tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66260477549100704392024-03-05T15:47:47.513-08:00The Social DinerFavorite recipes and stories about home cooking. We love comfort food and dishes that warm the heart. Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-11108566944502786272012-11-15T17:51:00.000-08:002012-11-15T17:51:17.366-08:00Roasted Chestnut Soup
Roasted Chestnut Soup
The first time I had chestnut
soup was at a small
French Bistro in the West Village. It was mid-December in New York City and I
looked like a living snowman when I entered Bouchon
Bistro and Wine Bar. My friend was a regular there and insisted I
try their chestnut soup.
It was love at first taste!
However, I moved to San Francisco the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-79057584318789394092012-10-14T17:23:00.001-07:002012-10-14T17:45:14.438-07:00Spiced Apple Ricotta
Spiced Apple Ricotta
This recipe
was just the product of a week-long brainstorm and a dire craving for something
warm and spicy. The credit for the dessert's name goes to my friend, Marie French.
The first time I made it, I used Bartlett pears and it was just
as delicious. The second time I made this (just to be sure it wasn't a fluke and to get a few external opinions) was last nightUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-65606020805722612042011-05-21T00:17:00.000-07:002011-05-21T00:43:25.044-07:00The Crème Brûlée ExperimentI'm going to keep this post short and sweet - this is mostly just to show off the pictures of the final product...
I made crème brûlée for the first time tonight and expected it to completely fail. Mostly because I didn't follow a recipe - just looked up the ingredients and decided to "wing it". I also didn't have all of the right ingredients, so I improvised.
Surprisingly, my crème brûlée Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-23402501508489438482011-03-07T16:36:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:38:48.731-08:00Bacon Brownies Recipe
Bacon Brownies
I know the words “Bacon + Brownies” in the same sentence are hard to swallow, but I’ll swear to this: Once you go bacon, you’ll never be satisfied with a plain ol’ brownie again. And I promise that when you bite into these bacon brownies, you won’t get a chunk of meat that feels like it doesn’t belong there.
These bacon brownies will give you the best foodgasm of your life (my Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-83604818927672237392011-02-28T23:45:00.000-08:002011-03-02T10:04:33.234-08:00Grilled Cheese with Red Onion, Cherry Tomato & Irish Cheddar CheeseGrilled Cheese with Irish Cheddar CheeseGrilled Cheese with Red Onion, Cherry Tomato and Irish Cheddar Cheese is my absolute favorite grilled cheese sandwich. If you've got a craving for comfort food you absolutely must try this recipe on for size and if you have tomato soup to go with it, even better! Grilled Cheese Sandwich Ingredients (makes 2 sandwiches)4 slices of whole wheat breadThinly Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-87200638357661486312011-02-20T22:27:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:57:27.419-08:00Brown Sugar Candied Bacon (With a Kick)
Brown Sugar-Candied Bacon
I am obsessed with the combination of sweet and savory. And if you’ve taken the time to look through my recipes, you’ll notice that they have a much defined sweet-savory theme.
The first time I made Candied Bacon I used maple syrup. But I find, unless braised quite a bit, that the bacon doesn’t absorb the maple flavor too well. And once cooked, itUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-1795043878803704312011-02-14T21:16:00.000-08:002011-02-14T21:16:10.467-08:00Foodie Gossip: Anti-Valentine’s Day Food: Avoid the Sex by Feedin...Foodie Gossip: Anti-Valentine’s Day Food: Avoid the Sex by Feedin...: "Beer or Ale is a the perfect beverage to lower the libido.Want to avoid the sex without hurting your partner’s feelings on Valentine’s Day? ..."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-691841302122299692011-02-09T19:50:00.000-08:002011-02-18T22:47:51.284-08:00Nutella Banana Sandwich: I Finally Discovered The Golden Sandwich
Nutella + Banana = TLA
Last night I had a double foodgasm that left me wanting more. I had tried Nutella before and wasn’t all that impressed, but after finding an article about Nutella, I decided to give it another shot. And after the first bite, I heard angels sing.
