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Great tofu dishes?
Kung Pao Tofu With Broccoli and Peanuts from Nina Simonds:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092700431.html
Martha Rose Shulman's Asian Pasta With Tofu, Shiitake Mushrooms and Broccoli:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/health/nutrition/06recipehealth.html?em
A vegan friend recently made saag paneer with tofu and it was OK.
Incredible Veal Recipe Needed
I had a wonderful vacation in St. Croix a few years ago, and I know you'll love it there. It should be especially wonderful to be away from cold winter weather and to enjoy the beautiful, crystal clear ocean.
Veal Marsala is an excellent and easy to prepare dish, but unless the veal is of the highest quality, it will be tough and even could be challenging to chew. I haven't made it in years because we can't get decent veal in any of the local supermarkets and the nearest butcher sucks. Make sure the veal is cut very thin, even if you have to trim the cutlets yourself.
http://foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_26986_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html
Veal Marengo is a great stew, and braising will help tenderize the dish. It was created by Napoleon's chef to honor one of his great victories, and it was a big 1950s & 60s favorite after it was published Alice B. Toklas Cookbook. I'll probably be making it for a "Mad Men" season premier dinner in a few weeks:
7 Ways To Spike Your Hot Chocolate
A splash of either vanilla, Amaretto, Kahlua or Bourbon. Sometimes I add a little espresso powder. If I use cocoa, I sometimes used brown sugar instead of white.
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Poll posted by The Serious Eats Team, November 23, 2010 at 11:30 AM
MMinNYC answered "Casserole" to Deep dish: "pizza" or "casserole"?
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Recent Comments
What is everyone making for valentines day?
I'm having some nasty dental surgery on Monday and will be chewing challenged on Valentine's Day, so I'll be making David Lebovitz's flourless chocolate orbit cake (aka chocolate idiot cake). It's soooo delish and easy to make:
Great tofu dishes?
Kung Pao Tofu With Broccoli and Peanuts from Nina Simonds:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092700431.html
Martha Rose Shulman's Asian Pasta With Tofu, Shiitake Mushrooms and Broccoli:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/health/nutrition/06recipehealth.html?em
A vegan friend recently made saag paneer with tofu and it was OK.
Incredible Veal Recipe Needed
I had a wonderful vacation in St. Croix a few years ago, and I know you'll love it there. It should be especially wonderful to be away from cold winter weather and to enjoy the beautiful, crystal clear ocean.
Veal Marsala is an excellent and easy to prepare dish, but unless the veal is of the highest quality, it will be tough and even could be challenging to chew. I haven't made it in years because we can't get decent veal in any of the local supermarkets and the nearest butcher sucks. Make sure the veal is cut very thin, even if you have to trim the cutlets yourself.
http://foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_26986_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html
Veal Marengo is a great stew, and braising will help tenderize the dish. It was created by Napoleon's chef to honor one of his great victories, and it was a big 1950s & 60s favorite after it was published Alice B. Toklas Cookbook. I'll probably be making it for a "Mad Men" season premier dinner in a few weeks:
7 Ways To Spike Your Hot Chocolate
A splash of either vanilla, Amaretto, Kahlua or Bourbon. Sometimes I add a little espresso powder. If I use cocoa, I sometimes used brown sugar instead of white.
Best hot chocolate in NYC?
David Lebovitz' recipe for Wittamer’s Belgian Hot Chocolate is outrageous, and it's even better with a little vanilla added to the half and half. It's outrageous with milk too, but extremely sinful with half and half:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2009/01/belgian_hot_chocolate.html
IMHO, the late, lamented Soho Charcuterie had the world's best hot chocolate; the above recipe pretty much duplicates it.
