Not Derby Pie

Broccoli with Capers and Olives, Two Ways

rivka — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:43:44 +0000

Finally, the next chapter of "Weekday Lunch," where I offer recipes for food that fits in tupperware and warms in the office microwave. This dish happened completely by accident. D had decided to order a pizza for dinner, and I decided to do something else, seeing as it would have been my fourth pizza meal of [...] Want More?

Buttermilk Country Cake, Homemade Creme Fraiche

rivka — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:51:12 +0000

In my minds eye, a good cake is at least two layers high. It's fluffy and moist and laden with chocolate and, if I'm lucky, coated from head to toe and all in between with cream cheese frosting. Or better yet, chocolate cream cheese frosting. In a word, decadent. It's easy to pass up simpler [...] Want More?

Sugar High Friday: Toasted Edition, the Roundup!

rivka — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:15:39 +0000

It always takes me a while to get over the end of summer's abundance; I spend a good part of September missing peak tomatoes and fretting about corn's impending end. But once October comes around, I'm fully ready for fall, which brings pleasure of a different sort. Once I've left summer behind, I'm ready for [...] Want More?

On the Occasional Chicken Dinner

rivka — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:14:48 +0000

I've been thinking a lot about Jonathan Safran Foer's article in the New York Times Magazine's recent Food Issue about why he stopped eating meat. If you haven't read the article, take a look. Safran Foer tells the story of his long-time struggle with vegetarianism and the ways in which fatherhood helped him strengthen [...] Want More?

Eating with Grandpa

rivka — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:56:20 +0000

My grandfather loved to eat. He and my grandmother went to restaurants about three times a week as far back as I can remember. For them it was never about trying the newest place or getting a coveted table at a popular joint; it was about old haunts. They had their usual spots [...]

Soup of Fresh Shelling Beans and Sorrel

rivka — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:04:40 +0000

Is it Monday? I’m pretty sure it’s Monday. The last two weeks have been a blur of sniffles, tissues, and gallons (I mean it) of chai. I came down with a cold just around the start of the month. Chalk it up to a late recovery from August’s crunch time at work. I took a [...] Want More?

Sugar High Friday Reminder: Get Toasting!

rivka — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:35:46 +0000

Just reminding anyone who's interested that the deadline for Sugar High Friday should bake, photograph, post, and email their toasted recipes to me by MIDNIGHT MONDAY, OCTOBER 26th. I'll do the round-up at the end of that week, so if you want in, get baking! I know I've already baked up a pretty delicious [...] Want More?

For What Ails You

rivka — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:44:20 +0000

What you see there is what's left of my breakfast (some baguette with ricotta, avocado, and sea salt — crostini, anyone?), my lifeline (tissues), and my constant companion (a steaming cup of chai). I'm down for the count right now and need some serious R&R. Hopefully I'll be better and back in a few [...]

Rebecca's Red Velvet Birthday Cake

rivka — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:28:10 +0000

What cake to bake for the girl who bakes birthday cakes? Back in September, we had our friend Rebecca over for dinner right around her 25th birthday, so I decided to make her a birthday cake for dessert. Problem is, Rebecca's basically known for her cakes and cupcakes. She makes them all the time, [...] Want More?

Crostini of All Sorts

rivka — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:23:31 +0000

During a recent stop at the bookstore on my street, Idle Time Books (which, btw, had a cameo in A Few Good Men), I was thumbing through cookbook author Deborah Madison's latest book, What We Eat When We Eat Alone, which she co-wrote with her artist-partner Patrick McFarlin. WWEWWEA (liberally abbreviating the long title [...] Want More?

Carrot-Zucchini Bread

rivka — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:30:26 +0000

This is the kind of recipe I live for. It reminds me of those really good bran muffins you find at local coffee shops, with the nutty, wholesome flavors and tops that crust around the edges and never are perfectly round. It's got a more well-defined crumb than carrot kugel, but it's not [...] Want More?

Pickles!

rivka — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:30:48 +0000

Folks, I'm finding it hard to contain my excitement about NDP's second-ever guest post. Guess who wrote it? MY MOM! That's right: in the post below, NDP Ima tells you all about easy-to-make, hard-to-stop-eating pickles. You'll see from her intro paragraph where I got my taste buds. These pickles are salty, tangy, and really [...] Want More?

