Tired of Chocolate Chip Cookies? Try Chocolate Biscotti!

A huge box of biscotti somehow found its way into my shopping cart at Costco, and soon after I got home every adult in the house was standing next to it.  Maybe the see-through packaging was too inviting to ignore.  Within a few days the box of 20 individually wrapped 8-inch-long biscotti was empty.

My Endless Hunt for Chocolate Desserts

Chocolate Pecan Bars (right)

One of my main missions in life is to find good chocolate desserts.  Yes, when I’m desperate I’ve been known to lay out a few handfuls of chocolate chips on a plate.

But that’s for my personal consumption.  I can’t really end a dinner party with a bowl of chocolate chips. 

My latest go-to chocolate dessert comes from my friend Rukhi,

Salmon Spread Is Now a Family Classic

I started thinking about the Christmas holidays this morning for some reason, and the first image to pop into my head was Salmon Spread.  For the past few decades we have served this appetizer in the living room while those of us in the kitchen put the final touches on dinner.

By the time we popped in for a quick taste, there was usually nothing left.  It’s always been a win/lose situation.  We kitchen slaves won the chance to have the first bite of the turkey as we were doing the carving, but seldom did we get a mouthful of Salmon Spread.

Candied Walnuts: What Are They and How Do I Use Them?

Candied walnuts are an extra-special treat added to salads.  They provide crunch and sweetness—something a little extra that even the crispest radishes or cucumbers can’t give you.  You can also add them to cookie batter, knead them into a homemade coffee cake or press them into the icing on a cake. 

Candied walnuts are also a satisfying snack.  They’re easy to make, and they keep for months in the fridge.  If you don't have any walnuts, pecans are a good substitute.

Mom Cooking Tip 45

Crush nuts or make breadcrumbs out of toast by putting the nuts or toast into a self-seal bag and banging it with a rolling pin or side of a can.

See all my Cooking Tips!

Mom Money-Saving Tip 33

Clockwise from left: dried figs, ground flax seed, dried cranberries, cornmeal, wild rice medley

Buy basics like dried fruit, rice, grains, lentils, flax seeds, nuts, cornmeal and flour from bulk bins. Not only is the price cheaper but also you’re not paying for packaging.

See all my Money-Saving Tips!

Cooking Fast Often Means Cooking Small

Early in my kitchen days I figured out that the quickest way to get cooked meat, potatoes and vegetables on the table was to cut them up into small pieces before cooking them.  It takes more than 1 hour to roast a chicken, 20 minutes to poach a boneless chicken breast in water, 8 minutes to grill or broil a skewer of chicken kebabs and 2 minutes to stir-fry 1/2-thick strips of chicken.  If I were truly in a hurry, stir-fry was my cooking method of choice.

Similar timetables hold true for beef, lamb and pork.

Spelling Appetizer Is Easier Than Spelling Hors d’oeuvre

Roasted Beets, Feta Cheese and Candied Walnuts with Mixed Greens (photo by Andy Mills)

I first heard the word ‘appetizer’ when I was a kid, helping my mother set up a card table in the living room.  We’d put out a pitcher of tomato juice and a plate of Ritz Crackers.  The red and gold color combo worked for me.  I felt very grown up with my glass of TJ and a cracker, waiting for dinner to be served.

My next encounter with appetizers came a few years later on New Year’s Eve.  My friend Lynne was visiting, and our task was making appetizers for my parents’ friends.  We used a gadget that looked like a miniature cookie press—a 2-inch-long metal tube with a plunger at one end.