The Joy of Chickpea Soup

For so many people there is no book more beloved that The Joy of Cooking. Its unique style and depth has helped generations to cook.

But how do you update a classic that has sold millions upon millions of copies since the 1930’s to make it more approachable for today’s cook without losing its…joy (sorry, I had to)? Megan Scott and her husband iJohn Becker - original author Irma Rombauer’s great grandson - spent 9 years on the task. They tested, researched, went back through every edition and came up with original recipes to ensure that the classic tome would hold the same role for today’s cooks.

Cookbook, Cooking, Food, Recipe, Video, BlogAli RosenNovember 20, 2019chickpea, soup, stew, winter, harissa, cookbook, video Comment

The Secret to Making Beef Tartare at Home

There are few dishes as popular at restaurants as beef tartare. And yet despite being among the easiest to execute, most people stay away from it at home. Raw beef in a restaurant setting seems fine, but there is some kind of mental block to making it yourself. But is it really just as easy for home cooks?

Luckily we had the perfect person to answer this conundrum - Chris Starkus, the chef at Denver’s steakhouse Urban Farmer also operates Lost Creek Micro Farm , so he knows about sourcing from a multitude of perspectives. We got his breakdown of what to look for when purchasing meat for serving raw, the best cuts to buy and the perfect recipe to make it all come together. You might not get to be on a cattle ranch in Denver, but you can come pretty close.

Blog, Chefs, Cooking, Food, Interview, Recipe, Restaurants, VideoAli RosenNovember 12, 2019beef, steak, tartare, Denver, Colorado, recipe, appetizer, meatComment

Rocco DiSpirito's Pasta Sauce Will Knock Your Socks Off

You might know Rocco DiSpirito from television or as healthy cookbook author. But the chef also remains passionate about the cuisine he first became known for - Italian - and so he stopped by recently to show us his take on a classic recipe, Paccheri alla Genovese. The sauce is a meat sauce but that designation is a misnomer - its power comes from the giant pile of onions that are encouraged to cook down over hours. This sauce is as easy as could be because it mostly just takes time to sit and cook. So if you are in need of something warming for the cold weather, this recipe is it.

Chefs, Cooking, Food, Recipe, Video, Blog, TVAli RosenNovember 5, 2019recipe, video, winter, pasta, Italian, beef, onions, low and slowComment

How to Lighten up Your Tailgate

I'm VERY into sports if being 'into sports' can mean being very into making the food that comes with watching sports or tailgating. Getting the food right for a sporting event can be a sport unto itself, and one I take as seriously as everyone seems to be taking the game.

As much as I love a many-layered dip and wings, I also always like to have a light, bright option to offset some of the heavier food people might expect. But you want something hearty enough that it won't wilt during a long afternoon - and it's especially great if it's quick to make. And it's an extra bonus if vegetarians feel like they have a main course option that doesn't alienate meat eaters who are just looking for flavor.

Sometimes a lot of ingredients are right in front of our eyes, and that's what I love about this pickled beet and lentil salad with tahini lemon dressing. You can easily buy the sesame goodness of tahini at any grocery store; find canned lentils to save yourself a cooking step; and I use Aunt Nellies pickled beets to add acidity and depth without the long process of roasting and pickling the beets yourself. So what you end up with is a surprising and filling vegetable dish that requires no cooking. The sesame and lemon of the dressing match perfectly with the earthy beets and you have a dish that will make you the tailgate hero with little to no work. Find a sport that can give you that kind of outcome!

Ali's Recipes, Blog, Cooking, Food, RecipeAli RosenOctober 21, 2019beets, Salad Hero, salad, lemon, sports, 30 Minutes or Less, Served Cold, make aheadComment

Yes, You Can Make a Poke Bowl At Home

Few things have entered into the vernacular as quickly as poke. The Japanese fish-based rice bowls have gone from under-the-radar to everywhere in the span of a few years. And it’s easy to see why - they are like the love child of sushi and healthy grain bowls. What could make for a better lunch option?

But they have felt elusive as a meal to make at home. Maybe it’s the raw seafood or the seemingly difficult-to-aquire ingredients, but it has remained an item to purchase rather than assemble in your kitchen. But we got the pros from poke spot Chikarashi to upend our notions. With ingredients that can be assembled ahead or easily purchased, a poke bowl can be a quick option to throw together.

Blog, Cooking, Food, Recipe, VideoAli RosenSeptember 25, 2019salmon, ponzu, poke, Japan, Japanese, Panko, citrus, recipe, lunch, sesame, shisoComment

Blondies Can Get Even Better

I’m not sure much is better than a blondie. It’s basically just a giant sugar carb chewy delight. But Nicole Rucker changed the game with her recipe that adds fruit into the mix. A little bit of extra sweetness from a different source makes them even brighter.

We got Nicole’s recipe via her new book Dappled: Baking Recipes for Fruit Lovers, which is exactly what it sounds like. If you love dessert and you love adding fruit into your desserts, then you are in luck. I almost audibly gasped when I saw it, since I am a major fruit dessert kind of gal (I think Bring It! had almost as many fruit desserts as not, and I’m not sorry about it).

Cookbook, Cooking, Recipe, Dessert, BlogAli RosenSeptember 18, 2019dessert, brown sugar, butter, berries, huckleberry, blueberry, sugar, make ahead, cookbookComment

You Can Actually Make English Muffins at Home

There are few things more satisfying to me than a warm English muffin slathered with butter. What’s not to like!?

But it never occurred to me that I actually make them at home. English muffins felt like something impossible or the realm of true bakers. But then Gertie’s Head Baker Savannah Turley came by and turned my entire English-muffin-loving world upside down. You really just need time and a good amount of yeast. The rest is simpler than you can imagine.

Blog, Cooking, Food, Recipe, VideoAli RosenJuly 8, 2019english muffins, bread, flour, yeast, breakfast, bakingComment

The Truth About Rubs Versus Marinades

Summer is here so life’s major questions are resurfacing. Most notably: should you use a rub or a marinade?

There is no wrong answer but there are definitely better ways to approach it and so to get into the nitty gritty of the nuance we turned to Myron Mixon. His new book BBQ & A with Myron Mixon answers all the questions he has been asked over his many years as an award-winning pitmaster, best-selling author and teacher. So we got him in test kitchen to get his take on when marinades work and when we should go for the rub.

Blog, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, VideoAli RosenJune 27, 2019BBQ, barbecue, Myron Mixon, rubs, marinade, spices, SouthernComment

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