Laura Rebecca's Kitchen

Beef Stroganoff: delicious but not photogenic. More than any other season, autumn pulls me toward the kitchen. Maybe it’s because so many of the things I love — spiced desserts, hearty dinners, rich wines — feel synonymous with fall. Beef Stroganoff is a perfect comfort food after a long and chilly day. The beef, cut […]

Perfect Pie Crust (Source) 1 cup unsalted butter (about 2 sticks),plus more for pie plate2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon sugar Cut each stick of butter into eight pieces, and refrigerate until needed. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to […]

This is Carolyn’s recipe, which I had the fortune to taste when her daughter, Kathryn, recently made it. It was delicious – sweet, spicy, packed with flavor. Mine isn’t as flavorful, and I think it’s because I forgot to put in the vanilla. (Yeah. Oops.) It’s still very good, just not as delicious as Carolyn […]

One of Sadie’s favorite candies — if not her favorite — is a marshmallow covered in milk chocolate. This is the cookie version of that confection. A tender chocolate cookie is topped with a soft-yet-chewy marshmallow and smothered in rich and buttery chocolate frosting. Those you share these cookies with might be surprised to find […]

There are a number of joys involved with teaching at MCC. The students are (by and large) interested in learning. The faculty is committed to teaching. The department chairs stick up for their staff (!!!). Employee morale is high. The campus center is alive with student life. And there are cereal bars and Starbucks* coffee. […]

With fall comes the first cold. Stuffy head, scratchy throat, and a desire to lay low. And a desire for chicken soup. Easy to make, tasty … and restorative. Sickie’s Chicken Noodle Soup 1 cup rotini (or other bite-sized pasta)49 oz. low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth1 medium onion, diced3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds3 […]

It was cool and rainy yesterday, making me crave comfort food. That weather also makes me feel kind of lazy, so while I wanted lasagna for dinner, I couldn’t bear the thought of finger-wiping noodles (to rid them of excess water) and laying them in a pan, alternating the direction of each layer. So I […]

Pumpkin bread, left (with zucchini bread and a coconut doughnut). This lovely recipe for pumpkin bread is slightly adapted from Elise’s at Simply Recipes. It’s very moist and lightly spiced — a nice option for widely divergent palates. Kian and Sadie especially liked it. Note that the oil used is not one usually used in […]

If you’re not in the mood for banana pancakes, try these. They’re delicious and, while cooking, they smell like baking pie. Not only are they lip-smacking good, but they’re rich in antioxidents. Pancakes as health food! Berry Pancakes 2 Tbs. sugar2 tsp. baking powder1 cup flour½ tsp. salt1 large egg, lightly beaten1 cup milk2 Tbs. […]

These pancakes are FANTASTIC. Delicious! Superb! Light and tender, the flavor of banana bursts through with each bite. Very evocotive of bananas Foster — you almost don’t need maple syrup. Make these very, very soon. (Thanks to Nandita for hosting Weekend Breakfast Blogging!) Banana Pancakes (adapted from Good Things For Kids, Summer 2006) 2 Tbs. […]