Recipes

Mashed Potato Latkes

I’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.

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

December 5, 2014
Turkey Kale Hash

So after my favorite holiday comes my favorite leftovers. For Thanksgiving I make extras of everything just so I can have a ton of food to ‘snack’ on later. I am shameless about this and this is why I stay in a food coma for about a week after Turkey Day has passed.

However, I do occasionally grow tired of eating the exact same plate of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This dish is a lighter take on brunch while utilizing what you may already have in the fridge from the big feast. I suppose this is a way to ease myself out of guilt when I go back to injecting stuffing and mashed potatoes into my veins.

Don’t feel limited to only using the ingredients I have listed below. Go scavenge for whatever is left in the refrigerator and then throw it altogether like a wiz. This is merely a suggestion.

Go wild.

– W. (more…)

November 30, 2014
Pear Cake with Caramel Chocolate Drizzle

Everyone thinks I’ve ruined Thanksgiving.

This year, I thought it would be fun to try a new dessert. I just decided that if Thanksgiving comes every single year, then there’s no harm in playing around with new food. If it doesn’t work out or if my family hates me for taking away their pie, then I can do better next year.

And honestly? I’m tired of pie. I like it just fine, but I’m bored with always eating the same ones. In the past I’ve been known to make chocolate cake in addition to pies for Thanksgiving, just so I would have something a little different on the table.

That’s the other problem I wanted to fix: lack of chocolate. As I’ve mentioned before, I need it to survive. It baffles me that there is not a single ounce of chocolate in a traditional Thanksgiving. So I took it upon myself to finally put an end to this madness.

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November 25, 2014
Buttery Mashed Potatoes

Allow me to ask you guys a serious question: What are the holidays without a big bowl of mashed potatoes? Well, just a regular Thursday dinner.

I’m only teasing. Mashed potatoes always remind me of family; they are the starchy nostalgic equivalent of chicken noodle soup. Of all the dishes you could make for the holidays, I think this has to be the simplest. This side dish requires very few ingredients but packs a lot of buttery richness. Concerning the butter usage, I have to say the butter carries as much weight as the potatoes here. You don’t have to use the full amount of dairy products I have posted here, but you really, really should. Your family and your taste buds will crown you as regional manager of mashed potatoes.

This dish requires no garnishment, unless you want to throw some chives in.

Tip: Since one of the main ingredients is butter, I highly recommend using the nice European kind.

– W. (more…)

November 21, 2014
Mushroom Gravy with Herb Buttered Chicken

That holiday with the turkey and the family is just around the corner and I could not be more excited. I love any excuse that encourages me to over-indulge on food without any morsel of guilt. Well, not entirely.

For me, gravy is kind of a big deal. It’s that side dish that goes well with everything: turkey, mashed potatoes, chicken, rice, all of it. Gravy adds a special, classic touch to the Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe is very hearty and easy to make.

Gravy can seem a little intimidating at first because it is a step-by-step process and it requires some patience. But once you break down this recipe, you’ll see how simple gravy really is. I’m separating this into two parts since you can’t start the gravy without any fat. Besides, you can totally use this method for another type of poultry in ten more days.

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November 17, 2014
Rosemary Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti

Imagine this: It’s date night and it is getting colder and colder outside. Are you too lazy to go out to a restaurant but still want a nice sit-down meal? Now imagine this: you can make your own delicious, gourmet meal for your date. Be the hero and cook up this delicious pasta dish for a date or a lucky friend.

Fun fact: I have always loved seafood – my mother introduced me to all kinds of adventurous eating while I was growing up. She’s a lucky lady, too, because she was blessed with a daughter who would clear the plate and ask for seconds. For that reason, I don’t remember my first experience with shrimp but I know shrimp always meant a good meal. To complete the circle of life, my mom will eat anything I make if it comes from the sea.

This shrimp spaghetti is simply a variation of a pasta I already make all the time. The ingredients are very traditional and there are no weird surprises here. However, I highly recommend using fresh herbs and peppercorn for this little number. The herbs really serve as the binding flavors for everything here from the fresh lemon to the succulent shrimp. I gently encourage you to use freshly grounded peppercorn because it does make a difference in aroma and in the kick.

Let’s get it on.

-W. (more…)

November 12, 2014
Flourless Bittersweet Brownies

Sometimes, I just need to shove some chocolate into my face.

