Category Archives: cooking

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Renegade Craft Fair Finds

June 8, 2009 – 3:55 am

It was a beautiful weekend here in Brooklyn … great weather, good friends, lazy brunches, farmers markets, strolling around, and little bit of shopping.  On Saturday, we headed over to McCarren Park for the Renegade Craft Fair.  This was my second year going … last year was a nightmare.  It was one of the hottest days of the year, I was pregnant, felt like I was going to faint, and only made it a quarter of the way through the booths.  This year we made it all the way through with baby in tow and while I did come across lots of great finds, I must admit I was a bit disappointed in the creative originality of many of the crafters.  I kept seeing lots of the same thing … tons of pastels, t-shirts and totes with prints or paintings of wildlife [deer seemed the most prevalent with squirrels coming in second], embroidered onesies [with either a squid, octopus, or robot], onesies with ironic phrases, and lots of mustache art.  Whether it was cute and trendy or not, I wanted more of a selection.  That said, I did make it home with a purse full of business cards and here are a few that stood out for me …

Coconut Mango, Agave Lime, Ginger Lemongrass … they sound good enough to eat, but unless you have a really dirty mouth I wouldn’t recommend it.  Rinse Bath & Body Co. even makes a soap using chocolate.  Their soaps are handmade and they have 100% natural and vegan product lines.

shea

I love these ‘oh so pretty’ ceramic [Moon Glow and Secret Garden] dishes by MayLuk.  I want to serve a spring salad on them and dine outdoors with friends and candles and a nice light white wine.

moonglow

These bracelets and rings by Nervous System are sooooo awesome!  They make stunning jewelry modeled after coral, branches, algae, dendrites, etc. and it’s affordable.  I think I’ve found my new favorite thing.

bracelet2 rings

CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR MORE RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR PICKS!!!!

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cooking life

What Can You Eat if You Can’t Eat Wheat?

June 3, 2009 – 2:14 am

Today’s topic was inspired by a family friend who just found out that she has to go on a wheat free diet [much to her dismay].  I thought about all of the foods I eat each week that contain wheat and understood her frustration.  Angie, this post is for you.

Many people confuse a wheat free diet with gluten free. Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, but not in grains like corn, wild rice, and buckwheat [to name a few].  Wheat free products can contain gluten and gluten free products can contain wheat and figuring what you can eat and what you cannot can be tricky.  Wheat starch [with the gluten removed] is used in some products and some makers of gluten free goods use wheat in their manufacturing facilities.  Wheat, gluten, wheat, gluten AAARRRHHH… stay with me, you can do this!  Be sure to read your labels carefully and do your research.

While wheat is most commonly found in foods such as bread and pasta as well as some soups and sauces that contain wheat flour, there are alternatives.  Here is a Wheat Free Pizza Crust Recipe using rice and tapioca flour from WheatFree.org [they have tons of info and recipes on their site!].

Click on image for recipe

wheat-gluten-free-pizza-crust

Not a cook?  No worries.  I found this great site, aptly named The Really Great Food Company,  to order Gluten, Wheat, Soy, and Casein Free doughs, mixes, condiments, pastas, etc. online [and the prices are reasonable too!].

reallygreat

Another great site for recipes is Healthy Green Kitchen.  Just search “wheat free” on their site and loads of delicious goodies, like these Wheat Free Dark Chocolate Cupcakes pop up!

Click image for recipe

darkchocolatecupcakes2

And there are plenty of helpful Wheat Free Cookbooks out there, like this one by Carol Fenster, Ph.D. [available at Amazon.com]

Click image for more details

carol-fenster

So if your doctor or body tells you it’s time to stop eating wheat, don’t despair.  It will take some getting used to and you will probably find it difficult to dine out, but there are plenty of great resources out there to guide you in the right direction.  The best news?  The pizzas, pastas, breads, and sweets you thought were gone forever are still on the menu!



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cooking life

Eat Local, Eat Fresh, Eat Well

May 27, 2009 – 4:26 am

Almost every weekend, we hop in the car and go for a drive to explore some new part of the five New York boroughs or upstate or along the Jersey Shore.  This past weekend, I couldn’t help but notice that it’s prime season for farmers’ markets.  Fresh from the farm veggies and fruits, homemade jams and sauces, colorful flats of flowers, and even a few crafts.  One of my favorite markets in upstate New York is the Saugerties Farmers Market, which opens this Saturday!

aparggrapes

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cooking

Have Your [Cup]cake and Eat It Too

May 25, 2009 – 2:17 am

Since today is a holiday and I have things to do, I’m only going to talk about one think I like … one thing I really like.  CUPCAKES!!!!  Sweet, moist, yummy in my tummy cupcakes.  Last time I was visiting my family back in Ohio, my gramma showed up with an entire box full of cupcakes.  I think I ate one at every meal [or maybe it was one for every meal].  Thanks for all of the extra sit-ups, gramma.  Thanks alot.

Now you can have the deliciousness without all of the guilt … Organic Cupcakes [that taste anything but bland].  These delectable beauties come from cupcake yum. yum, who even have their own cupcake blog! [And they are from my home state!]

