All posts filed under: food

easy no-churn strawberry ice cream with crushed amaretti cookies

Have you ever made no-churn ice cream? I had always been skeptical about whether you could get good results, but after watching a few of my favorite chefs make theirs without a machine, I decided this was something I had to try. And guess what? I’ve confirmed that you don’t need special equipment to make delicious ice cream at home. No, really, not even a beater. I made this with a little handheld whisk, and so can you! Have a large crowd to feed? Make sure to save this recipe! After watching this Jaime Oliver video, I immediately knew this was the recipe I wanted to try. It has strawberry sauce, crushed meringue cookies, and dulce de leche – who could resist? And the tray he used to serve it… Well, that was love at first sight for me, so I had to get one just like it. Once it arrived, I was ready to make the recipe. It even had a lid! I love my new tray. To ensure the berries were super fresh …

a tree in bloom

delicious lemon cake perfect for spring

At times I feel like I’m solar powered. That’s why I love it so much when spring finally arrives in Marin. The sunshine makes me feel happy and energized. Last Saturday, it looked like we were finally going to enjoy a little sunlight and warmth after what has been the rainiest winter I can remember — and just in time for Easter! On my Saturday “to-do” list was making dessert for the family potluck on Sunday. Sarah suggested making lemon bars from Tartine’s cookbook — one of her favorite desserts. Sarah has always made the lemon bars, but I thought it was about time I tried making them myself. Making the lemon bars turned out to be pretty easy; the last step was to place the tray in the fridge to allow the bars to set and cool overnight. I was proud of myself for getting everything everything ready a day early. Time to relax! The next morning, the lemon bars were ready, but Sarah was sick, so we thought it would be best for …

favorite pancakes with blueberry sauce

It’s Pancake Day, today. I only know this because I follow Jaime Oliver and he posted lots of pancake recipes on Instagram and his website this morning. Go on, take a look, some look amazing! I’ll take any excuse to make pancakes. I loved the ones my grandmother used to make for us when we were little. For years, my sisters and I have been trying to recreate her recipe, and after many attempts, I’ve finally settled for this version, which started out as Mark Bittman’s Everyday Pancakes. The goal here is to make pancakes that look more like crêpes, although not as thin. To accomplish this, I’ve increased the amount of milk in his recipe and I also make it imperative to use salted butter, just like my grandmother did. This recipe makes enough pancakes for two people, but you can easily double it to feed a few more. Ingredients1 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder3/8 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled (preferably salted butter)1 egg1 ½ cups of milk (2%)more butter for …

potato-leek soup: perfect for a rainy day, plus some project ideas for the new year

Happy new year! Like a miracle, the sun came out on January 1 and we welcomed 2023 with sunshine and delicious, homemade pizza made by Patrick.  By Monday, though, we were back in winter mode, with rain and heavy fog, the kind of weather that makes you want to stay in your sweatpants all day reading books under the covers.  The office was super quiet (I think some people thought Monday was a holiday, as it was for many), so I came home a bit early to make myself something warm to eat. I was craving potato leek soup, and was too hungry to look up a recipe, so I just made it up as I went. My goal was to make a hearty soup, with chunks of potato and bits of leeks you could actually see, not like my last attempt when I used the immersion blender before I served it and accidentally ended up with a gooey mess. This time I loved the result.  This is the simplest potato soup you will ever …