tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24577746830620255832011-12-29T15:56:25.678-08:00Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-91784842442494404152008-01-06T18:47:00.000-08:002008-01-22T10:01:38.597-08:00

NDP has officially moved!You'll be redirected in just a second toNDP's new digs....WWW.NOTDERBYPIE.COM.

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-84018854752032534062008-01-03T08:16:00.000-08:002008-01-03T09:22:47.858-08:00

Few things showcase the rustic nature of fruits and vegetables better than a galette. Essentially a freeform tart, a galette has a hand-folded crust that is folded half way into the center, leaving some of its innards exposed. A galette is by definition slightly asymmetrical, but more beautiful for its imperfection, in my opinion.I most like galettes with thinly-sliced fillings. If slices are

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-49785146200398633482007-12-29T20:11:00.000-08:002007-12-30T10:51:58.765-08:00

A while back, Deb of Smitten Kitchen fame blogged about the shortcomings of Martha Stewart's chocolate pretzel cookie recipe. "Dry, bland, and not chocolatey enough" and more colorful adjectives described a cocopretzel that just didn't cut it. She suggested trying to make pretzels out of Dorie Greenspan's very flavorful and buttery chocolate rollout cookies, which I had been planning to make

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-72106433019291268232007-12-28T05:31:00.000-08:002007-12-28T07:27:59.415-08:00

Hey folks! Just a plug to check out Zorra's roundup of the Sugar High Friday entries -- mine's all the way at the bottom; it's the saffrom rice pudding and it's delicious! All the entries look mouthwatering -- so go check'em out!Have a great weekend!

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-36246214348002464892007-12-26T19:36:00.000-08:002007-12-27T19:05:34.773-08:00

In Italy, antipasti are meant to whet your appetite. (Granted, when I ate out in Italy, my appetite needed little whetting -- what with all the whiffs of freshly-made pasta and roasted tomato sauce drifting from the kitchen to my table.) Nonetheless, in Italy, antipasti are simply appetizers, mere preludes to the main dish. In my house, they're just part of the meal. After all, roasted

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-67979505702975414992007-12-25T19:25:00.000-08:002007-12-27T11:48:38.816-08:00

You know it's holiday time when this is your kitchen table display...Happy Holidays to all, and enjoy the winter season!

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-74718519643504538242007-12-23T13:19:00.000-08:002007-12-27T11:42:55.372-08:00

In honor of the holiday season, Daring Bakers’ took on what may be the holy grail of daring recipes: Buche de Noel, or Yule Log. Until Lis and Ivonne charged DBers with making this, I didn’t even know it was a food. See, traditionally, the Yule Log was a large, thick piece of wood burned by Pagans just after winter solstice (which was on Friday), in order to thank their gods for making the

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-27586336776945292892007-12-23T10:06:00.000-08:002007-12-27T11:43:14.876-08:00

With candy canes and sprinkles lining grocery store shelves, holiday season just screams, "sugar cookies!" Around this time each year, I toss aside my fanciest dessert recipes and opt for the more humble sugar cookie instead. Sugar cookies can be enhanced any which way, from flavoring the dough to adding crushed candy to topping with sprinkles and frosting....with so many variations, there's

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-7803289962686580962007-12-19T08:13:00.000-08:002007-12-27T11:43:27.917-08:00

It's already December and I still haven't posted a freezable soup recipe? Can't be.My nose is red and my paws are frosty these days. If only it were possible to have the kettle whistling by the time I walked in the door, so that I could instantly hold a piping hot mug of chai after weathering the cold. Until someone invents that kettle, there's frozen soup. There're few things easier than popping

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-42891451383696259582007-12-17T16:51:00.000-08:002007-12-27T11:43:46.357-08:00

D. had some law school buddies over this weekend for a study marathon, and I thought it only fair that if D. study her butt off, I cook my butt off. So I started brainstorming ideas for brunch food that could be served room temp (since I'd already be gone by the time they came over, and D's not much in the way of kitchen activities that aren't dish-washing.) I settled on a frittata and

