A hearty dish full of the flavors of Fall.
With a chill (finally!) in the air, Khalil curls up with a few good books (cookbooks, of course).
Never open canned pumpkin again
By Khalil Hymore
How fun is it that Halloween is on a Saturday this year? For the first time in years, I am super excited--mostly for the trick-or-treaters (a New York City first for me).
No tricks here - this recipe is a tasty Halloween treatFor the cupcakes:
For the frosting:
For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice and set aside. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and eggs and beat until well combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients, then the pumpkin and continue beating until just combined. Divide evenly among the muffin liners and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and maple syrup with an electric mixer until combined and smooth. Frost the cupcakes with the frosting and sprinkle with salted pepitas. Boo!
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Some resources and ideas for feel-better-soon foods.
By Khalil Hymore
When Ashley and I were young, we could always count on our mother to make us fried eggs and bacon with plain white toast for breakfast when we were ill. That was our go to sick food. She would even be sure to cut everything up on the plate, so that the eggs mixed with the bacon, and we could dip the toast into the runny yolks--it always made us feel better. It was our special ritual, and sometimes I really miss it. I mean, let's be honest, though we loathe to admit it, most of us revert to being children the moment we come down with a bad cold or flu...or even worse food poisoning.

A delicious soup that will have you feeling right as rain.
By Khalil Hymore
When I set out to create a healthy soup, I never expected it to be SO delicious. (Scott is already asking for more!) More importantly, I really wanted to create a tasty "go-to" dish for those suffering from the nauseous effects of chemotherapy (hence the nausea fighting fresh ginger). This vegetarian soup also contains vitamin C rich sweet potatoes, high in iron fresh spinach, and protein packed tofu.
Some tips to make chicken a little more exciting
By Khalil Hymore
I rarely cook with boneless skinless chicken breast. Ina doesn't like it, so I steer clear (she is one of my demi-gods after all). But lately, I've been rethinking that humble cut of naked poultry. It's so easy to knock boneless, skinless chicken breast when you're a chef. It's often tasteless and boring. In fact, very few ingredients are so unwelcome in a restaurant kitchen. The truth is it's the skin and bones that give the chicken flavor as well as much of the unwanted fat and calories. Which is precisely why boneless, skinless chicken is so popular (oh those healthy eaters).
Ok, so how do you take advantage of this economical cut of poultry without boring your family to tears? (You know you are! Be honest!) Full disclosure: It doesn't involve a can of condensed soup (Sorry Sandra!).
Because everything tastes better with bacon!
The culinary world mourns a devastating loss
By Khalil Hymore
This week publisher Condé Nast did the unthinkable. It shuttered Gourmet magazine. This, by now, is not news to you, especially if you're a regularly reader of this blog (you know how much I loved my Gourmet). Truth be told, I was actually planning to discuss the merits of boneless, skinless chicken breast this week...no, seriously! But how could I now, with the culinary world still mourning a big loss.
The demise of Gourmet is shocking because it is such a venerable
brand, premiering in 1941. Our grandmothers subscribed, our mothers
subscribed, and thus we so did we. Gourmet was an American icon
that flourished in a post World War II America and quickly
established itself as the place where home cooks and chefs collided.
Where the line was blurred between the restaurant world and our
kitchens at home. Gourmet was a cultural touchstone, for sure, but it was also a dear friend.
Though the newsstands seem to be cluttered with food magazines, none of them come close to capturing the style, sophistication, and elegance of the articles and recipes contained within the pages of Gourmet. Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and Saveur, while all fabulous publications in their own right (I especially love Saveur), they don't take us to far off lands (a boon to those of us who cannot afford to jet-set on a moments notice), do not stage elaborate and inspirational food stories, and do not engage us in the world of food politics in quite the same way.
Anyway, there really isn't all that much more to say (see below, for others' reaction to the news), except that the loss of Gourmet magazine, in my world, and if you give a damn about food at all, yours too, is devastating. My stack of old Gourmets just became a lot more valuable.