Charity Fundraising
Ina Garten's penne with five cheeses is easy, can be prepared in advance, and travels well. I double the amount of gorgonzola in the recipe, as Ina did on her show, and blue cheese works in this recipe too:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32177,00.html
Giada's orzo with garbanzos, red onion, basil and mint:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/orzo-salad-recipe/index.html
Pasta with pesto sauce is also a good make ahead, and it works fine at room temperature if reheating is a problem.
Gluten Free Valentine's Day
David Lebovitz' chocolate orbit cake is excellent, gluten free, and so easy and forgiving it's also known as chocolate idiot cake:
Dori Greenspan's volcano cookies:
http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/dessert_volcanocookies.shtml
And the crustless, Passover version of Dorie Greenspan's tall and creamy cheesecake. I've added about 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, and it's delish this way too:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/04/creamy-cream-cheese-cheesecake-for-passover-recipe.html
Indian Restaurant in Jackson Heights, NY
I didn't know there were any surviving Jahn's! I gotta check it out!
Indian Restaurant in Jackson Heights, NY
It depends on the restaurant - usually they offer both. The buffet is available for a few hours, usually at lunch. Have a great time!
Indian Restaurant in Jackson Heights, NY
@Karmafreecooking, I don't like food that's so spicy you can't taste. Every Jackson Heights Indian restaurant I've been to have been very accommodating about spice levels - just tell the waiter you don't want something cooked too hot if they don't happen to ask. Or stick to dishes that are traditionally not hot, like korma, tikka masala, etc., and avoid traditionally ultra hot dishes like vindaloo. If you're in the 74th/Roosevelt area, you could be missing out on some wonderful and cheap meals that you don't have to travel to.
Super Bowl Help - need some creative suggestions....
I'm going to be trying fake fried chicken from The Kitchn; you can cut down on the mustard:
http://www.thekitchn.com/healthy-recipe-fake-fried-chicken-165374
Any non-soup suggestions for leek?
They're great braised with short ribs, chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie or in pot roasts instead of onions. Here's my favorite short ribs recipe, from Ina Garten:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beef-short-ribs-recipe/index.html
Craig Claiborne's classic 1960s recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon
http://leitesculinaria.com/57202/recipes-boeuf-bourguignon.html
Indian Restaurant in Jackson Heights, NY
Jackson Diner. Don't judge it by its outpost in the Village, the Jackson Heights restaurant has been a favorite of the Indian community for at least two decades that people travel to from all over. It's not glamorous, and it kinda looks like the diner it's owners bought when they couldn't afford to change the sign, but the food is great. Prices are great, and they have a lunch buffet every day:
I am going to try Rajbhog and I didn't know about the canteen at the Hindu Temple. Thanks, @charm city cupcake.
BUTTER OVERLOAD
I also love Ina Garden's lemon pound cake.
James Beard's old fashioned, plain pound cake; I use nutmeg instead of mace, and vanilla instead of Bourbon. The ten eggs both lighten and enrich the recipe:
http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2010/12/james_beards_pound_cake.html
Billy's Bakery's delish chocolate cupcakes use a pound of butter in the frosting + 1/2 pound in the cake:
http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_52cupcakes_archive.html
A Single Burnt Cookie...
The game's afoot! Does the burnt cookie always appear in the same spot? It probably is a hotspot, if so. Rotating the pan halfway probably won't be enough time to burn it. But baking one pan, removing it, then replacing it with another, different pan, should give you a better idea if it's the pan or the oven.
I'm another burnt cookie lover.
Have you ever lost your cooking mojo?
@bobcatsteph3, whenever you feel discouraged, please ask this board for help and suggestions. There are others here who are dealing with illnesses and allergies as well as helping relatives and friends who are.
I also agree with @Mr. Nick's advice about patience. Cooking mojo is often a matter of patience, and I think also luck. I've had some major disasters at really bad times, esp. when I had some of the horrible (now) in-laws over for the first time, who I know disliked me before we ever met (different ethnic and educational background, different interests and tastes). I thought I would make a good impression by making my tried and true recipe for lasagna (with lots of meat), and to make clean up easier, I doubled what was billed as heavy duty aluminum pans. The pans folded as I was taking it out of the oven, spilling scalding hot lasagna all over the oven, the floor and my legs.
