tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-322848002024-03-07T21:49:12.286-05:00Rah Cha ChowWhat's cooking in Rochester, NY.Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comBlogger354125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-34353322132622391332017-12-09T20:20:00.000-05:002017-12-09T20:22:12.123-05:00Spritz Cookies, Two Recipes
You don't really need a long, drawn out explanation of these recipes, do you? I thought not.
Cake Mix Lemon Spritz Cookies
Adapted from a Pampered Chef recipe
1 18.25 oz box lemon cake mix (you can use other flavors)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 lb butter (4 sticks), room temperature
Food color, if desired (I added a few drops of yellow food color to
(The original recipe called for 1 tsp Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-31043471490962139482017-01-08T16:47:00.000-05:002017-01-08T16:54:45.897-05:00Rosemary Bread a la Macaroni Grill
This loaf is a bit too brown.
This is a bread I've tried several times and have never gotten just perfect, but I improve it a little bit each time I make it. I started using this recipe because a friend and I used to like the complimentary bread at Macaroni Grill.
I have no idea whether they still serve it, as I focus on locally owned restaurants as a reporter for the Democrat and Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-78074413990533890892015-06-01T20:46:00.002-04:002015-06-01T20:47:07.281-04:00Come Read Me at the D&C!
When I started entering cooking contests in 2004, and made my first attempt at blogging in 2006, I couldn't have imagined it would lead to this.
Today I started my dream job: food and beverage reporter for the Democrat & Chronicle in Rochester. I am beyond excited.
As a result, this blog is dormant as I turn my efforts to my new job, but it remains here as an online source of recipes.
Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-86173767294800535742015-02-03T18:19:00.004-05:002015-02-03T18:23:19.924-05:00Peanut Butter Dip a la Football<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-24981896282995104582014-11-24T10:29:00.001-05:002017-01-08T17:51:54.942-05:00Pumpkin Bread from The Book of Bread
One of the benefits of working at a pumpkin farm is that I can usually snatch a few Long Island Cheese pumpkins left over at the end
of the season. These large, squat buff-colored pumpkins -- the same color as butternut squash -- make a particularly beautiful pumpkin puree. (This post shows you how I do it.) As a result, I'm always looking for recipes calling for pumpkin puree.
When I Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-81000087959912072422014-09-08T08:37:00.002-04:002014-09-11T20:52:14.554-04:00My Special Recipe from Joan Rivers
About 15 years ago, my Moms club decided to do a cookbook as a fundraiser. My bright idea: contact well-known local and national mothers and ask them to contribute a recipe in order to generate interest in the cookbook. Contacting those moms was a time-consuming process, but it was fun to check the mail (yes, the mail) each day to see who sent me a contribution.
Here's one of my favorites, Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-29304860364648695862014-07-20T20:05:00.003-04:002017-12-09T20:12:07.454-05:00A recipe for using up CSA greens
As a member (and employee) of the Wickham Farms CSA program, I get lots of greens – sometimes by themselves, as in kale, spinach and collard greens, other times attached to root vegetables like beets and turnips. They are great in that they are packed with nutrients, are high in dietary fiber and are low in calories. The trouble with them, though, is that they have strong flavors that can be Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-61087161618825778872014-06-28T15:33:00.003-04:002014-11-24T15:47:25.895-05:00Spinach and Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese
The original
I visited Rochester's amazing Jazz Fest earlier this week and I can't get something out of my head.
Usually I've got an earworm that's a riff or a line from a song I've heard.
This year I can't stop thinking about a sandwich.
I had a grilled cheese sandwich from a food truck called Cheesed and Confused. It had spinach, spicy mustard and goat cheese on a sturdy bread, and I paidTracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-60855796255312480212014-05-04T13:04:00.002-04:002014-05-04T13:05:38.920-04:00Hungry Girl Coming to Rochester
Lisa Lillien (aka Hungry Girl) is coming to the Pittsford Wegmans this Thursday, May 8, at 6 p.m.
