I am so in love with Mark Bittman and his cooking escapades. I have all of his books, except the latest vegetarian one (hint, hint) and read his articles, recipes and blog posts regularly. Alas, he's had other foodie-types posting on his blog as of late, which sometimes diverts my attention toward other foodie-type contributors to the The New York Times. During my search, I've developed a little crush on Jill Santopietro. I've read her articles for a long time now, but she just started this video series called Tiny Kitchen which permits the viewer to watch as she tries recipes in her very tiny kitchen. It's adorable. She's adorable. In fact, I was even more thrilled to discover that Jill and I are connected via a mutual friend, so I plan to meet her someday and flourish these compliments directly. (hint, hint) As I watched her series the other evening, I became inspired to make a salad from whatever I found in my fridge. While I'm famous for my Kitchen Sink Salads where I basically slice and toss all my remaining fresh veggies into a big bowl loaded with lemon juice and olive oil, I am still learning superior dressing-veggie combinations. ...

The other night, we had a virtual cocktail party. It was the perfect sort of party, one attended by only two couples. On a whim, we called a couple of our best friends in the entire world and, wow, they weren't busy working or traveling or catering or being Ohioans. Dan and Cass were in the midst of drinks and snacks like us and we all thought, let's drink and snack together. On went the computers and out came the cocktail shakers! I had been wanting to make a fancy Limoncello-based cocktail for sometime now and found an interesting recipe by Giada de Laurentiis on the Food Network site. It was too cute not to try. A few liquors later, we had an amazing cocktail that will likely grace our New Year's Day table. It is bursting with old fashion flavor, like a traditional Side Car should, but shimmering with contemporary martini style in the form of organic sugar mixed with lime zest that coated the vintage wine glass rim and the tips of my fingers! I swear that I could eat this delightful mixture as is, but can't complain that it came attached to a shaken cocktail brimming with cognac, limoncello, sweet ...

Of all the homemade food treats I gave to friends and family this season, the one that got rave reviews and disappeared all too quickly was this easy Graham Cracker Toffee. Many of you may be familiar with this recipe; it feels like something your great aunt might whip up any time of year. I was introduced to this crazy sweet treat this summer, when a wonderful work colleague brought a few batches to our Labor Day barbecue. If you cannot make this toffee, then you cannot cook. In fact, it doesn't even feel like cooking. Just simmer butter and brown sugar (delish!), spread it on graham crackers and bake for a few minutes. I added melted chocolate and chopped walnuts for extra crunch. This faux toffee actually tastes just as good as the toffee you'll buy at the local markets. Sure, you may say it may not be the most flattering recipe of the ultimate gourmet, but make it so - I used organic graham crackers and local unsalted butter. My brown sugar was also organic, rich and moist. I toasted the nuts myself and used very high quality chocolate. Make a batch, and just try to keep the kids from ...

I needed some nourishment while planning holiday menus. The first two glasses of champagne helped, nourishing my soul but not my belly. I had a tub of hummus in the fridge but thought better of simply eating it straight from the tub. No fancy glass of champagne would permit eating directly from a plastic container. I placed a few dollops of the organic hummus in a bowl, doused it with olive and fresh ground pepper, almost calling it a day. I remembered the smoked pimento spice I had acquired recently and started dabbing it all over the slickened mush. Added a few rye toasts and felt pretty good that my glasses, or now bottle, of champagne would approve! Related posts:My Dressed Christmas TreesSmoked Pork Butt, Pulled, Shredded, WhateverEaster Equals One Word = Lamb

I found this recipe via The Splendid Table recipe box last year and now make them for every cocktail party. I've switched out the original tabasco sauce for Sriracha, a thai-style hot sauce. These wings always disappear before any other dish. Ingredients 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 generous cup apricot jam 1/3 to 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional) 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce 5 large cloves garlic, minced 3-4 pounds chicken wings, rinsed Lemon halves Combine all ingredients, except the wings, in a bowl. Taste for sweet/hot/sour/salt balance and adjust to your preference. It should be very strong, so I added another tablespoon of Sriracha. Place wings in heavy plastic bag(s) and cover with the marinade. Seal and refrigerate for two days, turning the bag(s) occasionally to ensure even marinating. (Yes, this requires some planning but it's worth it.) When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread foil over two shallow pans and top with racks (cake or roasting racks work well). Spread wings out on racks, saving their marinade. Roast for 1 3/4 hours in the middle or bottom of the oven, switching pans occasionally. Every so often, turn wings, basting with marinade and piercing with a fork during the ...