Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Feb 9, 2012, 7:00 am
Mariel here. Lately I’ve been highly suggestible when it comes to food ideas. I trotted past a Dunkin’ Donuts ad for their new Tuna Fish Croissant and, BLAMMO, that’s all I wanted for dinner. After fielding a question from a reader about our Penne alla Vodka, I just had to remake it myself. So...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Feb 7, 2012, 10:35 am
Mary Anne here. This past Friday the hospital where I work “went red” for Women’s Health Day, a campaign initiated by the American Heart Association that’s designed to raise awareness for women’s cardiovascular wellness. Our radiology department, led by an MD well-versed in heart disease,...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Feb 2, 2012, 7:00 am
Mariel here. There’s been a spring in this winter’s step, so where I’d normally be elbow-deep in bowls of White Chicken Chili, Roasted Veggie Lasagna and Cassoulet, I have yet to make one of these cold-weather comforts. Instead, I’ve been living on fresh fruit, Egg Salad Sammies and super-si...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jan 31, 2012, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, and this year I may actually watch the game as my New York Giants tackle the New England Patriots! Usually it’s all about the grub…and the commercials. My cheering section of the Ellicott-Rittenhouse team plans to keep up our spirits no matter what ...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jan 26, 2012, 7:00 am
Mariel here. My mom presented luscious-looking Crab Ravioli on Tuesday, so I thought I’d follow suit and whip up my own seafood-inspired treat. While I typically don’t cook cajun anything, I stumbled across this delicious soup on, well, StumbleUpon. That’s the magic of these social bookmarks, ...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jan 24, 2012, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. When I sent Mariel the pix for this recipe, I unabashedly called it the best creation yet! Now that’s pretty big talk, considering I’ve been cobbling together culinary inspirations for more than 25 years, but seriously folks – this recipe rocks! It was born on the eve of this ...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jan 19, 2012, 7:00 am
... here. Egg salad once occupied the same reviled space as Bloody ... Canto, Boomerang, The Diving Bell & the Butterfly, and The Redbreast ... “Enlightened” Egg Salad Pita Sandwich and was struck with an intense ... salads instead of holidaying in the tropics, but next year I ... this ...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jan 17, 2012, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. Mariel’s BFF is getting married in May, and naturally we’ll be hosting her bridal shower. Mariel’s gal pal is like the second daughter I never had, and so of course I want the party to reflect how much we love her. One of the best ways to express our devotion is through food (n...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jan 10, 2012, 10:38 am
Mary Anne here. As I write this, the wind is positively roaring outside my window; the thermometer has plummeted into the single digits and the windchill factor boasts a cool minus 8. It’s this time of year when my body – revolting against well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions – craves all...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jan 5, 2012, 7:00 am
Mariel here. This past New Year’s Eve, my husband and I kept things very low key. Long gone are the days of all night celebrations, in fact, I’m lucky if I make it to midnight. This year I did NOT – we went to a 630PM dinner at ‘Cesca on Manhattan’s sleepy Upper Westside, before renting Li...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jan 3, 2012, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. The inspiration for this soup actually came to me in October when the hospital where I work ladled up a delicious blend of apples and fennel for “Food Day.” I wanted to recreate it precisely, but since fennel can be pricey in these parts, I opted to divine the soup with a blend o...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Dec 27, 2011, 7:30 am
Mary Anne here. Old Man Winter officially arrived last week, yet here at Feast on the Cheap, Mariel and I share a craving for all things tomato. Our Summer Tomato Salad with Brie and Bermuda Onion, The Palm’s Monday Night Salad, or even a hearty Heirloom Tomato and Bread Salad would quell our year...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Dec 22, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. This fall, I spent a glorious eight hours up north in horse country with my favorite girl, Mariel. I just love those quiet, mom-daughter days. On this particular adventure, we stopped for coffee on the way and, while sipping from our paper cups, we perused the goodies at a local farm...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Dec 19, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. With Santa arriving in less than a week, it seemed only logical to post a cookie for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. I took a stroll on over to My Danish Cooking, which chronicle’s Gitte’s endeavors to keep her Danish traditions alive while living with her husband and grown son i...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Dec 15, 2011, 2:08 pm
Mariel here. New York City is home to several famous slices, but it’s clear many Manhattanites have grown tired of the usual mozzarella-marinara combo. You can’t toss a garlic knot without hitting a menu touting “gourmet” or “artisan” ‘za. I’m all for it – everything tastes better ...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Dec 13, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. True, I am an onion ring fanatic, but I believe there is nary a fried food that stacks up to a deep-fried, batter-crisped sweet onion. That being said, while December typically signals a break from bathing suit season, my annual trip to the tropics means I should probably be taking a...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Dec 9, 2011, 1:06 pm
