Dairy Freed

Blueberry Muffins with Maple Streusel Topping

It's funny what memories stick with you.  For instance, every summer my family would drive from Wisconsin to Massachusetts to visit my grandparents. There were trips to Boston, Lexington and Concord and Rockport. While these were all fun (and educational) some of the best times we had were spent with Grandpa on his walks. He loved to walk and would go out at least once, usually twice, a day.  Of course, my sister, brother and I jumped at the chance to go with him because it was a real treat having Grandpa all to ourselves.

One of his favorite routes took him by the old Jordan Marsh store in Framingham. We always hoped he would take this route because the next best thing to spending time with him was a trip to the bakery inside to pick up a box of their famous blueberry muffins. Although the muffins were fantastic, I loved going there for another reason.

Peach and Blueberry Tart

A few days ago I created a "fancy" peach tart that has a cheesecake-like layer inside a graham cracker crust and topped with peaches and blueberries.  Since I had leftover peaches and blueberries I decided to create a simple "cheese-less" version, something I'd be more prone to whip up on a work day evening. It's also fantastic the next morning for breakfast.

 

5 Unusual Thirst Quenching Drinks

While walking around Valenica one warm afternoon, I stopped at the Sant Jaume bar to rest my blistered feet and get something to drink.  Four older men were at the table next to me all drinking what I thought was beer.  When the waitress came I nodded to the gentlemen and asked "cervesa?" She replied with "Clara" and then turned and walked off.  She came back with what I assumed was a cloudy unfiltered beer from a brewery named Clara.  It turned out to be a very lemony, sweet beer. 

Orange Almond Cake

 

 Looking back at the two weeks I just spent in Spain, I remember eating way too many tapas and numerous pounds of Jamón Ibérico, but the one thing I didn't eat a lot of was dessert. Mostly because I was too full to even think about dessert but also most of the offerings were full of cream or butter. 

While this cake isn't Spanish it was inspired by two of it's biggest crops; oranges and almonds. I'll admit this isn't your normal, "refined" cake. It has more of a rustic quality about it.  The texture is coarse, it's not too sweet and it's slightly bitter from the orange peel, three things I find very appealing. 

 

How to Make Romesco Sauce

Have you ever thought about something for so long that you never thought it would ever come true? I've been dreaming about going to Spain ever since I was fortunate enough to work with Spanish cookbook author Penelope Casas almost 17 years ago.  The way she talked about the food, the wine, the people made you NEED to go. Well that need is going to be met in one week; I'm Barcelona bound!!!

Since then I've been trying all sorts of tapas and other Spanish dishes, adjusting things when I can't find the authentic ingredients.  For example, here is my version of a classic Romesco sauce. It's great on pan-fried fish, vegetables or I love it as a sandwich spread. 

 

In Love With Sacher Torte

Sacher Torte is one of my all-time favorite desserts to make and eat when I was able to eat dairy. This beautiful video reminded me of my passion and I need to try and make a non-dairy version of it. Stay tuned on that one but in the meantime, enjoy this amazing video and admire the simplicity of this classic dessert.

BBQ Braised Chicken Thighs

I love to braise meats.  Something magical happens when things slowly cook over a period of time; drab, tough meats (which also tend to be inexpensive) become tender and extremely flavorful.  

This recipe is a great one to have on hand because you can tailor it to your particular tastes and come up with a new dish just by changing a couple of ingredients. Do you like more of an Asian style? Substitute Teriyaki sauce for the barbecue sauce.  Want Italian? Substitute a tomato-based pasta sauce and add a little oregano.   Don't like carrots? Substitute onions or peppers.  You get the idea so let your creativity loose and let me know what you come up with.  

 

Blanc Manger - aka Almond Milk Gelatin

If you're looking for a dessert that is a little off the beaten path and something your guests probably haven't seen before, then look no further.  

 

How to Make Preparing Any Meal Less Stressful!

I know getting a meal on the table is challenging enough, let alone getting it on the table quickly.  However, with the tips and techniques included here I know you can get a healthy meal your family will love on the table in no time at all. 

Vanilla Bean Crepes with Orange Marmalade Sauce

How do you celebrate your birthday?  Today, I celebrated mine with CREPES!  Keep reading to learn how easy they are to make.  

Dairy-Free Lazy Daisy Cake

Happy Birthday Uncle Jim Jim Jim Jim Jim Jim Jim!!!!!!!

My sister called the other day to tell me Rosie wants to grow up to be "a chef like Grandma and Uncle Jim".  Now I know she's only 4 and her career plans are hardly set in stone, but I have to admit, it made me a more than a little happy when she told me this.  So when I went home last weekend, one of the things I looked forward to most was being Chef Rosie's sous chef while she made my birthday cake. 

Now This Is How To Make Bread

Dutch Oven Bread from Kinfolk.

Balsamic Braised Chicken Breasts

Leaving the chicken on the bone adds a surprising amount of flavor to your sauce without adding any fat or calories.  If you prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts reduce the cooking time to 10 to 15 minutes. 

 

"Smoked" Shrimp, Tomato and Avocado Omelet

Don't you love it when you find something so good you keep trying to find new ways to use it? Right now that is smoked olive oil from The Smoked Olive company. I'm not sure how they smoke it (I asked and they're not saying) but the flavor is incredible. Whatever you add to it tastes like it just came off a grill or smoker.

How to Cook the Perfect Chicken Breast

Oh, the poor little chicken breast. The horrors we inflect on them, all in an effort to make sure they're safe to eat. What often happens is you end up with something overcooked, dry and tasteless. Had enough?

It doesn't take much to fix many of these problems, in fact, I'm just going to focus on the 3 things most people get wrong. Then I'll show you how to make a great pan sauce to go on it.

How to Make Chicken Picatta

 

Looking to change things up a bit a dinner? This recipe is easy to adjust depending on your taste, or what happens to be on sale.  It works just well with turkey breast or pork tenderloin in place of the chicken.

Sweet Potato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

It's a given, potatoes will explode in a microwave if you don't poke them, right?  Have you ever tried it? 

A few years ago the US Potato Board came to the magazine I was working for and showed us new techniques for baking, mashing and roasting potatoes in the microwave.  I'll be honest, I was surprised the techniques worked as well as they did but the one that stood out for me was the mashed version.  They went against "common sense" and didn't poke holes in them before nuking them. 

Chianti Steak Salad

Chianti is the classic Italian table wine we associate with straw-covered bottles.  Although good chianti is rarely bottled this way anymore, Chianti remains one of the best drinking and cooking wines you will find. Needless to say, I recommend serving a nice Chianti with this salad.

Old Fashioned Gingerbread

Fall is officially here and so is the cooler weather.  When we were growing up, that first brisk day usually meant one thing...Mom was going to make gingerbread.

We'd come home from school and I'd look for a 9-inch square pan and 2 metal mixing bowls sitting on the counter.  She'd already have measured out the dry ingredients in one and the molasses and other liquid ingredients in the other.  That way she could quickly mix it together as we were sitting down to dinner and it would be ready when we finished. 

Chocolate and Lemon Madeleines

I would love to say I first learned of madeleines on a leisurely afternoon reading Marcel Proust, infamous for writing about his love affair with them.  The truth is I have the Paris subway to thank. 

On an unbelievably cold December day, three of us set out in an attempt to see as much of "the city of lights" as possible. The hitch? We only had 36 hours  to do it.