I first tried this dish in a small restaurant in NYC while visiting friends for the weekend.  My friend Amy recommended the scrambled eggs with asparagus and feta – how could I pass that up?  I was hooked.  The crisp, clean asparagus is a sweet contrast to the faint tang of the feta – all enjoyed against the background of fluffy, creamy eggs.  While I am not as fortunate to live in the city and order up these delectable eggs every weekend, I decided that something this simple should be easy enough to duplicate at home.  Turns out – it is.

Scrambled eggs are probably one of the most traditional breakfast options.  Ranging from a over-cooked rubbery mess, to heavenly fluffy melt-in-your-mouth creamy, scrambled eggs can mean several things.  Once you learn a couple of simple tricks, it is easy to produce those creamy eggs every time.  With a good technique for creamy eggs, the possibilities are endless to “spice them up” and turn a simple dish into a true breakfast. My first “perfect egg tip”: Don’t forget to season. After you have cracked your eggs, don’t hesitate to add a good amount of salt, pepper and even some fresh herbs.  I also like to add a splash of heavy cream to my raw eggs.  Whisk the eggs and the seasonings until well incorporated.  (One of my biggest pet-peeves is scrambled eggs with distinct chunks of whites and yolks.)  Tip 2:  For those perfectly smooth eggs, don’t be afraid to give those suckers a good beating. You know your eggs are properly beaten when you lift the whisk and the eggs run off smoothly – you should not have any remaining clumps of egg white.  Now to the cooking process.  Tip 3: Eggs are often ruined because they are overcooked – either too long a stay on the stove or too high of a temperature. Low and slow is the way to go (more…)

Neither my husband or I are lovers of tomato sauce.  Because of this, we rarely eat lasagna…at least the traditional form.  I came across this recipe and was terribly excited at the concept of a “white lasagna” (a lasagna that layers the noodles with a cream sauce instead of the traditional tomato).  This recipe pairs a creamy garlic sauce with spinach, broccoli, and peas for a fresh and clean twist on the Italian classic.  White lasagna is the perfect way to transition the comfort-food lasagna we crave in Winter into a fresh vegetable lasagna for Spring. (more…)

Spring is here!  (well, sort of, but to us New Englanders, any day with a temperature above 50 is considered Spring).  And with Spring comes the first vegetables of the season.   To be honest, the Spring harvest is not the most abundant.  However, when you have been so starved for the fresh taste of green, the first asparagus and rhubarb are truly welcome signs.  Unfortunately, in New England, our gardens don’t really start producing until much later in the year, usually May-June.  So although I would like to say I am collecting all these wonderful Spring harvests from local farmer’s markets, in reality, my produce comes straight from California (via Whole Foods).  Obviously not as “farm to table” as I would like, but sometimes you just can’t make it work.  (I refuse to forgo asparagus and rhubarb on principal alone!)

So let’s talk rhubarb.  For those of you rhubarb virgins, here’s a little crash course.  The rhubarb plant consists of long red stalks, leading to large triangular leaves.  We consume the bright red stalks (the leaves are poisonous), however the stalks are only enjoyable after cooking (and adding some sugar to combat their tart nature).   This is also why rhubarb is most classically paired with sweet strawberries.  The two flavors work well together to balance out the tart of the rhubarb and perk up the sweet strawberry.  You will most likely find rhubarb in grocery stores or farm stands trimmed of their leaves.  If you’ve never seen fresh rhubarb, think bright pink celery. (more…)

Unfortunately, I cannot take creative credit for these too-cute cupcakes.  These “Rabbit Hole” cupcakes are featured in the cookbook, Hello, Cupcake! which I picked up recently and have since fallen in love with.  With cupcakes ranging from fish bowls, to sunflowers, to corn on the cob, authors Karen Tack & Alan Richardson have it all covered in this book.  With the idea that all the cupcakes can be made by the home chef, using equipment and tools on hand, Track & Richardson display true creativity.

With a family Easter gathering on the horizon, I knew exactly what I would make.  I have been waiting for an occasion worthy of these playful cupcakes.  I did make this batch myself, following most of the directions, but of course, tweaking it a bit.  When all the cupcakes are lined up together, hopefully it looks as if these bunnies are scurrying back into their holes, with only their fluffy tales left in sight.  I will be honest that piping all the grass on each cupcake was quite a lot of work, so be warned that these treats are time consuming.

Check out Hello, Cupcake! at Amazon.com

These egg-shaped cupcakes are the perfect treat for Easter.  With endless decoration possibilities, these individual cakes offer a fun twist on dessert for the holiday.  And the best part is, they taste as good as they look!

For these fun little cakes, you will need a special “egg” baking pan.  I came across mine years ago at Williams-Sonoma, but they have become so popular, you can find them at various kitchen supply stores.  Wilton carries a “Mini Egg Pan” that can be found at craft supply stores or on their website.  Ok, so once you have the pan, the rest is relatively simple.  I am about to share a massive secret, one which at times I thought I would take to the grave:  More often than not, I use box cake mix.  I know that many of you are thinking, “what self-respecting pastry chef uses a box cake mix?”  I admit it, I do.  I find the box cakes produce a fluffy, moist cake and you simply can’t beat the convenience factor.  Now, these mixes are not all the same and are not suitable for all uses.  For example, when I make wedding cakes, I do not use the box cake mix.  (more…)