In my recent review of Blue Bottle Cafe in Hopewell, I raved about the little ramekin of Swiss Chard gratin that came with the tenderloin. My friend and I swooned over this deceptively simple accompaniment to a meal that was already a success. Our forks vied for every bite, and I resolved to try making it at … Continue reading
Filed under Eating in …
Pizza de Provence
I recently enjoyed dinner at Sophie’s Bistro in Somerset (you can read about it in the February 17-19 issue of the Packet’s TimeOff), including their appetizer Pizza de Provence, topped with pear, bleu cheese, and sunflower seeds. So good was it, I couldn’t resist trying it at home. Please excuse my crust! I bought pizza … Continue reading
Wegmans Stir-Fry
I have to hand it to Wegmans (and not for the first time). I was there today and in the produce section saw pre-cut stir-fry vegetables, all laid out in rectangular trays, ready for you to take home and cook. There was even a store chef there about to start a demonstration. The photo here … Continue reading
Butternut Squash
Ever since they started selling pre-cut butternut squash a few years ago, I’ve been eating it more often. The convenience (not to mention the safety issues with me and knives and big hard squashes) is irresistible. Often I’ll just toss it with olive oil and sage leaves and roast it on a sheet pan until … Continue reading
Plantain Chips=Yum
Grab ‘Em Snacks’ plantain chips easily passed a taste test with my co-workers last week. I was given three flavors to try by a representative of the Hillsborough-based company (thanks Timothy!) – Sea Salt Goodness, Fire-Me-Up Red Chile, and Cinful Cinnamon. They come in a several other flavors, too, and are currently available at Pennington Market and … Continue reading
Seitan
Time to pay the piper for holiday indulgence. Actually, this photo is from November, when I finally broke open the frozen package of vegan black-pepper sauced seitan from Vegetarian Plus I had in the freezer. Every now and then I can’t resist trying one of these meat alternative meals. It was actually quite tasty, with … Continue reading
Lobsta!
I always say hello to Chef Cindy Groman when I go to Wegmans. She’s usually dishing up a sample of one of her great seafood creations, and I’m guessing that she’s taught hundreds, if not thousands, of people to cook fish with confidence over the years. But the other day, instead of cooking, she was preparing gorgeous … Continue reading
Good Morning Starshine
A snowy weekend meant a more leisurely breakfast for me. So on Saturday, once I’d made peace with the idea that I would do no Christmas errands that day, I indulged in impromptu (and improvised) Eggs Benedict. By then I was so hungry, though, that I cooked in a hurry. I always have on hand … Continue reading
Hash
One of my favorite winter weekend breakfasts is corned beef hash, even canned, and also roast beef hash, which is what is pictured here. I have occasionally made my own, with those sort of pyramid-shaped cans of corned beef from Brazil. I don’t even want to think about the ingredients list on that can, but I have … Continue reading
Bulgogi
One of the first things I discovered at the new Trader Joe’s was the refrigerated pre-marinated beef for Korean bulgogi. I’ve enjoyed this dish for years, and even without a grill, it turns out fine on my ridged stovetop pan, although I do miss the char-grilled taste of the real thing. The Trader Joe’s version is … Continue reading
NJ SPICE 