If you’ve ever eaten a burger, a sandwich or anything else that features caramelized onions, you likely had a wow moment — a how could something as humble as an onion be so sweet and pack so much flavor? Really. Onions?
So, in late November, as I was stalling as long as a I could before climbing out of bed and into the chilly morning, I started thinking about something new I could make to give friends and family for the holidays. Onion jam came to mind.
Although I’m not vegan, I have dear friends who are. I’m also always looking for recipes that can accommodate family and friends with food allergies or food intolerance issues. When I read on food 52 about Joanne Chang’s cupcakes, I saw a winner. Joanne, who owns Flour Bakery in Boston, has created a recipe that is moist, deeply flavorful, and fully satisfies the craving for chocolate and the desire for a rich, moist cake or cupcake — vegan or otherwise!
A favorite among my family, is Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spread – A cream cheese mixed with pumpkin pie spice, that is only available between October and January. Used as the filling in Stuffed French Toast, it’s divine, and certainly earns it’s place at the holiday table!
The delicious autumn hard shelled squashes are so welcoming to find at the farmers’ market or in the produce section, especially as nights grow dark earlier and the weather turns chilly or cold. They all but beg us to take them home to make something warm, filling and comforting! What I love about this recipe is that you get an unusually silky, risotto as the butternut squash is used two ways. Half of the roasted butternut squash is pureed, which adds to the creaminess of this dish.
Understanding vanilla product labels can certainly get complicated as new products flood the market and old products get rebranded. There are actually five different types of liquid vanilla in the marketplace right now and we’re not talking five different species here. We’re talking labels and what’s inside the bottles.
As I get asked about the difference between pure, flavor, natural, and imitation vanilla frequently, I decided to write an article specifically addressing what’s in the bottle and why it’s labeled the way it is.
For those looking for a cheap substitute to the real thing because it’s so expensive right now, this is also good to know.
We’ll start with pure vanilla extract.
There is a Standard of Identity for vanilla extract in the United States. To be labeled Pure Vanilla Extract, a gallon measure must contain 13.35% vanilla bean extractives (10-ounces of moisture-free solids), 35% alcohol, and the balance in distilled water.
What is not listed in the Standard of Identity is sugar, corn syrup, caramel color or any other additives pure vanilla may contain.
Some companies include one or more of these ingredients on their labels, but most do not – even though their pure vanilla contains it. The same is true with alcohol. Grain alcohol is the most commonly used alcohol in vanilla, but sugarcane alcohol is also used. Sugar or corn syrup are often used to mask the harsh notes of alcohol or to make the extract smell and taste better if the quality of the beans used were not good quality.
This recipe (with some adaptations) comes to us from Jerry Di Vecchio, the woman who helped change the way the West eats. By West, I mean the Western United States. A gracious and amazing woman, Jerry spent her entire career working at Sunset Magazine, and many of those years as the editor/director of the food division. She also inadvertently launched my career as an international expert in vanilla. But that’s a story for another time. Instead, this easy-to-make, delicious entree is one you’re going to want in your collection of favorites, whether for a weeknight dinner or for a special meal with guests.
This is a spinoff of the World’s Best Cookies, but worthy of its own recipe. It’s a reliably good cookie, keeps well because of the relatively high-fat level (though they don’t usually last long enough for that to be a problem), and you can switch out white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate, as well as the nuts. Part of the appeal of these cookies is the slight crunch from the cornflakes and slightly chewy thanks to the oats.
When I was fifteen, I spent a memorable summer with my Connecticut cousins. Our Aunt Patricia (yes, I was named after her — we were known as Big Pat and Little Pat) worked and lived in New York City, and in our eyes she was all we aspired to be. My cousin Deborah and I took the train to Manhattan and spent a day with Big Pat. It was a classic New York summer day — hot and sultry — but my aunt had prepared a sophisticated cold lunch, which included the perfect dessert: half-frozen table grapes in sweetened sour cream. This was before yogurt was mainstream and sour cream was considered a gourmet item. I’ve been making some version of this refreshing dish ever since.
