Browned Brussels sprouts with Bread Crumbs

  How many kids do you know who like Brussels sprouts? Somehow, Brussels sprouts are at the top of our list (minus the husband).  I should clarify, Trader Joe’s Shaved Brussels sprouts, sautéed with olive oil and sea salt, was what originally put them on our radar. From there, I gained the confidence to experiment with a new dish: Brussels sprouts and Bacon with Maple Syrup.  Another hit.  The irony? There isn’t a shred of Brussels sprouts in any of Mom’s recipes.  In fact, I didn’t even know what they looked like until starting the … [Read more...]

Chicken Tetrazzini

Snow has been steadily falling for the past few hours, turning the city into a peaceful winter diorama. Temperatures have plummeted to low teens and we’re bracing for another bitter day today complete with ample sledding, movie watching, reading and eating. Knowing that we'd be stuck indoors for some time, last night I knew we needed the ultimate comfort food for dinner-- to warm us and to tide us over until today, when we could happily enjoy the leftovers again.  I decided to make one of mom’s hearty casseroles—with chicken and noodles and … [Read more...]

Chicken Fried Rice

This recipe is inspired from my Teppanyaki Be-the-Chef training at Benihana last month. Now that I've made chicken fried rice on a legitimate habachi grill at the restaurant, I've got the confidence to replicate the dish on my little 4 burner gas grill. Trust me, this dish is better than take out and can be served as a main course with the addition of chicken. The key to this rice is the integration of sesame oil, egg and day-old rice. I planned ahead and used a rice-cooker to cook the rice to peak fluffy perfection and stored it in … [Read more...]

Thanksgiving Menu

Whether you're hosting a Thanksgiving feast or you're merely a guest required to bring an assigned dish, I've curated some recipes from the blog to help fill in the blanks and take the stress out of the prep. You can take your pick from appetizers to sides to main dishes to desserts.  I promise you'll find tasty, easy to make recipes.  After all, if I can make them, anyone can. So why not plan ahead and get cooking? And remember to celebrate FOOD and family, and to give thanks. APPETIZERS Baked Brie Hot Crab Dip Mexican … [Read more...]