I’ve become a serious deadbeat in the kitchen. Apparently my culinary inspiration has gone the way of the Walkman and every week I scratch my head over what to make for Feast. Stew Leonard’s prepared foods have become my new bestie – ditto for Progresso soups and frozen ravioli – and gone ar...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Nov 1, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. When my children were toddling tots, I struggled to find a dinner that pleased all three of them and their dad as well. Ravioli, Linguini with Clam Sauce, Chicken/Turkey Potpie, and Chicken Tenders were about the only choices they could all grudgingly agree upon. (Note: The links for...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Oct 27, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. So here at last is my final installment to our Sunday dinner of Roast Beef  and Horseradish Cream with Haricots Vert and Roasted Shallots. One Christmas, when I was still the proud mother of two (number three was my post-New year’s surprise!), we hosted a lovely family from London...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Oct 24, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. For this month’s installment of Secret Recipe Club, I bounced on over to Liv Life, where I stumbled across this recipe for a decadent-looking Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake. I’ve been intrigued by the Choco-Pumpkin pairing since I spotted these brownies over at Smitten Kitchen and sin...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Oct 20, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here: After whipping up that delicious Spiced Cider Bundt Cake last week, I had about a pint of leftover cider so I decided to take the dregs for a spin in a savory dish. I’m a fan of sliders – I firmly believe that small bites simply taste better than a big honkin’ bun and these babies...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Oct 18, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. As promised, here’s my second installment to a Rittenhouse “Sunday Dinner.” When my eldest son and I went shopping for our Roast Beef, the produce market was touting thin Haricots Verts for a mere $1.99/pound. Usually when I want to treat myself to this crisp cousin of the fatt...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Oct 13, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. At first I hesitated about posting this – I mean, do you really need me to tell you how to make such a simple side dish? But then I remembered a time not so long ago, when I would call my mom or hit up Google for instructions on basic tasks like boiling water for pasta (does it need s...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Oct 11, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. I must confess, I am not an ardent carnivore, but some of my warmest childhood memories center around Sunday family dinners. Oftentimes my mom would pull out all the stops and serve her bawdy brood a rare roast beef complete with all the trimmings. In those days, we ate gravy and but...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Oct 6, 2011, 4:01 pm
Mary Anne here. A couple of weekends ago I hosted a “girls night” with my two sisters and one of my beloved nieces. We howled like raucous schoolgirls as we gossiped, giggled, and did a wee bit of guzzling, all while feasting on an over-flowing charcuterie board. The spread was laden with thin s...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Oct 4, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. I spent part of the weekend upstate, lapping up the peace and quiet that only the countryside can provide. Living in the city is like living under constant attack – honking horns make my hair stand on end, a scary neighbor ensures I break into a cold sweat when I leave the apartment, ...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 29, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. Black beans were on sale at my local grocer and so I decided to take these beauties out for a spin. Most – if not all – of the bean soups I’ve sampled are pretty predictable in a sort of  monosyllabic way. But as I considered my seasonal culinary options, visions of Candied Sw...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 26, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. When I was a wee middle-schooler, my best friend at the time used to love making sweet breads. Banana bread in particular was her forte and we spent many an afternoon whipping up a double-batch in the kitchen and then snacking on our own personal loaves while playing Donkey Kong or mode...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 21, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. At Feast on the Cheap, we’ve written our fair share about enjoying breakfast for dinner. And Mariel realized recently that when I broke out the pancake batter for our night-time repast when she was just a little girl, it was more an act of…ummm…laziness, rather than altruistic...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 15, 2011, 10:31 am
Mary Anne here. Hellooo autumn! Well, maybe I’m jumping the gun since the temp today was a humid 82, but the promise of the the season does put a glow in my heart. It’s the best of all weather, as the fading summer sun provides golden warmth during the day only to be replaced by cool, crackly br...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 13, 2011, 7:00 am
If I happen to stumble upon a roadside sign for tree-ripened peaches, you can bet your bottom dollar I’m pulling over and bogarting the whole lot. In light of summer’s last gasp, I’ve been stocking up on September produce, single-handedly keeping Big Peach in business. Thanks to my surplus, I�...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 8, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. So I suppose this is “How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Part II.” As I had mentioned in my Key Lime Pie post, Michael was not about to allow the absence of electricity interfere with his deep and abiding love of food, and so he hosted our Hurricane Irene hosts, D & T, with an utter...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 6, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. This really should be entitled, “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.” August 26th heralded my first week off since last December, and I was eager to spend nine beach-filled days at our family homestead on eastern Long Island. I had invited my little sister, Heather, (a professional p...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 1, 2011, 6:11 pm
