Category Archives: Knosh & Snacks

Pantry Tips How to open a Pomegranate

Posted on by December 11, 2014

While of course, there are many ways to open a pomegranate, as a connoisseur of the gorgeous fruit, I feel compelled to share with you what I think it the best method in Pantry Tips How to open a Pomegranate. After all, I’ve open hundreds of them lots and lots of ways over the years and while there are many ways and they each have their merits, for me, this way combines stain prevention for your fingers, speed, preserving the most fruit, and minimizing mess. Once you master Pantry Tips How to open a Pomegranate you’ll find yourself buying the fruits more often and hastening to add it to salads (like my cous cous with pomegranates), drinks (like my pomegranate martini punch, which is perfect for New Year’s by the way) and desserts for garnish. And if you’re really like me, you’ll find yourself prepping a whole bowl full and eating the tiny red jewels with a spoon. First, with a pairing knife, cut the top and bottom off of the fruit. Then, cut along the five dents in the outer skin. You should be in the troughs, rather than the ridges. Cut all the way to the top and … Continue reading →

Baked Goat Cheese and Homemade Pepper Jelly

Posted on by February 12, 2015

Baked Goat Cheese and Homemade Pepper Jelly is one of those dishes that was absolutely inspired by the hosting skills of others. Some friends of mine have a lovely Christmukkah party annually that often includes the crowd-pleasing cream cheese with pepper jelly appetizer. In fact, they always have lots of fun old school apps and cocktails. Mike is one of those people who is good at guessing which spirit comes next in the trend book. He was mixing 60’s cocktails before Mad Men was all the rage. In fact, I’m still waiting on the rum explosion he swears is coming, because I believe him. Next to their Mad Men style revival cocktails you’ll find lots of appropriately 60’s snacks, including, the aforementioned cream cheese with pepper jelly, which is one of those appetizers that I forget all about in between Christmukkahs. It’s a funny little dish, and not particularly my style; perhaps I am even a little surprised to realize I absolutely love it. Then again, how could you not? Cream cheese and spicy sweet jelly as an excuse to have fresh baguette… Fair point, well made. So last Thanksgiving, when I was perusing magazines for recipes that might fit … Continue reading →

Fall Kale Salad with Spicy Garbanzos

Posted on by November 19, 2014

I’m back on the kale salad band wagon, but this time, I’ve taken a decidedly Autumn turn with my Fall Kale Salad with Spicy Garbanzos. This salad is definitely hearty enough to eat for dinner and it’s great vegetarian or with the bacon. When I make it vegetarian, I double the garbanzo bean part of the recipe. In fact, I pretty much always make double the garbanzos, or even triple, because whatever is leftover makes a delicious snack. I for one am always looking for ways to make healthy and delicious snacks to keep the munchies at bay. And the spicy garbanzos are definitely a delicious and healthy snack. If you aren’t just adding extra garbanzos and you are indeed using bacon, make sure you keep it separate until just before you’re going to serve the salad. That way it stays extra crispy, which is a great contrast to the squash which shouldn’t be mushy, but isn’t crunchy either. Finally, it’s time to get apple picking, because apples are not just for dessert; they’re great in my Fall Kale Salad with Spicy Garbanzos. I often add fruit to salad, but in this particular Fall Kale Salad with Spicy Garbanzos the … Continue reading →

Tomatoes on a Fence

Posted on by November 10, 2014

I’ve now had the pleasure of dining at Blue Hill in New York a couple of times. Last fall, I took my parents when they were in town visiting, and it was the catalyst for these beautiful photographs. Of course the whole meal was wonderful, but to my dad, who is a master craftsman when it comes to all things carving a woodworking, the highlight was the amuse bouche. Tomatoes on a Fence is a tribute to both Blue Hill, and my father, who share the gift of helping others see the art in the beauty of the natural word and appreciation for the nourishment we take from it. The amuse was in many ways, the simplest of things. It featured tiny heirloom vegetables blanched or served raw on a “fence”. Dad was so entranced by the beautiful fence that he made me one for Christmas. It’s definitely not a serving item that I use all the time, as it really does require tiny vegetables to make the scale work, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to share this lovely sculpture with you during the height of heirloom tomato season. The beautiful tomatoes look like precious gems or painstakingly … Continue reading →

