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Eggs: Is there an easy way to peel a hard-cooked egg?
I recently got an e-mail from Sandy asking if there is an easy way to peel an egg. She said, “I lose most of the egg when I do it.” Well, actually it has more to do with selecting the egg than peeling it. Very fresh eggs never peel well…
Pumpkin Coconut Bars
For a lot of folks, the first recipe they ever prepared was printed on the back of a box, a package, or a can. Nestlé Semi-sweet Chocolate Morsels gave us Chocolate Chip Cookies. Lipton Onion Soup Mix turned into Lipton Onion Dip. Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup became Classic Green Bean…
Short Ribs Ravioli with Tomato Sauce and Ricotta Salata
Chef Mario Batali really has a genius for big flavor. His television appearances give you a pretty good idea of that genius, but go to his restaurant Babbo in New York and he will knock your socks off? I love just about everything on the menu, but one of the…
Cheese Sandwich Soufflé
This is a recipe from my grandmother Ruth that I love for its simplicity. It is nothing more than a ham and cheese sandwich over which you pour some beaten eggs and milk, let it soak, and then bake. (I confess that I dressed it up a bit by adding…
Cookie Dough: Are all cookie doughs freezer friendly?
Liisa recently e-mailed the Kitchen Shrink to ask “are all cookie doughs freezer friendly?” What a good question. It is so convenient to have already prepared cookie dough in the freezer so you can have freshly baked cookies on the table at a moment’s notice. All butter cookie doughs freeze…
Bistro Duck Breasts
Duck breasts are one of my favorite things to make for a quick and elegant dinner. Originally created for Episode 308, Season 3, of Sara’s Weeknight Meals, this “cook once, eat twice” recipe gives you a head start on the next night’s entree, Peking Duck Wraps. Recommended side dishes: coucous and butter…
Wooden Boards: What is the best way to clean wooden cutting boards?
I recently got an e-mail from Kitty asking, “What is the best way to clean wood cutting boards?” While there are lots of other choices in cutting boards these days, wooden boards are still very popular. According to the USDA, wooden boards are porous and should be cleaned after each…
Mom’s Brushed Eggplant
Growing up, we ate our fair share of frozen vegetables: corn, peas, French green beans with toasted almonds (fancy!), the dreaded limas, etc. But every so often my mom would step out and experiment with fresh vegetables. She made a mean vinaigrette, and we always kept a jar of this…
Spices: All about fennel pollen.
Recently the Kitchenshrink has gotten several questions about fennel pollen, an intensely aromatic flavor enhancer that has shown up on restaurant menus in the past several years. What is it? How do you use it? Where can I get some? Here’s the scope. Fennel pollen is a golden dust brushed…
Celery Root or Celeriac: What is celery root?
I just got an e-mail from Ron asking me what celery root is and how to prepare it. I love to use celery root, either cooked or raw and have used it in all my books. Here is what I said about it in my latest book, Sara Moulton’s Everyday…