Quinoa with Nectarine and Basil

I had not had a single nectarine all summer and they were calling my name in the grocery store, looking all big, juicy, and summery.  But for some reason I knew that even if purchased with the best of intentions I would never end up sitting on my couch, eating the nectarine all on its…

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Pesto and Sausage Bake

When you think of baked ziti, it’s always marinara and mozz.  You’d be amazed at what a difference switching to pesto can make.  It’s still the same process of opening up a jar of store-bought sauce…the only difference is the sauce being green instead of red. Cook up 1/2 a box of ziti (this recipe…

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BBQ + Mac & Cheese

After a busy weekend running around at all the wedding festivities, I really just wanted to spend Sunday evening at home.  I could cook a real meal, watch True Blood, and go to sleep early.  Since Albert agreed to my request to stay in, I decided to make him something I knew he would enjoy…

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4th of July

After about five years on the less convenient river [for me, the only one that matters] the fireworks came back to the east side (thanks, Mayor de Blasio!) so I decided to throw a party on my rooftop.  It was a great idea until I woke up to rainy skies.  The weather cleared up just…

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Corn Salad with Cheddar and Tomato

I keep seeing recipes for corn on the cob that’s been grilled and topped with fun ingredients like seasoned butter, mayo, and cotija cheese.  Such a fun summer treat, right?  Well here’s the problem with that: I live in NYC so it is significantly more difficult to find a grill to make a recipe like…

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Seasonal Tastes: May 2014 – Asparagus with Bell Pepper and Manchego

Finally!  The weather has changed and that means there is new produce in season.  Asparagus is a great veggie to use right now.  You’ll probably see it everywhere this month from soups to pastas.  I find that when something is in season, it requires very little fuss to turn it into a great dish.  In this…

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Pasta with Smoked Salmon

I recently wrote about making pasta with crème fraîche, just like I learned in France.  If you read that post, you may recall that my first crème fraîche pasta experience was when my French Mom served it with smoked salmon.  This time, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful Spring weather we had on…

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Tortellini with Goat Cheese Sauce

I had been snacking on my latest cheese purchase, a goat cheese rolled in smoked paprika (I think) but decided I wanted to do something more with it than put it on crackers.  The paprika gave it such a unique smoky flavor (one I don’t associate with the tang of goat cheese) that I thought…

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Seasonal Tastes: January 2014 – Couscous with Roasted Root Vegetables

One of my New Years Resolutions is to start a new monthly feature on the blog (and, again, I resolve to revive the last monthly feature I started, Inspiration Station).  Cooking with ingredients of the season just feels…genuine.  Each month I’ll select one or two ingredients that are in season and highlight them in a…

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Hash Browns Casserole

It’s rare that I make breakfast on the weekends.  I usually either use the weekend as an excuse to grab a bagel or breakfast sandwich from around the corner or to sleep in, lounge around, and make lunch my first meal.  But this Sunday I convinced Albert to come over for a proper weekend brunch.…

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