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-52278913718808157692007-12-13T21:00:00.000-08:002007-12-14T07:02:03.795-08:00

It's that merry time of year again! Being Jewish, I get that Christmas isn't my holiday, but I can't help anxiously awaiting It's a Wonderful Life and the SNL Christmas special and Harry Connick, Jr. on the radio. It makes me so happy!Ok, I suppose it's much easier to revel in the merriment of the season since I don't have 1001 Christmas gifts to buy. But for the rest of you, if you're looking

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-48031076306794393802007-12-11T06:29:00.000-08:002007-12-17T07:32:12.540-08:00

Apple Pie has been done, done, and done again. If you skim anyone's list of cookbooks or blogs, you'll find infinite declarations of how to make apple pie. Some claim to have the definitive recipe. Since I have never (to the best of my memory) actually made an apple pie, start to finish, from scratch, I'm certainly not going to promise that the results of this first attempt are worth repeating.

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-14217895614262275902007-12-08T17:24:00.000-08:002007-12-11T06:51:51.192-08:00

Something has happened. There used to be no stopping me from gravitating straight toward the chocolate. In Baskin Robbins, I had no control over my constant need for chocolate raspberry truffle, and therefore tasted almost no other flavors for about six years. My mom could hide all the candy in the house and I wouldn't notice, but if chocolate had a hiding place, I could find it in a flash.

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-73466022237729726682007-12-07T05:05:00.000-08:002007-12-07T06:36:53.192-08:00

Several times a week, I get home from work, open the fridge, and sigh. What the hell am I going to make for dinner? There's half a red onion, a package of mushrooms, two slices of bread, leftover kale, one red pepper....yea, I'm not getting very far.Last week, I had a blip of inspiration between long-ish bouts of cooking drab food, and managed to throw together these open-faced spanikopita with

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-6612152061543971862007-12-03T19:14:00.000-08:002007-12-27T11:48:53.007-08:00

Sunday night was another installment of "Ladies Who Cook....Sometimes." This month, the theme was "dishes with color." My attempt was quite the adventure -- but I'll get to that in a moment.It was all sorts of wet and ugly outside, and our first course of squash and pear soup was a perfect foil to the cold, rainy weather. Not surprisingly, it was our orange/yellow element. We also had beet salad

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-86530040745202439522007-12-03T14:29:00.000-08:002007-12-05T07:51:18.788-08:00

When a blogger-hero of mine, Danielle from Habeas Brulee, posted a while back about pumpkin seed cocoa nib brittle, I knew I'd be making it sooner or later. For starters, the recipe is uber-simple. Just combine sugar and water with a bit of cream of tartar, heat 'em up, let them turn golden, add the rest of the ingredients, and pour out onto a sheet of silpat (or, in my case, parchment paper) in

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-42583566808124574972007-11-30T15:00:00.000-08:002007-12-01T14:29:26.147-08:00

Veggie Chili was always a staple in my house growing up. We may not have had meat, but you know I've sung the praises of morningstar farms more than once, and chili brought out the best in MF's "veggie crumbles." Yea yea, it sounds really unappetizing, but trust me, it's amazing. Obviously if you're not restricted by vegetarianism, feel free to add all the BOEUF you desire. Morningstar will

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-23232378539896831482007-11-28T12:04:00.001-08:002007-11-28T19:47:45.084-08:00

Believe it or not, there are a gazillion blogging events out there. From Daring Bakers, to "waiter, there's something in my..." to "heart of the matter" to ... gosh, they never end! That said, I've found the event to end all events: Pay It Forward!Here's how it works: I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-27884858556578904782007-11-27T19:07:00.000-08:002007-11-27T19:50:25.207-08:00

I know, I know. "Indian food? Scary!" But really, it's not all that scary. Not if you have an endless list of totally obscure ingredients you've never heard of in quantities much larger than you'll ever need, from the grocery store that's farthest and most inconvenient to the rest of your life.See? Not so bad.Today I had a car, and I made sure to take extra-long at my doctor's appointment.