Too much summer squash? Whether your neighbors look the other way when they see you coming with an armload of zucchini or you’re just looking for another recipe to enjoy it, here’s my solution. When you roast squash, it shrinks like crazy and becomes deliciously sweet. I frequently roast potatoes, sweet potatoes and squash early in the morning before the heat sets in and one day I decided to see what ratatouille would look like if I roasted the squash and eggplant instead of braising them with onions and tomatoes. I’ve been making my version of ratatouille this way ever since. Yes, it requires an extra couple of steps, but I think it’s worth it. Here’s my “no recipe” for roasted ratatouille. You can decide for yourself if you want to make it or just roast the squash to add to salads, pasta or fritattas.
Enough customers have asked us this question that I realized that although I’ve mentioned this information in passing in blogs, we needed a blog that addresses this important question. My hope is that this will assist all of you who aren’t quite sure about the best way to preserve your products.
Spicy Watermelon is a favorite Latin American treat, among kids and adults alike. The lime and spices awaken the senses while simultaneously bringing out the sweetness of the watermelon for a delightfully refreshing flavor pop! In this recipe we’ve added ground vanilla beans which enhances the entire experience.
Can it really be possible to have summertime without frozen desserts? Anyone who fondly remembers the ice cream truck or going to an ice cream parlor and indulging in some of the amazing options, would agree that it would be a pretty boring summer without ice cream dripping down our sleeves whether it’s a simple bowl of frozen sweetness or indulging in a sundae, milkshake or popsicles.
Washington State may well remember 2017 for the abundance of its sweet cherries from the Yakima Valley. The record crop came in late but the fruit has continued for nearly two months, with unusually low prices and delicious, plump fruit. For those of us who nearly turn into myna birds during cherry season, it has been cause for celebration.
Nectarines have such a delightfully tangy flavor, and it wouldn’t be summer without the juice of one running down your arm – it’s always sad to see the season end. One way to prolong your enjoyment of this summer fruit is to freeze them into luscious nectarine sherbet.
*Note – Allow 2 days preparation before planning to serve. One night to freeze the freezer bowl and one night for the sherbet to ripen.
Want dessert and a delicious pick-me-up? Have a coffee milkshake! It’s the perfect refreshing end to a late afternoon or evening barbecue on a warm — or sweltering — summer evening, especially if you plan to go to the theater, dancing, or just hang out and visit, maybe even watch the annual meteor shower.
This decadent Hot Fudge recipe, from Gourmet Magazine, is everything you’d expect from this traditional favorite dessert topping. Chewy and gooey, smooth and shiny, it’ll dress up everything from your hot fudge sundae to your cakes and brownies. Perfect served hot over ice-cream or even just a chilled spoonful, straight from the jar, it’s sure to become a household favorite.
No one I’ve ever known has declined a piece of fresh, homemade pie. Although some version of pie is eaten in nearly all cultures, fruit pies are an American institution, and it isn’t limited to apple! After writing this last sentence, I wondered if the expression came about because of Johnny Appleseed’s having started apple tree nurseries across many of our midland states at a time when women made pies (often for breakfast), because they required less flour than bread. But no, it apparently was an increasingly common expression beginning in the 1920s attesting the goodness of all things American. Okay, back to pie.
Strawberry Daiquiri’s are refreshing and delicious and with all the fresh berries available in summer, so easy to make!
Burrata, how I love thee and all your creamy deliciousness! If you’ve never tasted burrata, it may be time to treat yourself. It’s the rich cousin of fresh mozarella, which by the way, is infinitely more delicious than its other cousin, the more easily available, rubbery, vacuum-packaged mozarella. Burrata has an outer shell made from Mozarella, that is like a pouch. Cream and stringy curd pieces are stuffed into the pouch, so when it’s cut open, there’s a wonderful creaminess that keeps the interior of the ball deliciously soft and rich and leaks out onto the plate.
Vanilla is still America’s favorite Ice Cream flavor, which comes as no surprise to us! According to Food & Wine magazine, to celebrate July being National Ice Cream Month, the International Dairy Foods Association conducted a survey, which found Vanilla and Chocolate to be the two top sellers, in that order. Strawberry is the top fruit flavor, so we’re pretty sure you’ll be pleased with our deliciously refreshing recipe for Strawberry Ice Cream!