Laura Rebecca's Kitchen

Normally, I am not an oyster fan. But God, throw a bunch of butter, fennel seeds, garlic and shallots on top — how can they not be loved? Shane and his Commie oysters. Grilled Oysters with Fennel Butter, adapted 1 tsp. fennel seed, ground1 c. butter, softened1 Tbsp. shallots, minced1 Tbsp. garlic, minced (or to […]

This is a Wegmans’ recipe: it’s not bad but it’s nothing to write home about, either. It made a ton of sauce/gravy, far more than we could use and the whole thing was rather bland. (Sort of like hospital food.) All in all, not a winner. Slow-Cooked Chicken with 40 Cloves (adapted) 1 pkg (approx […]

It’s been about a month since the kids started school — and extra-curricular activities — again, I’m back to teaching, and Shane continues working at his new job. So life is suddenly busy. A little over a year ago, we moved from Geneva to Canandaigua because — damn, y’all* — I needed to GET OUT […]

I have always maintained that, if you are an Italian-American from the NY-metro area (and parts of NJ & Conn, too) that you are either in the mafia or know someone who is. (And, for what it’s worth, I fall into the latter category. ) I have a similarly sweeping statement about those of Italian […]

Click image for source. This is just so good. But when you combine fresh tomatoes and basil with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and Parmesan, it’s hard to imagine something bad! (Looking forward to tonight’s leftovers…) One thing though: I think12 oz of pasta (as the original recipe calls for) overwhelms the sauce. You may […]

I love, love, loooooooooove comfort food. Homemade mac-and-cheese, lasagna, meatloaf, mashed po-taters, apple cake, PB brownies, banana bread; the list goes on. I lurve them all. So pork chops with country gravy are right up my alley. Here, boneless pork chops are lightly coated in seasoned flour, pan-seared until golden brown, and then topped herbed […]

Image source. I’m still shocked this is a Weight Watchers recipe: it’s casually elegant, tasty, and there’s nary a “diet substitution” in sight. I can’t say I detected the garlic or lime flavors on the beef, yet it remained tasty. And the salad is terrific, fresh and flavorful. For an added dimension of flavor, I […]

The marinade for the tilapia adds a subtle flavor. Kick things up with a healthy dose of salsa and a squirt of fresh lime juice. Grilled Fish Tacos with fresh salsa 1 pound tilapia fillets Marinade:2 tablespoons olive oil 5 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chives/cilantro/Italian […]

When Shane & I used to frequent Ports Cafe, I’d almost always order the winter night salad. It combines crisp romaine lettuce; sweet but tart apples; salty, tangy blue cheese; and a few other goodies to create a delectable salad. I hadn’t had it in over a year (we’ve been distracted by this place, this […]

I’m all about delicious and easy recipes, so I’m a big fan of Mark Bittman’s mission (at least that’s the way I see it) of serving those up. Last Wednesday, the New York Times published his list of 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less (which has been at the top of NYT.com’s […]