Category Archives: Her Kitchen

Eating Our Way Through New York

Posted on October 25, 2011 | Leave a comment

This past weekend we went to New York City for a whirlwind trip of less than 48 hours.  New York is a big city, but you’d be surprised how much you can see, do and eat in that short time frame.

We arrived in NY at around 3:00PM and went to our hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Times Square – perfectly convenient.  Then we were off on our separate ways; Mark to a meeting, me to 5th Avenue… everyone has their priorities!

Fifth Avenue

We reunited at our friends’ apartment in TriBeCa, where we got to hang out with a pretty cool 2 year old, and her new little sister.  Perfect time to see friends, catch up and relax.

Dinner: Ordered in sushi – only in NY can you order in sushi, that is presented just like at a restaurant.

On Saturday, Mark told me we would be going for a big walk.  Having once lived in NY, when he goes back he likes to see as much of it as possible.  And, walk we did!

13.3 Miles in NYC

Breakfast was a quick bite of eggs and bacon at a nearby diner.

Then, we started at Columbus Circle and walked through the winding trails of Central Park.

Central Park

Central Park

After Central Park we walked back down Fifth Avenue and passed Rockefeller Center.

Snack: At Rockefeller Center I spotted a California transplant, the one and only (of only 5 locations) Bouchon Bakery.  We dropped in for a cup of coffee and fresh OJ, and I didn’t think for much else.  Then I spotted macarons.  Made with almond flour, these delightful, multi-color discs had the potential to be a gluten free hit.  Here is my advice: go to NY just for these!  They were the amazing, melt in your mouth, perfectly smooth, fragrant from real vanilla bean goodness that a macaron should be.

Bouchon Bakery Macaron

And then we kept walking and decided on a lunch stop which brought us through Times Square, Murray Hill, Chelsea and eventually the Flat Iron District, for our first visit to Eataly!

Lunch at Eataly

Lunch: I have been looking forward to visiting Eataly for months – that sounds crazy, but I’ve even written about it here, on this blog.  In the shadows of the Flat Iron building stands Eataly, part food court, market, and piazza.  I loved it.  We ate at Verdure, the vegetable focused mini restaurant and watched the store’s motto, “We Sell What We Cook & We Cook What We Sell”, in action.  I ordered an eggplant parmigiana with spaghetti squash, and Mark had a combination lunch of lentil soup, raw salad, farro and vegetable fritto misto.  Of course, we ended our visit with a cup of gelato.  Buon Appetito!

Then we continued our journey through Grammery, Bowery, NoLita, Soho Chinatown, Wall Street, the World Trade Center, all the way to Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan.

The New World Trade Center

Wall Street

The Statue of Liberty from Battery Park

Then, we turned back and walked North to the West Village for our favorite meal of the weekend, at Recette.

Dinner: This is our second time at Recette, and this time we decided to go all out and ordered the Chef’s Five Course Menu.  Tip: Do the same, you’ll be thrilled to follow this chef’s leadership and choices.  The meal by, the cousin of my cousin, Chef Jesse Schenker, was completely memorable.  Each dish of the five courses, amuse bouche and sorbet, was unique and featured new flavors, ingredients and techniques.  After devouring the Scallops with Artichoke, Asparagus spear, and Thumbelina Carrot in a Caviar Beurre Blanc sauce we asked Lindsay, Jesse’s wife and Recette partner, “How does he come up this?” She told us, before running to check on another customer, “he’s like a writer that comes up with crazy stories and surprises…” I’ll finish the thought, the meal like a good book, keeps you wanting more and yet still completely satisfied at the end.

Where are your favorite places to eat in New York?  Have you been to any of these?

Tell me in the comments!

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Posted in Her Inspiration, Her Kitchen, Restaurants, travel

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Fig Season

Posted on October 6, 2011 | 1 comment

Figs are funny kind of thing, well, not in the ha ha sense, but funny in the way that I never really knew what they were or what they tasted like.  I was definitely not a Fig Newton kind of kid, not fun enough.  But, now, my, oh, my – figs are such lovely delectable bites.

They’re delicious, not too sweet, full of flavor and pretty rich for a fruit, and right now they are in season… So, hello, don’t wait around too long, go and find some or make a delightful little snack – after finishing the blog 🙂

Some fig inspiration:

How amazing would homemade jam be?  Then you could make your own homemade Fig Newtons!

Fig Jam from Delicious Shots

Fig and Pig, Pig and Fig!  Open faced fig and prosciutto sandwich?  Molto bene!