A comforting meal for rough times
When the going gets tough, it's nice to go back to your roots and cook something comforting. Pork chops with spaetzle (homemade German pasta) always remind me of my grandfather who was a great cook and baker. German foods where his specialty, so whenever I get bad news it's always fun to perk myself up with dishes that remind me of him, and a simpler time.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. When the pan is almost smoking add the pork chops to the pan and sear until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and garlic to the skillet; cook until soft and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and the sage to the pan, being sure to scrape up caramelized bits from bottom. Add the pork chops back to pan and bring to a simmer. Partially cover skillet with lid, reduce heat to low, and braise until chops are cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chops to a serving platter and cover to keep warm.
Reduce the cooking liquid until syrupy, and pour it over the pork chops before serving. Serve with buttered spaetzle or egg noodles.
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From apples to ad execs
By Khalil Hymore
Can we take a break from "The Tasty Dish" for a moment and talk about Mad Men? I have to be honest, a few episodes into this new season and I was growing restless. Don't get me wrong, a bad episode of Mad Men is still a million times better than any other show on television right now, but this season has been...um, slow. But I should have known better! The writers for were just lulling us, like a cobra getting ready to strike. And strike they did!
An amazing dessert recipe (actual dessert...not "dessert")
The perfect recipe to celebrate a legend. Growing up, every special occasion meant that my mom would prepare Sheila Lukins Pate Maison. To this day, when I yearn for a taste of home I usually make some pate. This pate is super easy to make and just as delicious as any pate Scott and I were served in France.
Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add brandy and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside.
Combine the celery, carrot, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns in a small pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken livers and poach gently, reduce heat if necessary, for about 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the livers, they should be slightly pink inside.
Drain the chicken livers and discard the celery, carrot, and peppercorns. Place livers in the
bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter, dry
mustard, cayenne, and onion mixture and puree until smooth (sometimes,
I like to leave my pate a little bit chunky).
Transfer pate to a large bowl and fold in currants, or raisins, and transfer to serving dish, smoothing top. Cover and refrigerate until set. Let pate stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with slices of crusty toast.
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Giving honor to a culinary icon
By Khalil Hymore
When I found out that Sheila Lukins had passed away recently, I immediately thought of my mother. While not quite the household name that Julia was, or Martha is, Sheila Lukins impact on the American home cook was no less profound, and my mother adored her...or more specifically her recipes contained in The Silver Palate Cookbook.
My mom cooked from The Silver Palate religiously. At the holidays, she would always prepare Lukins stuffed grape leaves, pate maison, and molasses cookies for our big Christmas party every year. In fact, whenever I am missing my mother, I whip up some Silver Palate pate from her grease-stained, dog-eared copy.
Sheila Lukins career began in the early 1970's when she opened a small catering company out of her home upon returning from London's Cordon Bleu Culinary School. In 1977, she teamed up with Julee Rosso to open The Silver Palate, a famous gourmet food shop on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, selling everything from prepared soups and sauces to homemade pickles and preserves.
Lukin's star really began to rise when she and Rosso published The Silver Palate Cookbook. Highlighting fresh and ethnic ingredients, The Silver Palate Cookbook encouraged easy entertaining. Where Julia Child was complicated and sometimes fussy, Lukin's style was simple and effortless (a style Ina Garten has since replicated)...and modern!
I was saddened to learn of Sheila Lukin's passing at the age of 66
of brain cancer because, like my mom, she was too young. Incidentally, both Lukins and my mother
learned of their illnesses 3 months before their deaths. If they weren't already, Sheila Lukins and my mom they will always be linked in my mind.
Now, as I sit perusing my ancient copy of The Silver Palate Cookbook
(carefully, as it is so well loved!), I can see why Lukin's style was so
appealing to so many women, and my mom. The Silver Palate is written in
a style that conveys the joys of cooking; cooking as a hobby, or cooking
as travel. It asks it's reader to go on an adventure to a new land, or
at least across town to find that very special ingredient! Julia encouraged American women to cook better, Sheila made cooking fun.
It doesn't feel like fall yet, but the smells from the kitchen say otherwise