Category Archives: Uncategorized

Ginger Sesame Grilled Salmon

Poached Pears and Cherries

Ginger Sesame Grilled Salmon

Parchment Salmon in Saffron Sauce

We are nearing the end of our stay in NY for the fall so I squeezed in one more cooking class with Karen Lee and I am so happy that I did. I had to be on the Upper West Side by 9 a.m. and left Roslyn only to sit in bumper to bumper traffic for 90 minutes to the midtown tunnel. So, I obviously didn’t arrive at the class until closer to 10. It was raining again and it’s such a good thing to do on a rainy day, but such a bad thing for the traffic situation. Once I walked in, any stress I had due to traffic left my body. It’s such a warm, “hamish” atmosphere, yet totally professional. Karen is a real dynamo, and very talented; she knows a lot about cooking, products, and food in general. If the opportunity ever arises, I highly recommend her classes. We cooked from 10 – 2:30 and ate our way through the morning into the afternoon. When I looked at the clock at 1:40, I didn’t know where the time went but it was well spent for sure. We made 3 kinds of salmon, 2 beautiful salads, and a poached pear dessert. (I will elaborate on the recipes.) I learned a few new techniques, a few new facts, and made a few new friends. What a great day!

Check out Karen Lee’s website at: www.karenleecooking.com  

Prep for Salmon in Parchment PaperSalmon in Parchment Paper

142 West End Avenue, NYC             212.787.2227

Honey Lime Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Ingredients

I love all greens but Joel not so much, so I made a salad that we would both like. He loved, I personally would love it more with an herb green type of lettuce mixed in but sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I made this along with the Turkey Meatloaf and the Butternut Squash. It was very tasty, I have to admit. I made this with my Honey Lime Salad Dressing which is on the site, so just go to it to get recipe. It is super easy, a little sweet but not too much. It is really perfect with a protein as I made in The Lobster Cobb Salad. However it was pretty tasty with just these ingredients. Yum!

Ingredients:

Romaine Lettuce ( buy however you like it, I buy the package with the organic hearts of Romaine)

goat cheese

Raisins or any dried fruit you have in your pantry

Honey Glazed Pecans ( any ones you can buy) they are pretty readily available everywhere , walnuts also work well. The Honey Glazed ones are particularly good, adding crunch and sweetness.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (see recipe)

Directions:

First I chopped up Romaine and put in a large bowl. Then I added goat cheese (probably about a cup) then about a handful of raisins, I chopped up the Walnuts with a knife. Tossed them in and anything else you like, but this combo was super tasty. Added dressing a little at a time till I saw consistency I like. Tossed and good to go. Enjoy!

me and Chef Nick

baking a pumpkin challah at Marcy’s house

While back in New York this Fall I made a real effort to take some cooking classes at both ICE:Institute for Culinary Education and at Karen Lee’s cooking classes on the Upper West Side. I also spent the day learning how to bake a challah at my friend, Marcy’s, house.  While very different , I had a wonderful experience with all.  Back to you are never too old to learn something new. Who made up that expression, “you can never teach an old dog new tricks?” anyway? Well, let me tell you this, this lady learned new tricks. I highly recommend trying new things–whether it be a movie class, theatre, photography, knitting, anything that interests you. I don’t wait for a friend, I just do it. If anyone wants to join me they’re more than welcome, but I set out to do it alone because I want to do it. Sometimes it’s hard to organize more than just yourself. That being said, it’s also a lot of fun when you have friends to join, like my challah baking with Marcy. You may surprise yourself, meet a few new people, and learn something new at the same time. At least one new thing!

Immersion Blender in Butternut Squash Soup

not a great shot, but the best I could get!

me and my challah and pumpkin walnut bread and looking exhausted

Yes, Thanksgiving is over. For all of us who cooked, shopped, cleaned, etc. it is with a sigh of relief. It is truly my most favorite of all the holidays, and so I insist on doing it year after year. I love to see everybody around my table, and am forever thankful for all of them. Some new faces, and also the same “old” faces. It seemed like between the blog and the actual shopping , cooking, and list making I was obsessed with it. Now that it’s actually over , I have some real free time on my hands once again. I doubt I will cook a thing for a few days, literally “cooked out”.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Whether you cooked the whole thing or 1 thing . I am thankful for all the help I received cooking this holiday, as always to Pamela, Susan , Karyn, Kerri, and my Mom. Thanks so much. And Norma and Allison I couldn’t do it without you! Am grateful to my family for being here and enjoying it along with me.