Today I made a salad with a pear, walnuts, and a lemon pepper vinaigrette. The other ingredients were just what I had on hand. A Vidalia onion, cucumber, mixed greens, and radishes. The vinaigrette was easy to make. A half cup of olive oil, a quarter cup of fresh lemon juice, a tablespoon of water, … Continue reading The John Siracusa Salad
Recipes
Oven Fries
I love French fries. But they aren’t the most healthful of foods. And they aren’t very convenient to make at home. So I was delighted to come across this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen for Thick-Cut Oven Fries. I don’t know if they’re more healthful than French fries, but they’re certainly easier to make in … Continue reading Oven Fries
Immersed
One of the most useful items in my kitchen is the Cuisinart Immersion Blender. I use it daily to make protein shakes and frequently to make vinaigrettes, pestos, and various other delicious treats. So if something should happen to it, were I to be immersionless for even a day, it would be a major problem. … Continue reading Immersed
Blondies
I tried to make Blondies again today, but this time I think I put in all the ingredients. Here’s the recipe that I got from episode 21 of season 22 of America’s Test Kitchen. Note that salt is important to bring out the butterscotch flavor. I toast the nuts in a skillet before starting on the … Continue reading Blondies
Uh, Uh, Uh, Aaaah! Don’t Touch That Dial!
Lest anyone get the idea that I’m clever in the kitchen, here is today’s tale of woe. So I saw America’s Test Kitchen featured a recipe for Blondies, i.e., butterscotch brownies. It looked good, so I decided to try it. After copying down the recipe, I went shopping to purchase any ingredients that my cupboard lacked. … Continue reading Uh, Uh, Uh, Aaaah! Don’t Touch That Dial!
Arlene’s Pie Dough
I’ve been doing a lot of baking lately, although I’m not sure why, given that I’m trying to lose a couple inches around the waist. <sigh> But I have been doing more baking than I ever have. I’m even beginning to get comfortable making pie crusts. Still not great at it, but a bit better … Continue reading Arlene’s Pie Dough
Cottage Potatoes
I don’t recall ever hearing about cottage potatoes (the name comes from the crinkled cut that makes them look like the roof of a cottage, or so they say), but they are so simple to make (the hardest part is flipping them) and the results are so tasty, I expect to make them often from … Continue reading Cottage Potatoes
Peanut Butter Cookies
Warning: making these cookies may be hazardous to your waistline. I found this recipe in a copy of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, and they are unbelievably delicious. I can’t eat just one. The recipe calls for creamy peanut butter to get the correct texture; don’t use chunky or “natural” (whatever that is). I cut the … Continue reading Peanut Butter Cookies
Berry Vanilla Pancakes
This recipe works well with either strawberries or blueberries, or even a combination. It may very well work with other berries also. I typically make these with only one tablespoon of brown sugar because I always slather dark maple syrup on my pancakes. Actually, I think pancakes are my excuse for consuming maple syrup. And … Continue reading Berry Vanilla Pancakes
Pecan Pie
I made a pecan pie today but it didn’t turn out that great. But it was still delicious! I need to work on the pie crust and remember to follow all the steps in the recipe. Still, as I said, it was delicious!