If I had to guess, I’d say that I probably haven’t bought pasta sauce in a jar since before we moved out of New Jersey in 1999. I’ve found the answer to a perfect, simple sauce that can be made in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta. Ingredients Butter, 2-8…
Category Archives: cooking
Peruvian Chicken and Asparagus Salad
I’d had the Peruvian chicken on the menu all week — a first-time recipe. At the last minute I was asked to fill in and deliver a meal to a new mom. I threw together the asparagus salad on a whim, not entirely sure that the flavors would work with the chicken. Fortunately, the two…
The 3rd 40: Day 3
I walked through the door of the kickboxing studio and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the instructor seemed genuinely happy that I had returned. I explained that I wanted to give it a month to see if I could conquer it (or if it would conquer me) and she graciously offered to let me…
Roasted Beet Salad
The roasted beet salad turned out to be an effort that was two days in the making. The recipe calls for small beets, and I selected the smallest ones that I could find at the farmer’s market. Judging by the length of time that it took to roast them — more than 50% longer than…
Bechamel and Lasagna
By adding some bechamel sauce and cheese to my bolognese sauce, you can make the best lasagna ever. Oh sure, I’m biased, but I much prefer this creamy sauce to soggy ricotta. Personal preference. Bechamel Sauce This recipe is enough for one 8×8 lasagna. For a larger lasagna, double the recipe. Ingredients 5 Tbsp butter…
Bolognese
There are few recipes that violate my general rule of being able to prepare them in less than an hour on a weeknight. This is one of them, and it is worth every moment that you spend on it. I make a ton at once so that I have plenty of leftovers. It also forms…
Easy “Cuban” Chicken
I’m not the biggest fan of Florida, but I am a huge fan of Cuban cuisine. I’ve been making recipes from Three Guys From Miami since their cookbook was nothing more than a random collection of recipes online; I highly recommend investing in both Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban and Three Guys From Miami…
Slow Cooker Pepper Pork Chops
I haven’t been doing a good job of updating the recipes that the Tiny Kitchen Assistant and I have tried, but I’ll do my best to catch up in the coming days. Today’s recipe: Alton Brown’s slow cooker pepper pork chops. I’m a sucker for meat that falls apart after prolonged cooking, and when our…
Kid Nutrition
I met a fellow mom for coffee and told the story of taking my 3-year-old to Whole Foods — a place he now reveres as a produce mecca — and how I spent $3.84 on what I went to get and nearly $20 on fruit for him. “You’re so lucky,” she said. “Mine won’t eat…
Guacamole
Last night was burrito night* at our house, and I lucked out in finding two reasonably ripe avocados in the produce section. We came home and the Tiny Kitchen Assistant helped me make a fresh batch of guacamole. Keep in mind that the Assistant doesn’t actually eat guacamole, in spite of the fact that it…