Laura Rebecca's Kitchen

My great-grandmother, Margaret Mulligan née Cummins, emigrated from Ireland when (as family lore has it) she was 14. She left her parents, never to see them again, crossed the Atlantic, went through Ellis Island and resided with some not-so-nice family members in New York. She got married to an Irishman in New York who –yes– […]

If I had to marry a vegetable dish, this would be the one: Mr. Right. Roasting these sweet potatoes with a bit of balsamic, butter, and brown sugar gives a greater depth of flavor to their sweetness while adding complexity and a hint of richness. Simply put, they are superb. Run, run, run to the […]

It’s a gorgeous day. The sun is shining, the snow is melting, it’s going to get up to SIXTY degrees today! (I didn’t wear a coat to work.) The promise of spring is in the air, even if it’s only going to get into the 30s tomorrow. So let’s celebrate with early season asparagus! Roasting […]

Wacky cupcake. I made this recipe sometime last week and, clearly, was so unimpressed with it that it took me this long to post about it. (And then, only do a cursory review.) Cake Pros:Ridiculously easy to makeVeganEasily adaptable (I threw in mini chocolate chips and replaced the water with strong brewed coffee Silly Name […]

About a month ago, I was thrilled to get an invitation from Breadchick and Sara inviting me to participate in Cookbook Spotlight #3. After Breadchick posted a recipe from Ships of the Great Lakes Cookbooks: Discover Their Culinary Legends for Weekend Cookbook Challenge #13, the book’s publisher, Paula McKenna, contacted her and asked to be […]

Of all cookbooks I have, a plain, black binder from Peter Kump’s Cooking School is my favorite. It’s stuffed with class recipes, and its pages retain scribbled notes, oil splashes, and traces of ancient flour. Though it’s an amazing book, it usually lies untouched on the bookshelf. When I think of its recipes, I remember […]

From an old Peter Kump’s Cooking School class. Classic Vinaigrette3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or lemon juice1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard3/4 c. olive or vegetable oil, or a combination of bothSalt and pepper of taste In a small bowl, whisk the acid with the mustard until the mustard has dissolved. Slowly, in a thin stream, add […]

The last time Mark Bittman published a bread recipe, there was a largely positive response from the food blogging community. So, when a new recipe for whole wheat and molasses quick bread appeared in the NYT yesterday, I thought I’d take a crack at it. Unlike most quick breads, this is a savory loaf. Extolling […]

In the beginning, there were cupcakes. And they were good. It’s hard for me to believe, but this blog was started a year ago today. I’m going to try and get a new recipe up today but, until I do, I just wanted to express how grateful I am to the people who visit and […]

The idea for these brownies has been bouncing around in my brain for a few weeks. I’d found this recipe but was disappointed that the mints weren’t an ooey-gooey layer in the midst of a chewy brownie, but melted with butter and incorporated into the batter. So I set to solve that problem and came […]