Laura Rebecca's Kitchen

Who’s more swinging than Eleanor Roosevelt? That’s right. No one. The Round Up has been posted! *** wing·dingn. Informal.A lavish or lively party or celebration. *** For round two of the Retro Recipe Challenge, the theme is outdoor wingdings – parties held outside. First, pick a party you’ll be cooking for: church picnic? Sophisticated bridal […]

I am filled with gratitude toward our Retro Recipe Challenge contributors. They threw on their decorative aprons, all-purpose pearls, and 2-1/2 inch heels, headed into their kitchens, and whipped up a little something for Wally and the Beave. Because it would be wrong — and dare I say, unfeminine — to let the tykes suffer […]

Flurry in all his glory. Thanks to Cate at Sweetnicks for hosting.

I find the 50s fascinating. Not having lived through them, however, my knowledge of the era comes largely through the hazy glow of TV reruns. I love all of it: the dreams of space, the modernization of food, the clothing that was “just so” – it’s surreal. The 50s emulate that wholesome everything-is-fine-and-dandy ideal, but […]

For the Weekend Cookbook Challenge, I turned to a simple dish from the homegrown (and published) Fall Favorites Cookbook 2005. Sure, I’ve done a lot of tomato-basil recipes lately, but the weather is warmer and I can’t get enough of them. They’re fresh and summery. This is a simple meal, great for a hot day […]

Last call — get your entries in! For Retro Recipe Challenge #1, recreate a recipe first published between 1920 and 1975. When possible, cite your source, the year it was published (or created), and take photos! Post the results on your blog and send me the link by June 9 (tomorrow) at 11:59pm EST. Full […]

Photo courtesy of Betty Crocker. I’m pretty much in love with anything kitschy (as if that weren’t blatantly obvious). But sometimes irony crosses over into true infatuation, and that’s how I explain my tremendous crush on Tom Selleck, star of Magnum P.I., Quigly Down Under, and most recently, Jesse Stone: Death In Paradise (which he […]

Sometimes, you just don’t have the time — or inclination — to create something extravagant. Fortunately, this time of year is perfect for understated cooking. The fresh produce speaks for itself. Two notes: make this salad shortly before serving (perhaps 20 minutes) and don’t refrigerate the tomatoes; doing so saps their flavor. Simple Tomato Basil […]

Taking a page from Very Good Things, I made a batch of peanut butter cup brownies. Although I love Alicat/Paula Dean’s idea of Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes, I was too lazy to actually fill up individual cupcake tins. Which, when you think about it, is seriously lazy. Instead, I lined a 13×9-inch pan with aluminum […]

Yesterday’s New York Times published an article by Michael Pollan (The Ominivore’s Dilemma) on Wal-Mart’s plan to carry organic foods (as designated by the USDA) at only 10 percent more than the regular price. Pollan intelligently and eloquently explores the global costs and benefits of this move. He’s my current person-to-look-up-to-and-admire; I can’t say enough […]