I made a Nutella-banana sandwich and it was ammmazing. It was sweet and creamy… It was the perfect dessert sandwich. And when IUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-30449414050058405362011-01-22T14:23:00.000-08:002011-01-22T14:23:19.325-08:00Truly * Tastefully, Tara: Why Not Roast in Your Pot?Truly * Tastefully, Tara: Why Not Roast in Your Pot?: "Dear Readers, I grew up in a reasonably gourmet household where mom’s dinners consisted of meals like bouillabaisse and blue cheese and he..."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-3781580863710916242011-01-16T18:23:00.000-08:002011-03-07T17:00:41.834-08:00Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onion, Applewood Bacon & Swiss Gruyere CheeseI made this grilled cheese sandwich for lunch today and it was absolute heaven. The saltiness of the bacon, the creaminess of the Swiss Gruyere cheese and the sweetness of the caramelized onions blend perfectly in between the crunchy bread. If you've got a craving for comfort try this recipe on for size:
Grilled Cheese Sandwich Ingredients (makes 2 sandwiches)- 4 slices of whole wheat bread- Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-152196818169626672011-01-16T17:17:00.000-08:002011-02-18T22:55:33.100-08:00Seared Ahi Tuna with Blood Orange and Avocado SalsaAfter a very random week-long craving for fish, I decided to pick up some sushi-grade Ahi tuna. However, with the exception of shellfish, my experience cooking fish has been pretty limited and I wasn’t too sure how to prepare it. And to be perfectly honest, I have no idea how I came up with this dish. The idea just popped in my head and I had all of the ingredients at hand, so I just decided to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-76622616326524717992011-01-15T15:29:00.000-08:002011-01-15T15:29:08.260-08:00Truly * Tastefully, Tara: Skillet Chicken ParmTruly * Tastefully, Tara: Skillet Chicken Parm: "Dear Readers, This is my first winter in the burbs and it’s not quite as convenient to just “run out and get something at the store” as it ..."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-4226607677796370552011-01-10T08:00:00.000-08:002011-02-18T23:04:29.293-08:00Sausage is Souper!
Dear Readers,
I must admit, I’m currently experiencing what’s commonly known as the post-holiday blues in a serious way. That magical time of the year between the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and New Years Day is over. All the parties, all the special food, all the visiting with loved ones you don’t see very often has fizzled down into the doldrums of the chilly winter here in the Northeast. Truly Tastefullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06765032096921073170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-31658828466371477562010-12-31T00:41:00.000-08:002011-02-18T23:05:36.765-08:00Foodie Gossip: Top 10 Food Trend Predictions for 2011Foodie Gossip: Top 10 Food Trend Predictions for 2011: "2011 is just around the corner and I’m always blown away by the culinary strides that have been made over the past year. Extreme cooking and..."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-90130408060726077742010-12-28T10:33:00.000-08:002011-02-18T23:10:19.886-08:00Roast Duck Breast with Currant-Balsamic SauceAfter watching a cooking show that featured duck breast (kicking myself for not remember which one), I decided to cook up my own duck breast, for the very first time, for Christmas dinner. I didn’t follow the recipe for the show, but memorized the basic steps for the duck breast preparation and got some great sauce advice from my twitter friends (@ChefBevLazo and @burdladii). Keeping their adviceUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-25780707772259054082010-12-23T14:02:00.000-08:002011-02-18T23:17:01.491-08:00Moussaka for the HolidaysI absolutely love moussaka. I used to have it all the time when I lived in NewYork - it was on alomost every diner menu. And it was always done well. The Béchamel topping was always thick and firm, but not dry. But finding moussaka in San Francisco was almost impossible. Even if a restaurant did offer the dish, it was never prepared properly. So, I taught myself to make it - just the way Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-74515984607823587422010-12-15T21:46:00.000-08:002011-03-24T18:14:45.423-07:00Roast Beet Salad with Orange Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
This Roast Beet Salad with Orange Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette has been one of my staple dishes for years.
