Dinner

When E and I were in the Dominican Republic last month, we did our fair share of island-inspired cooking. We whipped up shrimp curry a few times, paella with spiny lobster (which you could find down there simply by swimming out a few yards from shore), and pasta with fresh local vegetables. Our favorite dish was a […]

Today is Super Bowl Sunday. I’m not particularly attached to either team playing, and frankly I haven’t been paying attention to much of football this season because I was otherwise occupied with pregnancy, birth and baby. But this Sunday reminds me of a special bond I had with my own father over football. My dad, […]

I am late to the game on the Mississippi Roast recipe. But I’m so thankful I found it. My life is profoundly better having this in my belly. Mississippi Roast was created by a Southern gal named Robin Chapman, who has made it for family and friends for years. It was published in a local […]

One cannot call themselves a vegan — even if temporarily — and not have visited Thug Kitchen. These potty mouthed chefs are like the N.W.A. of vegan cooking. I love a good “f*cking A” in the kitchen as much as the next hungry sailor. And I needed some ideas for dinner. I knew I could find both […]

The past week, I’ve been making easy dinners for E and I in an effort to expand my recipe book and avoid eating out. I’ve been pretty successful. There was honey mustard chicken with apple and walnut couscous on Monday. And the other night, a supereasy turkey meatball dinner. 

It’s slow cooker season at my house. One good reason to bring out the Crock-Pot is to cook for friends.

Fried chicken is having a moment. Shake Shack has people clucking after the chain added a deee-licious fried chicken sandwich to its menu. Momofuku just opened a fried chicken shop in the East Village. I would not be surprised of the sale of home fryers was also on the rise. Or, at least, vegetable oil.

What do you call ramps that you have dug out of the trash because you accidentally threw away the good parts? Re-foraged ramps!

Runzas. Apropos for cold weather nights in front of the television, I baked these meat and cheese packed meat pockets for dinner the other night.

It’s Super Bowl season, y’all! Did you guys catch the games this weekend? I mean……

Hahaha. Aren’t I clever?

Forgive me for not posting yesterday, I was a bit busy.

The condition of lethargy, bitterness, and exhaustion from going to fashion shows and parties is commonly described as Fashion Weak. That was me this week. Hence the lack of posting.

E and I had a huge debate about cooking last night.

The best laid plans are the ones that are always broken.

Though summer has finally arrived in New York, I miss Barbados.

E was not going to let his new shiny birthday toys stay shiny for long.

Dinner guests force you to up your kitchen game.

What does your ideal day look like?

I’m a woman of my word. As promised, I remade the shrimp po’ boy all by myself.

Here’s how E and I choose what we’re having for dinner.

Well yesterday was fun!

Saturday nights used to be for dinners out and club hopping. But I do enough of that during the week for my day job at The New York Post. Now—nesting with my boyfriend in my mid-30s—Saturday nights are for roasting chicken.

I had a post a few weeks ago about why one should not order the plain white sandwich. Unless you’re E, and your girlfriend is making grilled cheese sandwiches with sauteed brussels sprouts and you despise the green veggies.

Hump day. Halfway to the weekend, which is time for one of my favorite fall weekend activities: watching football.

I should mention that our sunset dinner a few days ago almost didn’t happen.

Last weekend was 75 degrees and sunny, and we may not see warm temps like that until next year. It was a great excuse to grill meat by the river.

Sunday afternoon. Me. Football. TV. Heaven. Sunday afternoon. E. Computer. Office. Heaven.

On Sunday nights of my childhood, my mother often made pot roasts.

Earlier this week I made a Forbidden Sandwich of zucchini and sliced tomatoes, two vegetables E finds repulsive. I asked E what he would cook for himself when I’m not around.

We still had zucchini left over from Marie’s garden. But we did not have much zucchini bread left—we gave most of one loaf to Marie. The other loaf and a half…. I, um…well, I was hungry!

E and I will not see each other for a week. Fashion Week begins today, and I will be out covering shows and parties for work.

I have never fried chicken before. My mother fried it on occasion, but I can’t remember a time when she made any for Dad and I after 1994, when she was working nights, and I went on this kick where everything I ate was stir fried.

E and I are the rare couple that can sit next to each other for hours and say nothing, yet be having the time of our lives.

Last week, I have not been giving one particular being in this household enough attention. No, not E, but the the beef brisket I bought on Monday that has sat in the fridge.

E and I are back on track. So, I’m back in the kitchen.

My friends want me to have a birthday party for myself, but then I end up having to make the plans. I don’t want to do any work to enjoy my birthday. Instead, I’ll make E do it.

July 4th is a special day at our house. Not only is it America’s birthday, it’s mine, too.

Rating: I found a recipe for lamb meatballs that was so easy to make, I had dinner ready in 20 minutes, which put me on the couch in time to watch “House Hunters” on HGTV. We had leftovers, so I made E another sandwich for lunch.

“There’s wind tomorrow,” E declared. “We’re going to the beach.”

