry-blueberry bread.My submission is decidedly easy,

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1151976648701706442006-07-03T15:16:00.000-07:002006-12-14T01:42:11.203-08:00

A couple years ago, my husband (then boyfriend) asked me if I would make him a Boston Cream Pie for his birthday. My attempt - in the 90°, 99% humidity weather of a typical Massachusetts July, was less than successful. This year I tried again, with markedly better results. I fetched a Gourmet magazine recipe from Epicurious.com. Pretty basic - yellow cake, a custard filling (very similar to the

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1151789088052043592006-07-01T14:07:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:04:41.119-08:00

Another month, another crop of fruits and veggies that are ripe for the picking. What's good in July? As with the June installment, this list is for Northern California. If you live in a cooler climate, you might have to wait until the end of the month for these to be at their bests - but while you're waiting, check out the June post to see what's ripe in your area.Fruits: Blueberries, nectarines

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1151476279938120022006-06-27T23:06:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:06:59.220-08:00

Slightly above average dinner tonight. I wanted to try out one of the chicken rub recipes from an old Real Simple magazine - we've been doing a lot of cooking with cumin/curry powder lately! Decided to get a little fancy with the green beans and add some almonds to them, and of course no dinner would be complete without a little starch, so quinoa (pronounced keen-WAH) it is. You can never go

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1151382302387073822006-06-26T21:04:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:08:01.310-08:00

On a recent health food kick, I bought a box of multigrain cereal - the sort you cook like oatmeal. I tried a bowl and wasn't a fan, even after I loaded it up with honey and brown sugar (which kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?). So I had to think of something else I could do with the stuff. I also need some baked goods to bring to my lab meeting on Wednesday, so I decided to try this

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1151329904433401182006-06-26T05:57:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:09:18.285-08:00

Like many people, I grew up with an old-school mother. We fried with vegetable oil, buttered our bread quite liberally, and baked with Crisco. I'm sure by the age of 10, my arteries started to clog.After graduating college, I decided that my diet needed to consist of something better than beer and buffalo wings, so I started cooking healthier for myself.Being a sci-geek, I knew from all the

Carolinenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150863530163287232006-06-20T20:56:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:10:25.335-08:00

To close out my personal mission to find recipes for every fruit and veggie that is perfectly in season this month, I tried a very simple recipe: Limeade, based on this lemonade recipe from "Simply Recipes". Apparently, the trick to a perfect cold beverage is to use heat! [Cooking for Engineers concurs.]Boil together 1 c. water and 1 c. sugar, until the sugar is completely dissolved. [Making this

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150822685780341802006-06-20T09:29:00.000-07:002007-03-13T10:39:59.826-07:00

From Rose Levy Beranbaum's excellent and much-loved Pie and Pastry Bible: "When fresh berries are at the peak of their season, this tart is the time-honored way to make the most of them." Well, Rose Levy rarely steers me wrong, so I decided to give her Fresh Berry Tart a shot this weekend.The tart has three components: a sweet cookie shell, a creamy (think eclair) filling, and of course, the

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150773235140076422006-06-19T19:59:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:26:27.168-08:00

To celebrate the arrival of my new Calphalon wok on mail order (hey, it was $40; I couldn’t say no), I had to make some stir fry!My husband is a reformed picky eater, and stir fry was really the first thing that I could ever get him to really eat that wasn’t pizza or macaroni and cheese. He never cooked for himself and rarely ate out healthy, so I think it was just that he didn’t know what he

Carolinenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150682961527788352006-06-18T19:00:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:30:55.178-08:00

Tonight I decided to experiment with a recipe featuring apricots, since they are supposedly perfectly in season. I found this recipe for "African Apricot Chicken." I didn't want to do the overnight wait/grilling the chicken thing, so I adapted the recipe to my own lazier method instead.Ingredients:1 Tbsp. olive oil1 very large onion/2 medium [we used an enormous Vidalia]1/2 tsp. cumin1 1/2 tsp.