Mariel here. I know this isn’t food-related, per se, but it’s me-related so I hope you’ll allow me the non sequitur. I’m thrilled to announce that I’m contributing to a brand new beauty blog – How Lovely – over at MarthaStewart.com. I hope you’ll take a minute to pop by and say hello...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Sep 1, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. You already know that the summer whizzed by in a blur of heatwaves, earth quakes and hurricanes, so I won’t remind you of the obvious. While I hate saying goodbye to June, July and August, I love nothing more than waving hello to September. It’s the world’s most super-terrific mon...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 29, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. Since I spent last week camping out in the Adirondacks, I didn’t get a chance to sample my mom’s amazing-looking Potato, Gruyere and Canadian Bacon Galette. In fact, the description of this tasty creation seemed to burrow itself into my brain and lodge there, so much so that I did t...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 25, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. I just spent a few glorious days in Ye Olde Adirondack Mountains – it’s a family tradition on my father’s side and we’ve recently reinstated this annual pilgrimage up north. While my husband had to cancel last-minute thanks to work deadlines, I had carefully parceled out a meage...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 23, 2011, 4:02 pm
Mary Anne here. Mariel’s recent complaint about mayo-laden potato and macaroni salads got me thinking about this old catering standard of scalloped potatoes and cheese. But first, a little reminiscing. When I was a young girl, my mom used to dish up “Au Gratin Potatoes” when she was feeling go...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 18, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. While Mariel is busy trimming her caloric intake with naturally sweet, healthful condiments like this Cucumber and Watermelon Salad with Pickled Onions, I seem to be channeling my Southern ancestors, conjuring up sweet strawberry confections like this delicious mousse. Did I mention ...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 16, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. So judging by the calendar, this past weekend marked your 437th “woo summer 2011!” backyard BBQ. I have a feeling I could extrude pure mayonnaise from your arteries or butter a dinner roll with your forehead. Let’s lighten things up, shall we? August seems to herald the unofficial...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 11, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. This recipe was culled from my Nana’s book of “receipts.” She was a post-Civil War baby, raised on a plantation in Eufala, Alabama, and although my grandfather moved his bride to the icy cold of Buffalo, N.Y., her heart and palate remained south of the Mason-Dixon line. Nana’...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 9, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. I realize that given the ingredient list, the name for my salad is a bit of an oxymoron, since it’s certainly one of the most elegant combinations I’ve ever tossed into a bowl. But in my opinion, it’s a beggar’s salad because it was inspired by a bounty of fresh greens that I...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 4, 2011, 9:55 am
Mary Anne here. It would seem we’re on a sandwich roll here – get it? Oh whatever. From Mariel’s Crispy Chicken, Fried Egg and Prosciutto Sammie and my Classic Lobster Roll to these ridiculously rich Open-Faced Peach and Prosciutto with Brie and Arugula Sandwiches, we could practically open ...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Aug 2, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. Recently I’ve been feeling like a neglectful bloghost. Where I’d normally stop by the back-end every other hour to tend to Feast‘s stat log and answer any reader questions, now it’s more like every other day. I’m in the throes of several new work projects and they’ve been al...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jul 28, 2011, 7:50 am
Mariel here. Our friend Chelsea over at Sprinkles of Parsley is taking a much needed late-July vacay – and I’m desperately jealous. While she’s surfing and turfing, she asked that we pinch hit by lending a summery dish to share with her readers. I decided to pass along my recipe for a Berry Ch...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jul 26, 2011, 3:29 pm
Mary Anne here. Although the thermometer is taking a much-welcomed nosedive, this fruit salad has been a Rittenhouse family summer staple for  years, appearing on our table anytime the temperature lingers above 90 degrees. Recently Mariel has featured a few breakfast-for-dinner treats here at Feast...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jul 21, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. This summer swelter is stretching straight across the US of A, so I find myself in need of cold comfort. Knowing that the thermometer was on the rise, I loaded up the fridge with a bounty of fresh, crisp fruit and whipped up an old Rittenhouse family summer staple – an enormous fr...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jul 18, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. When I was little, an announcement of “breakfast-for-dinner” elicited unanimous cheers from me and my two bros who were certain that my mother’s fancy pants dinners were some sort of cosmic punishment for fibbing about brushing our teeth or walking McDuff. Scrambled eggs and bacon...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jul 14, 2011, 7:00 am
Mariel here. Ahh the simple joy of corn on the cob. This high-summer treat is the stuff of dreams – specifically, my dream of one day living on a farm surrounded by dogs, horses and a small brood of babies. Flash to the present: I’m an indoor kid. A caged city bird perched in a 12-story apartmen...
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Mary Anne and Mariel R. posted an article on Feast on the Cheap - Jul 12, 2011, 7:00 am
Mary Anne here. This past Sunday was my birthday, and in my family, if your special day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, you’re automatically entitled to a two-day “birthday weekend.” I dove headlong into queen mode, taking  full advantage and squeezing every last second out of my 48-hour party...
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