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-59543964921480779132007-11-26T11:48:00.000-08:002007-11-26T11:51:20.485-08:00

A hypothetical situation: If I were to make wall calendars with pictures and (possibly) funny musings from my blog and photo archive, would you be interested in buying one at around 15-20 bucks a pop?Post a comment on this post if you're interested...

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-61201786908209563782007-11-26T10:01:00.000-08:002007-11-26T08:49:53.043-08:00

The long-awaited day has arrived! I am officially a Daring Baker (see the logo and info on the right side panel). Daring Bakers is a baking group, started by two bloggers, Lis of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice, just over a year ago. Since then, it's grown astronomically. There are hundreds of DBers, and the group is still growing. Here's how it works: every month, our host

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-85263216950406953972007-11-25T17:39:00.000-08:002007-11-25T18:21:25.818-08:00

Mine was wonderful. We spent the morning hours curled up on the couch, watching the parade and drinking chai. We stopped being lazy in time to have meal #1 with my friend and her family at 2 pm. Don't be deceived by the early hour: they had the largest Turkey I've ever seen, stuffed with challah stuffing and accompanied by flawless sweet potatoes, giblet gravy, cranberry and gooseberry sauces,

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-9514273649288296502007-11-20T17:49:00.000-08:002007-11-21T09:03:28.439-08:00

Ghirardelli in the double boiler, egg whites in the mixer, and D asking for Duncan Hines yellow cake to no avail...it all can only mean one thing: chocolate soufflé. That's right folks, I'm at it again. Major differences between my first attempt and this recipe were the amounts of egg whites, milk, cream, and chocolate. Specifically: for the same amounts of butter, sugar, and egg yolks, recipe 2

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-79429176495685651872007-11-18T12:11:00.000-08:002007-11-19T11:56:06.984-08:00

Having spent 22 Thanksgivings with my family, I've seen my fair share of crowded dinner tables, overstuffed tummies and packed fridges. This year will be no exception. As promised, the array of dishes that my mom and I made for Thursday's feast is so vast, turkey simply will not be missed. We planned a menu with something for everyone (and too much for any one person) to eat. Below, I've outlined

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-91316339821340464032007-11-17T14:50:00.000-08:002007-11-21T09:03:42.634-08:00

This week at the farmers' market, I got lucky: I found two bags of greens left over from the previous week, labeled $1 each! One was pea shoots, and one was baby rainbow chard. I snagged 'em both and ran home to make something yummy.I've never used pea shoots before; they're quite pretty. There are lots of small, round leaves, and little tendrils on the tip of each sprig. They also taste quite

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-49540870347905750832007-11-15T11:40:00.001-08:002007-11-16T09:25:32.102-08:00

I'm always surprised that people are such haters when it comes to veggie Thansgiving meals. "What? You don't have turkey? How dare!" say their astonished faces. Well, now you know: I don't care about turkey. It's dry almost every time I have it, and frankly, I'd rather a spring chicken any day. Plus, when you have two kinds of cornbread, two stuffings, four things that could easily qualify as

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-12807792586590051062007-11-14T18:06:00.000-08:002007-11-21T09:03:58.742-08:00

Three months of blogging and I actually have managed to not write about chocolate. It's really an embarrassment. Rarely does a day go by when I don't eat the stuff; how have I not blogged about a chocolate recipe yet??Time to solve that.Chocolate Souffle may be light and fluffy, but it's one of the richest ways to have your chocolate. When done properly, a delicate crust gives way to light but

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-89804999610846265052007-11-14T06:43:00.001-08:002007-11-21T09:04:09.108-08:00

Welcome to the new and (hopefully) improved Not Derby Pie! I hope you like the new layout and scheme. Please leave comments with feedback -- I'm always looking for ways to improve (and attract more readers!)Now, for an update on the life of NDP:I've spent much of the last two months fretting and sweating over my new blog, http://www.notderbypie.com/. (Don't go check it out! It's a mess right now.

