Posts by The Katz Tales
HOMEMADE HOLIDAY GIFT SPICE
Not sure what to get those friends that seem to have everything for the holidays? I’m a big fan of homemade gifts. I love giving them and I love receiving them. Of course, the gifts I usually create involve food, so it’s hard to go wrong. One of my favorite things to give is my…
Read MoreAIRPORT ANONYMITY
I have a confession. I LOVE being alone. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the people in my life and I don’t want them to feel slighted, but sometimes I just like mingling with the masses, no one caring who I am or what I’m doing. I find being anonymous a great way to see…
Read MoreFRENCH TART TENACITY
Just when I thought I didn’t need any more tools for my kitchen, my beloved neighbors returned from France with a beautiful rectangular French Tart pan to add to my collection. Having anything in my kitchen made in France fills me with both anxiety and confidence. The anxiety comes from knowing my final plated dish…
Read MoreFRENCH MUSHROOM GRUYERE TART
How can anything with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and grated gruyere be a bad idea? Even with an epic fail with the crust on my first try, the second time proved to be perfect. This tart is perfect for a dinner party or just a simple bistro night at home. Enjoy! INGREDIENTS For the crust:…
Read MoreTHANKSGIVING DRAMA
What’s a holiday meal without a little drama? My family is far from a quiet bunch and I can still hear some of the arguments of years past ringing in my ears. One particular memory from my childhood is on an annual loop, the dialogue still fresh and crisp as if it were spoken in…
Read MoreNANA’S APPLE PIE A LA MODE
When my nana passed away, there were only two things my brother Paul and I wanted of hers; her rolling pin and her stained, faded apple pie recipe she kept in her top kitchen draw next to some dried-out rubber bands that she saved for years. Paul has the recipe framed in his kitchen and…
Read MoreTHANKSGIVING MEMORIES
It’s hard to think about Thanksgiving without thinking about my nana. My memories go back more than fifty years, but I can still see her wearing her slightly stained white full-bodied apron with blue embroidered edges over her holiday best. All day she would be busy prepping the one, good old-fashioned, made-almost-from-scratch, meal of the…
Read MoreDAN’S HALLOWEEN LEFTOVER CANDY COOKIES
IF—and the big question is IF—you have any Halloween candy left, here’s a fun idea for cookies. My husband made these at my request, trying everything from candy corn to Snickers bars. The chocolate based candies work MUCH better. Who knew candy corn melts so easily? INGREDIENTS 1 cup salted butter, softened ¾ cup granulated…
Read MoreHOW MUCH HALLOWEEN CANDY IS TOO MUCH?
Every November 1st, I start the day with a good old-fashioned bellyache. Since I was a kid, I’ve been overdosing on Halloween candy, trading anything with peanuts for Milky Ways, Sugar Daddies, Tootsie Pops, or the occasional Milk Duds. But in recent years, I’ve been noticing some very questionable choices in my neighborhood. People are…
Read MoreMY CALDO VERDE
I had the great good fortune to meet a dear friend of Emeril’s back during my Emeril Live years. Chef Ines de Costa was like a second mother to him. For years I’ve been trying to recapture her magical Caldo Verde. So much of what she made had the intangible element of love on her…
Read MoreTRES MUJERES (Three Women)
I have returned to Mexico for the second time, welcomed back as an old friend, or distant family member. Almost everywhere I go, I am greeted by a smile or a friendly buenos dias, the warmth of the people as soothing as the hot chocolate I crave. As I go from city to town to…
Read MoreFABIOLA’S CHILAQUILES
While on a writer’s retreat in a small town not far from Guadalajara, gorging myself on chilaquiles, tequila, and rising emotions, I was lucky enough to get this recipe from their wonderful cook, Fabiola. She’s a lovely young woman who puts all of her talent and heart into each and every dish. One of my…
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