Maybe I’ve been spending too much time in the kitchen. Maybe I’ve spent too much time taking care of others and not myself. But despite dating a tall attractive man who loves me, I didn’t feel…sexy.

I was determined to make three sandwiches this weekend–particularly on Saturday. E wanted to go kite surfing on Sunday, tearing me away from the kitchen and computer all day. Though the weather was perfect for the beach, I had to get my laundry done, clean the house, do a mask for my face, work out […]

Here’s another difference between E and I. He is friends with just about all of his ex-girlfriends. In fact, I have met a majority of the women he’s dated because he’s either invited them to our dinner parties or taken me to their birthday bashes and Sunday brunches. I am not friends with any of […]

I ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon this weekend, which was an amazing but intense experience. On Saturday, I was up by 5:30 am to get over to the starting line just a short drive away. By the time I crossed the finish line in about two hours, E was there waiting with a smile.

We were majorly hung over. Two nights ago, we went out with well-intentioned but highly demanding friends who grilled E about the whole wedding thing. “When are you going to get married? What are you waiting for? This sandwich thing is for the birds! I’ll make you three hundred sandwiches in my kitchen this weekend! […]

I should never cook drunk. Cooking under the influence is unlikely to produce tasty results.

Hashtag fail. That’s how I would describe the other night’s dinner.

What a difference a day makes.

Sometimes—such as yesterday— E thinks I make him look childish. After my recap of E refusing to eat store bought smoked salmon, in favor of the fresh, pastrami–flavored fish from Russ & Daughters, E told me. “You portray me as a tantrum-having child sometimes.”

Rating: Easter Sunday is upon us. Actually Good Friday is upon us, so I wanted to make something to reflect the holiday.

Rating: E and I just got back from Miami, a super amazing trip full of dancing, eating, pool parties, beach time and Champagne. Between all of that, somehow we missed hitting up THIS amazing find while we were there! I blame traffic! I blame the uber alluring pool at the Delano Hotel! I blame everyone […]

Rating: I’m ready for a vacation. Not only to get away from this drab New York City weather, but also to give E and I something else to do beside stare at each other.

I hadn’t made a Crock-Pot meal all week, and I didn’t want our favorite appliance to feel abandoned. While E cranked out code, I threw together chicken cacciatore.

Rating: E deserved a break from taking care of me all week. Poor thing hadn’t seen his friends, hadn’t gone out to dinner or drinks since I came down with the flu. Since I was back to work, E wanted to reclaim his social life. “I’m having Scotch tonight!” he declared.

Rating: It’s Fashion Week. I barely have time to brush my teeth, much less make E a sandwich. E has had to do all of the grocery shopping since Thursday because I’m running from show to show and the after parties. I don’t abandon him completely–I make sure to bring E to the parties.

Rating: Dunzo! Pulled chicken. Fall-apart-on-the-fork chicken. In the Crock-Pot. Finished with a bit of molasses to give it a sweet kick. Kammy and crew will be well-fed through the fourth quarter. I hope they’ve got plenty of rum and bourbon to make Mardi Gras appropriate drinks to accompany my perfectly cooked meat.

Rating: I am a walking informercial for the Crock-Pot. The kitchen appliance has seriously changed my life.

Rating: Dare I say there’s mushrooms on this sandwich? MUSHROOMS! On a sandwich for E?! Friday night, E and I brainstormed ideas for dinner over text. When I met him in the fresh produce aisle of Foragers, I saw him standing in front of the forbidden vegetable. “I’m thinking skirt steak, with a mushroom sauce.” […]

Rating: I am feeling extreme Christmas anxiety. I haven’t finished Christmas shopping, and that includes buying a gift for E. And I just discovered that the store that I wanted to get his gift from is CLOSED ON SATURDAYS!!!! ACK! I am the worst. girlfriend. ever. EVER! This is why people drink Baileys in their […]

Rating: A right of passage before turning 35 is having one good solid health scare to frighten you into eating better, giving up booze and exercising more, even if you already do these things. E had one earlier this year involving breathing issues, but after a few doctor’s visits and medicine, the issue was treated. […]

Sometimes, I can follow instructions too literally. For example, I have a soft voice, one which has the same timbre as ambient noise. This means when I’m in a crowded restaurant or loud office, it’s hard for others to hear me because the tone of my voice isn’t high pitched like a little girl or […]

Rating: We were done with Thanksgiving. The turkey was gone, E’s mom went back home, and we were tired from all of the cooking and cleaning that went with our Thanksgiving feast. But before I cleaned the refrigerator of all of the leftovers, I wanted to use the last of the sweet potatoes, stuffing and […]

Rating: Thanksgiving was amazing. Our turkey–brined two days in advance–turned out juicy and tender. Our sides–sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, asparagus, stuffing and a beautiful salad with butternut squash, bacon, pecans and roasted onion–were gobbled up quickly. And we had tons of booze, desserts and great company. Including E’s mom.