Sugar High Friday…Toasted!

rivka — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:37:19 +0000

Now that NDP is a whopping two years old, I think it's time she and I finally hosted a blogging event. I've been a sporadic participant in these sorts of things, mostly because between keeping up with my day job, getting bloggable food on the table, and taking decent pictures of said food, I [...] Want More?

Day 2: Chicken, Clean Stoves, Momentous Occasions

rivka — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:22:58 +0000

Today was seriously busy — fortunately for me, D's stepmom Terri came in a couple days early to help cook, finish up grocery shopping, and see to it that the house was clean. That last bit she takes more seriously than you can imagine; when D and I moved into our apt, in a 100-year [...] Want More?

Day 1: Challah and Lots of it

rivka — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:47:25 +0000

It's not even 9 am and I already have 6 loaves of challah rising on the counter. What's wrong with this picture? I got a headstart on cooking this morning thanks to a 6:30 workout session with Julia. I was back home at 7:40 and by 7:50, I was covered in flour. Awesome. [...] Want More?

Rosh Hashana Menus

rivka — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:09:19 +0000

The Jewish New Year is fast approaching, and here at NDP we might just be in over our heads; we're having lots of D's family for the holiday and very excited to host them all! With so many people to feed and not much time to prep, I've drawn up menus to keep myself on track [...] Want More?

Salmon with Herb Butter and Various Roasted Vegetables

rivka — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:01:05 +0000

D and I had people over Friday night. As of Thursday, I not only had done no cooking, I hadn't even figured out my menu. Now, I'm not one to plan these things all too far in advance — but 24 hours is not much time to plan, shop, and make food for [...] Want More?

Granola with Tahini

rivka — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:25:52 +0000

Ahh lovely readers, I've missed you! I've been posting sporadically at best for the past month, because work has been absolutely insane and I haven't had time to even enter the kitchen, let alone write about it. That last post on zucchini soup was my lame attempt to give you reading [...] Want More?

Smoky Corn Salad

rivka — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:42:28 +0000

So sorry that posts have been so few and far between (and so short) lately. I'm doing my best to offer some great summer suggestions between work and work — bear with me; just two more weeks of this insanity, and I'll be back on track. Meanwhile, hopefully you're taking advantage of the last of summer's [...] Want More?

Marcella Hazan's Pesto

rivka — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:04:52 +0000

Basil is aplenty at DC's farmers' markets. This week, my favorite farmer was selling massive bags of the stuff for just $3.99. I probably came home with a good 2 pounds of basil — hard to imagine considering how light it is. There was only one thing to do: make pesto. The last [...] Want More?

Getaway Sour Cherry Pie

rivka — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:17:14 +0000

The dog days of August are no time to hang out in DC. That's why D and I spent the first week of the month with her parents in Douglas, MI, a beach town on the eastern side of Lake Michigan, where every day is 75 and sunny and there's a constant breeze rippling [...] Want More?

Not So Potato-y Salad

rivka — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:42:11 +0000

From a vege-mostly-tarian’s perspective, spring and summer are the seasons to beat. Fresh fruit and vegetables are available in abundance, and the variety, especially in summer, is simply unmatched. I make at least one salad a day; using anything from the usual lettuce and Israeli cucumbers to radishes to carrots to tomatoes and [...] Want More?

Tamarind-Cherry Meatballs

rivka — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:23:24 +0000

Short post today, but I wanted to offer a recipe that puts the tamarind puree I recently posted to good use. These meatballs are really a cinch to make; they're studded with rich, nutty pine nuts, and the sweet-tart sauce, with fresh and dried sour cherries and plenty of tamarind, is downright addictive. [...] Want More?

Tamarind Puree

rivka — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:59:56 +0000

The single best thing (the single good thing, actually) about pulling late nights at work is ordering Indian on the firm's tab. The office coordinates with one of those online delivery systems where you can order dinner and have the bill automatically charged to the company, but frankly, the pickins are slim and they [...] Want More?

Perfect Blueberry Buttermilk Hotcakes

rivka — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:41:54 +0000

The NDP kitchen is swimming in blueberries. They were a mere $1.25 a pint at today's market, so I couldn't resist buying just a few 5. I ate half a pint on the way back from the market, because they're so sweet! And I'm a grown up so I can! So there! [...] Want More?

