Test Kitchen | Bruschetta Pasta with Balsamic Spinach

I had some stuff in the fridge I needed to use from a week of Italian groceries -- cooked pasta, basil, mozzarella, etc. I really wanted to just gobble down pasta and cheese, but more reasonable brain cells prevailed, and decided it'd be best to add some vegetables to the mix. I was also tired from work, and didn't feel like taking lots of time or making loads of dishes. So, I did this all in one pot. I impressed myself with the yumminess-to-laziness ratio on this one.

Recipe | Caldo de Res

Caldo de res (beef stew) is my all-time favorite Guatemalan dish -- even over pollo frito, tapado, and pepian. I love anything I can fill with hot sauce and caldo does not disappoint. I make a nice, fresh salsa picante from onion, cilantro, lime and roasted serrano chiles that goes great. You can also top with a little sliced avocado if you're feeling rich.

Booze | A Lazy Gal's Pina Colada

Do you like pina coladas and taking walks in the rain? But, have you ever wanted the tropical taste of a pina colada without the hassle of pulling out the blender? Jumex has allowed us lazy folk to quickly get our drink on with their coconut pineapple concentrate in a can. Add rum and an ice cube, and you might find yourself making love at midnight on the dunes of the cape (or more likely on the couch, because you're lazy)!

Recipe | Waldorf Chicken Salad Sliders

I love chicken salad, but I hate mayonnaise. I have experimented with all sorts of jarred mayonnaise substitutes, and I think my favorite it some type of sour cream/yogurt mix. I actually even don't mind fresh mayonnaise. Luckily, I've found a great chicken salad recipe for those of us with a strong aversion to mayonnaise.

Product Review | Aroma Super Pot 3-in-1 Indoor Grill

I was strolling through Target one day, and stumbled upon the Aroma Super Pot 3-in-1 Indoor Grill. It's a grill, it's a slowcooker, and it's a steamer -- all in one! How could I resist? Damn you, Target!

Food Fact | Bay Leaves

I have a strange thing about bay leaves -- I don’t like to cook with dried bay leaves in dishes that they're meant to be eaten. I feel like dried bay leaves would be too unappetizing to chew. So, I buy fresh bay leaves if they’re required to be eaten. Strange? I don’t know. I decided to look into bay leaves a bit more, because no one really questions ‘why’ when it comes to bay leaves.

Recipe | Jamaican Patties

I've spent quite a bit of time trying to perfect the patty, and I think I've got pretty damn close. Everyone has their own recipe, and they each have their merits. (But some don't. I once had a patty that tasted like pureed cat food wrapped in yellow play dough. You know who you are DC food truck!) Ultimately, I really think the key to delicious patty is the crisp, flaky pastry with the perfect amount of heat in the filling.

Double Duty | White Vinegar

I do not use white vinegar. I absolutely love all sorts of vinegar: balsamic, apple cider, rice wine, red wine, sherry, blood orange, etc. But, for some reason I can't handle the smell of white vinegar. It really makes me gag, especially now that cleaning companies are trying to be environmentally friendly, and use it in industrial cleaning. Since I've left California for cold-weather climes, I've been struggling with keeping leather boots for more than one winter season because of total salt destruction. The first pair of boots to go, were lovely pair of black leather boots that had the entire sole eaten away because of salt. I loved the boots, and paid $60 to have the soles replaced, but eventually realized the leather was cracking as well. I semi-retired them, and got a super cute pair of leather wedge booties this winter. On a stormy trip to NYC, they suffered from the same fate - puckered with white stains from salty slush. I wasn't giving up so easily on these boots, so I looked into trying to save them. Basically, all recommendations involved white vinegar (or lemon juice). I gave it a go by cleaning the salted areas with a mix of one part vinegar and three parts water. It absolutely did the trick! I cleaned them with the mixture, wiped them with a wet towel, and polished them -- now, they're almost like new. Joy.

Restaurant Replica | Korean Fried Chicken

Dish | Yangnyeom Tongdak
Restaurant | Kyochon, Bonchon, etc.
Location | Anywhere, USA

Home Economics | Organics

I think the most asked question, when people find out what we do, is “Are organics worth it?” I always answer that if you think they’re worth then they’re worth it. (Full disclosure: The majority of our income is (directly and indirectly) from organic agriculture.) I never take much time to go into detail to avoid boring people to death, and I never want to start an argument with someone who is passionate one way or another. However, I have some time here to get a few of my ideas and opinions out in the open.

Must Have | Black Truffle Salt

A nice little indulgent savory salt to have! I tasted it for the first time at the farmer's market and was so amazed by the earthy flavor and aroma. It's considered a "finishing salt" rather than a "cooking salt". Add a sprinkle onto eggs, top off some pasta or a baked potato.

I plan on adding this to steamed veggies for lunches and snacks during the work week in hopes to get me to eat more!

I purchased a 3oz jar for $10 (shelf life 5-6 months), but another brand can also be purchased from Williams-Sonoma.

Recipe | Chicken Croquettes

I would like to have some recipes in my repertoire that can be made on a Sunday, and keep for the rest of the week as leftovers, but aren't beans or pasta. So, I thought I'd give croquettes a try. (I became a believer in Guatemala that anything fried can keep unrefrigerated almost indefinitely.) These are basically fried chicken meatballs, or non-vegetarian falafel. Yum.

Home Economics | Cookbooks

I love cookbooks! I used to spend hours at Border's flipping through cookbooks. (In hindsight, I should have probably bought more of them. Poor Borders.) I am a big proponent of meal planning to save money and waste less food, and I feel good cookbooks help in the process. On occasion, you get tired of eating the same ol' thing. On occasion, you have lots of random ingredients and no idea what to do with them. For me, that's where a good cookbook comes in. (I do, of course, use food blogs and online recipe sites as well.) Nothing beats a good cookbook when you need to know something more substantial than how to just microwave bacon. 

The Silver Spoon is an Italian classic full of old Nonna recipes, that is my go-to for Italian cooking. I also love the Picayune's Creole Cook Book, when I'm too embarrassed to call my mother and ask. I do very much enjoy old American cookbooks, but it's difficult to find some of the old-timey ingredients, like forcemeats and mushroom liquor.

Booze | Fox Barrel Double Fermented

I usually love any pear cider, but not this Fox Barrel double fermented! I thought I'd take a break of dissertating and enjoy a big bottle of cider. Nope. I had to pour it down the kitchen sink. I should have read the label before I bought it, but it's super yeasty. It gave me what Joan Rivers would call a 'yif' (yeast infection face). I momentarily stole Kristen Dunst's signature look. No good.