In the Kitchen with Herbs

With summer here or at least fast approaching, it is wonderful to cook with herbs fresh from the garden. My still untamed oregano is roaming the backyard. My chives, thyme and tarragon are thriving. Newly planted rosemary and mint are flourishing.

All too often we (and by we I mean at least me) think of herbs as an after-thought or a bit of green to add a an otherwise dull plate. And optional … particularly when that bunch in the supermarket looks tired and tasteless. As obvious as it sounds, we (and again that means me)  sometimes forget that herbs are more than a garnish … they are food.

Especially in summer and especially in salads, why not add a handful (not just a sprinkle) of fresh herbs? Toss mint and cilantro with romaine in a Thai Salad or tarragon, parsley and mint with Israeli couscous in my Couscous Salad with Grilled Vegetables.

And on a rainy, chilly night? What could be better than Pesto? And when it’s not rainy or chilly? Pesto is great in a pasta salad!

Happy cooking with fresh herbs and bon appétit!

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What’s your favorite herb? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen & On the Road with Asparagus

And now a little shameless self-promotion …

It’s asparagus season … and if you are in New England that means tasty, local asparagus. I’ve been doing my best to enjoy a little asparagus every day. To encourage any and everyone to join me, I’m on an asparagus road trip.

Last Friday I was down in Manchester roasting asparagus on WMUR’s Cook’s Corner with Erin Fehlau.

This Saturday, May 19th I’ll be up in Lebanon (that’s the town on the NH/VT border, not the country) at Board & Basket. I’m looking forward to sharing some of my favorite asparagus recipes and demonstrating Mauviel 1830® cookware. If you are in the area stop by to say hello, check out the store and sip asparagus soup, nibble asparagus crostini or try a bite of asparagus risotto.

Fresh Aspargus & Mauviel 1830®
at
Board & Basket
May 19th from 1:00 to 3:00

10 Benning Street #5 / Shaw’s Powerhouse Plaza
West Lebanon, New Hampshire
603-298-5813 or 800-635-1119

Happy cooking and bon appétit!

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What’s your favorite herb? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen – Crying Over Onions

Are you thinking Tarte à l’Oignon (Onion Tart) would be just about perfect for your Mothers’ Day brunch? … but don’t want to deal with the tears from slicing two pounds of onions. Sweet onions, red onions or yellow onions, they all contain sulfides that are released into the air as soon as you start to chop, dice or slice them. These sulfides irritate your eyes which defend themselves with a flood of tears to flush away the irritants.

Unless you are in need of a good cry (and who isn’t from time to time), here are a few tips to help you battle the tears. Give them a try and see which one works for you!

Chill the onions first. Either store them in the refrigerator or toss them in the freezer for ten minutes before cutting.

Give the onions a good soak in cold water before slicing.

Use a good, sharp knife for a clean cut. Dull blades release more onion fumes. In addition, a sharp knife will make short work of an onion, giving you less time to cry.

Open a window or plug in a fan and cut your onions in a well-ventilated room.

Light a candle and set it next to your cutting board. The heat will attract the onion fumes.

Breathe through your mouth and not your nose when you chop.

Cover your eyes with onion goggles. And if you don’t feel like plunking down another $20 for another kitchen gadget? Just slip on your swim goggles or your kid’s snorkel mask.

Happy cooking and bon appétit!

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What’s your favorite herb? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen – End Your Cocktail Party on a Sweet Note

A big weekend is coming up – it’s Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby. Celebrate one or the other or both this Saturday night with a festive cocktail party. Invite your friends and neighbors around to watch the race or dance a little salsa … or both!

No matter what the occasion, I always like to end a cocktail party on a sweet note. Tiny brownies or mini cupcakes will do double duty. A sweet bite will delight your guests’ palettes and signal that it’s time to head home.

Have fun and bon appétit!

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What’s your favorite cocktail party trick? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen – What’s a Chiffonade?

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Chiffonade. It sounds light and frothy; like one of Ginger Rogers’ swirly gowns. The kind she wore when she danced with Fred Astaire.
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But it’s not.
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Or at least it’s not when it comes to cooking.

Chiffonade (shihf-fon-AHD) is a French culinary term. Derived from chiffe or rag, it can be used as both a verb and noun:

Verb: to finely slice herbs or leafy vegetables.

Noun: finely sliced or shredded herbs or leafy vegetables.

The easy how-to: stack herb leaves or greens, roll them into a nice fat cigar and slice thin or very thin.

What do you do with it? Throw a chiffonade into soups and stews, add it to a sauté or stir-fry or use it as a garnish. In a dish or on, ribbons of herbs will add color and lovely fresh flavor to your next meal.

Happy cooking and bon appétit!

More Tips, Tricks & Tools

What’s your favorite herb? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen – Cooking Pasta

Linguine? Angel hair? Fusili or Orzo? Trying to decide which pasta to pair with your sauce? Thin, delicate pastas, like angel hair, are best with light, thin sauces. Thicker pasta, like fettuccine or linguine, is great with heavier sauces. Short pastas with holes or ridges like rigatoni or fusili are great for chunky sauces. Short or long, thicker, sturdy pasta  like penne and lasagna are best for baked pasta dishes. Small pasta like orzo or ditalini are perfect for soups.

Dried pasta is made of little more than semolina flour, water, and salt. With its long shelf life, it’s a great staple to keep on hand. Dried pasta has a firm texture and holds up to hearty sauces. Imported Italian pasta is easy to find and the flavor and consistency will take you back to that great little trattoria you enjoyed on your last Italian holiday (or weekend in little Italy). Fresh pasta cooks very quickly, has a delicate texture and is best with lighter sauces.

