I had my parents over for Christmas Eve dinner, and wanted to make something special for them. Those of you who know me well, also know that I really love adding extra steps to recipes, to maximize depth of flavor. My co-worker had been talking […]
Smitten Kitchen’s apple cider caramels are one of the recipes that went into this year’s cookie boxes, and seem to have been a hit, so I wanted to share the recipe for anyone who wants to make them! I love unadulterated, classic caramels, so I […]
those of you who have cooked with me, or had dinner with me on a friday night, know that i am generally incapable of making dinner in less than an hour. in fact, usually i choose whatever preparation is most involved. well, not “most involved” in a fussy way – i just like to make sure that there is sufficient layers of flavor built up so that something simple can perform to its highest potential in your mouth. (take bolognese, for example: it’s basically carrots, celery, onions, beef, pork, and tomatoes, but if you caramelize the vegetables properly before adding the tomatoes and then the meat, your sauce will taste that much better.)
so it is with great joy and satisfaction that i present to you a recipe that is delicious and doesn’t take forever. this is based on the mustard-baked chicken thigh recipe from serious eats’ eat for eight bucks column, and is essentially chicken thighs marinated, then seared, and finished in the oven. the time that the chicken takes in the oven also allows you to roast some sort of not-too-dense vegetable – i used asparagus in an attempt to use what i had on hand, and be a little healthy, but you can use whatever you like (ie, a thinnish layer of potato wedges). just make sure that the layer of vegetables will cook in about 15 minutes at high heat.
ok, nothing fancy here – just wanted to share a few recipes with you. the first is a chocolate cake, like the one i use for everything (the stout cake), but for when you don’t have beer on hand. it’s much the same in consistency, […]
it’s the dead of the winter, and the gray skies have the happy consequence of making lemon taste like sunshine. there’s nothing like eating something that you know is definitely out of season, you know? and i don’t know about you, but i don’t feel […]
those of you who know me well, know that i am not the biggest fan of nuts. i hate the way they get stuck in your teeth: not only little bits of the meat of the nut, but also flakes of skin that stick to your teeth. then you’re struggling not to look weird while trying to get stuff off your teeth, because you’re ocd and you can’t stand when there’s stuff on your teeth. suffice it to say that i do not have the best relationship with nuts.
suffice it to say that these cookies are one of the few items for which i will bear nut skins stuck to my teeth. these are deeply chocolaty from the unsweetened chocolate, with a slightly “wet” crunch from the toasted nuts (do not skip the toasting step!!!). they stay soft but are best the first two days after you make them – although magically, the nuts retain their crunch. make these: you won’t regret it! then give most of them away so you don’t eat them for breakfast and inadvertently kill your heart. (more…)
ok, ok, i know it’s been a long time. i’ve been taking care of things that needed to be taken care of, and i’m finally getting some good cooking and baking time in, these days. i’m in the process of looking for a really good […]
this recipe is for the weekend, as it takes up a large chunk of your day, but it has a pretty high upside. this is my take on the traditional mexican stew, posole – essentially a pork and hominy stew. i had pork neck bones […]
i have fond memories of the pig ‘n’ pepper fair in westford, ma, from my childhood. my best friend’s mother ran the pepper tent, where people entered pepper products to be judged, and we helped out and ran around the fair. one of the staples of running around was getting a pulled pork sandwich from redbones for lunch: a soft bun containing a small mountain of pork, liberally doused with bbq sauce. a few months ago, while at star market, i saw a good-looking pork shoulder and snapped it up. it languished in our freezer until i finally thawed it and popped it in the oven.
it’s nice to know that slow-cooker recipes also work without the slow cooker. really, it’s a logical conclusion, but i guess that it’s hard to leave the oven on overnight. i would be on board with a pressure cooker – i find that pretty intriguing – but slow cooker, not so much. i try not to use more exotic appliances unless i really need to, since i don’t have a kitchen aid, pressure cooker, slow cooker – any of the really big-ticket items. i do, however, have pretty much everything else, and i make good use of my roommates’ kitchen appliances. (more…)
i made this bbq sauce to go with the pulled pork i was making last week, and along with the pork, it’s quite a winner. it’s mild in your mouth with a bit of a fiery kick at the end, and pairs well with pulled […]