It’s pink, it’s gorgeous, and it tastes like heaven.
I need some comfort right now because we just found out our weekend plans were foiled due to a burst pipe and slow maintenance work… After going to Vegas twice in one week (yep, seriously, twice in ONE WEEK), I was looking for some much-needed downtime, snow, and falling snowboarding down some mountains. [Read more…]
Seriously, what is happening with me and bacon lately?
It’s like a weird addiction that I can’t shake (and no, I am not pregnant, I know you were wondering!). Maybe I should invest in one of those bacon cup pans that I keep seeing on TV… Has anyone tried to make bacon cups by turning a cupcake pan upside down? I feel like it’s the same idea.. Then I wouldn’t need to add yet another pan to my collection. I also wouldn’t have to wait to make them… I will try and report back. Hopefully I don’t burn down my kitchen by lighting bacon grease on fire…. [Read more…]
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s hard to resist the plethora of sweets in beautiful reds, pinks, and whites.
It’s around Valentine’s Day that I yet again regress and yearn for those childhood days when everyone would make boxes and fill them with Power Rangers and cartoon valentines. I may have just dated myself a bit too much there but it really was fun, opening up your box and checking out all the cards and candy. [Read more…]
Today I am honored to have Kian Lam Kho, the genius behind Red Cook, Adventures from a Chinese Home Kitchen, joining me! I will admit, I am extremely new to Chinese cooking so I am really excited to jump in and get started! Without further ado, let’s talk Chinese food!
Where did you learn to cook?
Food and cooking have always been my life long passions, and I’ve been cooking ever since I was a young boy growing up in Singapore. I started seriously cooking by reading and learning cooking techniques when I was in college in Boston. I’ve since done a lot of research to understand not only Chinese cooking techniques, but how they differ from their counterparts in the Western cooking tradition. [Read more…]
I’m a little obsessed with bacon right now.
I blame the illness I was suffering from a week or so ago. I literally had no desire to eat real food while I was sick, which for me is a horrible horrible thing. Now that I am back in the land of the living and eating normally again, all I can think about is bacon. [Read more…]
I have a secret to tell you.
This is one of the most surprising dishes I have had in a realllllllly long time. Usually you kind of know what a dish is going to taste like. You read the ingredients and think to yourself “ok yea I can envision those flavors together, this is going to be great!” However when it came to this dish, I was stumped. I read and reread the list of ingredients, wondering how it would all come together in the end. [Read more…]
So we all know that I am not a huge breakfast person…
I know, I know, shame on me… However, when I do eat breakfast, I either go the cereal route (hello Reese’s Puffs, am I right??) or I go Mexican. Seriously, who can avoid a huge breakfast burrito smothered in green chile? Or, as I recently discovered, a big plate of huevos rancheros? [Read more…]
The weekend means party time.
Though in reality, there is no party going on over at my house. Instead it’s me stuffed under a pile of blankets, pushing fluids, and trying get some rest while I battle a cold/cough/icky sickness. Just my luck to get sick right at the beginning of the year, right? And this one has been a whopper. I figure I am getting my illness out of the way now and the rest of 2014 I will be healthy! [Read more…]
After a rush of holidays and sweets, I am ready to get back to the Mastering Global Cooking series and head over to Mexico where it’s warm! Today I am pleased to welcome Mely from Mexico in My Kitchen to the blog. 🙂 Mely’s food blog is full of Mexican classics that will have you licking your computer screen, they just look that good. Without further ado, let’s dive in, shall we?
When and where did you first learn to cook? I understand you grew up in Mexico, correct?
I learned to cook at a very early age. I was the eldest girl of 8 brothers and sisters, and I helped my mom cook at home. I also helped my Grandma and aunts cook at her farm in the State of Veracruz. Yes, I grew up in Mexico and moved here to the States a few years ago.
What is the inspiration behind your recipes?
I guess my inspiration comes from the women that cook in the rural areas of Mexico. Besides spending summer with my grandmother, I worked 5 years as a rural teacher in the Southern part of Mexico. The food there has a lot of taste, and the cooks use what they have available according to the seasons, trying to make the most of what they have. I still love to stop at the small roadside eateries and ask the cooks about their ingredients and secrets of their recipes. [Read more…]
So I need to tell you about these amazing fries….
