Author Archives | Laura Rebecca

Easter Brunch Ideas

Fear not, bunny: hasenpfeffer isn’t on the menu. We’re having a sizable crowd over for Easter this year: nine adults and four kids. I’ve decided to do brunch because: A) it can be appropriately served anywhere from, say, 10 am to 1:30pm (and I don’t know yet when people are going to arrive) and B) […]

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Glazed Chicken with Carmelized Onions

Mmm, mmm! Steamy chicken goodness. The original recipe is called Caramelized Onion Chicken but, frankly, this recipe doesn’t have enough onions in it to justify that name. I doubled the amount of onions called for, and it still was pretty skimpy. So if you like onions (and I do), throw in two to three medium […]

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Stovetop Mac-n-Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes

Two things I have been doing far too much of lately: Watching The Real Housewives of Orange County and craving, then eating, cheese. The former will be soon remedied (Housewives‘ season is ov-ah! but lives on in reruns & TiVo) and the latter: oh, I don’t know. I’m not usually a big fan of cheese […]

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About the NYT’s Irish Soda Bread

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– […]

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Roasted Balsamic Sweet Potatoes

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 […]

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Simple Roasted Asparagus

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 […]

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Whole Lotta "Meh." — Wacky Chocolate Cake

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 […]

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Cookbook Spotlight #3 — Old Fashion Apple Cake

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 […]

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Weekend Cookbook Challenge #14 Submission: Midinette

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 […]

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Classic Vinagrette

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 […]

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