Single Serving

Thyme Mushroom-Quinoa Sauté

Posted by on Wednesday Feb 15th, 2012

EGG ON TOP MEALS: Polenta with Fried Capers, Red Pepper, and an Egg; Grits with Old Bay Frizzled Shallots and a Fried Egg; “Eggs in Pipérade” Pizzas with Crispy Prosciutto; Baked Eggs with Tomatoes & Smoky Potatoes; Ginger-Scallion Noodles

There is perhaps nothing I like better than finding leftover quinoa in a Tupperware in the fridge. And if there’s a night when I’ve gone out to dinner with friends while Alex stays home, it’s not unlikely that the next day I will get to feast on the remains of his dinner-unless he’s made himself a …

Consider me slightly late to the party, but recently, I’ve been having a love affair with Heidi Swanson.

Even though I am a long-time devotee of Peter Berley, another vegetarian food icon, in my post-college carnivorous state, I don’t think I gave proper mind to the more veg-centric food bloggers out there. Or, at least, in my own experimentation with their recipes.

One of my private chef clients is vegan, and it’s opened up my eyes and my palate to some very intriguing possibilities - and Heidi has been at the helm of many of them. When I came …

French Onion Grilled Cheese

Posted by on Monday Jan 30th, 2012

Check out my beloved Grilled Cheese Pinboard!

My apologies: it’s the second to last day of January, and I’ve yet to post about grilled cheese. It doesn’t mean that 2012 isn’t a year of eating and writing about my favorite sandwich, er, meal.

Fortunately, it’s a good one, a classic inspired by the rich French soup, and perfect for winter. It’s also incredibly simple. Just two ingredients make this sandwich, a red onion jam created by Merrill over at Food52 and first seen on BGSK in another simple dish, a fried egg sandwich.

When I re-made this …

Back in May, right before our book came out, I moved out of the apartment I shared with Caitlyn for four years, and temporarily back into my parents’ place. Now, it’s 2012. And guess what? I’m still here…

As the idea of “temporarily” went out the window in mid-November, my mother and I began to have a bit of a turf war over the kitchen. Most of the time, she was happy to let me cook in peace. But come lunchtime, which as a fellow self-employed soul, could range from 11am to about 3pm, things could get a little tense.…

Roasted Carrot Red Curry Soup

Posted by on Wednesday Jan 4th, 2012

OTHER EASY SOUPS: Asian Broth with Shredded Veggies and Noodles; Cauliflower Soup with Sharp Cheddar and Thyme; Leek Soup with Lemon and Dill

January has always felt like a month meant for hibernation. It takes time to recover from the holiday season, and all the marathon socializing that comes with it. And my body is usually telling me “no more finger food, no more people,” and “more blankets, more mindless television.”

But when I feel like holing up like this, I also usually want to cook. Not fussy things that take a long time, or even really involve …

DISH: Polenta with Fried Capers, Red Peppers, and an Egg
TYPE: There’s-nothing-in-the-house-to-eat Lunch or Dinner
MAIN INGREDIENT: Polenta, Red Peppers, Capers, Egg

Has this ever happened to you-that there’s absolutely nothing in the house to eat? Either it’s been a while since you’ve gone shopping, or you’ve arrived at a weekend or rental house and the cupboards are bare. As likely as not, all the stores are closed, you’re snowed in, or you’re simply too lazy to go out.

But because I live in an apartment of ingredients where there’s very little food you could grab and go with anyway, …

OTHER BOOZY FOODS: Oatmeal Stout Cake; Beer-Braised Short Ribs with Soy and Honey; Baked Tofu with White Wine, Mustard, and Dill

If my ex-boyfriend North had his way, he would have eaten Penne alla Vodka for every meal. No matter what the venue—New York diner, upscale Italian restaurant, or our college dining hall—he would try to order this pasta dish, and amazingly enough, most of the time he got his way.

I’ve never been one for depriving myself of rich, indulgent food. But somehow I drew the line at Penne alla Vodka. Even though I would sneak …