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-19731110467793519082007-11-10T08:52:00.000-08:002007-11-21T09:04:35.246-08:00

Quick-breads are a winter staple. I always make two at a time and stick one in the freezer; it's the perfect thing to pull out last-minute on a Friday afternoon and eat that night for dinner. As I understand it, a quick-bread is basically a of bread/cake that uses baking soda or powder as the main rising agent, instead of yeast. This means quick-breads do not need to rise for long periods of time

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-2746650081907201002007-11-08T13:45:00.001-08:002007-11-21T09:04:52.838-08:00

When I was young, squash seeds were a go-to fall snack in my house. They came in all shapes and sizes: butternut, acorn, delicata, pumpkin, etc. As soon as the weather was cool enough for squash, seeds would start to appear in Tupperware containers on the kitchen counter. As far as I remember, there was only one flavor: plain, with a bit of salt sprinkled on top.Recently, I've started to get back

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-30160464742272968972007-11-05T08:26:00.001-08:002007-11-21T09:05:07.754-08:00

I'll admit that I'm not such a couscous fan. When I was 15, my summer camp took us on a five-day hiking trip through the Berkshire mountains. We carried everything with us on our backs: water, tents and poles, food for five days, clothing, etc. Breakfast was PB&J or granola bars, since they were light; dinner, five days in a row, was couscous; and lunch every day was ... you guessed it: leftover

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-92106402595563747722007-10-31T10:54:00.000-07:002007-11-21T09:05:31.449-08:00

It's the last day of sukkot. Your lulav is on the table getting brown, and your etrog is still in the fridge, getting dry. Same story, every year: what on earth are you going to do with a palm branch, some willow and myrtle leaves, and a fruit that really doesn't have all that much fruit inside? My answer is usually...uh...throw them away? I know, you're not supposed to. If you have a better

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-53220205527254248082007-10-29T06:41:00.000-07:002007-11-21T09:05:49.594-08:00

Indulgence doesn't always need an occasion. Leftover challah and a good appetite are reason enough to enjoy this "special" breakfast. I guarantee you, though -- it's a real treat.It was Sunday morning; I had a big mug full of Peet's coffee and two newspapers to read. I had a book full of coupons to clip, Meet the Press to watch, and four slices of leftover challah just getting stale.me: "There's

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-65976433372844036832007-10-27T08:46:00.000-07:002007-11-21T09:06:08.215-08:00

Growing up, there was one option for challah in town: that was Shalom's, the kosher supermarket in Wheaton, MD. Every Friday my mom would swing by Brookville supermarket and pick up two challot, which were delivered from Shalom's that morning. The challah was truly uneventful: it was never dense enough, far too airy, not sweet or eggy, and usually even a bit crumbly. A lame excuse for challah, if

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-81350467228341827432007-10-26T11:18:00.000-07:002007-10-26T11:28:03.208-07:00

Take this. In ten minutes flat, you can have these cookies made. Including prep time. Why? Because they're from the box. I might love to bake, but I sure as hell can't make cookies with cute pumpkins in the middle like this. Leave that to Nestle. I don't need to point out that they're perfect for halloween...just go buy these guys. People will think you're really talented, and best of all, the

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-73772668967031171722007-10-25T06:20:00.000-07:002007-10-25T07:04:06.887-07:00

It is super-duper chilly this morning and fall is finally setting in. Crisp air in my face and the crunch of leaves beneath my feet give me a serious hankering for some pumpkin soup!But this post is about tartlets.Everyone makes muffins; nobody makes tartlets. Yes, they're not as quick and easy to make as muffins are, but they're so much cuter and (IMHO) more delicious. Can't compare muffins and

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-47068522776030941202007-10-24T10:00:00.000-07:002007-10-24T19:21:26.248-07:00

On last week's episode of The Splendid Table podcast, actor and writer Michael Tucker spoke of his experience living as an American in Italy. Aside from the obvious challenges adapting to a foreign language and culture, he has learned an entirely different way of cooking since moving to the small town of Umbria. Something he said about cooking really struck me: he said that his cooking trajectory