Italian Fig Sandwich from Spoon Fork Bacon

Ooey, gooey cheese and drippy, sweet figs.  Seriously, this is the kind of “snack” I’d eat by the spoonful.  Is that bad?

Brie with Figs and Almonds the Enchanted Cook

This recipe is happening!  Gluten free and figgy!

Fig and Quinoa Cupcakes from The Cupcake Blog

The piece de resistance!  How stunning is this cake?  What a beautiful finale this would be for a dinner party.

Fig, Mascarpone and Pistachio Tart from Desserts for Breakfast

Have you tried figs, would you?  Are you intimidated by this “strange fruit”?

Some figgy history, from Serious Eats: The fig tree was a common theme in the Bible, and the Egyptians considered figs to be sacred, often burying the dead with baskets of figs. In ancient Greece, Plato wrote that athletes were fed figs to make them stronger. Fig culture spread to the northern Mediterranean and Adriatic shores until it reached southern Italy, and then the rest of Europe. When the Spanish planted figs in Mexico, and the Franciscan monks moved northward with pockets full of figs–that’s when they came to the States.

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Posted in Appetizer, Baking, fall, Her Kitchen, Seasonal

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Gluten Free Honey Apple Bread

Posted on September 30, 2011 | 1 comment

I have a serious love for apples, and not just any old kind, my personal favorite is Honeycrisp apples.  They are a little tart, a lot of sweet, and only available in the fall.

Well, what do you know… it’s the fall and it’s Rosh Hashanah time and so there is barely a time that’s better for apples and honey than right now.

This easy recipe is great to have a round during a long holiday weekend, or to use up your favorite apples.

Gluten Free Honey Apple Bread
Ingredients
In a small bowl
2 cups Gluten Free Flour (Namaste Brand)
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
 
In a large bowl
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 apple sauce cup, about 4 oz.
2/3 cup of honey
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup of chopped apple, or about 1 large apple (Honeycrisp) – I like it really apple-y
Sprinkle of cinnamon and raw sugar
 

In a small  bowl sift the dry ingredients and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix with a whisk the oil, honey and apple sauce.  Here’s a tip first pour the oil, then when you pour the honey out of the same measuring cup it will slide right out.  When mixing you may need to give it a little muscle to break down the stickiness of the honey and to have a smooth liquid base.  Then add the vanilla and eggs.  Mix until fully combined.

Then slowly combine the dry ingredients into the wet.

When the two sets of ingredients are fully incorporated add the chopped apples and give it a good stir so that the apples get covered in batter.

Pour the batter into an oiled 9 x 5 pan, and bake for 55 – 60 minutes at 325 degrees.

This little bread isn’t too sweet and so it makes for a great breakfast or snack.  Try it warm with some butter, or cheese, or nut spread.

Enjoy!

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Posted in Baking, Breakfast/Brunch, Comfort Food, fall, healthy, Her Kitchen, Holiday Food, Jewish Holidays, Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur, Seasonal

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First Day of Fall

Posted on September 23, 2011 | Leave a comment

Today is officially the first day of Fall.  From here on out welcome the pumpkin spice everything, roasted roots vegetables, apples, pears, cinnamon, honey, scuffed leather boots, chunky knits sweaters, cashmere throws, football, tailgates, crisp air, family dinners.

Fall 2011

Source: American in Paris, leaves, Candles, Boots, Pear

Are you inspired for the season?  How will you celebrate the start of autumn this weekend?  I hope it’s filled with warmth and a fun adventure!

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Posted in fall, Her Closet, Her Inspiration, Her Kitchen

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Gluten Free Apple Muffins

Posted on September 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

Easy holiday, or anytime recipe, no dairy, no gluten, no sugar, no mixer!

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is quickly approaching and I am excited for the many baking opportunities.  It is customary to wish people a “Sweet New Year” and even more customary to enjoy the sweetness of the season’s bounty of fruits, particularly apples, with honey.

Frankly, I could eat apples and honey any time of day or year, but I realize that to snack or travel too far with this sweet snack can become a bit of a sticky situation.  So, instead, we have muffins.

Gluten Free Apple Muffins
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of GF all purpose flour (Namaste brand)
1/2 cup of GF Oats
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt
 
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 4oz. containers of unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup of agave syrup
1 large (Braeburn) apple grated
 
1/4 apple chopped and cinnamon for garnish
Set oven to 325 degrees

In a medium size bowl mix the flour, oatmeal, baking soda and cinnamon and salt.

In a separate larger bowl mix the canola oil, agave syrup, and vanilla extract.  Add to that the eggs and whisk by hand.  Then add the apple sauce and continue to mix.


