Do you ever want to just smash something? When I was a little girl I was rather partial to a temper tantrum. I’d get so angry, I’d simply want to throw things and hear them smash. There is something so satisfying about the sound and it’s a nice way to get one’s aggression out. Are you angry about the never-ending winter or the coming of spring? You can take your aggressions out on the cucumbers in this salad… they don’t seem to mind.
We had some hot dog onions when I was a kid. Unfortunately, the onions you get from a New York City dirty “dawg” cart, these days, literally pale by comparison. II made a recipe for NYC Style Smoked Paprika Hot Dog Onions that not only brings back memories from my Big Apple childhood, but surpasses them with the addition of smoked paprika. We were lucky to have plain paprika on our spice rack when I was a kid. It had one purpose, sprinkling on deviled eggs to make them look fancy.
There are six reasons beyond, how gorgeous and delicious this Beet Cured Salmon Gravlax is, to make it. I should be making it this weekend for the Oscars because I can totally picture George Clooney eating it naked…
When you live in another country for a long time and you move back home, you occasionally pang for things you could only get there. I missed Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Rolls. I’ve never seen them on a New York Vietnamese menu. They are finger-sized, leaf wrapped, parcels of lemongrass scented meat, studded with crunchy water chestnuts and dusted with peanuts. Here’s my recipe.
I first had a version of this Endive Salad with Apples, Blue Cheese and Candied Hazelnuts at the Dominion Square Tavern, in Montreal, on Boxing Day. On their menu, it’s called a “Witlof and Blue Cheese Salad” since witlof is the English word for endive. When I tasted it, I thought, “I must make this!” and never did. I tasted it again in the summer of 2014 and finally made it for a French themed dinner party in October.
There’s something about a toffee. I think it’s the dame of the candy world. Sexy, snappy and buttery with a nice, little bite. I could see a gorgeous gal named Toffee rushing into a third rate detective’s office in a 1950’s B movie, breathless and scared saying, “You gotta help me.” He melts at the sight of her and does her bidding.
When you make Salted Chocolate Cappuccino Buttercrunch Toffee you will not need help eating it. People will offer and if you’re nice you may give them a little. I hide mine.
I’m a chunky soup girl so this healthy, easy-to-make, inexpensive, delicious, vegan soup made with dal—a puree of split yellow peas as the base, but loaded with chunks of vegetables is the perfect winter warmer.
Flaxseeds are a superfood dating back to Babylonian times. According to WedMD: “Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There’s some evidence it may help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. That’s quite a tall order for a tiny seed that’s been around for centuries.” And to think I just liked the way these crackers looked and crunched!
“You’re gonna get coal in your stocking!” This was never a threat in my family because my mother’s children were perfect… NOT!!!
Every year, along with Hanukkah, come the latke battles. I sit on the sidelines and watch my social media feed fill up with “How To Make The Perfect Latke” controversy.
The titles could read:
I grabbed my spatula and my frying pan and got into the fight.