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-2663426561374464042007-10-23T10:15:00.000-07:002007-10-23T19:23:35.274-07:00

On Sunday, D and I are hosting thirty-ish people for a housewarming. Our freezer is full to the top spinach-feta filo pies, tartlets and muffins, all shaped like my one tartlet pan. I'm making a meringue pavlova tomorrow, but I wanted another dessert, and I can't make any more tartlet-shaped things or my house will become one big tartlet. Enter David Lebovitz -- acclaimed chef, lucky Parisian,

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-84735769512427670592007-10-22T09:20:00.000-07:002007-10-23T06:54:54.137-07:00

One Friday night many years ago, this dish landed on my dining room table. Being the ever-obnoxious 9-year-old that I was, I immediately spat, "what's that?""Not Derby Pie.""Not Derby Pie?""yep.""Well if it's not Derby Pie, then what is it?" and, after a moment's hesitation, "what is Derby Pie, anyway?"My mother laughed, as she often does -- then told me to just try it already.The backstory:

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-9303784266762639192007-10-21T19:47:00.000-07:002007-10-23T12:59:31.892-07:00

I promise lots of posts this week with various recipes and pics from our housewarming, but this recipe was requested multiple times tonight with varying degrees of urgency, so it gets first attention. My mom and I first encountered this salad at a potluck. One of the guests showed up with four ziploc bags, and in a matter of minutes had a beautiful salad ready to go. Naturally, we went home and

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-90809702376200856882007-10-19T12:31:00.000-07:002007-10-21T19:47:27.128-07:00

You and I know how hard it is to get a meal on the table Friday night (let alone Saturday morning) that's well-cooked but not over-cooked, tasty and colorful, and not entirely dried out after a long tenure on the blech. It's not easy! In honor of these hardships, here's a laundry list of questions from my dear friend Sarah about how, exactly, to coordinate a Friday night dinner service....and my

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-10754578946617046182007-10-18T13:58:00.000-07:002007-11-21T09:06:32.085-08:00

I think I officially have enough blog traffic that my Jewish friends aren't the only ones reading! This means that I actually have to explain what cholent is. (This is very exciting.)Cholent is what Ashkenazi Jews (from Eastern Europe) used to eat every Saturday for lunch. Sephardi Jews ate something similar, but they called it "Hamin" (which means "hot stuff" in Hebrew...funny, no?) We still

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-65439075475760178572007-10-17T09:28:00.001-07:002007-10-17T09:31:18.967-07:00

People, I couldn't have said this better myself. Watch this video on Chowhound for thorough and user-friendly instructions on how to achieve that glossy coat of chocolate deliciousness that hugs strawberries, almonds, candybars and more. Then go out and buy yourself a candy thermometer: I did this last week, and it cost me a grand total of...3 bucks. Do it! Precision is key in tempering

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-74935041126034921102007-10-16T12:27:00.001-07:002007-10-16T13:06:24.498-07:00

Many thanks to Elena, who gave this recipe to my mom, who practically forced me to make it. This cake is deceiving: its ingredient list and instructions are so short and sweet, you could make it blindfolded. But don't let the ease deceive you; this cake is definitely better than the sum of its parts. Throw the ingredients in a bowl, mix (by hand!), chop the fruit, throw it all into a springform

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-63799456603902255082007-10-14T14:08:00.000-07:002007-10-18T12:02:42.441-07:00

Are you a squash hater? Please don't be. Squash get a bad rap among carnivores for being a lame substitute for meat; it gets boiled, mashed, sugared, buttered, and baked into squash soufflé, yet so many people refuse to eat it as is. Well, if butternut and acorn and spaghetti squashes don't do it for you, delicata is a wonderful last resort. It has a thinner flesh than other squash varieties, and

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-1235619236535583162007-10-14T11:57:00.000-07:002007-10-15T06:08:02.668-07:00

I just joined a cooking club in DC called "Ladies Who Cook....Sometimes." My guess is that it started because people found that they were too busy to take their cooking seriously, and wanted to set aside some time each month to celebrate fun in the kitchen. Ideally, we'd all get together and cook, but everyone's so busy that the club has taken a potluck format. Each month has a theme, and

