Mocha Frosting

Growing up at our house, birthdays meant one thing: chocolate cake with mocha frosting!

Homemade frosting is so easy to make and it’s always a show stopper. You’ll never buy the canned stuff again!  

Hanukkah Latkes

As an interfaith family, we get to enjoy so many wonderful traditions throughout the year! Latkes are one of my favorites; crispy, filling, golden goodness! I had never had them before I met my husband, so it was a fun challenge for me to create a recipe that lived up to his childhood memories. This year, I nailed it (if I do say so myself), and I am happy to share my recipe with you!

Haddock Chowder

Fish chowder is a simple, hearty, delicious meal. This is a traditional Maine recipe from an old family friend. Unlike New England Clam chowder, real fish has a thinner consistency while still providing enough substance to really fill you and warm you up in the winter!

The Perfect Turkey

Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday. At my house, we have several traditional dishes that we only make for Thanksgiving - Grandma Dot's stuffing, Corn Pudding, Cranberry-Citrus Jell-O - but we never had a special family recipe for the turkey. We cooked it according to the tag that comes with the bird, or sometimes a daring relative would try something completely new (once even on the grill...) and it was always a bit of a gamble. 

One year, while interning in Florida, I couldn't come home for the holiday. The other interns and I decided to have a "Misfit Thanksgiving" and everyone would bring a dish that was special to them. I was in charge of the turkey.

Thanksgiving turkey is a BIG DEAL. I mean, it's the star of the show, so to speak, and it can be downright anxiety inducing! I turned to Alton Brown and his scientifically proven roast turkey recipe as seen on the "Romancing the Bird" Episode of Good Eats.

The results were SPECTACULAR! The bird comes out perfectly seasoned, the meat is moist and the skin is beautifully brown and crispy. My family has adopted this as our go-to recipe and we use it every year. I even set up my laptop in the kitchen so we can all watch the episode together as we cook (it's as much of a tradition now as those 70's stop-motion Christmas films #burgermeistermeisterburger).

The recipe is a bit involved, but the end absolutely justifies the means. Try it and you'll never worry about the bird again!

Warm Autumn Farro Salad with Chicken Sausage, Spinach, & Apples

Ok, so maybe I’m late to the game here, but we just discovered farro – an ancient grain that is hearty and nutty and absolutely delicious!

I had to know more and here is what I found out; the bad news; traditional farro is a bit finicky and requires overnight soaking before a long cooking process. The good news; pearled farro –sometimes seen as “farro pearlato” -  is a ready-to-use grain that only needs 10-12 minutes in boiling water and then is drained like pasta (no possibly burning pots, like some other grains). The great news; Trader Joe’s sells pouches of pearled farro (their label says 10-minute farro), and it’s reasonably priced and nearly always available in their store!

Well I am hooked! I have used farro a few times as a side dish, but I really wanted to make it the star of the meal. That is where this recipe comes in. Jeweled with tart pomegranate seeds, this dish is just the epitome of fall in my opinion.