Crispy Smashed Potatoes           WE’VE BEEN MAKING THESE RECIPES FOR PANZANELLA AND POTATOES FOR AGES. Sometimes I am astonished at what’s not on Chewing the Fat.  Just when I start to worry that I’ll never find a recipe that I haven’t already tried, I…

MEATLESS MEALS 101: ROASTED BROCCOLI AND POTATO TACOS WITH FRIED EGGS This Kay Chun recipe came straight from the pages of the New York Times. Every Saturday, the Times publishes a set of 5 recipes to set us up for what to cook that week.…

OF ALL THE DISHES SERVED FOR HANUKKAH, NONE IS MORE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE HOLIDAY THAN THIS SIMPLE POTATO LATKE. The Shammash being used to light the candles on the Hanakkah Menorah Friday is the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights.  The…

In a country mad for soup, Calo Verde will tell you why. And there’s a Bifana sandwich to go along with it. Here’s a soup and sandwich combination that’s easy and satisfying.  Soup in Portugal is a very big deal.  It plays a large part…

Bon Appetit’s June/July 2021 is a keeper. Not just because its cover heralds “21 Speedy Summer Recipes”.  I’ve already cooked my way through four of them. Earlier this week, it was the jumping off point for our Corn Snap Pea Sausage Rigatoni.  Today it’s this…

This wonderful dish is simple to prepare and an absolute show-stopper. It’s been a while since we cooked a Quiche.  In the 70s we remember making one once a week.  Watching “Nadiya Bakes”, Nadiya Hussain’s latest series on Netflix, we were drawn to this crispy-crusted…

Passover is coming up this weekend. It brought up memories of one of the most successful meals we’ve ever cooked. And quite honestly, one of the easiest dinners we ever made. If you have the slightest qualms about your skills in the kitchen, put them…

Astonishingly, Baked Potatoes are trending in the heat of Summer. Almost every day, I check to see what’s hot on Chewing The Fat.  This week, I discovered that the most popular recipe on the entire site was “The Perfect Baked Potato”. With 4160 pageviews just…

A great salad for a weekend lunch or a light supper one night next week. Asparagus is at its peak and radishes are almost gone from the farm stands here. So this week I was on the hunt for recipes that would make the most…

Comfort Food that brings back memories of home. When I was growing up, this dish passed for Shepherd’s pie at our house.  It usually involved the leftover Sunday Roast and any mashed potatoes that managed to survive our wonderful Sunday family dinners. But if you…

Is there any easier way to cook than on a Sheet Pan? Whoever invented Sheet Pan Recipes deserves a medal.  There is likely no more simple way of cooking than this.  All the ingredients cook at the same time in the same pan. And once…

If you’ve spent any time reading this blog, you know I am a huge fan of Trader Joe’s and not just because there happens to be one just three blocks from our place in the city.   I will suffer the crowds for the convenience and…

Not too long ago, I happened upon an America’s Test Kitchen show on PBS. One segment featured their take on The Perfect Baked Potato.  There it was in all its simplicity:  Stabbed, Brined, Baked, Coated with Olive Oil, Baked again only to emerge in a…

Garlic Scapes make their appearance once a year. There are cooks who wait all year to work with Garlic Scapes, the flower bud of the garlic plant.  The bud is removed about this time every year to encourage the underground bulb to thicken up.  They…