I haven’t ever met a person under the age of 18 that doesn’t LOVE pizza. Most kids will eat it any day of the week. My kids not only love cheese pizza, but they really enjoy the process of making it with me. Homemade pizza tastes really delicious and my kids always seem to eat much more when they help with the cooking.I love how proud they are of the finished product. Cooking with kids is fun and educational. Roll up your sleeves and give it a try!
Read MoreCarnitas is a very delicious Mexican dish. Carnitas simply means “little meat” in Spanish and once you let this big cut of pork cook for two hours that is exactly what you get. Delicious, little nuggets of pork that you can fold into a warm tortilla, add your favorite toppings and spritz with some lime for the perfect balance of fat, salt and tart.
Read MoreI’m a big fan of Tapas because you get to try a whole bunch of items without having to commit to one dish. When I am entertaining, aside from some salted nuts, a great cheese plate and veggies with dip, I always serve bruschetta. Traditionally, tomatoes and garlic are used but if you like, get creative and other toppings like ricotta and honey or brie and apple. With a delicious piece of butter bread as your base, it’s hard to mess things up.
Read MoreIt is very apparent that I love all things cooking, but I do understand how frustrating the process can be - especially, if you are not properly equipped with the right tools and ingredients. Whenever I meet someone that is petrified of cooking my response is always the same. I believe cooking is a skill, not a gift. Sorry, to all those celebrity chefs out there that think they are sooo special, but I know I’m right. Thomas Keller started out as a dishwasher. Being a chef is like being a carpenter. No one is born knowing how to build a house or repair a roof. People interested in that line of work will either attend a trade school or apprentice with a skilled carpenter until they learn the work. Also, in order to be a successful carpenter, you need to invest in the proper materials and the right tools to get the job done.
Read MoreThis Friday’s recipe is very special and really encompasses why I started Heirloom Kitchen. A few years ago, my friend Gina made me these biscotti for Christmas. Hands down, these are the most delicious biscotti I have ever had. A delicious combination of anise and almond, they are light, crunchy, and simply perfect with a cup of coffee.
What really makes these biscotti so special however, is not merely how they taste, but where they come from. This recipe was created by Gina’s paternal Nonna, Olga Giovannoni and came here with her, all the way from South Africa.
Read MoreA quiet, calm woman, I was taken by Soon Huh's warm presence and spirituality. You can taste it in the precise, delicious food she prepares. Each ingredient, individually cooked. Not deterred by the extra pans and time it takes, Soon wants to ensure each ingredient maintains, not only its color but also its taste. This dedication and respect of each component of her Bibimbap is most definitely why, it was one of the most delicious dishes of food I have ever had the pleasure of eating.
Read MoreLet’s defrost some Sunday Sauce because today, we’re making eggplant armigiana. Eggplant Parm is another labor of love dish. It’s a number of steps, takes some time but is so, so good. This is another dish where Nonna would stand over the stove for hours making it for us; classic and timeless. I should also mention that eggplant parmigiana is one of my favorite things to eat. And, if you know me well, you know I make/eat a lot of different things. So, when I say I LOVE eggplant parmigiana, it means something...
Read MoreRice Krispie treats have been around since I was a kid. I remember quite vividly, in the early 90s, when Kellogg’s started marketing them through TV commercials and then printing the recipe on the box. I also remember telling my mother about it and making them with her. Even she liked them!
So, at least once or twice a year, my girls and I will grab some marshmallows and cereal and whip up a batch. This year, my daughter Veronica is taking a baking class and came home with a cute variation for Halloween, little rice krispie pumpkins. We decided to make them for her school party today so she ‘taught’ me how to make them.
Read MoreEveryone loves ravioli. Delicious little pockets of pasta filled with creamy cheese and laced with sauce or butter are hard to resist. You can find them in the freezer section of any grocery store. What you may not know; is that with a little time and patience, you can make them from scratch.
Read MoreThis week, I decided to roll my Nonna recipe and Sweet Tooth Friday all into one sweet rugelach; I mean, blog post. This recipe is extra special to me because it was given to me by one of the best Nonnas I know, Harriet Marks-Nelson - my husband’s wonderful grandmother.
Read MoreLast week, I shared a recipe for my mother’s Sunday Sauce. This week, I want to show you how the Sunday Sauce can be used to make another Italian favorite, Pasta alla Bolognese. This pasta sauce originated in Bologna, Italy way back in the 18th century. It consists of a tomato based sauce mixed with ground meat. Traditionally, it is served on top of tagliatelle or another long pasta like linguine.
Read MoreWhen I was in college, I had a serious weakness for the Sour Cream Walnut Apple Pie made by The Little Pie Company. They came in mini pie tins and I could eat an entire one by myself - hello, freshman fifteen! I wanted to develop a cookie recipe that showcased the strudel topping AND the sour cream flavor because the combination is just heavenly. Here is my spin on combining cookies with the best pies you can get in NYC.
Read MoreNext stop, Hong Kong!
One of my closest friends from college, Eric moved here to the States from China, at the age of five with his parents and older sister. I reached out to him to see if his mother Daisy would be interested in participating. As a true fan of Americanized Chinese food, I was excited to try Daisy’s food. I was pleased to find her dishes were not only extremely easy to prepare; they were delicious. The food was unmistakably Chinese to me but just much more refined, simple and delicate than what I get at the local Chinese restaurants.
Read MoreItalian tomato sauce is a labor of love. It’s also the cooking liquid for various meats that are served alongside a huge platter of pasta. A Nonna would begin making her sauce early on Sunday morning, while the rest of us were still deep in our REM sleep cycle. They did this because once the sauce had reached bubbly perfection; they could begin creating all the other delicious dishes that would cover the Sunday dinner table.
Read MoreTGIF! The almighty weekend is coming and its time to make something sweet. Why? Because I said so.
This week, I decided to make some baked donuts. I know, it kind of sounds like an oxymoron because the main reason donuts taste so good is that crispy outside coupled with a fluffy inside achieved by a quick bath in a deep fryer. However, I wanted to see if the baked variety could stand up to its deep fried brother.
Read More
