Looking for something to serve your guests at your Super Bowl party? This dish is the perfect dish to serve on Super Bowl Sunday where bar food, beer and calorific side dishes reign. This combines all three of those things. Kielbasa is a type of Polish sausage that is usually paired with sauerkraut and served warm. In this case it is accompanied by sauerkraut, bacon and beer in a perfect marriage. The bacon can be left out if you don't want it, but who would ever turn down bacon? Enjoy! Ingredients 6 slices of cut up bacon 1 pound kielbasa, sliced 1 cup beer 2 tsp. sugar 1/8 tsp. pepper 1 …
Trying to keep your News Years resolutions of eating healthy? Well you can have your cake and eat it too with this recipe. These bite sized cake pops are the perfect dessert when you want just a little something sweet. Mini foods are very popular right now and can be found all across town. These cake pops mirror the ones sold at Starbucks which come in a variety of flavors. You can substitute any flavor of cake mix, icing and toppings in your own recipe. This one is just for a basic vanilla cake and vanilla frosted pop. These also serve as great favors for parties. I made them for Christmas …
This recipe uses the ease of brownie mix and turns it up a notch to create, chocolatey, warm cookies. During the holiday season, it can get pretty hectic. Baking from scratch may be out of the question but this recipe tastes like it was made from scratch. Don't worry if you are not a coffee lover, the espresso in this just enhances the chocolate flavor not adds a coffee one. You can also use the espresso from your favorite local coffee joint or just pick a jar up right at the grocery store. Feel free to change the type of chocolate used in these cookies. If you are a white chocolate lover, …
When the weather grows colder and holidays loom in the distance, there is nothing like a nice, hot beverage. This recipe for hot spiced cider couldn’t be easier. Utilize whatever spices you have in your cabinet and leave out the ones that you cannot find or do not like. This is a great drink to serve on the night of your holiday. Leave it in a large bowl or pot on the stove and let guests serve themselves. You can add slices of fruit, like oranges, or add some alcohol, like rum. In this case, it becomes more of a hot toddy which has been suggested as being able to ward off a cold or flu. So, …
This year for Thanksgiving, while you are slaving over a hot stove, leave the dessert to the kids in your life. This recipe was submitted to me by a thirteen year old cookie-lover from Bellmore. Kailee M. provided me with this cute and festive way to adorn your dessert table this Thanksgiving. These little pilgrim hats use store-bought cookies, marshmallows and a little icing as decoration. The marshmallow is used as the top of the hat but other suggestions include a mini-Reese's Peanut Butter cup or gum-drops. You could even hit up the local bakery and pick your favorite flat cookie to use. …
With the holidays coming upon us, it is always nice to make a special side dish that is different than the same old. Artichokes are in season for the fall and are super flavorful when topped with cheese and breadcrumbs. You can make an artichoke for each guest or simply put a few on the table to share. Either way, your guests will appreciate them. Often, artichokes are topped with breadcrumbs or grated cheese. However, a surprising often decadent ingredient can be used in addition – mascarpone cheese. This cheese is used in desserts, most famously tiramisu. It can also be used in savory …
It’s that spooky time of year again. Halloween recipes can be super fun to make from eyeball cupcakes to licorice spiders. However, we spend so much time on the desserts, that we forget about all the spooky fun we can have with beverages. This is a pretty versatile recipe that can be made so many different ways and to suit your specific tastes. It’s a version of an espresso martini that can be served cold, blended with ice or with any flavor liquor. I also like to serve it in an Irish coffee cup or big mug to make it feel more autumnal. The recipe uses espresso as a base and adds to it. It's …
'Tis the time of year that canned pumpkin starts to hit the shelves in preparation for the holiday season. It's a great ingredient that adds a nice, autumnal feel to whatever you are baking. This recipe is a hybrid of a donut and muffin. It has the warmth of the pumpkin flavor and cinnamon and the sweetness of the sugar it is rolled in. It's a great recipe to make in large quantities and kept frozen until ready to be eaten. That being said, it's never too early to start thinking about edible holiday gifts! Pumpkin Donut Muffins Batter 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 to 1/2 cup butter melted 3/4 …
Baked brie can be both a savory treat and a sweet dessert served with fruit. I think there’s always been some mystery surrounding brie because of its curious, soft texture and its versatility. It can be baked; served cold with various meats; warmed, accompanied by crackers; with fruit; smeared with jam or simply enjoyed alone. This recipe turns brie up a notch and pairs it with a sweet jam and a buttery dough. Don't get intimidated by the puff pastry either. It is simply a prepared dough that is available right in your frozen food section at Waldbaum's or Stop and Shop. Anyway, back to the …
Everyone has a favorite local Italian joint but recreating your favorite dishes at home can be super easy. Fried ravioli is a great appetizer because it's something different and unexpected. In addition, it also takes just minutes to whip up. A few things to keep in mind when frying. First, stand back. The oil is really hot and the last thing you want is to be at the hospital and miss the ravioli. Second, they have to be really cold. You cannot fry warm, room temperature ravioli – they will turn to mush. Next, serve it with some tasty sauce for dipping. Buy a great base marinara like the one…