I've had the oven conk out on me, I've forgotten to add key ingredients, overslept from what should have been short naps while something was in the oven, a refrigerator break down in the middle of the night before New Year's Eve - just to name a very few. S--- happens, and tomorrow is another day.
Spice Hunting: New Things To Do with Mint
Two more ideas - mojitos and mint juleps.
Spice Hunting: New Things To Do with Mint
In addition to the Moroccan dishes, a hint of mint is great in tabbouleh. I can taste mint in my favorite versions one of my Indian favorites, kofta kebabs (I've got some recipes that I have yet to make), and a little mint in raita is good too, esp. with very hot curries. I've thought about adding it to tzatziki and felafel sauce.
It's also good in cous cous (or pastina) cooked with chicken broth, a little chopped garlic, olive oil or butter and peas or chickpeas. Even better with some leftover cooked chicken, or salmon (even better) or swordfish thrown in at the end.
Mint is often served in Thai salads, including my favorite - spicy, cold grilled steak. Here's a good recipe from Mark Bittman; I add a few spoons of sesame seeds as well as a handful of bean sprouts:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/03/thai-beef-salad-recipe.html
Graham Crackers with.....Butter?!
My graham cracker crust, which I use on cheesecakes and chocolate pies, is just a lot of graham cracker crumbs, butter + cinnamon. I've been known to bake a crust, break it into pieces, and eat it as cookies. It's basically the same thing as graham crackers and butter, topped with a little cinnamon sugar. Yum.
How to balance tasks while cooking
I agree that all the above is great advice, and I'd like to add that menu planning is important, esp. if you're having a lot of company - getting everything to the table at once can be challenging. Consider preparation times, what can be made in advance, started in advance and cooked in real time, and how much time you want to spend in the kitchen. (I have some horrible in-laws, and since they would never lift a finger to help anyone, I'm glad to spend time away from them in the kitchen; with other guests, I try to minimize the time).
Also have some disaster back-up plans in case something goes wrong - like dropping, burning, opening a package and finding what's inside is spoiled, etc. Having a big bag of peas, large ravioli, homemade pasta sauce (I always make very large batches so I can freeze some), etc. in the freezer, plus extra veggies in the fridge), ingredients for simple cookies, etc. They always come in handy for last minute guests.
Taste Test: Frank's RedHot vs. Buffalo Style Tabasco Pepper Sauce
The NY Times Advertising column has an interesting story on the marketing rationale behind Tabasco & Frank's recent parlays:
In the last few days, I've read that US residents will spend about $11 billion in food to serve for the Superbowl. I also read over the years that Tabasco is on about 60-70% of US home pantry/refrigerator shelves.
I much prefer the vinegary tang of Tabasco, including in Buffalo wings.
Favorite Indian food cookbook (or blog)?
+ me for Madhur Jaffrey, and if it's still in print Curries without Worries by Sudha Kohl. I've got 660 Curries on my wish lists at Amazon & Barnes & Noble; I've heard so many great things about it here.
Visiting NY
Chola, on E. 58th bet. 2nd & 3rd has great Indian food and a $14 lunch buffet; the regular dinner and lunch menus are very reasonable too, but the buffet is one of the best bargains in the city.
Ippudo in the E. Village on 4th Ave bet 9th & 10th is billed as a "Ramen Shop," but don't think it's anything resembling the stuff in the styrofoam in the supermarket. It's a great, everything fresh and reasonably priced Japanese noodle bar and more:
http://www.ippudony.com/menu.php
Caracas Arepa Bar, IMHO, even beats out the lady with the pushcart in Jackson Heights, is also in the E. Village on 7th Street between 1st Ave & Ave A. Try going at off hours, because it's a small place and the lines can be looooong:
http://caracasarepabar.com/manhattan.php
Fanelli's has been in Soho on Prince near Mercer before it was Soho - it's almost 100 years old. They might not have the very, very, very best burger in the city, but they are excellent + great pub food at very good prices for the trendy area. It's got great atmosphere and has stuck to its original decor.
