Stacey Snacks

Plum Cake for Dummies

2010-09-08T07:00:00.014-04:00

This has got to be the easiest cake to bake on the planet.If you have an hour, you can bake this cake.The recipe from Martha Stewart says it makes 2 cakes.Not a chance. It made enough batter for one 8" cake only, which was fine by me.The baking temp was listed at 400F, but I am always leery of cakes baked at such a high temp in my hot oven, so I turned it down to 375F to be safe.I used two

Roasted Corn & Cherry Tomato Pasta

2010-09-07T07:00:00.021-04:00

I have had so many delicious cherry tomatoes this summer, I wish it would never end.They grow in my garden, and my neighbors grow them, so we have a bunch.Red and yellow, sweet as candy.I make an easy weeknight dinner in the summer, roasting the sweet things, tossing them w/ penne, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil and olives.This week I changed it up a bit and roasted fresh sweet Jersey corn

Quick Appy: Crabmeat in Cucumber Cups

2010-09-06T07:00:00.005-04:00

Chance are, if you are reading this blog today, it must mean you need a last minute appetizer or idea for your Labor Day party today.Well click thru the last few days of posts, I posted some good ideas for summer parties. I love using cucumber cups instead of bread for appetizers.It saves on the carbs and keep you light on your feet.I usually make a salmon tartare for cucumber cups, but I had

Good a.m. Ratatouille Frittata

2010-09-04T07:00:00.011-04:00

Good Morning!Here is a great idea for using leftover ratatouille.At the end of summer, I always make a big batch of ratatouille, since eggplants, red peppers, plum tomatoes, zucchini and onions are plentiful in my neck of the woods.I love it just on its own or served over rice. I make it differently every time, depending on what I have on hand.It usually lasts all week in the fridge, but by day

Downtown Random Bites

2010-09-03T07:00:00.017-04:00

Once again, a vacation day takes us 18 miles from our front door to the Lower East Side of Manhattan. A "staycation", get it?There are too many new restaurants to try and not enough time to taste everything.This neighborhood is so interesting. You like Chinese food? (and I'm not talking about beef & broccoli), Deli? Dominican? Italian? Kosher? It's all down here in this wonderful melting pot

Tuscan White Bean Dip

2010-09-02T07:00:00.005-04:00

From my photos, this may not look like much, but trust me, it's really great.You can make this in the food processor, creating more of a smooth paste, but I like to feel my beans, see my beans and taste my beans, so I use my potato masher and hand mash the beans.Start with any can of your favorite white beans, cannellini being my first choice.Roast a head of garlic in a toaster oven at 400F,

End of Summer Tomato Tart

2010-09-01T07:00:00.003-04:00

I hope you are not growing tired of tomato recipes!Don't worry, the season is almost over. Soon enough I will only have squash and carrots to use, so stop complaining.My lovely neighbors are still bringing me the weekly basket of heirlooms, but I can only eat so many tomato sandwiches.I made my traditional French Tomato Tart, but this time did a double layer in a store bought deep dish pie

Grilled Chicken & Orzo Salad

2010-08-31T07:00:00.016-04:00

If you are wondering what to make for your Labor Day party, I have the answer!This is so easy and so delicious. There are many variations of chicken and orzo salad recipes, but I think I have finally found a winner.Don't be afraid of the tarragon, which is not my favorite of herbs, but it works in this recipe with the sweet currants and salty olives.I changed the dressing a bit, and used a

Gin Mojitos

2010-08-30T07:00:00.010-04:00

I usually don't post booze recipes for a Monday a.m., but we had some great cocktails this past weekend!Our bartender friends always roll their eyes when a customer asks for a mojito.Especially on a busy Saturday night!Muddling the mint for each individual drink can be time consuming........so I only order them when I see the bartender is in a good mood!We felt like mojitos this weekend, but I

Hair Loom BLT

2010-08-28T07:00:00.023-04:00

I have to snicker. We went out to dinner with a couple last weekend (thankfully, they don't read this blog) and the gal ordered the "Hair Loom" salad.Say it with a heavy Staten Island accent. Because I can't help myself, I blurted out "what the heck is a hair loom salad?".She meant to order the heirloom salad (like the heir to a throne). Duh.Let's get back to tomatoes.There are plenty of

Just a Friendly Reminder

2010-08-27T07:00:00.011-04:00

I know I posted this recipe back in the winter, during a snow storm, but here it is again to remind you to make it when it matters.In August. When it's miserably hot and humid and you don't want to make a production and heat up the kitchen (though the weather has been much cooler this week for a change).It's a simple cold pasta sauce, made with fresh cherry tomatoes, capers, garlic, a can of

Good Gazpacho

2010-08-26T07:00:00.004-04:00

What do you like to eat in the dog days of August?I don't like anything heavy. Preferably vegetarian and light.This cold tomato and vegetable soup, also knows as gazpacho, is perfect for hot summer nights on the patio with a hunk of bread.It is also great as a salsa for shrimp cocktail.It's Ina's recipe, so you know it's good.I used different color peppers to make it more colorful.Gazpacho:1

What's for Dinner? Copy Cat

2010-08-25T07:00:00.023-04:00

I don't always plan what I am going to make for dinner in advance, sometimes I choose on the fly. I browse food blogs in the a.m. and say "hey, that looks good", then shop for my ingredients that day if I have time.This week I have fresh caught fish from my brother-in-law John and his uncle Jerry, and I needed a quick idea for the nice sea bass filets.Marie's fresh herb crusted fish it was