Then using a box grater, grate a large apple into the wet ingredients.  I used a Braeburn apple, which has a sweet but tart flavor, but you could use whatever kind of apple you most prefer.  Fold the grated apple into the wet ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and continue to stir, stopping when the dry ingredients are completely incorporated and before you over mix.

Scoop large spoonfuls into muffin liners and then you can add slivers of chopped apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon to the top.  The apple sliver remind me of shark fins, but taste delicious, and serves as a hint of all the amazing apple goodness inside.

Bake for 25 minutes and then enjoy.  These are delicious alone, or with a pad of butter, smear of almond butter, or maybe even a slice of sharp cheddar.

This will be the first of many sweet things as we move into fall!

 

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Posted in Baking, Breakfast/Brunch, Comfort Food, Dessert, Easy Recipe, fall, healthy, Her Kitchen, Holiday Food, Jewish Holidays, Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur, Seasonal

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Hungry for the Weekend

Posted on August 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

Well, it has been a pretty crazy week in these parts.  On Tuesday we had an earthquake, yes we live in DC, and this weekend we’re settling in for a hurricane, yes, we still live in DC.

Earthquake Devastation

A funny story about “The Earthquake,” a 5.9 with relatively very little damage: in my office building they were handing out ice cream sandwiches and bars as an end of summer treat.  My colleague and friend, grabbed one as we evacuated the building.  An ice cream sandwich just isn’t her kind of snack, she’s more of a farmer’s market girl (yea for foodie friends!), but she made me laugh when she said, “hey, I just survived an earthquake – you only live once!”

So, with that in mind – indulge this weekend, enjoy the comfort of friends, family, and home cooking, and stay safe.

If you, like me, are hungry for the weekend please, enjoy these links:

Have a delicious and safe weekend!

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Posted in Comfort Food, Her Home, Her Kitchen, Seasonal, summer

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Triple Chocolate Cupcakes – Gluten Free/Dairy Free

Posted on August 25, 2011 | 2 comments

Sometimes you just have to do your sweet tooth a favor, and by favor, I obviously mean indulge its cravings and drown it out in chocolate.  That’s pretty much the deal with anything that is triple chocolate, like these triple chocolate cupcakes.  I made them for a family gathering, because I wanted to accommodate everyone’s dietary restrictions, even if cupcakes typically fall outside of a diet.  And, the beauty of these cupcakes is that, even though they are dairy and gluten free, they are awesome!

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from Elana’s Pantry, which is an amazing resource for anyone exploring GF baking

Ingredients

¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup vegan chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon kosher sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup agave nectar
Set oven to 375 degrees

Here’s the thing, with gluten free baking you might come across ingredients that seem a little “ehh” or just plain weird.  Frankly that is how I felt about the coconut flour, mainly because the smell and taste of coconut reminds me of a bottle of Banana Boat, but this high in fiber flour has no such smell or taste. So fear not!

Moving on… In a medium size bowl combine the coconut flour and coca powder, salt and baking soda.

In a separate and larger bowl, blend the oil, eggs and agave.  Then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, and add the chocolate chips.

Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into muffin wrappers and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Check with a toothpick to make sure they are done and fully baked.

While the beautiful and very chocolatey cupcakes are cooling, get to work on the frosting.

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

3/4 cup dairy-free spread (Earth-Balance is also soy-free)
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
6 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium sized bowl mix the coca powder, and powdered sugar over the spread with a spoon.  Add the vanilla and then use a blender to fully incorporate and achieve the soft, whipped consistency of butter cream, you know without the butter.

Pour yourself a big, BIG glass of milk/soy milk/rice milk/almond milk and enjoy!

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Posted in Baking, Comfort Food, Dessert, healthy, Her Kitchen, Passover

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Estadio Makes a Statement

Posted on August 18, 2011 | 1 comment

Do you know Estadio in Logan Circle?  I have walked past it a number of times without really paying it too much attention.  I liked what I could interpret of the vibe through the large picture windows, the rustic Spanish aesthetic, but that is pretty much where it ended.

Dining Room, via Estadio

Then last night we were meeting friends for dinner, at this point, I admit we have become tough  to please in a restaurant.  We love the idea of eating at a restaurant but hate the end result of feeling overly full, overly oiled and overly billed.  So, as it happens we went to Estadio, a contemporary Spanish restaurant that encourages you to sample lots of flavors through their small bites and plates.

The stand out dish, in an evening of truly great drinks and plates was the kale.  It was full of flavor, had a strong bite, some bold natural spices and yet wasn’t overcomplicated.  This was a dish that would inspire you to make kale at home.

