I first saw this recipe on season 4 of Top Chef. One of the Best. Shows. Ever. I’ve been a die-hard fan since season 3 when Trey was sent home for restaurant wars. This past Christmas I received the Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook and immediately read it cover to cover. (I don’t usually do
Buttercream FAIL: Timing is Everything
Last weekend I attempted buttercream frosting (my nemesis!) again. The result: not so good. This was brought on by a “Barefoot Contessa” marathon which appears on my TV every Sunday morning courtesy of my DVR. Oh, Ina. You made it looks so easy. With your cheery demeanor and grace in the kitchen. How could I
The Butter Sisters
This is not a fat-free blog. Let’s get that one thing straight. I (mostly) blame that on the two lovely ladies pictures below: I have dubbed them The Butter Sisters. The one on the left is my mom Susan, the other is my “Auntie” Roxann. Both used liberal amounts of butter in just about every
The Economics of Bread
When I first moved in with my brother, money was tight. I mean really tight. So tight in fact that one day at the grocery store I decided that paying $5.39 for a loaf of non-sugary-starchy bread was ridiculous. Instead, I spent $3.99 for a five-pound bag of flour and $1.69 for a 3-pack of
The Weather Wrecks Havoc With My Menu Planning Skills
Monday it rained all day. Today it was 83 degrees by 2p. I’m certainly not here to discuss the weather, (BORING!) but I do find it difficult to formulate any type of menu when the weather is completely bonkers. My favorite season is Autumn. I love the crisp smell of the morning air, cozy wool
Tonight We are Carving Pumpkins
About ten years ago I threw a party for a bunch of my twenty-something friends. We met at my place for dinner, pumpkin carving and a pinata. (Hey, who doesn’t love a pinata?) Anyway, I cooked my first-ever Shepherd’s Pie and I was hooked. I didn’t exactly follow the recipe, but it still turned out
Cooking For Madison 