EGGS FOR DINNER

Chinese Fried Rice in Take Out Boxes

Do you want to lighten up your dinner plans a bit after your gluttonous holiday celebrations? How about eggs for dinner? To me, they are the perfect food. They have protein to keep you sated and they can go with almost anything leftover in your fridge. Rummaging through mine, I found some leftover moo shu…

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PASILLA POZOLE SOUP

Pasilla Soup in a White Color Bowl

When I was in Mexico late last year, I stuffed my suitcase with all kinds of food products that I can’t find here in New York. One older woman tucked in a corner of a market in Oaxaca offered a taste of her homemade pasilla paste. It tasted smoky and earthy and had a rich…

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SOUP SOLVES EVERYTHING

Dumpling Soup in a White Color Bowl

Just off Serangoon Road in Singapore, on the 4th floor City Square Mall’s Food Republic is a small hawker stall that serves the best cure-all soup I’ve ever tasted. If you’re feeling blue, homesick, or just under the weather, find your way to Qiu Lian Ban Mian and order the #5 Dumpling Ban Mee Soup.…

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HAPPY HOLIDAY COCKTAIL

Hot mulled apple cider with cinnamon sticks, cloves and anise

Having a few special holiday cocktails in your repertoire is always a wise move. Whether you’re planning a dinner party or just trying to take the edge off after everyone leaves, this is one of my favorite go-to winter drinks. It’s a variation on the classic Hot Toddy. After you down your second one, nothing…

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HOW TO HAVE FUN AT YOUR OWN HOLIDAY PARTY

A Champaign Bottle With Glasses of Champaign

When I was first married, I hated throwing parties. It was so much work, I never got to enjoy one minute of it. I’d spend all day on my feet frantically trying to get everything together before our guests arrived. Then I’d run around refilling drinks and washing dishes as everyone else noshed away and…

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MINI-LATKES WITH SOUR CREAM AND IKURA

Frying latkes

You can’t have Hanukkah without potato latkes, but you can have potato latkes all-year-round. My mini-version is great for a cocktail party, especially served alongside some champagne. If you’re feeling rich, it’s great to top them with sour cream and a few ikura pearls. Ikura pearls are those big plump delightful orbs of salmon roe…

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A NEW YORK CHRISTMAS

A New York Christmas tree with decoration

It’s nearly a week before Christmas, and New York is magical with holiday lights hanging over the avenues like strings of shimmering diamond necklaces. Storefront windows along Fifth Avenue are dressed with oversized ornaments and mannequins dressed as Santa’s helpers. People are loaded down with shopping bags and rushing about waiting for the dazzling light…

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HOMEMADE HOLIDAY GIFT SPICE

Magic Rub Powder in a Glass Bottle

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…

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AIRPORT ANONYMITY

A Large White Frame Dome for an Airport

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…

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FRENCH TART TENACITY

French Tart Placed on a Baking Sheet

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…

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