I joined the daily Hungry Girl email newsletter many years ago, and followed with interest as Lisa started doing promotional appearances, then got her own show on the Food Network. Truth be told, I'd be VERY interested in learning about her business and the ascendancy of the Hungry Girl brand. Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-62348444664001954542014-04-07T19:14:00.001-04:002014-11-24T15:47:11.302-05:00Easy (and Light) Coconut Cake
I had a delicious meal with my Cooking Light group yesterday. Our dessert was this coconut cake, which was easy, absolutely delicious and somewhat light (I wouldn't call it "healthy" but it's not as loaded with fat as some other desserts).
We remarked that it would be easy to color the coconut green for Easter and garnish it with some jelly beans or other candies. If I was hosting guests that Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-83117960895873970492014-04-06T09:59:00.000-04:002014-07-29T15:10:50.730-04:00Basics Banana Bread
During one of the many snowstorms during the past winter, I wanted to bake a comforting banana bread. All of my usual recipes, though, included ingredients, such as buttermilk, that I didn't have in the pantry or fridge. There way no way I was venturing out, so I searched the internet for a recipe the called for only the basics. I found this one on a lovely website called Urban Comfort. I Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-6909262515709534522014-03-12T16:15:00.000-04:002014-03-14T09:16:32.400-04:00Butterscotch Bars in the Blizzard
The Blizzard made me do it.
On days like these, as Vulcan unleashes its wrath on Rochester (that's my husband and his snow blower), all I want to do is bake, bake, bake. I deliberately didn't buy chocolate chips when I went to the store yesterday, because I didn't want to be tempted to do so. (I sure don't need the calories.) That was silly; I just scrounged around and found something else to Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-54322354289136777172014-02-02T21:49:00.002-05:002014-02-02T21:49:15.975-05:00Special Scotcheroos Fooballs
I'm a sucker for a theme, but I don't have a lot of time for fussing.
Today's Super Bowl treats: Special Scotcheroo footballs. I whipped up a batch of Special Scotcheroos, pressed them into a jelly roll pan, and refrigerated until they were not quite firm.
I cut them into football shapes. (I didn't have a football cookie cutter, so I bent an egg cookie cutter to be close to footballs.) I Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-37540612102595869392014-01-02T20:31:00.002-05:002014-01-02T20:35:13.732-05:00Karen's Ham Salad
I cooked a ham for Christmas Day leftovers, and as usual, had a ton of leftovers. My usual go-to recipe for leftover ham is my mother-in-law's recipe for open-faced ham sandwiches.
I happen to spot a post for ham salad on the lovely blog Savoury Table, written by cooking contest friend Karen Harris. It looked like a tasty way to use up ham and I thought I'd try it for a a change. It was yummyTracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-13416457016558382662013-12-30T11:55:00.004-05:002017-01-08T17:50:44.394-05:00Chicken mushroom noodle gratin
For a few years, three friends and I regularly attended cooking classes held at The Seasonal Kitchen. Dick and Ginger Howell gave -- and still give -- cooking classes in their inviting kitchen in Pittsford. Dick and Ginger are informative yet comedic, their recipes delicious yet approachable. Alas, the schedule demands of school-age kids brought our time at the Seasonal Kitchen to a halt, but Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-51181178906841563342013-12-27T13:39:00.004-05:002013-12-30T15:05:11.875-05:00Molasses Cookies, Cut-Out Cookies, and keeping it simple.
The days after Christmas often find me exhausted, sick and overwhelmed by the mess. This year, I'm healthy, rested and feeling peaceful.
My secret was to simplify. I did not buy a single Christmas magazine; I do not need more ideas to complicate the season. I did not put out all of my Christmas decorations.
I made major changes to my baking. So that I wouldn't be tempted to eat treats Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-16313107448090107652013-07-06T08:03:00.001-04:002013-07-06T08:03:54.208-04:00Sugar Snap Pea and Radish SaladOne of the challenges and rewards of being a member of the Wickham Farms CSA (I am also director of marketing at the farm) is finding a way to cook with ingredients that I wouldn't ordinarily purchase.
Take radishes, for example.