I’ve had friends swear they hate beets with the fiery passion of a thousand suns (I might be embellishing – just a little). Nothing brings me more happiness than to make my friends eat their words – and they did, after trying my roast beet salad. I’m pretty sure it’s because of the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-52447295869843251742010-12-15T17:39:00.000-08:002011-03-07T17:07:58.023-08:00Super Cheesy 5 Cheese Mac and CheeseSo rich and creamy, macaroni and cheese will always be the ultimate comfort food. And the bonus? This savory 5-cheese mac and cheese is fairly simple to make and has layers of cheesy flavor in every bite.
Here's the recipe for my Super Cheesy 5 Cheese Mac and Cheese...
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 garlic clove, chopped finely
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups milk
- 1 ¼ cupUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-17924233267798946272010-12-06T21:09:00.000-08:002010-12-06T21:34:43.271-08:00Tuxedo Your TurkeyDear Readers,It’s been a dream of mine to host Thanksgiving for a very long time. Although I held many parties of 40+ guests in my brownstone apartment in Brooklyn over the years, I never wanted to host Thanksgiving because I think of it as more of a sit down and gather around the table kind of a meal. That meant I could only have 6 other people for the holiday, which is only part of my family. Truly Tastefullyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06765032096921073170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-61410474484817299272010-12-02T23:22:00.000-08:002010-12-03T14:36:57.597-08:00Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter: The Easy WayI’m going to keep this one simple. It’s amazingly delicious and only takes about 15 minutes to make – unless you decide to make the ravioli from scratch.Ingredients:- Fresh Pumpkin Ravioli (Butternut Squash Ravioli also works fabulously)- Fresh Sage Leaves (1 per ravioli)- Salted Butter (1 Tbs. for every 8-10 ravioli)- Parmesan Cheese, grated- Pepper (to taste)Sage Brown ButterWhile the pumpkin Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-23184194789121556212010-11-28T22:36:00.000-08:002010-11-29T12:18:20.001-08:00Chocolate Pear Tart RecipeMy mother made this fabulously beautiful tart for Thanksgiving this year and I talked her into sharing the recipe. This is a wonderfully rich dessert that some would say tastes even better the next day. What I would say: “If you want to bake to impress, try out this recipe!”Here is the recipe for my mother’s Chocolate Pear Tart:A crisp, cookie-like hazelnut pie shell supports a rich chocolate Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-14006879719892706122010-11-21T22:06:00.000-08:002011-03-07T17:12:31.931-08:00Pecan-Crusted French ToastThis Pecan-Crusted French Toast is one of my favorite brunch dishes, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. Yet making it any other way would not yield the same tasty results.
Pecan-Crusted French Toast Ingredients:
- 2 cups Crushed Glazed Pecans
- 4 Eggs
- ½ cup Cream
- 1 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1 Tbs. Vanilla
- 8 slices Whole Wheat Bread
- 12-14 slices Applewood Bacon
- Grade A Maple Syrup
In a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-23130745700371103092010-11-10T16:14:00.000-08:002010-11-15T10:58:31.840-08:00Marilyn Monroe: Secret FoodieBeauty, brains and kitchen skills? Marilyn Monroe is hailed for her kitchen talent by a New York Times article that recreates a stuffing recipe of hers from the recently published autobiography, “Fragments”. So she really did have it all, there is a consensus of Marilyn experts saying, yes, the woman can cook. In a recent auction two cookbooks she owned and personally annotated were sold for $Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-4593770906697553802010-11-06T09:54:00.001-07:002010-11-15T10:57:32.323-08:00Savory Chicken Cacciatore (Hunters Stew)This is the familiar rustic Italian stew but with a twist to the preparation that enhances its savory flavor. The flavors come together in a bold yet nonacidic manner leaving you desiring more. The chicken is moist and the vegetables remain intact so you get a delicious flavor combination with every bite.This dish has nice balance with campfire flavor and tomato oregano undertones, providing a Jony.Seasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18433778280698914846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626047754910070439.post-70719353795039454452010-10-23T21:49:00.000-07:002010-10-31T16:22:06.042-07:00Cioppino for DinnerI cooked up my cioppino dish last night and actually took notes. Writing up the recipe now. Stay tuned for the best cioppino recipe ever...Yes, I'm tooting my own horn, but I've made this dish at least a hundred times and convinced it's the best one yet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0