For the longest time, I did not know the difference between a scone and biscuit. I basically operated under the assumption that “scone” was merely a fancy British term for what we Americans know as biscuits. Finally, I decided to do my research and learned the basic difference between the two is the type of fat used. Scones are made using butter, resulting in a flaky texture, while biscuits are often made with shortening, which makes for a crumbly texture. Furthermore, scones differ from other breads mainly in that baking powder is used as the leavening agent instead of yeast.
Baking trivia aside, the only things I really need to know about these scones are how good, and how easy they are to make. The cheddar makes for a savory flavor, while the buttermilk not only adds richness, but also helps to keep the scone moist. Because we all know more often that not, we have been faced with a dry and brittle taste in our mouths from a poorly made scone that was either over-baked, or overly handled in its dough stage. But don’t let that dry bite discourage you from ever eating scones again – a good scone isn’t just good, it’s great!

Makes 8 large, or 16 small scones

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (cold, cut into small cubes)
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
3. Using a pastry cutter (or fork), cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is crumbly. This step can also be done in a food processor with a few pulses.
4. Stir in the cheddar cheese and buttermilk until the dough comes together and leaves the side of the bowl. Dough will be sticky.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently pat it down into an 8×8 inch square, 3/4 inch thick. Using a large knife, cut the square into 8 large (or 16 small) triangles. Dust the blade with flour before each cut to prevent sticking.
6. Place scones 1 inch apart onto the baking sheet. Bake at 425 until scones are golden, about 12 – 15 minutes.
7. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

* Vegetarian

Mac and cheese, an American classic that even though having been re-invented many times over by pretty much every professional chef and home cook out there, somehow retains its iconic comfort food status. The great thing (and what I think is its secret) about making macaroni and cheese is that it can take on so many different flavor variations depending on the types and combination of cheeses used. In this particular version, I have combined some of my favorite cheeses to make the sauce, with bacon added for an extra bite and boost of flavor. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!

1 pound macaroni
6 strips bacon
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
salt
pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the bacon into about 1/2 inch pieces and cook in a medium sized skillet until the fat has rendered and is translucent. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel to drain of excess grease. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until “al dente,” about 7 minutes. It should be firm to the bite. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl, set aside.
3. While the pasta is cooking, prepare a roux for the cheese sauce. In a large saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter together with the flour, and continue to cook, stirring frequently for several minutes.
4. Whisking constantly, slowly stream milk into the roux to make a smooth mixture. Stir in the cheddar and parmesan cheeses until smoothly combined. Add mixture, along with half of the bacon, to the pasta; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, or divide between 6 – 8 large ramekins. Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top. Allow macaroni mixture to sit at room temperature until half of the cheese sauce has been absorbed.
5. Bake at 350F until edges are crisp and center is bubbling. Allow to cool before serving. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over the top to serve.
6. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

This is a quick little sandwich wrap that does double duty: it can be a simple snack for one, but also works wonderfully as an appetizer when entertaining.

lavash bread
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tomato
fresh basil leaves
salt
pepper

1. Spread the mayonnaise onto a sheet of lavash bread.
2. Slice the tomato lengthwise into thin wedges and arrange them in a single layer onto the bread. Leave an inch of mayonnaise exposed at one end; it will help seal the bread when rolling.
3. Place a layer of basil leaves over the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Starting at one end going toward the other with the exposed mayonnaise, tightly roll everything together.
5. With the seam side down, cut at a slight diagonal into 1-inch spirals.
6. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

* Vegetarian

This is a light and healthy dish I like to make when the spring rolls around. Asparagus is in season and with its abundance comes my joy in eating this vegetable. It may sound like an odd trio, but this threesome of flavors (asparagus, egg, and citrus) makes a great match. The softer texture of egg and yolk work well with the crunch and distinct aroma of asparagus, while the orange lends a freshness that ties the three together.

2 eggs
1/2 pound asparagus
1 orange
olive oil
salt
pepper

1. Cook the eggs: place the eggs in a small saucepan, fill with enough water to cover the eggs by one inch, cover and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand for ten minutes. Drain eggs, peel and set aside.
2. In a large skillet set over medium heat, sauté the asparagus in one tablespoon of olive oil with a pinch of salt until the stalks are tender, about 7 minutes.
3. Place the asparagus onto a serving plate. Roughly chop the eggs into pieces and place on top of asparagus. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Finish by squeezing the juice from half an orange over the top of everything.
4. Garnish with orange slices if desired.
5. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

* To prep the asparagus: remove the tough ends simply by snapping them off. The stalks will break naturally at the right point.
* Vegetarian / Gluten Free

What better way to start a morning than with pancakes? When they are fresh out of the pan and drizzled with maple syrup, it is like giving your belly and soul a warm hug. Now, who can say no to that?

