I teach middle school kids twice a week and have discovered something not that surprising — they all have a sweet tooth! When I walk in my class each day, they look hopefully into my bags and cheer when I say we’re making something sweet. But since I’m teaching cooking, I can’t let them have ...
Kitchen Chronicles
Musings about Matzah Crunch and Macaroons
My internet access wasn’t working for many days which will explain my tardiness with a blog relating to Passover. I’ll go with “better late than never” for this posting since I’m still munching on macaroons and matzah candy which conjure pleasant memories of my times making them with friends. The ...
Sweet and Savory Mom
Just call me a sweet and savory mom for now on. That’s what my friend Jackie nicknamed me after a Saturday afternoon cooking date and it just about sums me up. I usually do have a batch of something sweet in the oven — some granola, cookies, biscotti, muffins — and then something savory on the ...
Empanada Mamas
Friends who shop together and then cook together are certain to stay together! At least that’s my philosophy. This past weekend, I went on an excursion to Paterson NJ to the Argentinian market with Debbie and Jackie to get the authentic and flaky La Saltena brand wrappers to make empanadas. Debbie ...
A Little Help from a Friend
My parents gave me a pizelle press for my birthday this year and it had been sitting in the box for a few weeks. I will admit that I was having difficulty motivating myself to make them, passing by the unopened box numerous times. Trying something for the first time can be intimidating -- especially ...
Groovy Granola
Granola -- that decadent concoction of sweet oats roasted in the oven with scrumptious add ins popularized by hippies many decades ago -- made the front page of the NY Times dining section this week. It’s no surprise to me that granola is making a comeback and appearing on menus at the finest ...
Foods of Love
It’s almost Valentine’s Day, my favorite day of the year. Of course my birthday happens to fall on that day and I’ve been spoiled with extra love, candy and flowers my whole life. But I have a special food interest in Valentine’s Day as well, for nothing tastes quite as good when it’s in the shape ...
Souper Sunday and Muffins and Meatloaf for Monday
I can think of nothing better to do on a cold, winter Sunday than making soup and baking muffins with a few friends. And that’s exactly what Jackie, Debbie and I did over the weekend. Sundays are a good day to get organized and ready for the week, especially when it comes to meals. But since it’s ...
"Souper" Soup Making for the Super Bowl
That’s a lot of soup and chili! In fact, 38 quarts to be precise, and four friends made it together in just three hours. Not so shabby! You may wonder how it’s even possible to make such a variety and quantity in such a short time frame. Well, I’ll share a few secrets to our success. First, ...
Power of Cooking With Friends
I’ve always realized the power of cooking with friends within my own life. I’ve seen how cooking can ease tension and create an open and relaxed environment where friends can talk freely. It’s worked better than therapy for my friends as we chop and simmer our way through serious topics, helping one ...