The Manhattan

The classic, elegant Manhattan is one of the first cocktails I ever learned to drink. It seemed like such a grown up, classy thing to sip on while sitting in some dark, oak paneled New York bar. So the young me thought it was fun while the...um...older me now appreciates the taste.

Roasted Potato and Bacon Caesar Salad

I love Caesar salad and you probably do, too. I've rarely met anyone who doesn't. But let's be honest and say that there's not much to it. Yes it has delicious garlicky toasted croutons but mostly it's a delivery vehicle for Caesar dressing. That's what we really love, isn't it?

Life in the Big City - Spring in My New York

Lately I've had several out of town friends plan visits to New York and, of course, want to know where to go and what to see. In a city like this, there's no short answer to that question because you could plan dozens of trips and never see the same things twice. And I appreciate that tourists do what tourists do, just as I do when I'm a tourist in another state or country. Still, it hurts my heart to think that anybody's view of my lovely city goes no further than Times Square and the Naked Cowboy.

Curried Chickpea and Hummus Sandwich

Happy National Hummus Day! Yes, there is such a thing and well there should be because I love hummus. My parents lived in Israel for a few years and they brought back a life-long love of Middle Eastern cuisine. So I grew up with tahini, falafel and massive doses of hummus. And as an adult on my own nothing's changed. My fridge looks a whole lot like theirs did, complete with many tubs of Sabra hummus.

Pasta Primavera Salad

Tick tock...we're counting down to Memorial Day weekend. Patriotic festivities, the start of long summer weekends and for many, the first BBQ party of the season. What's not to love? Well, sometimes what's not to love is the same old collection of mayo laden side salads. Sure, I make them, too, and there's a favorite macaroni salad that's been making the rounds for I don't know how many summers. Time for a change, maybe? Don't like change? OK, how about just an addition.

Mustard Roasted Cauliflower

I'm not sure how much cauliflower I eat in a given year but it would not surprise me at all to find out I'm personally subsidizing some nice cauliflower grower out there. Hey, if you're that farmer, it would be so much easier to bypass the grocery store altogether and just back that truck up to my house. It's my favorite vegetable.

Watermelon and Herbed Feta Cheese Salad

Sweet, juicy, ripe, beautiful watermelon...I've been waiting for you. And just in time for Memorial Day weekend. That is the official start of summer entertaining as far as I'm concerned and whomever decided summer doesn't really start until June 21st needs to rethink that.

Pretzel Crumb Caramel Banana Cream Pudding

Can we take a moment to consider all the ingredients in this jar? Crumb topping made with pretzels for that sweet and salty bite, banana pudding made with thick double cream and homemade caramel sauce dripping down over it all. Forget heavenly dessert - this is the dessert served in heaven. I dipped in my spoon to take a taste and when I came out of my trance the whole jar was gone. And I can't even blame the dog because she doesn't like bananas.

Cheesy Ramp Biscuits

I am one of those ramp obsessed New Yorkers who flock to the farmer's market in spring when the first crop of ramps appear. I buy a ton of them and put them in virtually everything I cook. And yet I realized that I haven't shared a single one of those recipes with you and it's because I was too busy eating and savoring to photograph and write. And by the time I finally came out of my hypnotic ramp state last year, they were almost gone. Maybe it's because their season is so short that we're so obsessed. But I'm getting an earlier start this year.

Lemon Drop Daiquiri

Warmer weather makes me crave lots of citrus in my food and, of course, in my drinks as well. I've been making good use of the big bowl of lemons sitting on my counter and I definitely wanted them to shine through in my cocktail. A lemon drop was the logical choice.

Beet and Chickpea Burgers with Feta and Tahini

Let me describe the state of my kitchen the day I decided to experiment with beet burger recipes. A big bowl of chopped beets, a row of bowls filled with black beans, white beans and chickpeas. Another row of bottles from where I'd basically emptied out my spice cabinet. I had curry powder, smoked paprika, cumin, dried oregano and garlic powder. Representing the fresh herbs from my fridge were scallions, chives and parsley. And finally I had spoons and bowls for mixing various combinations because these were going to be the best beet burgers I could make.

The Month in Review - April 2015 (and a Little Horn Blowing)

April might be gone but it was thoroughly enjoyed. Sunshine, comfortably warm temperatures, blooming trees and a riot of spring flowers.April in New York is an absolute delight. It's also when May issues of magazines typically hit the newsstands. You all don't mind if I do a little tooting of my own horn, do you? Because one of those magazines featured me! Yes, an actual, glossy, printed, buy it at the newsstand magazine has me in it. It has a bunch of other great stuff too, of course, so you definitely want to buy a copy. Assuming there are any still left because I might have bought just a few extra for myself.

Pear Margarita

It's getting to be that time again when my mind turns to thoughts of margaritas. OK, that usually happens every Friday or whenever my best friend and I happen to head out to our favorite Mexican restaurant. I'll spare you the details of how many years we've been haunting that place. But what I'm talking about today is Cinco de Mayo.