Chocolate Raspberry – Thick brownie cake w/ raspberry glaze and chocolate mousse

raspberry

The Buckeye! – Dark chocolate cake, creamy peanut butter buttercream, & chocolate ganache

buckeye

Cupcake yum. yum uses all natural ingredients [ie - local, organic, fair trade, etc] and none of the “bad stuff’ [ie - oils, dyes, preservatives, etc.] and has some really original flavors to choose from.  They also do cakes.  I am definitely putting them on my wedding cake list.  5 screams from Furious Shirley [out of 5, so that's goooood]

Another popular cupcake spot is here in New York – BabyCakes NYC. They specialize in vegan and gluten free sweets and sweeten most of their products with agave nectar.  They have a blog too [apparently baking blogs are all the rage] and just put out a cookbook!  They bake cookies, cupcakes, breads, brownies, etc.  I need some [soy] milk.  Catch you tomorrow.  Happy Memorial Day.

Clink on image for more info on the cookbook!

babycakes cookbook

FYI – I’m taking Tuesday off this week.  Recouperating from a fun-filled, but oh so busy weekend!!  Will be back for Wednesday’s “I’m Hungry” posts!

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cooking life

Tips for Opening Your Own Catering Business

May 22, 2009 – 1:56 pm

Are you thinking about taking your cooking skills to a new level?  Sunny Gandara of New York’s Fork and Glass shares her top 5 tips for getting started in the catering industry.  Be sure to read the profile post on Sunny too!!!

TIP #1: RESEARCH. This means everything from what permits you need, food safety certificates, and how you want your business to be formed (For instance we are an LLC which protects us as private persons against law suits).

TIP #2: Know your competition and define yourself clearly. Are you a high end caterer or a “budget” food provider? (I would never suggest the latter, by the way…) What foods or events do you specialize in? Find your niche, and be GREAT at that – not mediocre in a million different areas.

TIP #3: Don’t be afraid to outsource – a caterer can’t be everything from a florist to a baker.  You need to know your strengths and let others do what they do best. This also saves you time.

TIP #4: Don’t get into this business if you cherish your weekends and holidays – this is when you’ll be working.

TIP #5: You must love this business in order to excel in it – love food, loving throwing parties, and most of all – be great around people!!  What is going to keep you alive is repeat business, nobody wants to hire someone they are uncomfortable around.

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cooking spotlights

Spotlight: Sunny Gandara of NY’s Fork and Glass

May 22, 2009 – 2:37 am

I first met Sunny at J Records where we worked together in the International Department.  In fact, she spent nearly a decade in the music industry before realizing it was time to take a chance on her true passion – food.

Sunny is a Norwegian native and came to New York, by way of Rome, Paris, and San Francisco, 14 years ago.  She graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education in 2005 and also holds a diploma from the WSET [Wine & Spirits Education Trust], as well as several certified credentials from the Society of Wine Educators.  She currently has a totally awesome job as a mixologist and lead educator for Heavy Water [an ultra premium vodka brand from Scandinavia].  Sunny met her husband, [then Executive Sous Chef] Mark Gandara, while working the front of the house at the 3-star Scandinavian restaurant, Aquavit, in mid-town Manhattan.  How cute is that?!  Mark is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has over 10 years experience working in several high profile Manhattan restaurants [such as Union Square Cafe, Alto, and the Russian Tea Room] and with celebrity chefs from across the country.

forkandglass

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cooking creativity

Too Pretty To Eat … Almost

May 20, 2009 – 3:55 am

This post is all about food that looks so good you can taste it.  My mouth is watering already.

Have It Sweet Confections is a green business in California, run by a husband [French trained pastry chef] and wife team that donates 15-25% of their monthly profits to Kiva and they buy a tree from Plant a Billion Trees for every $20 spent in their store.  As if these confections themselves were not enough to die for.  Love them!

marshmellows

caramel

And one of my favorite sites for beautiful food is TasteSpotting, a “visual potluck” where you can register and submit delicious things like these…

Mango, Red Pepper, & Cilantro Salad

Click on picture for recipemangosalsa

Crunchy Brown Rice Salad w/ Dill

Click on picture for recipebrownricesalad

And don’t miss out on SEASALTWITHFOOD, one of my favorite foodie blogs.  The photos are beautiful and the recipes are a collection of tastes from all over the world.  YUM.

Popcorn Shrimps

Click on picture for recipepopcornshrimp

Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

Click on picture for recipe

pastasalad

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cooking

It’s Wednesday and “I’m Hungry”

May 13, 2009 – 2:45 am

I love cooking, but I’m not very good at sticking to a recipe.  I like to just look in the fridge, see what I have on hand and come up with something [hopefully] delicious.  I don’t have time for elaborate dinners or ingredient heavy dishes, so I try to keep meals healthy, flavorful, and most importantly simple.  Today’s recipe is for a refreshing Green Apple Salsa that can be used several different ways.

original recipe

GREEN APPLE SALSA – recipe by Shannon Young
[serves 3-4ppl]
1 green apple
1/2 large red onion
1 cucumber
Handful of fresh chopped cilantro
[salt, pepper, lemon juice to taste]

Dice or lightly food process [you want it to be slightly chunky] ingredients and serve on pita or tortilla chips!

OR

Toss a few spoonfuls back into the processor for a couple more pulses, then mix with a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise for a crisp and tangy sandwich accompaniment!

OR

Mix a few spoonfuls of the salsa into your ground beef, chicken, or turkey [I made it with my turkey burgers last night and it was delicious] to give your burger some flair!

OR

Add about 1 cup of plain yogurt and liquefy for a great springtime chilled soup!  Chop up some fresh dill or mint and toss that in too if you have it handy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe.  Check back every Wednesday for more cooking related features!  Have an original recipe you think my readers or I will like?  Email me!  Bon Apetit!

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Life. Creativity. Baby. Humor. Cooking. Words.

May 9, 2009 – 2:36 am

NEW BLOG COMING SOON.  CHECK BACK TOMORROW.

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