Summer Succotash

rivka — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:20:55 +0000

Round next of my weekday lunch series, where I post about dishes that'll put PB&J to shame. I love the flavor of buttery, salty, corn on the cob. I love it even more now that I've discovered the sweetest corn ever, from Toigo Orchards. Toigo sets up shop at the Dupont farmers' market; their corn [...] Want More?

Cherry Pistachio Crisp

rivka — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:22:42 +0000

Dear readers, as you are my witnesses, I'm hereby confessing a minor addiction to sour cherries. After a year-long wait for sour cherry season, I've put up a pitcher of sour cherry liqueur that'll be ready in a few short months (and early tastes have been very, very promising) and I've made a couple pies [...] Want More?

Andalusian Gazpacho

rivka — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:34:54 +0000

Please welcome my friend Jeremy, who was bold enough to suggest guest-posting on my blog and kind enough to follow through. He brought over a jar of this gazpacho and when I dunked a spoon in for a taste, I ended up finishing half the jar. It's the perfect summer soup, and I'm thrilled to [...] Want More?

Maple Walnut Oatmeal with Peaches

rivka — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:54:55 +0000

My breakfast habits usually vary from season to season. I tend to alternate between Terri and Kendall's go-to oatmeal recipe (oats, water, agave syrup, wheat germ, and flax seeds) and toast with an egg and fake bacon during the winter. During summertime, though, it's all about yogurt. There are few things I love more than [...] Want More?

Feta Phyllo Torte

rivka — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:43:03 +0000

Feta Phyllo Torte Of all the incredibly culinary feats out there (and there are plenty), one of which I'm truly in awe is the ability to consistently serve vegetarian food that fees like a main dish. As I've written before, one of the challenges to purely vegetarian cooking is that often, everything on the table [...] Want More?

Sour Cherry Liqueur

rivka — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:51:57 +0000

Want to do something awesomely cool and really flippin' easy along with me? Make sour cherry liqueur. It's the height of sour cherry season, and markets are bursting with those tart little bubbles of juice. The season's pretty short: I was thinking of hitting up a u-pick next week to get some sour [...] Want More?

Sardine and Fava Bean Bruschetta

rivka — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:05:47 +0000

I can't remember if I've ever written a love song to favas on this blog. I mean, I've written about them, but I probably haven't sung their praises as much as they deserve. Starting in late May, I bother the farmers at my local market every Sunday, trying to subtly nudge them to pick [...] Want More?

Linguini with Artichokes and Sweet Peas

rivka — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:25:50 +0000

Here's another round of my "weekday lunch" series, where I offer recipes that'll make your colleagues green with envy. Peas are one of those foods that have completely changed for me since I started shopping at the farmers' market. In regular grocery stores (that aren't Fairway, Whole Foods or Dean and Delucca), it's pretty rare [...] Want More?

Cherry Pit Ice Cream w/Caramelized White Chocolate Ribbon

rivka — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:56:24 +0000

Well, you've caught me red-handed. Not two weeks after I confessed my inclination toward only the purest of ice cream flavors when making it at home, I've gone stir crazy. First, I went nuts on vanilla by adding drizzles of chocolate; then I made maple ice cream (which, alas, was devoured before I [...] Want More?

Classic Mac and Cheese

rivka — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:39:18 +0000

As you all know by now, D's made lots of culinary concessions for the sake of our relationship. In the four-plus years we've been together, she's become someone who appreciates good food far more than I ever thought she would. So this past week, I felt inspired to acknowledge that by taking a couple [...] Want More?

Pesto Streudel and Panzanella Salad

rivka — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:41:12 +0000

Now that it's summer, my counters are teeming with beautiful red tomatoes and my fridge is packed with brightly-colored produce of all sorts: radishes, favas, beets, strawberries, you name it. It's a welcome change from the endless supply of potatoes, yams, potatoes, and kale, oh, the kale. Thank goodness I've got some red [...] Want More?

Avocado Tomato Salad

rivka — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:12:02 +0000

It'd be a shame to spend too much of this day indoors, because it's beautiful outside and I have an all-day pool pass — so I'm going to keep this short: It's summer, people! That means I'm barely to be seen at the grocery store, stocking up on fruit and veggies almost exclusively [...] Want More?

