Ramps (or wild leeks) are finally here! One of my favorite seasonal vegetables, they’re only available for a few weeks a year. Ramps are a delicious cross between garlic, onions and leeks. Here in NYC, you know they’ve arrived when chefs all over the city add ramp dishes onto their menus. I love coming up with different ways to incorporate them into my cooking. I’ve been craving Chinese scallion pancakes, so I decided to make a version using ramps. I found the perfect scallion pancake recipe on my friend Diana’s blog.
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Peas and Romaine Lettuce with Mint and Crispy Prosciutto
Spring is in the air! Well sort of… A few days ago here in NYC, the weather was sunny, in the 70s and absolutely perfect, reminding me of my days living in California. This week, however, it’s back to normal. Cold, windy and in the 50s. But I’m still in Spring-mode from last week, so salads and all things green have been on my mind. This particular dish, which I adapted from Mark Bittman, is a favorite of mine during the Spring and Summer months. This simple salad is quick and easy to prepare and you can easily substitute ingredients.
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Rosemary Crackers with Olive Oil and Garlic
Ever since I started this blog a few months ago, I’ve been baking snacks and treats more than ever. Rather than something sweet, this time I wanted to try baking savory crackers. Since warmer weather has come to NYC (close to 70F in March, not bad huh?), I made crackers with rosemary, an herb that reminds me of Summer. Olive oil is added instead of milk and eggs to create a nice Mediterranean flavor, also making it vegan friendly.
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Spiced Nuts with Pimenton
Today I was trying to do some Spring cleaning by going through my pantry and I came across a few un-opened bags of different nuts. My first thought was to make some garam masala spiced nuts, but wanted to try a different mix. A few weeks ago we went to a pizza party here in Brooklyn and the host made spiced nuts with pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika) and they were so tasty and highly addictive! I forgot to ask for the recipe so here is my version.
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Puff Pastry Sticks Two Ways – Sweet and Savory
I’ve never cooked much with puff pastry until recently. My vegetable pot pies really won me over. Since they were such a success, I’ve been experimenting with store-bought puff pastry more and decided to make a quick sweet and savory snack.
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How to Make Spaetzle – A Step-by-Step Guide
Spaetzle (spelled Spätzle in German) is a traditional side dish eaten throughout Germany. I didn’t know what it was until my first trip there and instantly loved it. Peasant food that dates back hundreds of years, spaetzle is an egg noodle, similar to dumplings, made of basic ingredients: flour, salt and eggs. There are many different ways to enjoy spaetzle. You can eat it freshly cooked with a thick saucy stew or lentils. I also like to saute my spaetzle with sliced onions and fresh herbs (see the main image).
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Kale Salad with Oranges, Blueberries, Red Onions and Olives
Ever since we moved back to the East Coast, I’ve been appreciating the seasons more and with Spring just around the corner, I get excited to try out different salads. I love the addition of fresh fruit to salads and this particular mix of ingredients is a must try. I combined sweet oranges and blueberries with sliced red onions and olives on a bed of kale leaves. The flavors were truly outstanding.
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