2010 Archives
Raspberry Gratin
I’ve had my eye on this Sunday Suppers at Lucques dessert for awhile. It’s really just fruit and custard, keeping the focus firmly where it belongs – on perfectly ripe, juicy, summer-bursting-in-your-mouth berries. (The recipe calls for raspberries; I used both blueberries and raspberries. It’s worth hitting the farmer’s market for the real deal –…
Creamy, Fluffy Hummus – The Way It’s Supposed to Be

Thanks to reader Michael G. for the following email: Stephanie, I make my own hummus but I can’t get it as creamy as others. I add a good amount of olive oil & lemon juice, but I want it creamier. Thanks, Michael Have you had the same problem – homemade hummus that seems more like…
I’m Back with…Crash Hot Potatoes
It has bothered me that I didn’t snap a pic of The Pioneer Woman Crash Hot Potatoes I made on July 4th. I know…I’m weird. But there it is, and here I am, and now I have a pic of the potatoes. Which is good, since I’ve made them three times since July 4th. What…
Berry Baking Bonanza! Summer Berry Crumbles
Every time I go to the farmer’s market, I come home with more berries – yesterday I found strawberries still poking around, and raspberries and blueberries out in force. Man do I love this time of year! If you, like I, get a little carried away and buy far more berries than your family can…
Summer Appetizer: Smoky Chipotle Guacamole
If you’ve eaten at Barrio Tequila Bar lately (and if you haven’t, you should…), you’ll recognize this guacamole presentation, with sliced jalapeños and radishes. I copied it because I’m absolutely smitten with the extra crunch and heat of the raw vegetables – as if I needed yet another reason to love guacamole. Or anything at…
Summer Appetizer: Bite-Size Tomato Tarts on a Parmesan Crust

Here’s a new twist on an old favorite, turning this lovely 101 Cookbooks tomato tart into little tomato tart canapés. Don’t worry, I didn’t mess with that perfectly buttery, cheesy crust. Oh no. I just baked it in a flat rectangle instead of in a tart pan, then cut the still-warm crust into bite-size squares….
An Ode to Breadcrumbs
Bored with broccoli? Tired of tilapia? Sick of scrambled eggs? Add breadcrumbs! A spoonful of buttery, toasty crumbs can make the most ordinary dish sublime. Like the portabella mushroom, endive gratin, baked eggs, and fried chickpeas, above. What began as potentially bland fare – vegetables, an egg, canned beans…
Grilled Steaks with Herb Butter
May I suggest adding a pat of herb butter to your grilled steaks? The butter melts over the hot beef, of course, pooling with the steak’s juices to create an obscenely addictive sauce. It’s a classic bistro presentation, alongside pommes frites, and is so delicious that you’ll soon be adding pats to everything. Grilled fish,…
Sangriaah!
John and I love to sip sangria on a warm evening, despite the fact that it goes down like dangerously icy buttah. Beware the smooth deliciousness – there’s alcohol in that glass even if it doesn’t taste like it. John in particular is a fan of Masa’s sangrias, one sparkling, one white, and one red….
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
Suffering in this heat wave? I suggest a little cool, creamy heaven. Save the egg whites and make Schaum Torte a few days later. Ice cream and meringue, the yin and yang of desserts. You heard it here first. The sun’s hot, mosquitoes are biting, I’m sipping gin & tonics, and I’m craving ice cream—’round…