As we finished the plate of kale, we spotted a teeny winged friend from the garden that had also been sauteed up.  Why am I sharing this part of the meal?  Because it happens.  It happens when you go to a restaurant and the food is fresh and organic, which the kale was.  We told our waitress, she immediately apologized, notified the chef and then the manager came to the table to also apologize.  He was gracious, and truth be told, we still loved the kale.  We told him we loved it, and that we’d want to make it at home, in fact. 

Five minutes later he returned to our table with a hand written copy of the kale recipe. This means on a busy night he stopped someone in the kitchen, or had them hand write the recipe so that we could make it at home.  It was such a simple act and at the same time a grand gesture, and one that we all very much appreciated.

This was our first time at Estadio.  The bug in question was an uninvited guest, and very quickly forgotten.  The food was memorable, the service was remarkable. 

So, what else did we eat and drink?

I’ll be the first to admit I am not a drinking connoisseur; set me up with a mojito and  I am good to go.  However, our friends are, and collectively we were impressed by the homemade tonics, the infusion of real fruit, the jumbo ice cube which melts slower to not water down your drink, and liquors and bitters with great names that today I can barely remember.

Mark and I ordered the Tecolate a cocktail of Tequila & Cava, Rosemary & Grapefruit, and the bartender did offer to make a mojito if I needed, but this was just lovely.

On to dinner….

So let me set the stage for you, at our table is a combination of people who are cutting back on meat, or dairy or gluten.  Estadio makes it easier by providing two menus, a full version and a version that outlines vegan, vegetarian and gluten free.

So we started with two orders of the peach salad, the “Marriage” Boqueron, and open faced sandwich with anchovies and peppers, Sautéed Pea Shoots, Sautéed Red Kale,  and Bacalao Crudo, a thin slice of cod with jalapeno, avocado, orange segments and olive oil.

Marriage, via Estadio

For round two we ordered a salad of heirloom tomatoes, a dish of roasted corn with manchego, and the Scallops with roasted cauliflower and salbitxada.

I loved the peach salad; it was fresh and naturally sweet, balanced by the arugula, mint, marcona almonds and fresh goat cheese.  The roasted corn was more amazing in each bite, the pea shoots and kale were fresh, flavorful and something I would make and eat again and again.

It is really rare for us to go to a restaurant and leave feeling fully satisfied, happy with every dish, happy with the service and excited to go back.  That’s how we felt last night, and we look forward to returning.

Thanks, Estadio!

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Posted in Decor, Her Home, Her Kitchen, Restaurants

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You Say Tomato, I say throw a Party

Posted on August 17, 2011 | Leave a comment

It’s hot, the farmer’s markets have tomatoes of every variety and it is time to throw one more good party before the end of summer.  I love the idea of a themed party, rehearsal dinner, or wedding, and the end of summer tomato bounty is as good as any that I can think of.

In pulling together this inspiration board the focus was entirely on the food and using the bounty that is provided in this season.  The secret with Italian cooking and cuisine is that it is at it’s best when it is it’s most simple.  Fresh produce, simple preparations and presentation.

For a dinner party, or wedding with a more limited budget choosing a theme to dictate the menu and decor can help prevent scope creep.

Tomato Party

I love that this is completely DIY friendly, and easily able to be all homemade or catered with a low cost.  In this inspiration board the difference makers are the small details: the mini Pellegrino bottles at each seat, the innovative presentation of small bites, the local fair, and the truly edible arrangements of tomatoes and grissini.

If you are in need of some tomato focused recipes, why not try homemade ketchup, tomato soup, roasted vegetable sauce, homemade salsa, or a pizza party?

Doesn’t this just make you want to throw a party and buon appetito?

Source: Bread & Oil, Polenta Hors D’oeuvres, Table Setting, Tomatoes, Carnations, Wine, Pellegrino, Strawberry Pie, Torrone

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Posted in Her Kitchen, Her Weddings + Events, Seasonal, summer, Uncategorized, Wedding Inspiration

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Hungry for the Weekend

Posted on August 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

It’s been a long week, maybe because for the first time I am so sincerely looking forward to tonight’s dinner reservation, Graffiato!  I have been a long-time Top Chef fan and always support the local cheftestants, Spike, Carla Hall and Mike Isabella.  I’ll tell you all about it next week!

Until then, there is a lot to keep you full and satisfied during the weekend.  Here are some inspiring foodie links and some links to make you think, and make you laugh.

F-You Yelper

If you, like me, are hungry for the weekend please, enjoy these links:

Have a delicious weekend!

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Posted in Comfort Food, healthy, Her Kitchen

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