During the first two weeks of the CSA, I had visitors at my house who happily gobbled up my radishes. This week, though, I'm on my own. I found that tossing the Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-33930327573946767462013-05-28T21:18:00.001-04:002013-05-28T21:19:34.395-04:00Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes
I made a good, simple dish for dinner tonight. I ended up cooking it too long due to a crazy schedule, but it still was quite tasty. (That skin on top that looks burnt was actually crispy and yummy). The dish came together quickly, but it has to bake for an hour, so plan accordingly.
Nigella Lawson, who created the original recipe I tinkered with, suggests chopping the leftover chicken, Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-74764933736530800802013-03-19T22:05:00.001-04:002013-03-19T22:06:29.758-04:00Oatmeal Cranberry CookiesAt this time of year, I’m usually excited about moving on to light spring flavors, but the constant snow has me firmly stuck in my winter repertoire. When the snow falls, I crave baking, so I recently made a batch of my favorite oatmeal cookies for a friend who was under the weather. Cranberries are a tasty substitute for the usual raisins, although any dried fruit could be substituted.
Oatmeal Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-5456901101023979262013-02-04T21:33:00.000-05:002013-02-04T22:11:43.083-05:00Brownie batter dip: so wrong but so yummy.
On Super Bowl Sunday, I was busy running errands and got a text from my 15-year-old son:
"What should I make for the party? Dessert or dip?"
My delighted response:
"Whatever you want!"
This is what he made to take to our friends' Super Bowl party. I never would have thought this list of ingredients would end up tasting as yummy as it did. Throughout the party, I saw kids scooping from the bowlTracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-85782553867421301692013-01-29T09:04:00.002-05:002013-01-29T09:09:55.860-05:00Strawberry Footballs for Super Bowl
It’s almost Super Bowl Sunday and — I’ll be honest — I’m looking forward to the food and the company at my friends’ annual Super Bowl party more than I’m looking forward to the actual game. (I like football, but I’m a born and bred Bears fan.)
Everyone takes a dish to the party. Some people have their specialties — one of the guys makes a tasty pepperoni stuffed bread — but I tend to make Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-69788463552474175702013-01-16T15:24:00.000-05:002013-01-16T15:24:03.823-05:00I'll miss Elegant Expressions.
Today I met some old friends for lunch. They asked me to pick a spot
in Penfield, and I chose Elegant Expressions.
The pretty purple building
on Five Mile Line Road is a great place to go to with the girls,
because it serves things like quiche and chicken salad on croissant --
not to mention wonderful desserts.
Much to my dismay, when we arrived we saw that Elegant Expressions has Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-10262624929176234142012-12-27T10:45:00.002-05:002012-12-27T12:11:52.585-05:00An Opportunity to Give Back to First RespondersPenfield Ambulance will be opening up their base from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and providing food and drink for first responders, honor guard and military attending calling hours and the funeral in Webster. They will be accepting food donations Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. -- no monetary donations will be handled. Penfield Base is located at 1585 Jackson Rd, Penfield, NY, 14626.
Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-20835806503998474262012-12-26T19:45:00.001-05:002012-12-27T10:46:44.956-05:00Volunteer Opportunities at Receptions for Fire FightersSo four firefighters get up in the middle of
the night before Christmas Eve to battle a fire in the next town over from me. A psycho opens fire. Two firefighters dead, two
wounded. And then the fire fighters can't fight the fire until they know
it's safe, so seven houses burn to the ground.
Since I heard the news, I have wanted to “do
something” and I know that others feel the same way. My Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32284800.post-39857862191043240252012-12-11T08:28:00.001-05:002012-12-11T08:33:11.283-05:00A tasteful gift idea
Tasteful Additions in Pittsford
Every year I try to find something thoughtful and a little different for hostess gifts, teacher gifts, or small gifts for friends. Some years I’ve made gifts from the kitchen. Other years it’s been a favorite new CD.
This year’s gift: nice balsamic vinegars, olive oils and salts, which I purchased at Tasteful Additions in Pittsford.
Tasteful Additions sells Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465184138365516108noreply@blogger.com