classic vinaigrette

 
You’ll never want to buy salad dressing again!  Add all of your ingredients to a small jar and shake vigorously. I use an old jam jar to make mine! I usually just eyeball it so I have two parts olive oil and one part vinegar, then add a small spoonful of mustard, salt & pepper, then I just taste and adjust.  These measurements should be a good starting off point: 

 
3/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar or lemon juice (or both) 

1 tbsp dijon mustard 

salt and pepper
 
You can always change it by using different types of vinegar (red wine, apple cider, balsamic, champagne…), different citrus (orange, lime…), you could add roasted or crushed garlic, or fresh herbs… the possibilities are endless!

favorite spots

Here are some of my favorite spots in the city… click the names for their menus!

beretta (cocktails click here! the swizzle is my choice!)
rose’s cafe
delfina pizza
a16
zuni cafe
slanted door

And then if you’re in New York…

bar pitti (the rigatoni pitti would be my last meal on earth)
babbo
lupa
otto for drinks and olive oil gelato (which would be my last dessert on earth)

2009 oscar party

So Feather and I decided to host a little Oscar party… complete w/ heavy appetizers and big dollar bets ($5!)… it definitely was Slumdog’s year which made me happy… but I was happier to win the 3rd place prize of $10 from the pot… I ended up w/ 16 chips… 16 correct Oscars.

Here’s what what I made to keep us going through the awards…

- burrata w/ lemon, olive oil, s&p served w/ crostini

- brie en croute w/ ‘apple pie’ style cooked apples (leftover from a botched apple pie)

- lamb skewers w/ tzatziki

- caramelized onion dip w/ s&p chips

- sausage rolls (but w/ chicken sausage)

 
 

chicken noodle soup

This really is one of the easiest soups to make…

I roasted my own chicken but you could buy one already roasted if you want or just add cooked chicken breast. Then all you need is stock, noodles, celery, carrot, onion, pasta, salt & pepper.

I buy the TJs Mirepoix mix of pre-diced celery, carrot &  onion… makes life v. easy. Coat a big pot w/ olive oil then saute the mix for 5 mins over medium heat then another 5 over low… then add the stock (homemade is best, store bought is fine though… i like TJs low sodium organic) and bring to a boil. Once boiling add the pasta and cook till tender, then add the chicken torn or chopped up into little pieces.

And ta-da! you’re done.

The funny thing is I actually roasted my chicken upside down on accident… it was so small I just wasn’t really paying attention! Didn’t matter though… came out grand!

 

my newest additions to my cookbook library

Tiny Bubbles: Fizzy Cocktails for Every Occasion, Using Champagne, Prosecco, and Other Sparkling Wines

Even though i’m a purist in when it comes to bubbly and rarely like to mix, some of these cocktails do look quite interesting… especially the one w/ lemon, orange, cucumber & mint!

Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients

And then mum got Ina Garten to sign her newest book for me, Back to Basics… I like her list of 10 no-cook things to serve with drinks and want to make the “parmesan & thyme crackers”, her “italian wedding soup”, the “mache w/ warm brie & apples” and the “brownie pie” would be fun for a dinner party. I’m so sad I didn’t get to meet Ina!  Next time…