It feels like more than just a craving. It’s a necessity. Without it I go through withdrawals, getting easily disoriented and inexplicably anxious. It’s gotten so bad that after tearing apart my kitchen without finding so much as a single chocolate chip, I’ve sprinted out into the rain at one in the morning to the 24-hour store just to pick up a couple chocolate bars. (My roommate at the time hesitantly joined me, more out of fear of my chocolate mania than out of solidarity.)

Chocolate isn’t just delicious, people. It runs through my veins.

So if you’re like me, then you know most brownies just don’t make the cut. They’re more sweet than chocolatey; or more cake than brownie. And I’m officially done with those. Because when you can have these rich, chewy, decadently dark chocolate brownies, there’s no point wasting your taste buds on anything less.

Did I mention these are flourless? There’s no flour in this recipe – of any kind. So they’re gluten-free, but without any weird gums or sneaky vegetables keeping things together (here’s looking at you, black bean brownies). To make these, I just created a hybrid recipe of my two favorites and replaced the flour with cocoa powder. The result is a super-rich and extra chocolatey brownie that isn’t the least bit cakey. Yet it isn’t overly sweet like fudge, either. It’s just right.

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November 2, 2014
Fresh Semolina Pasta

The best advice I’ve ever gotten is something we’ve all heard before:

Fake it ’til you make it.

I was a shy little intern at my first bakery job when the Chef there casually threw this tiny phrase at me, and I don’t think he realized how much I would take it to heart. Because of this offhanded advice, I started to fake the necessary confidence and “make it”. I became a real baker there after my internship, and actually felt sure of myself rather than fearful that I would burn the whole place to the ground.

The beauty of “fake it ’til you make it” is that it can even be applied ability, particularly when it comes to being in the kitchen.

And that’s where this pasta comes in.

Before embarking on the mission to make homemade pasta, I assumed the process would be insanely complicated and require the skills and dexterity of a wise Italian nonna.

What I found was that it’s just a long process, but actually relatively simple. Sure I hit some road bumps along the way, but nothing that I couldn’t overcome with the help of a quick Google search. Even then I still had no clue what I was doing – all I had was the confidence that I could figure it out.

What I discovered was that the best homemade pasta is made with real semolina, not plain old all-purpose flour. Most of the pasta recipes I saw out there call for all-purpose because it’s easy, but AP flour just isn’t strong enough for pasta, and in my opinion, lacks true pasta flavor. You can find semolina at most health food stores, or online (I got mine from King Arthur Flour). Not to mention there are many other uses for it beyond this pasta.

I’ll even let you in on a secret: I had to make this pasta at least seven times before I got my recipe right. Even after switching from AP to semolina, I messed up in every possible way, which is great – now I can warn you about all the possible pasta pitfalls.

Ready? Let’s do this.

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October 28, 2014
Puritan & Company: Brunch

Inman Square, Massachusetts’ youthful and diverse neighborhood on the Cambridge-Somerville border, is full of great restaurants, bars, and specialty food shops. Some have been around for years, like East Coast Grill and Christina’s Ice Cream, while others come and go. Puritan & Company is a relatively new addition to the square. Upon opening its doors in late 2012, it was quickly recognized by critics for its high quality New England fare. Boston Magazine even named it Best Brunch in Boston for 2014. So of course we had to give it a try – with our fabulous friend Alison as our brunching buddy.

When we first walked in, our hunger and giddiness were quickly replaced with awe by the large cool interiors. Puritan & Co. has a generous seating space with lots of beautiful, natural lighting. The open kitchen is situated in the back of the restaurant next to the bountiful and tempting pastry counter. They have lovely bar seating as well with a generous wine list. Drink up!

As pastry lovers, we love seeing restaurants pay more attention to the sweet side of their menu. Puritan & Co. has a wide selection of pastries to please any palate, from croissants to banana bread. We ordered a basket of four: Boston cream doughnut, chocolate-hazelnut sourdough croissant, cinnamon monkey bread, and a dulce de leche and coconut danish. Although they were all very well executed, the Boston cream doughnut was the favorite: a fluffy dough generously filled with a not-too-sweet, lightened-up vanilla pastry cream. Alongside a cup of coffee, it was the perfect way to start the meal.
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October 23, 2014
Nutty Cherry Granola

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.

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.

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October 20, 2014