There’s this restaurant in Denver called D Bar, which aside from having the most incredible chocolate cake I have EVER had, has these unbelievably delectable fries. They are smothered in a cheese sauce and topped with more cheese, homemade ranch dressing and bacon…. COME ON, right?! They seriously are some of the most amazing fries you will ever taste. [Read more…]
Who’s ready to ring in the New Year?!
I know I am! And what better way to bring in a New Year than champagne?
This is an incredibly simple way to upgrade your plain Jane champagne to something just a little extra special for an extra special night.
I have to say 2013 was an incredible year. It’s had its highs and lows, but overall, 2013 has been a really good year. It’s funny, as soon as the holidays are over and the dust has settled from all the parties and I realize just how many cookies I actually ate in the past week, there’s a sense of calm that comes over me. Especially this year. For some reason, I am completely ready to move into 2014. Probably because there is so much to look forward to this year – I have trips to Vegas and Europe, as well as big things in the works for Cake ’n’ Knife and my current job. I think 2014 is going to bring in some real amazing possibilities and I am so so SO ready for them!
You know, I always loved the idea of putting raspberries or strawberries in my champagne. That little tart, sweetness with the refreshing bubbles is my favorite way to celebrate. That is, until I decided to see what raspberry sorbet would do… Now I am hooked on this, 100%. It’s just that extra bit of cool sweetness that brings out the flavor in the champagne – plus it just looks festive, doesn’t it?
I wish each and every one of you an exceptionally wonderful New Year!! Have fun celebrating tonight!
Since Cake ‘n’ Knife turned one year old this year, I thought it would be great to start an annual review of my favorite recipes of the year! Now these are in no particular order, but there were some pretty awesome flavors in 2013 that if you missed them, you should make them (or pin them!) immediately:
Homemade Ricotta
Made from scratch, there’s just nothing better.
Limoncello Sparkler
I may be spoiled and know someone who makes homemade limoncello, but that doesn’t mean this sparkler won’t brighten up your night even if you have to buy your own limoncello! 😉
Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tostadas with Avocado Tomatillo Salsa
Red Wine Risotto with Steak and Blue Cheese
You all know that risotto is my absolutely favorite thing to cook, and adding red wine with steak and blue cheese just took the infatuation to the next level for me.
Spiked Banana Milkshake
A twist on the classic banana milkshake! The caramelized flavor really comes through, especially when you spike it with some spiced rum…. YUM.
Individual Pavlovas
This is one of my favorite recipes from my grandmother and it sure doesn’t disappoint. Add a little ice cream on top and OMG, I am in HEAVEN.
Krapaw Gai
My first adventure in Thai cooking and I stumbled upon something so simple and flavorful, it rocked my world. Seriously, this is the best recipe to try if you are planning on cooking outside the box for your next weeknight meal!
Croque Monsieur
A ham and cheese sandwich smothered in cheese sauce. Yep, enough said.
Tamarind Margarita
A beach, a sunset, and this margarita… Boy oh boy, I am so ready to go back to Mexico! Until then, I will just continue to sip on these beauties…
Fig, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onion Flatbread
Who knew how much figs would make a flatbread just so so so good? Oh and then I just continue my love affair with the balsamic reduction of course. Would you expect any less of me?
Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
We all know homemade pasta is where it’s at! In 2014, I challenge you to bust out that freshly made pasta. Even if you are just serving it with garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil – it’ll blow your mind!
The Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich
Decadence at it’s finest. And made entirely out of leftovers. You’re welcome.
Happy New Year!!! 🙂
O-M-G you guys……
Do you even know how amazing shepard’s pie is?? If not, I demand that you go out immediately and get some – or even better MAKE SOME. [Read more…]
It’s time for a hearty meal.
I am on such a sugar high and have been ever since Thanksgiving. There have been so many cookies in my life right now, I just can’t stop eating them! I needed a nice hearty, filling meal to ween me off the sugar diet I’ve been on so I turned to my favorite dish – risotto.
You do know that I love risotto right? If not, just know it’s my favorite dish to both make and EAT. [Read more…]
Ah Guinness… the essence of Ireland…
Also the essence of this cake, which I have to admit, is one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever made. Obviously Guinness is the solution to making everything taste better (I should have listened to my hubby sooner….). [Read more…]
The month of December is all about family in my corner of the world. Since I have a pretty good amount of Irish blood in me, and Christmas was always the biggest holiday, I thought it would be perfect to get back to my Irish roots for Mastering Global Cooking this month.