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150608516825768262006-06-17T22:17:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:31:56.510-08:00

Knowing how to cut various fruits and vegetables quickly and with little mess/fuss/waste is a great life skill to have, and essential if you want to cook often. So, here's the first in a series of photo posts on how to cut stuff up [clicking on the pictures will take you to a larger version].Note that I'm not talking specifically about "knife skills" because mine are horrible (please don't copy

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150512733101520062006-06-16T19:49:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:35:40.128-08:00

I was bored tonight and wanted something sweet. After Jackie's post about in-season produce I remembered that I had strawberries to eat, and I thought of making a strawberry sauce for ice cream or frozen waffles. Then I got the idea that balsamic vinegar would be good with it too, so I looked for a recipe for balsamic strawberries and found a simple one on www.epicurious.com.3 1/2 cups sliced

Bethnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150488980002662252006-06-16T13:00:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:36:42.480-08:00

As I sort of alluded to in my last post (Eat your vegetables), getting fresh, seasonal produce is one easy way to make almost everything you cook taste fantastic (the other easy way is to add copious amounts of butter to everything, but you don't always want to do that). As an added bonus, it's much cheaper to buy fruits and veggies in season, even that sometimes-pricey locally grown organic

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150490415627239882006-06-16T12:45:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:37:40.358-08:00

Continuing the topic of improving the flavor of poultry, here's my first post, about turkey burgers.I make turkey burgers at least once a week, and the risk of running into a rut runs a bit high. As an especially lean meat, ground turkey lacks a lot of the inherent flavor of its beefy counterpart, so the secret lies within your choice(s) of seasoning and meat mix-ins. I've experimented with an

Kellynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150415497912721732006-06-15T16:40:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:38:56.063-08:00

Okay, everyone loves chicken, but it can get boring, right? Well, this is my answer to boring chicken.2 quarts water1 cup salt2-4 bone-in skin-on chicken breastspepper to tasteI know, doesn't look like much, does it?Dissolve the salt in the water. Put the chicken in the water, and refrigerate for 30'-1 hour. If you want to do longer, that is fine, but cut down on the salt in the brine by about

KrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00634085283364889843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150371168852861952006-06-15T04:00:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:40:10.165-08:00

My husband and I are big grillers. We grill everything, especially meat. But there's really only so many times that you can eat plain grilled meat without getting bored. I don't always have time for marinades, since I usually pull something out of the freezer in the morning as I'm heading out the door (and want to start cooking almost immediately after getting home). So I started playing with

Carolinenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150330624305556502006-06-14T16:24:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:41:15.986-08:00

As much as I love to cook, most of the time I get home from work and don't want to spend more than maybe half an hour on dinner. But I still want something that looks like a meal and is reasonably healthy. So dinner usually follows my 'rule of three' - (1) protein source [chicken, fish, tofu], (2) vegetable, (3) whole grain [brown rice, quinoa]. Sometimes I combine the three, like in a stir-fry

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150243899921918282006-06-13T16:38:00.000-07:002006-12-14T00:01:19.818-08:00

I'm not a big fan of salsa out of a jar, but I love the fresh stuff. My husband and I tried our hand at homemade after having some really good salsa at Cafe de la Paz and now I'll never go back. It involves a lot of chopping, of course, but otherwise, couldn't be easier.The quantities here are very general, pretty much everything can and should be altered to taste. We usually make a big batch and

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150229922606708052006-06-13T13:04:00.000-07:002006-12-14T00:02:34.518-08:00

Okay, so I don't do that whole "cooking all day" thing because, well, 1) I'm in grad school 2) I'd probably burn something and 3) I have trouble planning ahead 45 minutes to bake some chicken or carrots, let alone devote hours to a tomato sauce. Here's my recipe for 10-minute tomato sauce in honor of Jackie's plea to make your own sauce. I make mine chunky-style.Ingredients:olive oil2 garlic

Bethnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150226169143393232006-06-13T11:43:00.000-07:002006-12-13T23:34:28.009-08:00

One of my favorite examples of culinary alchemy (discovered a few summers ago when our co-op farm stuck us with several pounds of eggplant that we didn't know what to do with) is Mario Batali's great recipe for eggplant caponata. You can definitely identify all the major components - the tomato sauce, the balsamic vinegar, the currants, and of course the eggplant - but it's still kind of a

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29636588.post-1150183853153500992006-06-12T23:32:00.000-07:002006-12-14T01:50:55.293-08:00

Welcome to "Better Than Ramen" - a blog for twentysomethings who want to eat better than they did in their college days. Yeah, we know you're busy, but we also know you want to eat something that's better tasting and better for you than... well, you know.Here you'll find (eventually, anyway) recipes annotated with witty and helpful comments, how-tos and general food prep tips. There might even be

Jackiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358426266380862289noreply@blogger.com3