One of the saddest days of the year is upon us – Labor Day. The only good thing about it is the food. Try this recipe for a new take on grilled chicken wings. Wings are usually synonymous with barbecue sauce or buffalo sauce but this is a fresh marinade most of your guests will not have tasted before. Pick up your wings at A & S Fine Italian Catering on Merrick Road. While you're there, pick up some burgers and chicken sausage to complete your party. It's really important when using raw meat and marinades to not rebaste the wings with marinade that is contaminated. Everytime you baste the …
Looking for a way to spike the heat on your summer vacation? Well, look no further than your liquor cabinet. These beverages, shared by Merrick native Lauren Caldera, are an adult version of classic nostalgic kid’s food and drinks. The first one is a frozen orange creamsicle which is accompanied by whipped cream vodka. Yes, you heard me correctly. This drink uses the liquid version which can be picked up at any liquor store like Ace's Wine & Spirits. In lieu of regular vodka, this recipe calls for whipped cream vodka. The second drink is a grown-up version of an ice cream soda. It uses ice …
Salad in the summer doesn’t have to be the same old green lettuce from a bag. Instead, try using fresh fruit to spruce it up. Afterall, it is the time to enjoy nature’s bounty; all the colors of the rainbow; the earth’s gifts! Alright… I’ll calm down now. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Watermelon? Feta? Yea, OK. Well, I cannot urge you enough to take a chance and try it. The pop of the fresh watermelon balances out the salty cheese for a blend that tastes like the excitement of summer. The key in this salad is to slice the onion thinly and to crumble the feta cheese. This way, they merely …
Memorial Day is upon us and for a nice change at your barbecue this weekend, try grilling up some shrimp to make a killer warm shrimp salad. The salad can be eaten solo or put on some toasty, grilled garlic bread. All can be done on the grill! Grilled shrimp has a lot more flavor than boiled shrimp, which can be bland and flavorless. Shrimp doesn’t also have to be too costly, especially when it is being chopped up in a salad so you need less of it. Joon’s Fine Seafood has reasonably priced fish but so does Stop & Shop. The supermarket offers frozen bags of shrimp that are perfectly fine to …
So Mother’s Day is just a few days away and you still need a gift. Well, this article will help you out with a homemade baked confection or a stylish piece of apparel or jewelry for mom. First up, Oreo cupcakes. This recipe has a little surprise in the center of each cupcake...you guessed it! An Oreo. When the Oreo bakes in the oven it becomes even more delicious. I don’t know how, but it’s magic. Top with some icing and you have a cookies ‘n cream delight that will make any mom smile. Just another recipe where using store-bought mixes and enhancing it with some personal twists creates a new …
It’s finally spring and to help us celebrate all the beautiful vegetables that will now start growing in the garden, I have a recipe based on one of my favorite dishes from Park Delicatessen. Pasta Primavera, which incidentally means spring in Italian, uses fresh veggies married with a zesty dressing and pasta. The dish is served cold and is great with any meal. Park Delicatessen is a family run business open for more than ten years. They specialize in everything from hot Italian dishes like chicken parmigiana to homemade soups, confections and appetizers. Their homemade macaroni and cheese …
So besides warm weather, light food and spring break, what is spring synonymous with? Flowers! This week I went to quite possibly my favorite spot in Merrick, Flowers by Voegler on Merrick Avenue. If you recall, owner Theresa helped us out with Halloween table ideas and this time she is helping us out with decorating your table and yard for spring. Theresa and her workers are the nicest, most patient people who will sit with you for hours (I know this to be true because she sat with my bridezilla sister...). The florist is also beautifully decorated with hanging plants, outdoor pots, garden …
Break out your green shirt, a pint of Guiness and corned beef sandwiches, St. Patick's Day has arrived. And what is a St. Patrick's Day without Irish soda bread? A regular day. This recipe is pretty straight-forward and can be varied in several ways. Traditionally, the bread is made with raisins. However, if dried cherries is more of your thing or no fruit at all, the bread will not suffer. If you prefer caraway seeds, you can throw those in. The texture is also adjustable. I happen to like Irish soda bread very dry and almost crumbly. To me, that is what a traditional bread tastes like. …
Crème brulee is a glorious mix of smooth custard and hard, caramelized sugar and is sure to make your sweetheart putty in your hands. However, crème brulee is a nightmare to make because if the eggs do not incorporate correctly and at the exact right temperature, you end up with a scrambled-egg pudding. And who wants that, especially on Valentine’s Day. There are mixes available at the store (right at Merrick Stop & Shop for $1.99) that can save the day. In fairness, the mix really isn’t cheating because it just has powdered egg yolks in it and the necessary measurements of ingredients that …
OK, so the week is here! Christmas, New Year's, the Great Depression when you see your credit card bills.... Anyway, I have to keep this short because our guest Merokeon baker this week has shared a rather extensive (and awesome) dessert recipe. Our guest is a pro–Merrick resident Jayme Creighton Bolognese has been baking for more than 20 years and has started formerly training with a German Konditor for two years learning her skill of finishing (making the cakes look beautiful). As you can see in the pictures, although she can bake, her specialty is finishing. She has been working as one …