Wisdom: How to Build a Cheeseplate

rivka — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:48:05 +0000

When summer rolls around, the heat in Washington DC can be rather prohibitive. Almost nothing is worth touching that oven dial, especially in our loft apartment that gets a whole lot of hot air and nary a breeze. Dinner most frequently comprises an easy salad like this broccoli slaw or this Mediterranean orzo salad, [...] Want More?

Biscotti, the even-healthier way

rivka — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 03:35:43 +0000

Just thought you'd all like to know that we've been tinkering around here at NDP and I've managed to make some biscotti that are better for you and equally delicious. After some tinkering, I made the same ones I made the last time — cherry almond — with half white whole wheat flour and [...] Want More?

Wheatberry Salad with Cranberries, Feta, and Mint

rivka — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:32:34 +0000

Yet another installment of my weekday lunch series; you can never have enough recipes for midday workplace eats. I don't have anything to share about this recipe that's particularly exciting. It's just another rendition of my standard grain+bean+berry+herb salad formula. But I realized as I made this salad that it was my first time making wheatberries. [...] Want More?

Pickled Cauliflower

rivka — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:46:47 +0000

I absolutely love sour things. I've been known to suck on a lemon slice once in a while, just for kicks (though my dentist scolded me for doing it, so I reluctantly put the habit to rest). When it comes to pickles, I'm a full-sour kinda gal. None of that dill or bread-n-butter stuff; I [...] Want More?

Vanilla Ice Cream with Stracciatella

rivka — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:31:37 +0000

Recently, I discovered something of an oddity in my ice cream-eating habits. When I buy ice cream, I'm pretty particular about how I like it: Ben and Jerry's coffee heath bar toffee crunch. It's really that easy. I've never been one to order vanilla, chocolate, or any other flavor that's that simple. [...] Want More?

On limiting waste

rivka — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:22:13 +0000

I dunno about you, but I'm feeling more and more compelled to get a composter. It seems ridiculous that I throw away several pounds of biodegradable stems, peelings, cores, pits, seeds, skins, and rinds, when I could compost them instead. I know that composting in urban environments can be challenging: living as we do [...] Want More?

Bulgur with Black Eyed Peas, Spinach and Dates

rivka — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Yet another installment of my weekday lunch series. You can never have enough work-lunch-friendly dishes, now can you? I work on the ninth floor of my firm's office building. There are lots of conference rooms on our floor, and when a lunch meeting yields leftovers, they usually make their way into the ninth floor kitchen, [...] Want More?

Rigatoni with Broccoli Rabe

rivka — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:09:15 +0000

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know by now that I'm a self proclaimed ingredient-adder. I've got issues leaving things simple: I find myself constantly tempted to tinker, to add just one more spice or sauce or vegetable or seed or something. I've been working on it, folks, really I [...] Want More?

The Best Tea Cookies on the Planet

rivka — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:06:03 +0000

I've always loved the idea of having a local baker — someone whose shop was within a short walk of my apartment, where I could drop by in the morning for a baguette or a scone, pick up a loaf or two of fresh bread, and pop in on a lazy Sunday afternoon for tea [...] Want More?

Quinoa Salad with Tofu, Beets, and Avocado

rivka — Wed, 06 May 2009 18:35:58 +0000

This is another installment of my "weekday lunch" series, where I offer suggestions for dishes that can hang out in your tupperware til 12:30 rolls around. For other weekday lunch options, see my weekday lunch archive page. Here's a super-easy salad that holds up very well in the tupperware container. It came together late one [...] Want More?

Cherry Almond Biscotti

rivka — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:57:02 +0000

Two wrist-slaps for me: I made these so long ago, I can't even remember when at this point. And I was oh-so-sure I blogged about them. But you know what? I didn't. I realized this yesterday, when I was poking around a great blog I recently discovered (which, in coincidence of coincidences, [...] Want More?

Miso Chicken with Braised Fennel

rivka — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:32:36 +0000

Boneless chicken breasts are one of those things I cope with for the sake of my relationship. If I had my way, you'd never see them in my fridge or freezer: I find them flavorless and boring (unless breaded and fried — no complaints about homemade chicken fingers from this lady). But D [...] Want More?

Bouchon-Inspired Lemon Tart

rivka — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:52:30 +0000

On my last trip to New York, I stood on the third floor of the Time Warner Center for about an hour just waiting to get into Bouchon Bakery. It didn't work out — the person we were meeting was on a tight schedule — so we ended up eating salads at Whole Foods. [...] Want More?