A day before Thanksgiving, and we’re in good shape. Turkey: arrived yesterday (thank you, Fresh Direct!). Decor: set. Booze: guests are bringing bottles of wine and Champagne. E was off this morning for the last trip to the greenmarket for fresh asparagus, greens, herbs and potatoes. That should be all for the food shopping.

A trip to Restoration Hardware proved yet again how different E and I are as shoppers. He buys high quality things he loves, price or fragility be damned. I always have my “Practical Sally” hat on, and look for things that will last long or provide the best value—like dark-colored pillows and sheets so they […]

It is really miraculous how E can always believe the best will happen in any scenario. Whether it’s getting a job, or a good price for something, or making it on time for a dinner reservation, he always believes it will happen before he sees the possibility it won’t. I am the opposite. I always […]

This year, E and I were hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house for the first time. It’s so, like, grown up and mature to be hosting the holidays with my man! But even more exciting—and adding a bit more pressure to create a spectacular meal—E’s mom is coming to town for the holiday. We’ve already […]

E and I are in Rio de Janeiro, settled in the upscale Soho-like neighborhood of Leblon. From our room overlooking Leblon and Ipanaema Beach, we can see the locals in as little clothing as possible. The size of the bathing suit I bought to blend in with the cariocas is akin to the dimensions of […]

I let E pick the sandwich tonight. Instead of following his stomach, he decided to pick a country that he felt most inspired by from Google maps and let that decide what we ate. “Morocco.” he declared.

When Manhattan friends venture to our Brooklyn apartment, we have to hear the usual complaints. “I got lost!” “Is it safe around there?” “Are there liquor stores around you?” “How am I going to get back to the city from there?” Dude, it’s not Bagdad. It’s Brooklyn!

Fall arrived this weekend. E and I wanted to commemorate the event, along with his cousin’s birthday, with a dinner party at our place. Since E and I moved to Brooklyn to partake in some hard core nesting, we’d rather entertain at our place and be asleep by midnight than battle traffic to head back […]

A word on sweating the small stuff. Don’t. After we parked our brand new car in a parking garage while running errands in the East Village, we discovered the driver’s side car door was mysteriously slashed below the window, leaving a three inch gash in the leather panel. The culprit was either a garage worker […]

This week was super busy. It’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. I write about fashion, so Fashion Week keeps me out at both shows and parties, plus I have to looks my chicest and skinniest next to all of the models, editors and other fashion hangers on that believe Champagne and cigarettes make for […]

I didn’t make any sandwiches over Labor Day weekend. This is why. E and I had little time to ourselves last week. We worked, we entertained, and we passed out every night too exhausted for pillow talk. I also got so caught up in making sandwiches that I was leaving little time for E outside […]

“Croque madame,” E suggested over text message. “You eat ham?” I asked. I learn something new about my boyfriend every day. I’m not too fond of white creamy sauces (my thighs expand at the mere sight of them), nor was I looking forward to having to top this cheesy sandwich with a runny egg. But […]

We had to leave our comfy Brooklyn confines to go to a friend’s party in Soho. After a full Saturday afternoon of cleaning house, I struggled to get off of the couch. A few hours before party time, E whipped up a steak tartare topped with a quail egg yolk (for some, steak tartare is […]

Some techie thingamajig that E is in charge of building is about to launch within weeks. Thus, E has to spend hours programming and uploading and downloading and looking at the computer screen to make code for this thing. Deadlines were looming, so we had to come back early from the beach and work Sunday […]

E and I were putting in later hours at work. He was getting ready to launch a new product, and I had a number of after work events. Thursday night was the first opportunity I had all week to make dinner. I wanted to prepare something filling that would be great with red wine, because I […]

E and I had a major weekend. There was Champagne. And Rose. And sake. And more wine. And a hangover (mine, not his). But there was also a new addition to the family. On Saturday, E and I got a car together, a beautiful crossover SUV big enough for our snowboarding gear, groceries, friends, power […]

I was in the mood for lamb burgers (and as you read in the previous post, you know a burger does qualify as a sandwich). We’ve been growing a ton of parsley and mint in our herb garden, and I wanted an excuse to use some of it.  The lamb burgers recipe I use calls […]

I had to go to the Hamptons this weekend for work without E. But I made sure that I was back Sunday afternoon in time to make him a thoughtful sandwich. I asked E what sort of sandwich he wanted today, another 95 degrees, humid as a steam room day. “Lobster roll,” he mused. “Ambitious,” […]

Saturday night. 8 PM. It was an ass-frying 95 degrees today. Asphalt melting, dog sweating, kids swarming the ice cream truck kinda hot. And of course, E was in the mood for a sandwich for dinner. I needed something that would be refreshing and not require a lot of time around the stove. Tonight was […]

This sandwich was so frustrating to make. Not because of its ingredients, but because E micro managed the entire process. I came up with the idea to have salmon cake sandwiches, but Mr. Wannabe Eric Freaking Ripert decides that salmon sandwiches wouldn’t be enough. We had to have swordfish.