Lemon Potatoes

Do you get angry when playing video games?
I myself am not big on video games — growing up I’ve never owned an Atari, PlayStation, XBox or Nintendo Wii. But ever since the dawn of smartphones and tablets, I’ve started playing video games on my mobile devices like the rest of the world population.
Angry Birds, Words with Friends, Candy Crush, Fruit Ninja, etc, you name ‘em.
During a subway ride, while waiting at the checkout line, when you do your business in the restroom (to me, a sacred moment), playing a quick video game on your phone it’s the best.
That is, until you start getting angry at the video game. I’m talking about full on exasperation, to the point that you want to smash the device against the wall.
NEVER.A.GOOD.IDEA.

Simple Ricotta Fritters with Marinara Sauce

If you read this blog often, you obviously are smart, have a great sense of humor, AND you know my obsession with cooking everything from scratch.
You probably also know that I like simple and quick recipes — because you and I don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen on weeknights.
Even more so when it’s freezing outside (btw, why does it have to be this cold people?) and all we want to do is crawl on the sofa, wrap ourselves in the warmest, softest of blankets and read a good book.

Kale Walnut Pesto

Last week I posted two recipes with kale pesto (this one and this one).
Though you guys seemed to have liked ‘em both, I had the feeling - through your comments on the blog, FB, IG and Twitter - that you were more interested in the kale pesto than the recipes themselves.
So yesterday I was like “Uhm, maybe I should post just the recipe for the kale pesto. If the readers want just to print/save the kale pesto they should. It totally makes sense!”
I know, I’m smart as a whip (Ha!)

Quinoa Kale Pesto Bowls with Poached Eggs

There are three phrases I want to say before I’m sprawled on my deathbed.
To be honest I don’t think I will ever be in a situation where I could actually say those phrases (i.e., very dramatic scenarios) but I still want to believe that the right occasion will come one day — hope dies last after all.

Sauteed Mushroom Gouda and Kale Potato Skins

The other night I was discussing reality television with a friend of mine.
We both agreed that reality TV was somehow interesting at first, but the fact that it's gotten so over-abused proves that its 15 minutes have largely passed.
Nowadays, every channel has a reality show about pretty much everything: drive a truck on ice -> get a show; have a bunch of kids -> get a show; have an embarrassing complaint/lump -> get a show; make your daughter a star -> get a show; be a complete idiot -> get a show.
It’s not even interesting anymore.
Even cooking shows are getting boring and old to watch.
There are too many of them: Top Chef, Master Chef, Chopped, Hell’s Kitchen, The Taste, The Kitchen, The Next Food Network Star, the list goes on forever.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Sometimes I feel you guys should hang me by the feet from a tree and beat me with a stick like I was a piñata.
A lot of fun for you, a tad less for me.
But I won’t deny it, you would have the right to do so.
You see, I spend a lot of time on this blog telling you to use fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients yet, here I am presenting you a recipe with tomatoes - let me rephrase that - a recipe using only tomatoes, a lot of tomatoes.
Tomatoes are, by far, the most popular summer “vegetable” (although it's technically a fruit.)
The difference in taste, mealiness, and price is obvious when you compare a summer version with a winter one.
Of course you’ll see ripe tomatoes all year round in supermarkets, but there’s a very good chance that they come from South Florida (unless you live there, not local produce) or they’re picked green, halfway around the world, and ripened through artificial means.

Thank You

Hey, guys, whatup?
I have no recipe for you today. But let’s not allow that to keep us from each other.
Today it’s all about me thanking you.
Because I need to tell you that I’m feeling blessed (and just for the record, I’m totally uncomfortable saying it!) that you guys visit this place every day, every week, every month, every year.
I’m still amazed I can reach so many of you.
It’s not only my mom, my sis, aunt G, and cousin Dan anymore. There are hundreds, thousands, millions (OK, maybe not millions) of you.
I feel so very grateful for this, words cannot express.

Tomato and Eggplant Compote

There's a first time for everything. Our first steps, first kiss, first day of school, first love, first car, first job, first bungee jump, first trip abroad, first time stuck in an elevator for 30 minutes, first oyster, or first bout with food poisoning.
If we repeat an experience, it’s never the same as the first time. It couldn’t be, a repeatable first is by definition an oxymoron.
Then there are those firsts that we would gladly avoid repeating (put being stuck in an elevator and food poisoning on that list for me.)
Sometimes we learn a lesson from our firsts and sometimes we don’t.

Catalan-Style Garlic Shrimp

Cooking is all about making mistakes.
Sometimes you have to test recipes a few times before you get the desired result. Sometimes you just aren’t thinking straight. That was me, this past weekend.
I experienced two major cooking disasters: one involving avocado chocolate cookies, the other one a Chinese beef noodle soup.
I still haven’t recovered from those catastrophes, so I’ll avoid telling you about it.
But not everything has been a failure.
I have finally figured out the perfect way to make at home Catalan-style Garlic Shrimp, just like in Barcelona.

Easy Creamy Crock-Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Winter is in full swing now and the colder temperatures have descended upon us.
There’s snow, ice, blizzards, and windchill.
Don’t you love it?
No, don’t answer, I already know what you’re going to say. You hate winter, you hate cold, and you can’t wait for spring to arrive.
Fair enough. Not everyone can be a snow-lover like myself.
Still, I think there are so many awesome things you could be doing when it’s freezing outside. Such as sled racing, snowball fighting, even snowman building. How cool is that? (pun intended).