This past Saturday I went out for early brunch, and it was still a long time until dinner so I stopped at Starbucks for a snack. Since I was working on a chai tea concentrate recipe (inspired by Maggy’s post earlier this year) for an upcoming article, I ordered one to remind me of the

I know I’m odd, but not many sweet treats turn my head. I usually prefer to save my calories for French fries or a nice hunk of cheese. I’m also not a chocolate-mint fan. Sweet + mint remind me of brushing my teeth. I’m usually satisfied with a couple of biscotti or an ounce or

I love holiday cookies, but I don’t love all the rolling and cutting. Not long ago I realized I didn’t have to roll and cut. That I could just press my dough into two big rounds and bake them, cutting a peek-a-boo round out of one cookie so when I sandwiched them together you could

I know we’re just coming off the Thanksgiving holidays but that was so last Thursday. Anyone ready for a thin slice of Chocolate-Pecan Galette? It’s chocolate, cheesecake, and pecan pie all rolled into one.  The cream cheese offers a light sweet tang to this rich, intense pie. It also creates a naturally dry layer, which

Simple Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs Serves 6 12 short ribs (about 3 ½ pounds) 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and ground black pepper 1 large onion, cut into medium dice 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves 3 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups each: red wine and chicken broth 1 can (14.5 ounces)

Short Ribs? Wow! Short ribs are hot right now. Apparently the word “wow” has been used to describe them so many times there’s a whole google category called “short ribs wow.” I get it. Short ribs are wow in every way—their rich flavor, succulent texture, their ease in preparation. If you follow my modified pressure

With all the cooking leading up to Thanksgiving, I’m always grateful for leftovers. Unlike a lot of cooks, however, I don’t like serving the same lukewarm meal the next day. I prefer my Thanksgiving leftovers in a new format. After all that rich food I’m ready for something a little perkier. This year I’ve developed

Heavy rains the last couple of years mean demand for pumpkin has been greater than supply. And when demand surpasses supply, hoarding tends to follow. In fact the grocery store shelves near my homes in Pennsylvania and Connecticut were bare until October. And this year may not be much better. Irene destroyed the crops in

Sweet Potato Pie Makes 1 9-inch deep-dish pie You can also make this pie with canned pumpkin substituting 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin for the 2 cups of cooked sweet potatoes 1 pre-baked 9-inch pie shell 2 sweet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), pricked with a fork 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Next in our week of Thanksgiving makeovers is Elizabeth Karmel’s Sweet Potato Bourbon Mash, her answer to the treacly marshmallow-topped Sweet Potato Casserole. And since I prefer my sweet for dessert, I’m so behind her plan to dramatically lower the sugar and lose the marshmallows. Raised on BBQ in North Carolina and currently the executive

Elizabeth Karmel’s Sweet Potato Bourbon Mash Makes a scant 6 cups serving 8 to 10 4 large (12 to 14 ounces each) Garnet sweet potatoes, pricked all over with a fork 1 cup heavy cream 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup each: bourbon, dark brown sugar, and molasses 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 dashes hot

Yesterday we enjoyed Lior’s Spiced Cranberry Chutney With Apricots and Pecans. Today I offer another brilliant holiday recipe from Chicago chef Paul Kahan. His assignment was a tough one. I had him retool creamed onions, probably the stodgiest of all the Thanksgiving side dishes. And precisely because his task was difficult, I was the especially

Paul Kahan’s Creamy Leek Gratin with Breadcrumbs and Bacon Serves 6 as a side dish This recipe easily doubles. Simply cook leeks in a heavy roasting pan over 2 burners (or in 2 batches in the large skillet) and use a large skillet to cook breadcrumbs and bacon. Bake in a 13- by 9-inch pan.

A couple of times these past few months I’ve mentioned in passing the Lean Cuisine Culinary Roundtable, but when I got a call from my cousin in Pensacola, FL wanting to know why I was pictured on the back of her frozen entrée with five cute chefs, I knew it was time to talk. The