By Ari, on July 25th, 2011%
Is anyone else craving fall? These past few days have been absolutely brutal in NYC, and I want nothing more than for the temperature to drop 40 degrees and to break out my boots, sweaters, and hearty fall/winter recipes; to sleep at night with our bedroom window open; to buy our 9-month old puppy (they grow up so fast!) a new winter coat.
And my favorite part of fall: watching the leaves change colors.
Today isn’t too bad, though. While we were experiencing a heat index of between 100 and 112 this past weekend, today is a cool 79 degrees.
No matter. I can’t shake this itch; I really want it to be fall.
 Continue reading Mint Fettuccine with Lamb Ragu
By Ari, on May 12th, 2011%
I’ve had an inexplicable craving for buffalo wings for the last few weeks. It’s the craziest thing. Not wanting to give in to greasy (albeit delicious) bar food, and wanting to explore other options than baked wings, I decided to make buffalo wingless risotto.
Risotto is incredibly versatile. The “mac n’ cheese” of adults, it can adopt any flavor profile the cook desires.
Continue reading Buffalo Wingless Risotto
By Ari, on May 10th, 2011%
Whenever I experiment with recipes, I label the finished product as either (a) a triumph (to be repeated over and over again), (b) something that is tasty, but needs tweaking, or (c) something I wouldn’t even feed to my enemies. I’m happy to report that this recipe is a winner! Not shocking, though. What’s not to love about a simple shrimp scampi?
Warning: If you’re not a fan of garlic, you probably won’t like this dish. Also, why are we friends?!
Continue reading Shrimp Scampi
By Ari, on April 26th, 2011%
Remember that sun-dried tomato pesto I made yesterday? You need to make it. I’m not kidding. It’s an essential component of this pasta recipe, and you’re definitely going to want to try this.
I call this an “Ari” recipe. It is titled thusly because my fiancé would prefer not to eat it. Now before you start doubting the deliciousness of this pasta, you should know that the fiancé is not a lover of sun-dried tomatoes. (I know, right?!) He’ll eat them in small quantities, and every now and again he’ll enjoy how I prepare them, but in general, they’re just not his thing. So when I made this pasta, I went crazy over it and he was… unenthusiastic.
Dishes like this (which tend to be healthier, meat-free, and full of my favorite ingredients) are reserved for those rare occasions when the Mr.-to-be is unavailable for dinner.
How fortunate for me that he’ll be out-of-town this weekend! I might even throw a sun-dried tomato party in his absence.
Before you ask, yes – you are invited. Please bring wine.
Continue reading Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta
By Ari, on March 23rd, 2011%
The inspiration for this dish came from a childhood favorite of mine: Steak ‘n Shake. My parents took my brother and I to Steak n’ Shake more times than I can count, and I always ordered the same thing: a frisco melt. For those who don’t speak the lingo, that’s code for two griddled patties served on a bun with American cheese, Swiss cheese, and “frisco” sauce, whatever that means. The burgers at Steak n’ Shake are small, but there’s really nothing quite like them. Continue reading Chili Mac
By Ari, on March 8th, 2011%
I’ll keep this brief. I used to hate mushrooms, and now I don’t. This dish is partially responsible for my change of heart.
Don’t believe me? Give it a try.
Continue reading Chicken Marsala
By Ari, on January 14th, 2011%
Sometimes I flip through cookbooks, see something I like, and then keep moving because the recipe looks too gourmet for my skills. Herbed spaetzle — sounds fancy, right? Then I think to myself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Maybe the dish won’t be perfect, maybe I’ll make a lot of mistakes… or maybe I’ll cook something completely delicious that I didn’t know I could make.
Let’s hope for the latter.
I was going to make the spaetzle with a duck ragu, but our local butcher was fresh out of duck (the nerve of him, right?). Instead, I opted for bone-in beef short ribs.
How do you think it came out?
 Continue reading Herbed Spaetzle with Short Rib Ragu
By Ari, on October 19th, 2010%
It’s true. We eat with our eyes before we ever taste anything. This fact alone drives many chefs and home cooks to make food more appealing when it’s plated. I’m not very good at this yet, but I’m learning.
Another way to create a beautiful dish is to cook with colors.
I am particularly proud of this dish’s appearance. I think the flavor profile might need a little tweaking, but it was overall a success… and look at those fall colors!
Continue reading Chianti Penne with Squash, Apples, & Onions
By Ari, on September 15th, 2010%
Mushrooms and I haven’t always gotten along. It’s a texture thing. When they’re left whole, I find them to be spongy and rubbery – not textures I’m fond of. Over the last two years, however, I’ve come to appreciate their earthy flavor. To get around the unappealing texture, I normally chop them up or slice them very thinly. Sautéing them in butter works, too. My favorite way to serve mushrooms is with chicken marsala, and I’ve got a killer recipe to share with you!
But not today. Today is about mushroom ravioli. Although… these also involve marsala wine, so the flavor combination is similar. Maybe that’s what I love these so much.
Continue reading Mushroom Ravioli
By Ari, on September 9th, 2010%
Remember when I said I was going to post something reminiscent of fall? Something with sage?
Today is your lucky day.
 Continue reading Butternut Squash Ravioli
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