Crustless Quiche & Sundried Tomatoes

Posted on by January 20, 2015

It’s true; I should probably just call this Crustless Quiche & Sundried Tomatoes a frittata. But that’s the Italian version. And my croquet party was a French, Old Fashioned Croquet Party. So Crustless Quiche & Sundried Tomatoes it is. After all, sticking with the theme is what counts, right? I mean, I got the guests to the garden, all in white, I had the croquet set up, I made french salads with french herbs and had a lovely lavender lemonade. We’re sticking to the theme on the quiche! In all seriousness, regardless of your theme, or what you call it, the Crustless Quiche & Sundried Tomatoes is a great make ahead dish for a party any time of day for a variety of reasons. One great feature of this dish is that it’s composed of all ingredients you can buy ahead of time, from the French onion dip, to the sundried tomatoes. Furthermore, it’s a breeze to make, you can serve it warm, cold, or room temperature, like I did, and if you cut in on the bias, the diamond shaped pieces look really fancy. This is definitely a repertoire sort of dish to know because you can whip it up for … Continue reading →

Asparagus and Dill Roast Beef Rolls

Posted on by January 20, 2015

I struggled a lot with a name for these Asparagus and Dill Roast Beef Rolls. It was hard to come up with something that was descriptive as well as appetizing. Something about Beef Rolls doesn’t quite sound right to me, so if you have ideas, I’m all ears. That said, the goal that led to the creation of the Asparagus and Dill Roast Beef Rolls was a dish for my Old Fashioned Croquet Party Menu that was really easy to make (I think these took about 10 minutes) and a little bit playful, since I knew I was going to have lots of children (old and young) in attendance. I loved how these Asparagus and Dill Roast Beef Rolls turned out. Again, it was nice to serve only dishes that could easily be made ahead. I was able to set out the spread at the beginning of the party and then relax. I check on things a couple of times, but I even got in a game of croquet. The beef rolls were no exception. They were actually the easiest dish to make aside from washing the strawberries and all of the moms commented that they felt like aside from … Continue reading →

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Posted on by January 22, 2015

These Roasted Rainbow Carrots make up a dish that is simple stupid perfect, and sometimes, that’s exactly what ends up stealing the show. The gorgeous colors make them stand out as special and unique, the fresh herbs add, but don’t mask the delicate sweetness of the carrots, and the salt and oil make them robust and satisfying. On the day of my croquet party, this was the dish that all of the guests ensured would be posted on Dirty Laundry Kitchen. When they found out that not only would they be posted, but that it’s incredibly easy to make they were thrilled. I also love them. These Roasted Rainbow Carrots are so good that I make them by the pan full and keep them around all year long, for snacks, dinner, you name it. They also inspired one of the courses on my 2014 Thanksgiving dinner, so I know for a fact they make a great meal when served with a little yogurt over barley, farro, or bulgar wheat. This is definitely a recipe to have up your sleeve. Roasted Rainbow Carrots. Simple Stupid Perfect. … Continue reading →

Spicy Mint and Dill Quick Pickled Beans and Carrots

Posted on by January 23, 2015

Summer calls for lots of quick and light snacks like my Spicy Mint and Dill Quick Pickled Beans and Carrots. And a Big Southern Supper especially needs hors d’oeuvres that won’t overwhelm your guests, but rather whet their appetites. These unexpected Spicy Mint and Dill Quick Pickled Beans and Carrots accomplish just that. After all, you want to make sure everyone is not only up for truly enjoying the decadence of Seriously Good Extra Crispy Fried Chicken, but that they have room for the gorgeous Fresh Strawberry Pie with Rhubarb Curd. These Spicy Mint and Dill Quick Pickled Beans are just the dish to get things started and added bonus? They’re cheap and easy to make too. I’m pretty sure this brine would be great with golden beets and watermelon radishes too, so let your creative juices flow after you try my Spicy Mint and Dill Quick Pickled Beans and Carrots. … Continue reading →

