Recipes

Smooth and refined deliciousness. The Sazerac, credited as being one of the first true cocktails, is a New Orleans take on a traditional rye cocktail. The Federation puts a further spin on the Sazerac.  The combination of Anejo tequila instead of rye mixed with creme de cacao leads to a sweeter, richer, cocktail with a […]

Pasta is an incredible thing.  I love that there are a million ways to make the same type of pasta taste quite different.  And if I am being honest, I could eat pasta every day.  I could live in Italy and eat homemade pasta for every meal.  But neither of those options is reasonable.  When […]

Have you ever had Lillet?  If the answer is no, you’ve been missing out. Pronounced “li’ leh,” it is a French aperitif created in 1887 by Paul and Raymon Lillet from Podensac, just outside of the Bordeaux region in France.  Lillet, considered a “tonic wine” (or quinquina), is a blend of 85% Bordeaux region wines and […]

Let’s talk about chickpeas and how awesome they are.  My older son eats them straight up, a habit he picked up from me.  Also called garbanzo beans, these babies are not only delicious, they are packed with protein and vitamins. Although most people think of them as a vegetable, chickpeas are a legume with a slightly […]

Happy New Year!  As much as I love and welcome the festive holiday season, I am always ready for January 1.  First of all, the holidays are exhausting.  Secondly, despite my best efforts, chances are I have indulged a bit more than anticipated. In fairness, we all have–and that’s ok. With the New Year comes […]

I do enjoy a good muffin now again, but I’m picky.  I like a muffin to have great flavor, be moist, not too sweet, relatively healthy, and memorable.  That’s a lot to expect from a muffin.  With this in mind, I decided to create a muffin using one of my favorite cereals, muesli.  Bob Red […]

Who said hot chocolate is only for kids?  I don’t think so.  Also called hot cocoa or drinking chocolate, this warm sweet, beverage is synonymous with winter, holidays, skiing, skating, and sledding.  I’m from the East Coast, and I went to college in Wisconsin.  Hot chocolate was a quintessential go-to beverage in sub-zero temperatures.  Even […]

Oh my goodness: hushpuppies are a delicious, new comfort food discovery for me. Honestly, if you are averse to frying anything, stop reading right now and maybe go look at a healthier dish I make, like my kale salad.  Hushpuppies are not healthy, nor can I even begin to put that spin on them. They […]

In Britain, December 26th is Boxing Day, a national holiday, that celebrates the traditional post-Christmas servant’s day off. Sausage rolls or Boxing Day rolls as they are often called, are a traditional dish served during this holiday celebration. In the past, this day was one of the only days when upper-class families had to survive […]

It appears I just can’t get enough of these guys.  I think I am drawn to Brussels sprouts because of their strong flavor and the ease of roasting them in the oven. They are a go-to for me during holiday time. I love a great roasted vegetable; I prefer them that way.  I was playing […]

Eggnog is something people love or hate, there’s no in-between.  In its traditional form, eggnog is a rich, creamy, sweet, often very caloric holiday drink that can be served either hot or cold, enjoyed straight-up or spiked with rum, whisky, or Kahlua, and typically served with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg on top. […]

People always ask me if I watch cooking shows, and whether I would ever want to go on a show.  The answers are, respectively, “sometimes” and “never.”  There are a ton of interesting cooking shows out there.  I’m not opposed to them.  But the truth is that I can’t always relate to them. My kids […]

Traditional biscotti, also known as “Cantucci or Cantucci di Prato”, are Italian almond biscuits, or cookies.  The English translation means “twice-baked”.   The name is not meant to be clever: you bake this well-known Italian favorite twice. A double bake allows you to get the lovely golden hue and crispy texture that goes so well with […]

This is one of the busiest weeks of the year.  And this is one of the easiest meal options I know.  This takes only minutes to cook.  This time of year, especially with the holiday prep, who does not need an easy meal option?  If you like shrimp, keep reading.  I am a shrimp lover […]

This is a cranberry-orange whisky sour and it’s a great specialty cocktail for holiday parties.  A whisky sour is a classic bourbon drink that is subtly sweet and sour at the same time.  If you ask a bartender, a traditional whisky sour is one of the simplest cocktails that you can get that is still called a […]