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Fat Tuesday Extravaganza

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:27:01 +0000

Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday," and in New Orleans, where everyday of the year is a culinary extravaganza, Carnival is a time for parties, parades and general merrymaking, punctuated by so much food that the austerity of the Lent that follows should come as a relief to all of the overworked digestive systems. But no Fat Tuesday is complete without a fantastic variety of Creole foods and desserts, including these local favorites:

Jambalaya
Sausage and Chicken Gumbo
Bananas Foster

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Spring Ahead: Easy Lemon Chicken

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:13:13 +0000

If you live in the Northeast like me, then you know we haven't had much of a winter. In fact, we haven't really had winter at all. In the middle of February, with temps reaching for 60 degrees, it's starting to feel like spring, compared to last year at this time when we were digging out from yet another heavy snow fall with drifts more than 10 feet high. The weather in New England is certainly crazy, but it does keep things interesting!

All this warm weather in February makes me want to abandon winter foods early and turn instead to the fresh flavors of spring. To my mind, lemon's clean, piquant flavor says spring like no other, and no dish highlights it better than this Easy Lemon Chicken. The best part is that this recipe is easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes. So long winter!

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Happy Chocolate Day!

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:10:11 +0000

Chocolate is a regular fix for me. But on Valentine's Day it becomes an unabashed joy, when it sort of feels like one of those inalienable rights, closely related to the pursuit of happiness. I ignore the caloric consequences and indulge myself and my loved ones in something deep, dark and rich - and these Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes are just the ticket.

Like the final act of a great play or the crescendo of an exquisite symphony, this dessert leaves you speechless and craving more. Happy Valentine's Day!

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Photo Getty Images

Pizza Love

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:35:45 +0000

Americans really love pizza. What we consume in a day measures out to 100 acres (about the size of 100 football fields), or 350 slices per second. Wow! But maybe not so surprising considering that there are over 60,000 pizzerias in the US. I love pizza, too, and have several favorite take-out spots on my speed dial, but I think some of the best pizzas are homemade.

The key to a great pizza is the crust, and for the home baker, the key is a good crust and a very hot oven and pizza stone or tiles. Once you've mastered a good crust, the rest is just a matter of taste. The beauty of pizza is that the crust is a blank canvas and the choice of toppings is up to you.

Pizza Dough Recipes:

New York-Style Pizza Dough
Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
No-Knead Pizza Dough

Pizza Toppings and Fillings:

5 Easy Pizzas
Potato Pesto Pizza
Broccoli and 3-Cheese Calzones

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Photo Getty Images

Liberate Yourself: Have Breakfast for Dinner

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:46:03 +0000

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals. Maybe it's because things like fried eggs, French toast and hash are so familiar and comforting. When I'm feeling indulgent, I make breakfast for dinner. It feels a bit liberating, kind of like eating dessert before dinner, and always satisfying.

Here's the thing, if you're going to have breakfast for dinner, then don't even bother to set the table - this is purely a lounging meal and should be enjoyed as such. You could even arrange it on a tray and take it to bed - best idea yet!

Breakfast for Dinner Favorites:

Cinnamon Pancakes with Spiced Maple Cream
Spinach Egg and Feta Pie
Corned Beef Hash

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Photo Getty Images

Make Someone Happy: Steak Gorgonzola

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:59:16 +0000

Did you ever notice sometimes how little it takes to make someone happy? When I make Steak with Gorgonzola Sauce, which takes all of 25 minutes, it puts a smile on the faces of everyone at the dinner table.

Why? Maybe it's because it's a dish that improves on the familiar but is as comforting as a blue plate special, or the fact that steak and gorgonzola have an incredible flavor affinity for one another. Whatever the reason, making this dish is a great way to get dinner on the table fast and make everyone happy at the same time!

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Photo Getty Images

Chocolate Cream Pie: An American Classic

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:20:54 +0000

The affection for something soft and sweet in a crust seems to be a purely American trait, and when you add chocolate to the mix, it becomes a full-fledged love-affair. Chocolate Cream Pie is a perfect example of this; velvety-smooth chocolate custard topped with billowing mounds of fresh whipped cream in a crisp crust is about as classic and homespun of an American dessert as you can get, but its appeal never wanes.

This recipe has more chocolate in the filling than most, making it dark and deeply flavored, and the chocolate pastry crust adds a double-chocolate punch. Offset by the pure, sweet whipped cream, one bite of this decadent pie and you'll know why it has withstood the test of time as one of America's most beloved desserts.

Photo K. Kingsley

Americans Love Super Sunday

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:52:33 +0000

It seems everyone is a football fan on Super Bowl Sunday. Even folks who don't know a field goal from a first down somehow end up in front of the flatscreen with a group of friends, debating referee calls and critiquing the half-time show. And when it comes to game day food, the Super Bowl is "super" indeed; consider that 1 billion chicken wings are consumed by Americans on Super Sunday, as well as 325.5 million gallons of beer and 28 million pounds of potato chips. Now those are some astounding numbers!

If you think these facts are interesting, Treehugger has compiled a list of amazing Super Bowl stats, and here are a few more:

� 53.5 million pounds of avocados will be consumed.

� 8 million pounds of popcorn will be consumed.

� 20 million Americans will attend a Super Bowl party.

� 40% of Super Bowl viewers are not football fans.

� 10 million man-hours will be spent preparing food for the Super Bowl party.

� 10 million man-hours were spent making the movie Avatar.

If you were wondering where all this festive football frivolity leads to the following Monday - there's a 20% increase in sales of ant-acid and an estimated 7 million employees will not show up for work. Go Super Bowl!

Great Game Day Grub:
5 Easy Super Bowl Recipes
Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork
Firehouse Chili

Photo Getty Images

The Original Buffalo Wings

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:51:59 +0000

The Anchor Bar, owned by the Bellissimo family in Buffalo, NY, has been serving up their famous Buffalo Chicken Wings since 1964, and not much has changed with the recipe since then.

The restaurant was run by Frank and Teresa Bellissimo back then, and the story goes that one Friday night their son Dominick asked for a snack for some of his late-night friends. Teresa was making stock with chicken wings (just about the only thing you used them for back then) and decided to deep-fry a batch. To add some flavor, she doused them in hot sauce and melted margarine and served them with the house blue cheese dressing and celery sticks grabbed from the antipasto trays. And as they say, the rest is history!

The brick landmark on the corner of Main and North still serves up their famous wings, but the recipe is a closely guarded secret. This All-American Buffalo Wings recipe comes close, but the wings are roasted not deep-fried, giving them lots of flavor with less fat - and you MUST serve them with the Blue Cheese Dressing or they are just not considered Buffalo wings.

Salmon Chowder: Two-in-One

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:10:27 +0000

I dispelled with the notion of New Year's resolutions years ago - mostly because I know myself too well. However, this year I decided that I would start eating more fish, especially in the winter. For some reason, I seem to cook fish and seafood mostly in the spring and summer months. Probably because I live in New England, where winter means chapped cheeks and frozen fingers and toes, and as a result, all you crave is the cozy comfort of a warm bowl of soup. So I created this Salmon and Corn Chowder to 1) try to stick to my New Year's resolution and 2) combat the chill of a northeast winter. I'm happy to say that it's a winner on both counts.

Serve the chowder with some crusty bread and a big green salad and you have an easy and hearty supper - and it's ready in just 40 minutes.

Photo Getty Images