It’s Tex-Mex Thursday again, and I’m thrilled to pass along a recipe that puts a cheerful zing into what can be a traditional, but ordinary, Thanksgiving side dish. Matthew Wendel’s sweet and spicy sweet potatoes elevate a Thanksgiving staple to new heights: he uses chipotle chiles tempered with the soothing richness of Greek yogurt. If Matthew’s name is familiar to you, it’s because he worked for President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush at their ranch in Texas and at […]
It’s Tex-Mex Thursday – the best Thursday of the month! I’m thrilled to have this scrumptious recipe from Matthew Wendel, who cooked for many years for President and Mrs. George W. Bush. Matt’s a Texan, born and raised, and he knows his way around these classic southwestern ingredients. If you love lasagna, and you love Mexican food, this is a natural addition to your cooking repertoire; it’s a one-dish dinner filled with lots of veggies, and prepared in less […]
It’s a Los Angeles paradox that there are so many phenomenal bakeries in a city where people are obsessed with being fit and healthy. And yet the bakeries flourish and are often graced with lines down the block – somebody’s eating this stuff, and they’re lucky! Here are a few spots you shouldn’t miss if you’re going to LA, and even if you aren’t, there is inspiration here. One of my favorite places was Duff’s Cake Mix, a do-it-yourself cake-making […]
In keeping with our week of Asian-inspired recipes, here’s a quick and easy hors d’oeuvre (hors d’oeuvres – officially the hardest word to spell correctly that I know). This is a five-ingredient recipe that takes less than 15 minutes to make, but will satisfy the nibbles before an Asian-themed meal and whet appetites for what’s to come. I found this recipe in Gourmet’s summer edition and thought it was terrific, though I used more sugar to offset the saltiness of […]
If you haven’t had fattoush yet, here’s a good gateway recipe. This variation on the Middle Eastern classic is made with sumac, cilantro, crisped pita chips, tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, and feta. It’s a wonderful combination of Mediterranean flavors, and a substantial salad that has become a fixture on our weekly summer menus. I love it because it’s a different way to enjoy the gorgeous heirloom tomatoes of the season; the sumac and pomegranate dressing give them unique flavor, and the […]
