Category: Snacks

  • Naco Taco

    Naco patioNaco Taco, Chef Michael Scelfo’s second restaurant venture after Alden & Harlow, opened its doors in early March 2015 in Cambridge’s Central Square area near MIT. And it was an instant hit. (Edit 6/15: Michael Scelfo left Naco Taco in June 2015 – after getting the restaurant off the ground, he handed the reins over to Chefs Robert Preciado and Amanda Howell).

    naco truck windowNaco arrived just in time for patio season, and because we’ve been hit with a heat wave in Boston lately (no complaints here!), we were grateful for Naco’s large outdoor seating area with shady umbrellas and ice cold drinks. (more…)

  • Triple Fudge Peanut Butter Brownies

    brownie stack

    You can’t blame me for shoving more chocolate in your face.

    stack and milk2

    I mean, I guess you can. Actually I’ll totally take the blame. I will do that for you, friends, because this is really more of a public service announcement: you all deserve to try these brownies, free of guilt. (By the way, whoever invented the idea of “feeling guilty” about eating should seriously re-evaluate their lives. I call bullshit.) (more…)

  • Raspberry Meyer Lemon Loaf

    Parcel

    Leili and I are big tea drinkers. Unlike coffee, teatime can happen anytime for me. Tea is an underrated beverage – it has the unique qualities to awaken and soothe one’s spirits. Needless to say, tea is my main squeeze.

    Fruit

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  • Hot Fudge Sauce

    fudge spoonMy name is Leili, and I’m lactose-intolerant.

    The problem I have is this: I am in love with ice cream and everything that goes with it. My last meal would be this brownie sundae with Scharffen Berger hot fudge sauce from Picco. A giant bowl of smooth ice cream drenched in rich hot fudge sauce and covered in a pile of whipped cream…now that’s the good life.

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  • Pork and Shrimp Wontons

    Wontons

    How can I talk about Chinese food without mentioning my mom? I can’t. Almost everything is centered around food in our household and I really can’t complain. My mother is an amazing cook and there are some tricks I will never inherit from her.

    Ingredients

    Mis

    My mother is one of those natural talents who can potentially ruin dining out for you. At least she did for me. I’ll elaborate – people often ask me where to get the best dumplings and I usually struggle to give an honest answer. Don’t get me wrong, there are loads of places that make great food and dumplings, but my mom makes the best ones.

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  • Smoked Salty Almond Chocolate Cookies

    Stack

    If you’ve read our About page, you would know that Leili and I met while working at a bakery in Boston. Allow me to garnish with extra information on our delicious friendship. Leili worked back of house as a baker while I worked front of house – we quickly became friends by talking about boys and her occasionally sneaking me sweets.

    Between the two of us, Leili is the sweets and I am the salty. I have always been intimidated by baking but slowly unlearning that fear. This all changed very recently when Leili got me the Not Without Salt Cookie Mix by the great Ashley Rodriguez for Christmas.

    Mis

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  • Brown Butter Banana Nut Muffins

    cut muffin

    I’ve been in serious hibernation mode lately.

    And I’m here to tell you that that’s totally okay. It’s okay if you’d rather binge watch Friends on Netflix instead of going to that dinner-thing this weekend, or you just want to take a long, glorious nap instead of going out with those friends you don’t talk to that often anyway. ’Tis the season to cozy up and stay out of the cold. Join me, won’t you?

    muffin

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  • Ginger Scallion Wings

    Final

    So the REAL winter is here. I was sure the winter vortex was going to bring White Walkers through the streets of Boston at those freezing temperatures. And if you didn’t get that Game of Thrones reference, please do yourselves a favor and go catch up before the new season starts. I won’t judge and you can enjoy binge watching while nibbling on these wings.

    Wings Rack 2Another big event is just coming up – it involves beer, dancing, and touchdowns. See, I don’t follow football or usually watch the Super Bowl, but I do enjoy the food that surrounds this great American holiday. To me, it’s enjoying delicious bar food in the comfort of your own sweatpants. These ginger scallion wings are great for feeding others and yourself.

    RawThe wings are so easy to make and the sauce can be prepped ahead of time. Bonus: It also warms up the entire kitchen to distract you from the bitter wind chills outside. (more…)

  • Mashed Potato Latkes

    sour creamI’m drowning in mashed potatoes.

    These potatoes are the only thing I still have left over from Thanksgiving. I know I’m probably alone here, because most people are smart enough to realize that ten large potatoes are impossible for five people to finish, especially when you’re already serving them six other hearty side dishes. Now every time I open the fridge, those damn mashed potatoes are staring me down, judging me for my poor planning. Without all the turkey and gravy, I just can’t bring myself to eat them…and after a week, I really need to eat them.

    latke stack

    The answer? Latkes. Fluffy, delicious, jazzed up latkes. (more…)

  • Nutty Cherry Granola

    Final

    Fair warning: I LOVE granola. If a shop or bakery sells granola I have never tried before, I will almost always purchase it in hopes of falling in love a little.

    As for the granola I make at home, I never really stick to one recipe. I frequently like to tweak it a little to see what would happen. Leili is usually my guinea pig but I don’t think she minds.

    Dry Mis

    This particular recipe is special because I used dried cherries instead of cranberries. It’s not groundbreaking but it is absolutely scrumptious. Now, this is my favorite thing about making granola – the smell that rolls out from the oven is divine. The combination of brown sugar and oats is irresistible. I like to have my granola with milk and fruit but you can obviously enjoy yours with yogurt as well.

    Start your day healthily and deliciously!

    – W.

    Prep

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