Oven-Roasted Olives

rivka — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:50:59 +0000

In recent years, a slew of upscale pizza places have sprouted up to sate the ever-growing yuppie appetite for $13 (or $15, or $20) pies. Just look at Manhattan and Brooklyn: they're bursting with fancy pizza points, from the old-school Lombardi's and my favorite Grimaldi's to the newer Roberta's and Co., dreamt up by [...] Want More?

Spaghetti with Ramps

rivka — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:58:39 +0000

Hello out there! Sorry to have abandoned ship for the past week — due to Passover, I've been subsisting on a strange diet of matzah, farmers cheese, avocado, and salad. Not exactly the stuff worthy of a blog post. Most people would rather clean their bathroom than volunteer to host a dinner [...] Want More?

Strawberry Avocado Salad

rivka — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:13:50 +0000

Not exactly a recipe, but this was a part of my Sunday morning breakfast last week and I couldn't resist sharing it. It's a sign of the warmer days that are (I hope!) just around the corner, and it's a healthy and filling alternative to my usual morning grind. It's also dead simple [...] Want More?

Vegetarian Passover Main Dishes

rivka — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:06:52 +0000

See the notes before each recipe for ways to make recipe non-dairy. One week from today, Jews will celebrate the holiday of Passover, in which we tell the story of our enslavement in Egypt, our eventual exodus from slavery, and our future wandering in the desert and entering of the land of Israel. As tradition [...] Want More?

Perfect Pound Cake

rivka — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:59:27 +0000

The spring season is upon us, and we've got the rainfall to prove it! I wanted to go with something clean and fresh-looking for the spring blog design, with bright colors and lots of white space. So clear that cache and check out NDP's new layout — I hope you like it! We went to synagogue [...] Want More?

Hazelnut Brown Butter Cake

rivka — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:59:04 +0000

This post by another name? Best Cake Ever. Hazelnut, Brown Butter, Cake. Do you hear me yet? Brown butter, aka liquid gold. Hazelnuts, the best nuts on the planet. Cake. Yea. It's that good. Want More?

Meringues (Finally)

rivka — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:54:32 +0000

For all those anticipating Passover, these meringues are the perfect Passover dessert. They require no flour or leavening, but actually taste good. I simply can't go the week without them. I was looking through my archived photos today and discovered something utterly shocking: I've had a website for…how long now? a year and a half?…and somehow [...] Want More?

Hamentaschen — sexyugly

rivka — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:49:07 +0000

Yea, I don't know what happened this year. Normally, this dough gives me minimal frustration, but for some reason, this go-round I got half a batch of nice-looking little guys and half a batch of…well, sexyugly. Tasty, nonetheless — but not the kind of cookie you want to pass out. Especially not when [...]

The Makings of a Middle Eastern Lunch

rivka — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:51:27 +0000

Hard to believe it's already Thursday and another Saturday is nearly upon us. I'm still thinking about last weekend's 75-degree weather and super-chill Mediterranean style lunch. A trip to NYC will prevent me from repeating that meal this Saturday, but if I could, I would, in half a heartbeat. It's the obvious [...] Want More?

Hamentaschen

rivka — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:00:04 +0000

from the archive, just in time for the holiday. Purim has always been my favorite of the Jewish holidays; aside from dressing up in costume and sounding grogers (noisemakers), I've always loved reading the Megillah, the scroll containing the Book of Esther. For one thing, the Purim story details Queen Esther's evolution from passive [...] Want More?

Lemon and Rhubarb Mousse Parfaits

rivka — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:21:49 +0000

Today was an absolutely beautiful day in Washington. It was probably 75 degrees outside, and while the sky was cloudy in the morning, it cleared up quite a bit in the afternoon and the streets were packed. I've been waiting for a day like this for months, mostly because I so long for [...] Want More?

Rice Paper Rolls

rivka — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:13:09 +0000

Lunch makes or breaks my day. If it's good, I cruise through the whole afternoon on the contents of my midday tupperware, don't get really hungry again til about 4 or 5, and by then, I can pop a couple almonds, some honey wheat pretzels, or a piece of the dark chocolate bar I [...] Want More?

