Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-WA) definitely wins my 2010 ingredient of the year award. You can seriously find me eating quinoa two to three times a week for breakfast, lunch or dinner. High in protein and fiber, this nutritional powerhouse can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. Quick and easy, preparation of quinoa is very similar to…
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Pasta with Kabocha Parmesan Sauce
On a recent trip to Williams-Sonoma, I noticed a display of pasta related products including several jars of Pumpkin Parmesan Sauce. My initial reaction was: Ummmm… Yum!!! With every intention to create my own version of this sauce, I immediately headed to Whole Foods in search of pumpkins suitable for cooking. To my surprise, before I even…
Ginger Fried Lentils
Healthy and delicious, this recipe for Ginger Fried Lentils is a deconstructed twist on an Asian classic, fried rice. A bed of fried black beluga lentils is topped with a sunny side up egg, sesame oil, soy sauce and a sprinkling of crispy garlic and ginger. Each component is prepared separately and then combined at the end to…
KK101: Roasted New Potatoes
Throughout the work week, I rarely have time to prepare elaborate dinners. Instead, I turn to recipes that require minimal effort and supervision, yet yield spectacular results. Roasted New Potatoes are one of my main go to side dishes during the week. Preparation of these delicious little nuggets can be completed in a matter of minutes. New…
KK101: Fried Egg
Over the years, my culinary skills have grown significantly through consistent practice; a willingness to explore new recipes, techniques and ingredients; and, most importantly, knowledge and a thorough understanding of the basics. Through KK101, a new series on Kitchen Konfidence, I will be sharing basics that I mastered before jumping to more complicated endeavors. First up is the…
Toasted Quinoa Shortbread Cookies
I must admit that up until this year, I had never thought of toasting flour when making cookies. Usually, one scoops flour from a bag, levels it off, adds it to other dry ingredients (sifting if ambitious) and eventually mixes with wet ingredients. Toasting not in the equation! After reading about toasted flour on 101…
Brussels Sprout and Caramelized Shallot Gratin
I served this Brussels Sprout and Caramelized Shallot Gratin at Thanksgiving last year and let me tell you, it was definitely the main attraction. Earthy green brussels sprouts are baked with creamy Gruyère cheese and sweet, caramelized shallots. Topped with fresh, seasoned breadcrumbs, this gratin has both amazing flavor and texture. Having already converted several…
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Holiday cookie season has officially arrived. I am currently in a dessert transition period where my ice cream making endeavors are dwindling and my fits of cookie baking are on the rise. From that first bite of raw cookie dough to the last daring bite of hot, freshly baked cookie, I just love the entire…
Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Cumin Crema
I had some friends over this past weekend for a Harvest Halloween dinner party. Following a sizable spread of appetizers, this Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Cumin Crema was served as the first course. Pureed pumpkin is spiced with a fiery blend of curry powder, coriander, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper. The Toasted Cumin…
Gingerbread and Trappist Ale Ice Cream
This Gingerbread and Trappist Ale Ice Cream is another cold treat created by Ethan Frisch and Max Falkowitz (see also Smoked Chocolate and Tequila Ice Cream). These two gentleman are really coming up with some spectacular flavor combinations over at Serious Eats. I was drawn to this recipe in particular because it seems to capture…