How much? When serving pasta as a main course, my rule of thumb is two ounces of dried pasta per person and a little less if I’m serving a hearty appetizer or lots of side dishes. If the pasta is an appetizer or side dish, I plan on no more than one ounce per person.

With fresh pasta, about three ounces will satisfy most people. If filled pasta, like tortelloni or ravioli, is on your menu, three and a half to four ounces per serving should do it. Of course, all of these measures go out the window if your dinner guests include a bunch of starving marathoners, teenagers or college students!

Avoid overcooking pasta. Italians enjoy their pasta al dente. Translated, to the tooth or to the bite, pasta should be firm but not hard. You can check to see if the pasta is ready by tasting it. The pasta should be a bit chewy but not crunchy. You can always entertain your guests and your kids by throwing spaghetti at the refrigerator. If it sticks it’s done, but please note, it will also stick if it is overcooked!

If you’re serving pasta with a sauce, drain and throw it back into the pot. Toss with enough sauce to coat but not drown the pasta, cover and cook over very low heat for one minute to absorb the sauce.

If you are serving pasta tossed with sautéed or roasted vegetables and/or chicken, meat or seafood, make sure you grab a cup of pasta water before you drain the pasta. Drain the pasta and throw it into the skillet with the sauce. If the pasta seems a dry, add pasta water a little bit at a time until the sauce reaches the right consistency and simmer on low for one minute to combine the flavors.

Enjoy cooking with pasta and buon appetito!

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Just a few of my favorite pasta recipes

What’s your favorite pasta? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen – Pitting Olives

Do you love to cook with olives but worry that one of your guests or kids will break a tooth on a pit? Sure you can buy a can of pitted supermarket olives … but … you’ll miss the flavor and variety you can only get from the still-with-their-pits olives. Cerignola, Sicilian, Niçoise and more! I usually pit them before I throw them into a tagine or stew.

How to pit olives in a flash:

My favorite pitting tool is a heavy chef’s knife. I simply place the flat side of the knife on top of the olive and tap the knife with my fist to crack the olive. The pit pops right out of the cracked olive.

Not comfortable hitting a sharp knife? Take a can – whatever you find in your cupboard that easily fits in your hand and has a little weight behind it. Carefully clean the lid and then lightly tap or crush the olive with the can. The pit will slip right out of the cracked olive.

I find that I use my chef’s knife when I only have a handful of olives to pit for a tagine or stew and a can when I have a pound or two for a big batch of tapenade.

And a quick note, different olives need more or less pressure to crack. I find large, meaty green olives need quite a whack while oil cured black olives just need a little tap.

Enjoy cooking with olives and bon appétit!

More Tips, Tricks & Tools

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen with Silicon!

No, not the enhancements favored by fading starlets, not the spray your manly men use to stop the hinges from squeaking … Today I’m talking about silicon kitchen tools!

At least ten years ago I heard about something called a … Silpat. Made in France, these nonstick silicon baking mats promised to keep my cookies from sticking and sheet pans clean. Being a gadget girl, the next time I found myself in the mall (I lived near a mall in those days), I wandered into the nearest kitchen store to buy two or three. At $25 a pop, I figured I could wash the pans. It wasn’t as if I was baking cookies every week. Since I was still working a five-to-nine (no, that’s not a typo) day job, homemade cookies were a rarity in my house.

Since I was already there, I spent at least an hour meandering through the store, (drooling) and coveting more or less everything on the pricy shelves. A certified gadget girl, I am also a certifiable bargain hunter. Imagine my delight when I bumped into a pile of silicon spatulas and spoonulas. A spoonula is a spatula shaped like a spoon. Delight because the two cheap rubber spatulas in my kitchen drawer were definitely on their last legs and  barely usable. AND these sale corner specials were a buck a piece. Although I was tempted to belt out a big woot! woot! I managed to contain myself.

So I bought four each, spatulas and spoonulas. I didn’t think I really needed that many but at a buck, I figured they would make good stocking stuffers. But no, they never made it into anyone’s stocking. I use them every day for everything from scraping a bowl of batter to moving veggies around a sauté pan (they’re good to 500 degrees) and stirring soup. Nonstick they clean up in a flash and go in the dishwasher. I’ve had them for about ten years and they are starting to show the worse for wear so I’m on the lookout again.

Back to silicon baking bats, I’ve got more good news. About five years ago I wandering through HomeGoods and came across two no-name silicon mats. They come in very handy during the holidays when I do most of my cookie baking and candy making.

Happy cooking and bon appétit!

More Tips, Tricks & Tools

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen – Birthday Cupcakes

Today is my brother’s birthday! Happy 50th Johnny!

While they are good anytime … nothing beats cupcakes for a birthday. Everyone gets their own (or two or three) miniature cake. Whether you go with my brother’s favorite, … Chocolate, or mine which is, of course, Carrot - especially if they are made with my friend Julie’s recipe.Lemon and Chocolate Chip are also wonderful choices.
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Here are the cupcakes I baked for my dad’s 85th birthday last December. (Chocolate with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting)
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Happy cooking and bon appétit!

More Tips, Tricks & Tools

What’s your favorite chicken soup recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012

In the Kitchen – Chicken Soup for the Soul and the Common Cold

Today’s tip … no, it’s not a myth …

… chicken soup isn’t just good for your soul; it really is good for a cold. Also known as Jewish penicillin, it’s how our moms and grandmas cured our sniffles. A steaming bowl of soup is comforting on a cold day and wonderful when you are achy and out of sorts. And scientists agree! They’re just not exactly sure why.

Happy cooking and bon appétit!

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What’s your favorite chicken soup recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2012