Fig & Ricotta Flatbread Pizza

2010-08-24T07:00:00.013-04:00

Truth: I received 3 emails yesterday, from different friends/readers having something to do with figs.Ramona sent me photos of her fig trees (jealous). Debby sent me an email about her dreamy fig panna cotta dessert, and Rosemary sent me a fresh fig ice cream recipe.People must really think I have a problem.I finally found some fresh, ripe, fat, dripping with goodness figs. But I paid $5.99

Heirloom Tomato Salad w/ Burrata & Opal Basil

2010-08-23T07:00:00.023-04:00

You don't really need a recipe for this salad, however, I thought I would make it as Ms. Goin does in her lovely book Sunday Suppers at Lucques.You know this is one of my very favorite cookbooks.However, she makes everything into such a production. But the nice thing about her recipes is that you can read thru them and then "take it down a notch" or "dumb it down" (I hate both of those

Any Fruit Crisp

2010-08-21T07:00:00.009-04:00

This has to be the easiest dessert to throw together.Use whatever fruit you have on hand. Berries, apples, peaches, plums. They all work well.Last night I used whatever was ripe on the counter.2 nectarines and 8 luscious figs. I sliced them up with the skins left on.Lay the cut up fruit in a small oval casserole or baking dish.For the topping: (measurements are approximate)3 tbsp light brown

What's for Dinner? Shrimp & Chorizo Skewers

2010-08-20T07:00:00.015-04:00

I have definitely given this new grill a workout this summer.It's so nice not to have to heat up the kitchen and be able to cook outside every night. The joys of summer.Last night's dinner were skewers threaded with Spanish chorizo with grilled shrimp and some cherry tomatoes from my garden thrown on for good measure.Thread each skewer (I like the metal ones) with 2 jumbo shrimp with the tail on

Caramelized Onions on Polenta

2010-08-19T07:00:00.018-04:00

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.When neighbors give you onions, caramelize them!My neighbor had a bumper crop of onions and dropped a bucket of them on my doorstep! What to do with the mother load of onions?I decided to caramelize them all. That's right, stand over the cutting board, crying, burning stinging eyes, slicing onions (I am a drama queen, it wasn't that bad).I will use them

What's For Dinner? Mediterranean Style Chicken Breasts

2010-08-18T07:00:00.011-04:00

Remember my Chicken Bruschetta recipe?It's the perfect dish for entertaining.You add the tomato topping just before serving on a platter of greens and drizzle w/ some balsamic vinegar & olive oil.You can make it ahead, and serve it cold. Everyone loves it.This time I mixed it up a bit and added feta cheese and olives to the mix to make it more Mediterranean style. Instead of basil, I added

Mock Caesar Salad

2010-08-17T07:00:00.013-04:00

I have been making the same Caesar salad dressing forever.It's tried and true and why do I need another one in my repertoire?Well, sometimes change is a good thing (so they tell me).This recipe is from a book called Canal House Cooking. They have a really cool website.It's a series of 4 seasonal books written and photographed by 2 talented NJ women.Both of them food editors of Saveur magazine &

Grilled Vegetable Torte

2010-08-16T07:00:00.015-04:00

This is not only beautiful, but tastes fantastic.It's a great way to use up all those delicious summer veggies.It's all about the layering in this dish.You need a springform pan and that's pretty much it.You can use just about any vegetable you like along with plum/Roma tomatoes.Mozzarella and ricotta cheese not needed.Serve this warm or cold, it matters not. It makes a beautiful presentation (

Grilled Peach Yogurt Parfait

2010-08-14T07:00:00.013-04:00

This is what I do with the grilled peach slices that fall apart and don't make it into my salads.This is better than ice cream, if you can believe it!We have so many Jersey peaches at the farm stands and I can't help but grill a few.Grilling the peaches caramelizes them and makes them super sweet and sticky.Click here for the original recipe.Save your peach scraps from grilling (the ones that

Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

2010-08-13T07:00:00.011-04:00

It's Friday night again. Time for appetizers and cocktails on the patio.Tonight I am using my cute little red cherry 100's and yellow grape tomatoes from my garden to make bruschetta (remember: it's pronounced bru-SKETTA).Slice up the tomatoes into small pieces and mix with some cubed fresh mozzarella.Add some sliced kalamata olives and drizzle a little white balsamic vinegar over (just a few

Great Grilled Tuna w/ Radicchio & White Bean Salad

2010-08-12T07:00:00.012-04:00

I love this recipe.It's fresh and light and truly delicious.I watched Bobby Flay make it for a huge crowd of hungry Italian American men in Corona, Queens, NY and everyone loved it.His recipe calls for soaking the beans overnight, and discarding the carrots, onions and herbs. Don't bother with that. Just use a can of good beans instead. It makes this dish the perfect easy weeknight dinner,

Beet Napoleons: Patience Required

2010-08-11T07:00:00.027-04:00

If you like to thread needles or tweeze fine hairs from your chin (sorry, gross), then maybe this should be your next project.It requires a lot of patience.I love to roast beets, it's very soul satisfying, though slicing them super thin and spreading them with cheese is another story.I buy these amazing organic beets from a farmer in Princeton, NJ.He is very proud of his beets and does something