From Fanelli's, head over to Ferrara on Grand St. in Little Italy for dessert. It's not the best Italian bakery in the city, but it is really good - it wouldn't have lasted well over 100 years if it wasn't. And it's also got great atmosphere, sometimes with kitschy mandoline players and singers on weekends. It was featured in The Sopranos a few times:
http://www.ferraracafe.com/nyc/
Check out Rocco's on Thompson in the W. Village for really good "red sauce" Italian. It's also been a neighborhood favorite for about 100 years, and though it's not the very, very best in the city, the prices are great:
http://www.roccoristorante.com/history/
Mario Batali's Eataly on 5th between 23rd & 24th is a showcase for Italian food - it's basically a fabulous food hall with booths filled with the best of the best. It's very pricey, but you can buy little bits and snack your way through heaven:
Turkuaz for great, inexpensive Turkish food and atmosphere on Bway & W. 100th St.:
http://www.turkuazrestaurant.com/Menus.html
Dervish in the theater district is really Turkish good and has great prices, esp. for a very pricy area:
And The Carnegie Deli for the best corned beef, pastrami, etc. in the city:
http://www.carnegiedeli.com/home.php
Ess-A-Bagel is the It's a great stop for an overstuffed bagel for breakfast or lunch, esp. with their homemade cream cheese:
If it's not too cold, take the Water Taxi to Bubby's in Dumbo for spectacular views of the city, and well priced American food. They've got a great brunch at good prices, and they don't hustle you out even when they're crowded. Just be sure to call in advance to make sure they're not booked for a party:
http://bubbys.com/bubbys-brooklyn/
Bubby's has great desserts, and they are famous for their pies, and about a block away is Jacques Torres' chocolate shop, where you can pick up some treats (they're pricey):
Jacques Torres is also in the city's premier food hall, The Chelsea Market, and it's well worth the walk if you're in the 'hood. Amy's bread (and wonderful cookies and cakes) is my favorite bakery there, and there's also one in the W. Village on Bleeker St:
Let us know if there are any particular areas you'll be visiting for more ideas.
Superbowl Meal for 10
Ina Garten's penne with five cheeses is wonderful; just double the gorgonzola as she did in the show. It works with blue cheese:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32177,00.html
Baked ziti, lasagna or eggplant Parmigiana. Mac & Cheese. Enchiladas; if you're feeling ambitious, you can make trays of cheese and beef or chicken. Chicken with rice.
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MMinNYC answered "Can't stand panettone." to Do You Like Panettone?
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MMinNYC answered "Making. " to Are You Making Pie or Buying It?
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MMinNYC answered "Casserole" to Deep dish: "pizza" or "casserole"?
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MMinNYC answered "At someone else's house" to Where Are You Eating Thanksgiving?
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MMinNYC got 80% correct on Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Bagels?
Quiz posted by Joan Fang, June 29, 2010 at 6:00 AM
MMinNYC got 75% correct on How Much Do You Know About Passover Foods?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, March 29, 2010 at 7:15 PM
MMinNYC got 87% correct on How Much Do You Know About Irish Food?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, March 17, 2010 at 6:15 PM
MMinNYC got 62% correct on How Much Do You Know About Vegan Substitutes?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, January 25, 2010 at 7:30 AM

I'm having some nasty dental surgery on Monday and will be chewing challenged on Valentine's Day, so I'll be making David Lebovitz's flourless chocolate orbit cake (aka chocolate idiot cake). It's soooo delish and easy to make:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/02/david-lebovitz-scharffen-berger-chocolate-orbit-cake-recipe.html