Small Space...Big Taste

In my early 20’s my foodie journey began. I moved back to New York and started to work for a high end private school’s kitchen.   It was here that I learned how to cook from the head chef who years later I married.  The kitchen we cooked in was a small commercial galley kitchen.   With a stove, convection oven and commercial size mixer we cooked for over 500 students and faculty every day.  The head chef taught me everything I know about cooking. I learned about different cuisines and how to combine herbs and spices. One of the spices that we used often was curry.  Even to this day, the recipe that stands out is Curry Chicken Salad.  Curry powder is native to South Asian cuisines. It was popularized in the 19th and 20th century in other parts of the world due to its mass exportation as a condiment after it was discovered by colonial visitors. In the mid-20th century, Indian cuisine became more globally popular. As a result curry, and curry powder, became m...

Since young adulthood, I have always loved to cook.   I find it to be a great creative outlet,mentally  stimulating , as well a way to lessen the financial burden and stay healthy.   Since COVID19, it has changed my whole outlook on food.   Food shopping and food prep  has become a major part of my life.  Sunday is   the day I do all my cooking for the week.     With music playing in the background, I create the masterpieces of the week.   This week one of the recipes I created is Tabbouleh Salad.  Since I  prefer gluten free, I am substituting the Bulgar wheat  with gluten free quinoa.   About the origin of Tabbouleh Salad                                           Tabbouleh is traditionally Middle Eastern and served as a side dish. It’s popularity has grown in Western c...

  During the past few months since the COVID 19 pandemic began most of us have been tasked with cooking three meals a day plus your occasional snack.   The days of spontaneously dining out have brought our cities,towns, boroughs,states, countries,nations, and world to a complete halt. I live in New York City, the best place in the world  where you can get every different type of cuisine at your fingertips. Since this pandemic started, I have been cooking up a storm at home. Every Saturday I do my weekly vigil at Trader Joe’s. I believe the key to staying healthy keeping  COVID 19 away is eating well.    Less boxed process foods and more home cooked meals with fresh proteins, fruits, and vegetables.    Today I am sharing a staple in my kitchen “Nut-less Pesto.”    Nut-less pesto can be used on pasta, soups, salad dressings and marinades for chicken and pork.             Ingredien...

Amelia's Fabulous Bone Broth Chicken Soup   From the time that COVID19 entered our lives in the U.S, the most vulnerable have been in the line of fire.  The elderly and health compromised seem to be more susceptible to this deadly virus.  Personally, health wise I have had my own cross to bear. Instead of hiding from it, I decided to confront it head on.   Cooking with healthy ingredients is a great way to keep yourself healthy…mind,  body, and soul. A staple that I keep in my refrigerator and freezer is homemade chicken bone broth soup.   Growing up, chicken soup was considered “Jewish Penicillin.” My modern Jewish grandmother taught me all of life's ailments could be cured with a steaming bowl of chicken soup. Even though this way of thinking seems a bit extreme…there is truth to it. Studies have shown that chicken soup is more than just a tasty meal. Treasured by many cultures, chicken soup has been ...