Laura Rebecca's Kitchen

‘Tis the season to be a lazy — no, let’s use a better term — efficient cook. With kids jingle-belling, and everyone telling you to be of good cheer, there really isn’t much time to do any cooking other than roasting those marshmallows. But there’s always a need for last-minute gift, and making them in […]

Well, it’s not a retro drink recipe, but it’s a lovely little cocktail, chock-full of holiday cheer. Plus, what’s more festive than a drink served in a martini glass? For a prettier (but just as tasty) drink, use white creme de cacao. Peppermint Cacao cocktail ¼ oz (1 ½ tsp) peppermint schnapps½ oz (1 Tbsp) […]

Rich in cocoa flavor, these lovely Christmas cookies arepunctuated by crunchy bits of mint. I didn’t add the crushed candies to the batter, thinking it would be too much but I regret that decision. An additional minty snap would have added a nice counterpoint to the chewiness of the chocolate cookie. A note: I chilled […]

Posts will be a bit spotty this week and next; it’s the end-of-the-semester crunch (grading papers) plus an out of town trip (moderating panels). Until things get back to normal, I’d like to share this recipe for stuffed artichokes. I picked it up in an Italian Cooking class and have made it countless numbers of […]

God, I’d forgotten how much I love these. Somehow, they’re bitter and sweet, creamy but not thick. I will be attacking these tomorrow. Mashed Turnips & Carrots2 turnips, peeled and cubed6 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks3 – 4 Tbsp butterSalt to tasteA splash of milk Place turnips and carrots in a large […]

There’s a little bit of a story behind this: a few years ago, I was eating lunch at a church pot-luck. Pot-lucks are not know for culinary excellence. But there was one gem among the casseroles: a bowl of mashed potatoes. I fwaped some on my paper plate, and settled in among everyone else to […]

This post is abbreviated from the original, found here. The Reverend Horton Heat once said, “I live my life on a layer of ice” and indeed, in my estimation, this is the key to a good martini of any sort, but most especially the Bombay Sapphire. The key ingredient is unsurprisingly Bombay Sapphire Gin (or […]

Anytime I’ve ever made pecan pie, I’ve just used the recipe on the back of the Karo Corn Syrup bottle. It’s simple, it’s fast, and it’s delicious. Shane was sick this weekend and requested a pecan pie (chicken soup too, but the pie took higher importance). I wanted to branch out, and found this recipe […]

UPDATED! See below! I love butternut squash, but don’t think I’ve ever mashed it before. Aside from being exceedingly simple, it has a lovely flavor — particularly if you enhance it with salt, pepper, and butter. It’s also very good for you: 1 cup of squash cubes has only 60 calories and no fat (of […]

Mmm, porky. Homer: Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Lisa honey, are you saying you’re *never* going to eat any animal again? What about bacon? Lisa: No.Homer: Ham? Lisa: No.Homer: Pork chops? Lisa: Dad! Those all come from the same animal!Homer: [Chuckles] Yeah, right Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal. — This is […]