Four for Dinner

Ever since spending time in Paris, I’ve been obsessed with the French macaron. Not a “macaroon”, as this month’s recipe in Bon Appetit calls it – but a macaron. Macaroons are heavier – like the coconut cookies that you see at delis and at Passover, or the sweet almond macaroons made with almond paste. I [...]

[This post was written weeks ago - time got away from me. Start of school and all.] We had a fun, easy dinner last night. Melon with prosciutto to start, plus some white figs with a little blue cheese and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. For dinner, we had grilled boneless pork chops, french green [...]

My friend RN gave me a rose shaped bundt cake pan that I’ve wanted to try for a while. The shape that it makes is so pretty and delicate looking. I don’t know why I haven’t used it, but probably because I’m usually making layer cakes or cakes in a tube pan (that you wouldn’t [...]

I have a new favorite hot fudge sauce. After years of using the same chocolate sauce (which is still fabulous and I haven’t given it up), I’ve found the thick, rich, chewy hot fudge sauce for which I have searched – for years. It is smooth, in spite of the fact that it uses cocoa. [...]

I was determined to try a different recipe for WG’s birthday cake this year. His birthday fell during Passover and he keeps the holiday rather strictly. I didn’t want him to miss a birthday cake, though. We asked him what kind of cake he wanted, but he left it up to us. Grandma and WG [...]

I am sittling here at my computer and the sun is streaming into the window. I can see birds and bees flitting around the blooming trees. How did this happen? How has time flown by so quickly? L turned thirteen last week, and we celebrated her bat mitzvah as well. What a tremendous milestone. The [...]

Sounds awful doesn’t it? Seafoam frosting? What the heck, I don’t think it is meant to look or taste like seafoam. Bad marketing, I guess. Because the reality of this frosting is that it is incredibly delicious and luxuriously creamy, but fat free. Compared to most frostings, this one is actually not completely horrible for [...]

A while ago, a friend of mine gave me a few recipes that she got from her Uncle Merv. One recipe was for chocolate cupcakes. My friend raved about these cupcakes and I was surprised to find, when I made them, that they were made with no eggs or milk – totally vegan. So incredibly [...]

Luckily, I was in pretty good shape by the end of December so that S & I could host our annual New Year’s Eve dinner. While this year’s menu was not as elaborate as last year’s feast based on luck (hmmm, can’t decide if that one worked or didn’t), longevity and prosperity, we did have [...]

I’m still full. Actually, that isn’t true. I’m full from eating leftovers for lunch. The new recipes that I tried for our celebration last night with JS and JO were a hit. First off, we had wonderful starters prepared by JS. Perfectly ripe honeydew melon draped in shaved proscuitto and creamy, rich deviled eggs sprinkled [...]