A gluten-free butter pecan cake with cream cheese frosting is still in my heart. I thought it wasn’t possible, but I proved myself wrong. This lovely layer cake is a nut-lover dream and makes a great addition to any holiday table. Within, you have rich cake layers, studded with toasted butter pecans, separated by a […]
Everyone needs easy side dish recipes. Well, here you go, it does not get much simpler, or more reliable, than this. Crispy oven-roasted carrots and potatoes, aka, sheet pan veggies, that cook up perfectly every time. And the best part is they can be served with anything you can think up, from a quick weekday […]
Fluffy, moist pumpkin cupcakes with creamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting that are dreamy. This is the ultimate seasonal dessert, and one you should baking all season long. If you’re a pumpkin spice lover like I am, you truly can’t go wrong with these incredibly simple, yet flavorful pumpkin cakes. Cupcakes in History Technically speaking, Amelia […]
Baked is the name of a bakery in Red Hook, Brooklyn that is worth a visit should you ever find yourself in the area. Baked is also the title of a cookbook which has received lots of attention since its release in 2008, and understandably so, it is a fantastic book. This sour cream coffee […]
Beets are a winter essential, loaded with nutrition and low in calories as well. Some say this prominent vegetable may just hold the secret for keeping healthy in cooler months. This simple roasted beet salad with pistachios, dressed with a punchy orange vinaigrette is a wonderful way to incorporate beets into your diet going forward. […]
A quintessential autumn dessert; an apple and olive oil semi-naked cake with creamy maple frosting. This is a new fall favorite I recently developed and I’ll be making this throughout the season. This lovely cake highlights seasonal flavors we’ve all come to adore: apples, cinnamon, and maple. The twist is Extra Virgin olive oil, which […]
Easy dinner alert. This soy-glazed beef fillet is a lovely, Asian-inspired, dish that should be in your recipe arsenal if you’re a meat eater. A tender fillet of beef and flavorful shiitake mushrooms complement one another perfectly, with a prep-and-forget marinade I adore. A quick sear on high heat makes for a simple finish minutes before […]
It’s remarkable to think that bread pudding, something that originated in the 11th century, has risen its way up the ranks to become a “trendy dessert” around the world. In the early 11th and 12th centuries frugal cooks began making bread pudding to use leftover bread and eliminate waste. By the 13th century, the English […]
Challah is a bread Jews consume on the Sabbath and holidays and it is surrounded by folklore, tradition, and symbolism. Braided challahs with three, four, or six strands are the most common. And because the braids look like arms intertwined, many people believe that they represent love. Noah’s Bar Mitzvah This is Noah’s favorite challah […]
I have never been a big breakfast cereal fan. But, mix some cereal into a cookie, like in these chocolate chip rice krispie cookies or in ice cream and it’s a game changer. Historically, breakfast cereal has become a highly competitive market. And whether for health or convenience reasons, consumers have been hooked on cereal […]
This oven-braised snapper with Puttanesca is a wonderful dish for fish lovers. I have blogged about Puttanesca already, but this version is a little different and not served with pasta. I found this lovely recipe in Fine Cooking and adapted it slightly, but the original one can be seen here. As many know, Spaghetti alla puttanesca […]
Ripe, juicy berries are synonymous with summer, and although we are slowly closing out that season, there is no need to panic, frozen berries, can make some amazing things as well. These outrageous and incredibly easy, summer berry crumble bars are loaded with fresh and frozen berries and they are exactly what you need in […]
It’s believed that the Blue Lagoon cocktail was created by Andy MacElhone, the son of famed bartender Harry MacElhone, at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1960s or early 1970s. So, despite what most think, the drink predates the 1980 coming-of-age film, starring Brook Shields, of the same name. Retro cocktails, as they’re […]
This is not a health blog, and not everything I eat is healthy. I can own that. Good health for me is all about moderation. I eat everything, but it’s balanced and I eat a lot of salads. I am a big believer in “eating the rainbow“. All those brightly colored vegetables offer amazing nutrients […]
Summer is all about easy, often healthy(er) recipes and limited prep time. In warmer months most of us naturally gravitate to lighter meals with more fresh vegetables and often less carbs. I aspire to cook like this as much as possible, year-round because I honestly feel better, health-wise, doing so. But truthfully, this is easier […]
Welcome to my blog Simmer + Sauce. I always thought I was going to be a lawyer, but going to culinary school was one of the best decisions I ever made. I’m a former professional chef from NYC who loves to eat, cook and talk about food. My focus is great food, with solid recipes and reasonable ingredient lists. Cooking should be enjoyable, not stressful. Many of my recipes are family friendly and often on the healthy(ish) side.