Coffee Walnut Cookies

rivka — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:14:35 +0000

When it comes to dessert recipe creators, none holds a candle to Alice Medrich. Considered by many the "first lady of chocolate," she is the founder of the famed Berkeley patisserie Cocolat and the author of several wonderful cookbooks, most recently Pure Dessert. I've raved about her twice before — her whole wheat [...] Want More?

Friday Freakout #1: Where's my local falafel joint?

rivka — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:03:25 +0000

In the interest of diversifying this blog beyond my standard "photo with recipe" formula, I'm instituting a new feature called Friday Freakout. No explanation needed, right? Having recently returned from Israel, falafel is on the mind more than usual. Walk down the streets of Jerusalem with me for a moment: you won't make it [...] Want More?

Building a Flavorful Vegetarian Soup

rivka — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:28:12 +0000

Winter has no better antidote than a hearty bowl of soup. On nights when all I want to do is cuddle under a blanket with tea, I often fill a bowl with soup and slurp it instead of chai. The choice there is easy: soup warms your insides and double-serves as dinner. I've been [...] Want More?

Inspired Chocolate Macarons

rivka — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:03:50 +0000

It's hard to believe that I've been on 3 continents in the past week. 7 days is too short for a proper vacation, especially when it involves places as wonderful as Israel and Paris. There's so, so much I wish I could have done that I just didn't get a chance to do [...] Want More?

Edamame Cabbage Slaw with Sweet Potatoes

rivka — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Hello from vacationland! We're in Israel for the next few days and beyond thrilled to be back. It's been way, way too long — almost two years since I lived here. I've missed every bit of it. Yesterday, I spent the most lovely afternoon at the shuk (market) with my dear dear [...] Want More?

Braised Pearl Onions

rivka — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:20:43 +0000

Readers Dearest, In a few short hours, I will be heading off for an all-too-short but nonetheless-exciting week-long vacation. While this means awesomeness for me, you're probably not as excited. Here's something to perk up your day: the post below is about a recipe that's delicious and easy to make, best combo ever. [...] Want More?

Zucchini Ricotta Tart

rivka — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:45:10 +0000

D and I host Friday night dinner pretty regularly. Being the slight lunatic that I am, prep usually starts on Tuesday, if not earlier. I start thinking about themes, poking around online and in my cookbooks for possible main courses, and trying to decide what vibe I want to create. Is this [...] Want More?

Yam, Zucchini, and Chickpea Salad

rivka — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:23:46 +0000

I'm definitely a bag-luncher. While I enjoy the occasional salad-bar salad or panini, I find that bringing my lunch to work is often healthier and more cost-efficient than the alternative. Especially since I work in Georgetown, where lunch joints are pretty high-end, and (as you all surely know) I'm not the biggest fan [...] Want More?

Housekeeping

rivka — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:29 +0000

Hi readers! Just a couple of quick items: As you can see from the picture above, the lovely Jan should be receiving my Menu For Hope Big Ole' Box of Sweets today, lucky lady that she is. Jan, hope you enjoy — and to the rest of you, hopefully you won something in MFH as well. [...]

Best Cauliflower EVER

rivka — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:43:48 +0000

Before you get annoyed that the title of this post is dramatic without being descriptive, consider the following: this recipe has 6 ingredients, including salt. It takes 25 minutes start to finish and is easily the most delicious cauliflower dish I I've ever had ever ever. Ever. Better to tell the world how [...] Want More?

Another Caponata Recipe

rivka — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:26:18 +0000

I know I've posted caponata on the blog before, but it's such a go-to recipe that I'm not surprised to see it up here again. Caponata is easy to make, very flavorful, and a true crowd-pleaser, even among the most carnivorous eaters. I made it this time as my contribution to a potluck [...] Want More?

Butternut Squash Cannelloni

rivka — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:17:57 +0000

First, let me just say that if you're not in Washington right now, I'd be surprised. This city has officially been infiltrated: hundreds of thousands of tourists have descended upon the nation's capital to witness this historic event, and boy does it feel crowded around here! The weekend was relatively quiet — I [...] Want More?

Menu for Hope Raffle Results

rivka — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:54:27 +0000

Well, Menu for Hope was quite a success! Over $60,000 raised for the UN World Food Program in Lesotho…very impressive, especially considering the rough times. To see if you won one of the many fantastic prizes, head over to www.chezpim.com for the complete list of winners. Also, if you're the lucky lady who won [...] Want More?