Elsa Macbebekin's Profile
| Display Name: | Elsa Macbebekin |
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| Personal URL: | http://macbebekin.com/ |
| Member Since: | 6/21/08 |
Latest Comments...
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Whew, we had a 12-hour open house yesterday, so there's no cooking this weekend, just enjoying leftovers: What's Cooking This Weekend? Weekend of May 19-20, 2012 |
5/19/12 2:42 PM |
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Anadama bread, French bread. For Saturday night dinner, spinach and mushroom pizza. I also feel the need for something sweet, so I'm deciding between salted brownies and crepes with macerated blueberries. Hmmm. What's Cooking This Weekend? Weekend of May 5-6, 2012 |
5/5/12 11:18 AM |
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Tonight: asparagus and pea risotto, creamed spinach, and garlic bread. I'm making extra-large batches of risotto and spinach because this is one of those meals where the leftovers are even better: crispy risotto cakes (with plenty of extra asparagus, a handful of cheese, and an egg beaten in, then pan-fried) and spinach gratin (plenty of creamed spinach, a beaten egg, and a topping of breadcrumbs spiked with smoked paprika). I'm also making a batch of blueberry liqueur: blueberry-infused vodka mixed with some blueberry simple syrup. What's Cooking This Weekend? Weekend of April 21-22, 2012 |
4/21/12 11:10 AM |
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For a long time, my partner and I had a twice-monthly standing dinner date with two other couples. We would rotate hosting duties: whoever hosted also made dinner and the other four decided together who brought dessert and who brought an appetizer. What's Your Potluck Style? Reader Survey |
4/16/12 10:25 AM |
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Some friends are coming for brunch tomorrow: mushroom quiche, broccoli quiche, potato salad, spinach salad, and pumpkin streusel muffins. What's Cooking This Weekend? Weekend of April 7-8, 2012 |
4/6/12 6:09 PM |
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Katy Did., some ideas off the top of my head: 10 Appetizers Under 10 Minutes Kitchn Recipe Roundup |
4/4/12 4:15 PM |
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I also keep a baking stone on the lower rack, which is supposed to help regulate/distribute heat evenly. Smart Tip: Preheating the Oven? Wait Another Minute...or More |
4/2/12 12:46 PM |
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Mmm, quiche! I always use the Julia Child ratio: put the eggs in a large measuring cup and add enough [cream/half & half/milk] to bring the total up to 1/2 cup per egg. So, if you used 4 eggs, you'd add enough dairy to make 2 cups of custard. So simple to remember and a perfect blend of dairy and egg: not too thick, not too liquid, just right. How to Make a Foolproof Quiche |
4/2/12 12:39 PM |
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We bought a dozen old-school homestyle doughnuts yesterday, so all my other food-related thoughts have been pushed to the margins while I fell into a doughnut dream. Yesterday, I had doughnuts for breakfast and lunch, and only a fear of scurvy drove me to make broccoli in orange sauce for dinner instead of having another doughnut. What's Cooking This Weekend? Weekend of March 31 - April 1 |
3/31/12 2:26 PM |
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I never thought I'd say it, but: my husband. What's Your Can't Live Without Item for a Good Night's Sleep? Reader Survey |
3/30/12 2:41 PM |
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Like urbanmermaid, I never bake with lard --- not because I think it's unhealthy, not because I have some kneejerk "ick!" reaction to the idea, but because I eat very little meat and I'm often cooking for people proper vegetarians or observe similar dietary restrictions. Slipping a meat product into dessert, where most people wouldn't even think to worry about it, is not for me. Do You Bake with Lard? Reader Survey |
3/29/12 11:18 PM |
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The butter should be slightly soft, not fully softened. Cooks Illustrated gives a tip for the perfect softness: you should be able to bend the stick of butter slightly without it cracking, but if it smushes in your hands, it's too soft and will spread. (If, like me, you often hurry the softening time by cutting butter into slices, just apply the same logic to the individual slice: you should be able to dimple it with your finger without pushing through or smushing it.) How Can I Make Chunkier Cookies? Recipe Questions |
3/26/12 5:42 PM |
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Other than a batch of whole wheat bread (or maybe anadama) and a pitcher of cold-brewed iced coffee, I haven't planned anything for this weekend. But just reading other people's menus jumpstarted my imagination. For dinner, I think I'll make black bean tartlets, which would nicely use up some leftover serrano pepper and a slightly-too-ripe avocado, and maybe a side of spinach with almonds. What's Cooking This Weekend? Weekend of March 24-25, 2012 |
3/24/12 12:31 PM |
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Mmm, risotto cakes. Just this week, I made an all-leftovers dinner that included risotto cakes: less than a serving of of asparagus risotto stretched to serve two with a few more stalks of asparagus chopped up, a beaten egg, and a spoonful of flour, then scooped out and fried until crispy. It never occurred to me to leave out the egg, but it's good to know that's an option. Cooking with Leftovers: Risotto Cakes |
3/22/12 2:12 PM |
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My plan is usually to deliver something before the baby is born; first I confirm with the expectant parent(s) that they have room in their freezer, then drop off some dinners in solidly frozen, ready-to-reheat disposable containers. The New Baby Taco Box |
3/22/12 1:55 PM |
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The only iron-clad rule that springs to mind: I don't want to talk about weight loss, weight gain, or dietary guilt at the table. If you're a guest and have dietary restrictions, that's fine; let's talk about them (ideally in advance) and I'll make sure to prepare a variety of things tailored to those restrictions. If you have questions about the dishes, I'll love to answer them! I know dining out can be difficult for people with dietary restrictions (self-imposed or externally imposed) and I want to make it easy for guests. Forbidden Topics at the Dinner Table Hospitality |
3/19/12 1:55 PM |
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We eat a lot of frittata, heavy on the vegetables with just a few eggs to bind everything together. Sometimes I add cheese, often I don't. I do usually top the almost-cooked frittata with nuts or sesame seeds and put it under the broiler until it's browned and lovely. Some favorite combinations in our house: spinach and mushroom, asparagus and scallion, potato and olive, caramelized onion and anything at all. Frittatas allow me to make dinner from whatever we have in the house. What Are Some Great Vegetarian Dinners That Don't Depend on Pasta?Good Questions |
3/19/12 1:11 PM |
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When I don't have time or patience to make my favorite pan-roasted cream of tomato soup, I'll toast some rosemary, oregano, paprika, and just a pinch of curry in oil or butter, then add a shot of sherry, let that bubble down to a glaze. Then open up a can of tomato soup and heat it, and a few minutes before serving, I mix in a tiny can of evaporated milk. Lunch in a Hurry: 10 Ways to Dress Up Canned Soup |
3/13/12 11:45 AM |
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Friday: guests for dinner and a movie. We had herbed yogurt dip (well-drained yogurt mixed with this parsley oil and a handful of chives, layered with romesco sauce, served with crackers and crudites. Rum and blood orange punch. (We watched "The Shining," so of course I had to make REDRUM.) What's Cooking This Weekend? Weekend of March 9-10, 2012 |
3/10/12 8:16 AM |
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[Sorry, don't know how my fingers typed 357, Nicole346. Oops!] Sunny Side Up Onion Rings Apron Strings |
3/8/12 4:08 PM |