Today I am thrilled to introduce to you Caítríona from Wholesome Ireland. She lives in Ireland and shecertainly knows her way around the kitchen as you can tell from her amazing blog! I am so grateful that she took the time to chat with me about food so without further ado, could you tell everyone a bit about yourself and your blog?
I’m a “stuck at home Mom” to 2 small boys & a stepmom to a teen as well. I say stuck at home as it was never in the grand plan for me to be at home, I’d always intended to work while raising children but the recession put paid to that. I started blogging 4 years ago and in 2012, I got my own domain and started from scratch with Wholesome Ireland. The blog is about how I feed my family on a tight budget and the parenting rollercoaster. Truth be told, I just wear my heart on my sleeve. [Read more…]
The Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich is my FAVORITE way to enjoy the wonderful world of Thanksgiving for days after the big day. It’s got turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes and a gravy mayonnaise all piled up on a toasted bun. Who could resist?!
I am spending this week preparing for the massive amounts of food I will be devouring on Thanksgiving. That being said, I am also preparing for the food coma I will be in on Friday.
Thanksgiving is coming and since pecan pie is one of my favorite things to eat on turkey day, I had to whip something extra special up, just for you.
I am so in love with this sinfully delicious filling. It’s even better than the typical pecan pie filling with all that caramel goodness packed in. I literally found myself eating spoonful after spoonful as I filled each little hand pie (which I must admit resulted in far fewer pies than I intended and a very happy sweet tooth… and probably a thicker waistline…). [Read more…]
I have officially fallen in love with Korean food.
When I settled on what I would like to cook for this part of the series, I honestly wasn’t familiar with anything but the Korean Short Ribs that I made for you last week. For some reason Bulgogi stood out to me as a dish that is a classic, and also wouldn’t take me through really difficult cooking techniques. [Read more…]
I am sure all of you can agree that life without dessert would be so so so sad…
There’s no way I could live without dessert. I just physically cannot end the day without something sweet to eat. I know this makes me sounds like a fat kid, but if I had to choose between eating healthy food all day and eating one dessert, I would starve myself just so I could eat my sweets. [Read more…]
I’ll be honest with you all, I have literally no experience with Korean food. I haven’t eaten too much and I have never attempted to cook Korean dishes. When I decided to add Korean to the Mastering Global Cooking series, I knew I would have to track down an expert to make sure I didn’t completely lose my way! Thankfully, the lovely, talented Holly at Beyond Kimchee took the time to chat with me about Korean cooking!
First tell us a little about you and your blog:
I am a Korean native housewife and a homecook. My blog, Beyond Kimchee, is about easy home-style Korean cooking and other cuisines that I enjoy cooking at home.
What sparked your passion for cooking and sharing your food with others?
I was not much of cook until I got married and started a family. I realized food becomes a very important part of family life and started self-training how to cook everything from studying cookbooks and trying out many recipes. I find great joy in sharing food with others.
Growing up in Korea, what was your favorite meal as a child?
Around the month of February, the month the first full moon of the year appeared at night, my mother always cooked steamed crabs, roasted sea weed, and many different vegetable side dish called “namool” which can turn into bibimbap dish. It was my favorite meal of the year because I got the steamed crab only once a year. [Read more…]
Why helllllloooooo gorgeous…
I am still trying to recover from my candy coma I went into last night. I don’t even have children to blame for bringing candy into the house. Instead I just ate a good amount of the candy I was supposed to give to children… Such a mess, I know… [Read more…]
It’s time to take a trip to Mexico with me…
When I was in Mexico for our honeymoon, I had this tamarind margarita that blew my mind. Ever since then, I have never tried to replicate it. However when Dobel approached me about crafting a couple of recipes for their oh-so wonderful tequila, I decided I had to bring tamarind into the mix right away. [Read more…]
Mmmmmm apple caramel goodness….
Ok it might not be the most attractive thing to photograph, but regardless, it tastes AMAZING. The most amazing part is the fact that tarte tatin is all made in one cast iron skillet. I mean, you heard about one-dish dinners all the time, but one-dish desserts?? What?! [Read more…]
