Like countless others, I remember how this day felt ten years ago.  It came at a time of many personal trials, which maybe, in an odd way, allowed me to add it to my burden in an easier or more accomodating way than may have been possible otherwise.  At work on the University campus, we … Continue reading →

All is not well in the world of mooncakes.  First came the scandals about unhygienic fillings for the popular gifty treats given during the Chinese harvest festival (aka Mid-Autumn Festival).  Common fillings are lotus seed, bean, or jujube pastes, sometimes with nuts, enclosed in a pastry crust with pretty embossed graphics and characters. Urban myth … Continue reading →

The sky was blue and the ocean was sparkling for my Sunday excursion with NJ Wild friend Carolyn Edelmann over Labor Day weekend.  She’s been raving for years about Bahrs Landing restaurant, right on the water with spectacular views and a big dock where you can pull in to fill up your tank – yours … Continue reading →

I’ve been on a lamb and Greek food bender lately, partly fueled by a couple of visits to Taverna Ouzo in Monroe. First we have sliced lamb cutlets (from the shoulder I think) that I found at McCaffrey’s. I dusted them with za’atar and grilled them in my ridged grill pan on the stovetop, being … Continue reading →

This is based on the recipe for zucchini with mint in my July 29 In The Kitchen Column for the Packet. It is so simple, yet so very, very good, so I wanted to share a photo from the last batch I made, using yellow squash instead of green. I don’t know how long the … Continue reading →

I first had this salad (already picked over here, sorry!) at T.G.I. Friday’s in the good ol’ days when I didn’t worry too much about what I ate.  As I remember, it was made with spicy crunchy chicken tenders, romaine lettuce, tomato, cheddar, red onion, hard boiled egg, and honey-mustard dressing.  It may have had … Continue reading →

I was casting about for what to make for dinner one evening when I remembered it had been ages since I’d made one of my favorite comfort food dishes, pasta with pancetta and red pepper flakes, topped with fried eggs and a sprinkling of parsley. These were small eggs (from young chickens that are called … Continue reading →

I needed to use up some apricots, so here’s what I made, a lovely easy apricot jam. The recipe, from Fine Cooking, called for just the fruit, sugar and lemon juice. But I added a few cardamom seeds, because I was in an ethnic mood. This is the kind of jam you store in the … Continue reading →

I read a reference to tuna casserole somewhere recently and just instantly had a yen for the dish that had to be satisfied. I had nearly everything I needed in the cupboard, so easily threw it together. A half box of penne, tuna, home made dried bread crumbs (I mixed the crumbs with a little … Continue reading →

Looking at this, my results aren’t so different from the nice photo in Prevention‘s August issue that inspired me. Their Garlic Bread Pizza was more of a flatbread than a pizza (to me) on a whole wheat crust, with ricotta and pine nuts on top.  It was grilled, but I used my oven.  I had … Continue reading →