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-7563532950497574952007-10-11T18:11:00.000-07:002007-10-18T11:43:32.254-07:00

Rhubarb is finally, finally in season ... it's about time.It has the perfect sweet-tart flavor that complements the summer's last strawberries and pairs perfectly with many fall foods. If you can't spot rhubarb in a crowd, think "sweet, red celery." That's what rhubarb looks like. It's incredibly versatile; I use it most frequently to make sauce, jam, cake, crumble, and pie.When I got my CSA box

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-50553739069337732972007-10-10T12:02:00.000-07:002007-10-11T08:58:07.715-07:00

york peppermint pattiesmini applesauce cupsalmondsthose ginger cat cookies from Trader Joe'shoney wheat pretzelswhat's yours?

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-72854111205124663312007-10-08T18:36:00.000-07:002007-10-18T11:41:47.501-07:00

Ok, lots of words in the title, I know, but it's not really all that complicated to make.I was in a creative mood last night, and I'd just read a post from Elise at Simply Recipes describing a recipe for Chile Verde. Pig is pretty high on the treif list, but I love tomatillos, and hot peppers are my new favorite food, so I figured I'd take a stab at making the dish sans pork -- which basically

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-77906766364247129702007-10-08T12:08:00.000-07:002007-10-16T13:07:18.746-07:00

As fall-themed recipes have started popping up on other people's blogs, I've begun to notice my own reluctance to dig out the pumpkin puree from the pantry. Normally I make fall recipes too early, out of sheer excitement for sweater season, but this year the transition is taking a while. It's already mid-October and the weather has not let up one drop. As my friend Dave so eloquently put it, "

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-40041994873930968262007-10-07T17:34:00.000-07:002007-10-12T09:50:28.930-07:00

If you're an onion hater, this dish will convert you. Slow-roasting onions releases their natural sugars slowly without burning them, so that by the end they're smooth, slippery and taste like caramel.The tomatoes undergo a similar transformation: they become soft and sweet, and their flavors become incredibly concentrated.And the fennel...well, you get the drift: soft, sweet and delicious.The

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-65349960858185287182007-10-06T19:00:00.000-07:002007-10-06T19:18:37.705-07:00

If you made the slow-roasted dish and have some leftovers, here's a great way to take care of 'em:Quick Greek Stewslow-roasted onion, fennel and tomato leftoversfresh ground pepper1/4 cup feta cheesea few kalamata or other greek olivesfresh basilRoughly chop onion/fennel/tomato leftovers into large pieces. Toss in a shallow sauté pan with some of their juices, about 3 minutes. Add a bit of

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-47375896316046907652007-10-05T13:52:00.001-07:002007-10-05T14:07:45.685-07:00

Leftover homemade challah + one egg left in the crate = breakfast, on the go...

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-75396333657997330042007-10-04T15:55:00.000-07:002007-10-18T11:42:27.208-07:00

I first encountered floating islands at Le Petit Vatel, a quaint little bistro in Paris. is a light and delicate dessert that charmed me as soon as I saw it sailing toward the table. It starts with crème anglaise, a light, vanilla-scented custard. Poached meringue floats on the crème anglaise, and the whole thing is topped with toasted almonds and warm caramel.The dish is shockingly easy to make;

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-59380885744437495282007-10-03T15:50:00.000-07:002007-10-03T12:52:07.086-07:00

Sometimes, simple is best. I'm often inclined to throw every fancy ingredient in the pantry into whatever dish I'm making, in the hopes that a dash of truffle oil and some fancy mirin and a little chili mango and....ugh, what an awful combination!Point is, I've learned that good olive oil, salt and pepper are often all you need to make something great. These potatoes are a perfect example; the

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-77757064165430762932007-10-02T11:04:00.000-07:002007-10-02T11:07:42.659-07:00

"I'm thinking Subway for dinner tonight...is there anything to eat in the fridge besides a little of leftover chicken?""Yea, there's orzo with pesto in the fridge. You could add some tomato sauce from the freezer and top with some fresh mozzarella, that would be yummy.""Woah, that was way over my head.""Take the tomato sauce out of the freezer. Nuke. Save half. Put on orzo, top with cheese.""

