I was working with my friends in the Food & Wine test kitchen the other day. It was the last day for a number of folks before the Christmas break, so the refrigerators had to be cleared of food that…
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Time Machine (Chicken Crepes)
I can't really explain it...
OK... I could say that some of the roast chicken was sitting in the fridge waiting to be... repurposed.
I could say that it was the week before Christmas and I wanted to cook everything…
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Christmas Eve Eve Eve... (Saltimbocca with Maple Nutmeg Brussels Sprouts and Mashed Potatoes with White Truffle Oil)
We won't be here for Christmas. So last night, we celebrated. I made Saltimbocca with chicken breasts, sage, and prosciutto...
And some beautiful tiny Brussels sprouts with nutmeg and a touch of maple syrup. But the pièce de résistance…
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You Can NEVER Be Too Rich... (Homemade Pasta with Chicken Alfredo Sauce)
I roasted another chicken... Yes, I'm on a roast chicken roll, so to speak...
I know! I'll spare you another picture of a roast chicken, but if you want to look it up and read the recipe, see my post…
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This Old Chef in L.A.
It's Sunday morning, the housesitters are about to arrive, and This Old Chef and Co. are heading out to L.A.! We're going to be cooking with my best friend for some big Hollywood parties... and since it's Christmas... I think…
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Bacon & Brussels Sprouts & Pasta, Oh My! (with Thanks to Melissa Clark!)
OMG... I'm in heaven.
I have come across a food pairing as good as Stilton and Port...
Bread and Butter...
Mustard and Sausage...
Pizza and Pepperoni...
(OK... I'll stop!)
In the Times, I read a recipe for pasta with…
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More Christmas Cookies! (Melting Moments)
Mother's other "famous" Christmas cookie contribution was the "Melting Moment."
I know these are seriously out of fashion... but I don't care...
The texture is sooooooooo different from most cookies... because of the cornstarch. But it's the very, very lemony…
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Even More Christmas Cookies! (Shortbread)
Shortbread.
I have always been helpless when confronted with a plate of shortbread...
And these have forever replaced decorated sugar cookies in my affections.
Shortbread
Yield: Approximately 50
Cream:
1 lb. Unsalted butter
1 C Sugar (processed fine)
½ t…
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It Really Is Christmas! (Snowballs)
I grew up in Michigan, upstate New York (and I really mean "upstate..." as in Canadian border!! Not what we refer to now as "Upstate Manhattan..."), and Toronto...
So Christmas means snow. And I'm one of those people who LOVES…
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3! - Count 'Em - 3! (Italian Sausage & Mushroom Pizza)
So... unprecedented situation... My best friend, whom I never see, was in town THREE times this past year! A situation that required lots of cooking! But on the last night of her most recent visit, we just wanted something relaxing…
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The Remains of the Day #5 (Turkey Hash)
(I can't believe I forgot to post this one... of ALL the ENCORES for turkey!!!! So please forgive me and make it whenever you have some turkey available.)
THE use... THE comfort food... using the remains of the turkey... probably…
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Orecchiette with Italian Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
One of my favorite go-to pastas couldn't be simpler... cook some hot Italian sausage, add chopped broccoli rabe (I don't even bother to blanch it... I like the bitter edge), a ton of garlic, some red pepper flakes and then…
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Bambi Lovers, Relax!
Don't panic. Venison is not on the menu tonight. This family (of six, we think) was having a light meal across the street, so we thought a picture was in order.
Lemon Tree Very Pretty
For her wedding, my friend in L.A. was given a Meyer lemon tree for her yard. It very successfully survived the transplant and began to produce tons of fruit. (As a dyed-in-the-wool Yankee, I still can't get over the fact…
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Soup Shooters (Tomato Watermelon Gazpacho)
Here's a fun thing to do for a first course that won't ruin the rest of the meal (since we've grown unaccustomed to eating multiple courses)...
Make a very rich bisque or cream soup (I often do this with cream…
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