Chesapeake Bay Crab Dip

Posted on by January 26, 2015

My Chesapeake Bay Crab Dip recipe is super fresh; almost as fresh as the crabs themselves. Last weekend, some friends and I decided to open up beach season early with a rental house on the Chesapeake Bay. We lucked out weather-wise and it was an amazing weekend of hot tubs, lawn games, exploring Maryland and of course, lots of good food and libations. Everyone took a meal and Marc and I did a crab-centric dinner for our offering, complete with this Chesapeake Bay Crab Dip. We had a great time finding a little crab shack where we bought lots of clams and crabs for the Chesapeake Crab Bake Party, but we also bought a pound of fresh Maryland blue crab meat that we didn’t have to clean and made my Chesapeake Bay Crab Dip. I must say, while I love most variations of crab dip, my own take on it is special- the lemon zest, sour cream and sharp cheddar take it up a notch and cut what can sometimes be too much mayo. Its got lots of oomph, for sure, and this Chesapeake Bay Crab Dip is just the first course. … Continue reading →

Honey Tea au Lait with Lavender

Posted on by November 16, 2015

People often ask me where inspiration comes from and it’s often hard for me to pinpoint a source, but that’s not the case with this lovely breakfast or afternoon treat of Honey Tea au Lait with Lavender. Last week, I had a version of this at Terrain in the Philadelphia suburbs and it was so inspiring that here I am, recreating it. And I must say, I nailed the Honey Tea au Lait with Lavender. Sometimes I can really struggle when I’m trying to recreate a recipes, but in this instance, it went off without a hitch. Which was thrill because this Honey Tea au Lait with Lavender is a truly delightful pick-me-up that’s easy to make. If you need to skip the caffeine, I’ve also made it with herbal mint tea and lavender and it’s lovely as well. No matter which variation you use to create your own version of Honey Tea au Lait with Lavender, I know you’ll be glad you checked me out when you’re looking for an afternoon snack that’s comforting and decadent. The warm tea and milk are calming and comforting and the slightly sweet floral notes from the honey and lavender create an atmosphere … Continue reading →

Basil Brûléed Grapefruit

Posted on by January 27, 2015

Basil Brûléed Grapefruit is as stunningly beautiful as it is quick and easy. It’s perfect in the instance that you’re looking for a healthy, but exciting dessert for Brunch, breakfast, dessert, even an after school snack. Of course you can switch up the herbs depending on the meal; it’s great with cilantro, tarragon, sage, even rosemary, just make sure you mince the rosemary really really finely, or it’s too tough to eat. What’s more simple or satisfying than half of a gorgeous ruby red grapefruit with just a touch of basil sugar brûléed? The thin layer of melted sugar will form a sheet of glass over the surface of the fruit that looks like stained glass and of course when you did your spoon if you’ll get that satisfyingly hard crunch and you break it. I’m convinced it’s this crunch, reminiscent of breaking the top of a crème brûlée that is they key to feeling spoiled without devastating your diet. Did I mention it’s really easy? You can have this on the table in under five minutes, which means Basil Brûléed Grapefruit is a trick everyone should have in their back pocket to wow their Easter Brunch guests with ease … Continue reading →

Sweet and Salty Plantains with Lime

Posted on by February 16, 2015

Even if the school calendar doesn’t rule my life anymore, March has a way of yelling Spring Break! at me like Kitty from Arrested Development. While Sweet and Salty Plantains with Lime that you have to make for yourself at home might not be quite the same as time off, warm and tropical travel, and lots of spicy food in local restaurants, they satisfy that urge, at least for a night. This year, try though I did for some warm weather, the cold and the rain seemed to follow me wherever I went, so I had to create the island feel at home with Latin snacks and drinks. I made homemade Empanadas with Sweet Potato, Beans and Goat Cheese and these Sweet and Salty Plantains with Lime (which I actually created for my Thanksgiving 2013 menu), and served them piping hot with a cool drink, in this case, my awesome Passion Fruit Batidas. But they’d be great with homemade Piña Coladas too. Part of the fun is that they’re an unexpected appetizer. Your guests will have just as much fun as you do trying new things and these Sweet and Salty Plantains with Lime will fit that bill. You can mostly … Continue reading →