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-64751418540273070332007-10-01T16:26:00.000-07:002007-10-01T17:47:15.131-07:00

This southern treat is one of my favorites. It even works when (as here) your very green tomatoes turn more red than you care to admit overnight! People serve them with all sorts of condiments, but I like 'em plain, with just a sprinkling of salt once they're on the serving platter. They're super easy to make, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate the end of [green] tomato season.Fried

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-32303865654321821312007-10-01T06:55:00.000-07:002007-10-16T13:08:34.539-07:00

Really, there's no such thing as a wrong way to cook.Yes, there are some exceptions to this rule. Baking is far fussier than cooking, and it's best to follow a recipe as precisely as one can manage (or at least to follow one of many successful wet-to-dry ingredient ratios when improvising).But in cooking, this is a truly important rule of thumb. It occured to me this morning while scrolling

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-31021108583825569252007-09-29T07:45:00.000-07:002007-09-29T08:20:29.843-07:00

It's hard to believe that I've spent the last 20-something years making whole-wheat, no-fat pancakes. I won't tell you that they taste bad, because they taste quite good. Especially with some homemade raspberry preserves. But they're the kind of things you can just pick up and pop in your mouth; they're pretty firm, pretty small, and pretty...eh. Let's put it this way: they're not in the same

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-72926415633901038132007-09-28T16:02:00.001-07:002007-10-18T12:03:34.462-07:00

On the first night of Sukkot (the Jewish holiday where we build funny booths and, if we're good, live in them for a week), I made a brisket so finger-lickin' that none was left over for sandwiches. Truthfully, I never plan recipes in advance, and I'm not one for precise measurements (as you may have noticed...) so making a brisket consists of taking sauces and spices out of my pantry and adding

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-3844274258222781612007-09-26T11:28:00.001-07:002007-10-16T13:08:42.888-07:00

Being that it's summer and zucchini is in abundance, these little numbers have been popping up all over the place. I've been wanting to make these for quite some time now, but hadn't quite settled on a recipe for the filling. I've seen any number of variations, from plain white or cotija cheese to corn-laced ricotta to bread crumbs and monterey jack, but none quite fit my bill. I wanted a mix of

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-26645111739623085832007-09-25T08:06:00.000-07:002007-10-16T13:08:06.314-07:00

When I first learned to make pesto, it was "dump everything in the cuisinart and pulse." I'm still of the philosophy that if you have good indregients, that method is just fine. However, when Heidi over at 101 cookbooks posted about making pesto like an Italian grandmother, I knew I'd have to try it the "proper" way at some point. (Her pics are beautiful...too bad I can't say the same for my

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-11259938618906426312007-09-19T07:21:00.000-07:002007-09-20T08:41:54.049-07:00

Really, those things are in reverse order: first, welcome to my new blog! After years of loyally reading and shamelessly admiring others' food blogs, I've decided to join the fun. With absolutely no promises about what this blog will or won't contain, my guess is that I'll blog about anything and everything food-related, including but not limited to:teaching D, my SO, to like food that isn't

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-6117987526190215902007-09-16T13:50:00.000-07:002007-09-19T11:50:36.856-07:00

Imagine my surprise when, as I was leaving my parents' house, I spotted a big, unmistakable box in their basement.It most certainly wasn't empty.I knew my mom's kitchenaid was upstairs (being used that very moment, in fact, to mix her challah dough), so this big box downstairs must contain.....another kitchenaid!Indeed, after just one round of thinly-veiled pleading, my mom picked me up from the

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457774683062025583.post-14520770850485699042007-09-01T13:24:00.000-07:002007-10-24T13:31:38.702-07:00

Rivkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05133220155633144137noreply@blogger.com0