Makes 6 pancakes

1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
maple syrup, to serve

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
2. Stir in the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter until just combined. Batter should be lumpy.
3. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over a low flame. Make the pancakes by pouring 1/2 cup of batter onto the skillet, using the base of the measuring cup to evenly spread the batter. Cook pancake for 1 minute, then flip and cook for an additional 1 minute until golden.
4. Serve with maple syrup.
5. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

When it comes to kale, I find people either love or loathe it. As for me, I will admit that I’m not much of a fan- its dense texture and lack of natural flavor is akin to eating cardboard. That being said, it does not mean I have permanently crossed kale off the grocery list. It just means I had not yet found a palatable method of preparation for this fibrously leafy (and did I mention: incredibly healthy!) vegetable.
Then one night I was making dinner with my friend Liz, and she showed me just how easy it was to turn kale into a crispy and light, bite-sized snack. In her version, she uses a sprinkling of salt to season the kale; but after making several batches, I found using soy sauce to be more preferable since it not only seasons the kale, it also acts as a marinate for the leaves, which in turn makes for a more flavorful chip.

1 bunch of kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Wash and thoroughly dry the kale. Remove and discard the ribs from the kale, then cut the leaves into large 1-inch pieces.
3. Place the cut leaves into a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil onto the kale and massage by hand to evenly coat. Repeat with the soy sauce: drizzle and massage until all leaves are evenly coated.
4. Spread the kale in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350F until the leaves are crisp, about 10 minutes.
5. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

I don’t know if it is just my taste buds, but for me, the pineapple is simultaneously contrasting in being sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, and even salty. The pineapple’s distinct flavor really packs a punch and can be sometimes overwhelming. I find turning it into a sorbet helps to temper the sharp tangs of the flavor’s intensity, which makes for a smoother mouth-feel when eating this tropical fruit.

Equipment needed: Blender, Ice-Cream Maker
Makes about 1 quart

1 pineapple
1/2 cup sugar

1. Prepare the pineapple: Twist off and discard the stem. Cut off the top and bottom. Remove the skin and eyes by slicing with a knife, remove any remaining eyes with a small paring knife. Cut the pineapple into large wedges, remove and discard the core, and then cut the remaining flesh into large chunks.
2. Place the pineapple chunks into a blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth. One whole pineapple will yield 3 – 4 cups of purée. Depending on the natural sweetness of the pineapple, add some or all of the sugar, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
3. Transfer purée to the ice-cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer instructions.
4. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

* Vegan / Vegetarian / Gluten Free

My little sister always makes coconut macaroons whenever she hears the word “potluck.” She’s made them so many times, she can do them in her sleep and has it practically down to a science. So finally one day I pulled out my notepad and took down her recipe. And of course, surprise, surprise! It was ridiculously simple. Then I thought to myself: what could be done to elevate these cookies up more towards perfection without complicating the recipe? Duh… a quick dip in chocolate! It adds decadence without pretense.

Makes 18

2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
5 ounces dark chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they are frothy. Add the sugar, almond extract, flour, and salt. Blend until smoothly combined. Stir in the coconut.
3. Place tablespoon-sized mounds, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 325F until the macaroons are set and start to brown along the edges, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack and allow to cool completely before dipping.
4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted. Dip the base of each macaroon into the chocolate; allow excess to drip off, then place onto a tray lined with wax paper. Allow at least 10 minutes for the chocolate to set before moving.
5. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

* Vegetarian

Who says a salad has to be green? Here, the purple (also known as red) cabbage is the star of the show. When shaved down into a little nest, the deep purple hues of this hearty vegetable contrast well with the bright orange of the carrot and radish red. Paired with a balsamic dressing, walnuts, and figs, this salad also becomes a contrasting taste of bitter and sweet. I like how the mild bitterness of the cabbage, radish, and walnuts are tempered by the sweetness of carrot and figs, with a little tang from the balsamic.

2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced (depending on size of cabbage, 1/4 – 1/2 of the head)
1 carrot
1 radish
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
walnuts
mission figs

1. Thinly slice the purple cabbage to make about two cups worth. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the carrot into thin strips. Carefully slice the radish into thin discs (use a mandolin if you have one). Place the cabbage, carrot, and radish into a large bowl.
2. In another small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to evenly coat.
3. Place salad onto a serving plate, top with a handful of walnuts and sliced mission figs.
4. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

* Vegan / Vegetarian / Gluten Free

This sweet soup is from my mother’s kitchen. She doesn’t have a sweet tooth, nor is she much of a baker, so sweets were not very common in our household growing up. I remember it being a real treat whenever she made this dessert for us. And especially on colder nights, a warm bowl of soup the color of sunshine is always a welcome sight.

Serves 2

2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs

1. Dissolve the sugar and salt into the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat down to a simmer, then gently whisk in the eggs until they are cooked. Allow soup to cool slightly before serving.
3. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!