Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Feb 8, 2012, 10:00 am
With less than a week until Valentine’s Day, it is time to start planning.  If you’re hoping to make a restaurant reservation, you probably should stop reading this article and make a few calls.  When you discover that the only times available are 4:30 or 9:45, you can come back and learn how ...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Feb 7, 2012, 10:00 am
I know that fresh herbs impart better flavor than dried.  However, I have a limited amount of window space for growing herbs.  Are there certain herbs that are better when used fresh, or oppositely are there herbs that are more acceptable in dried form? Fresh herbs aren’t always preferable to t...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Feb 6, 2012, 10:00 am
Growing up, homemade mac & cheese was a semi-regular menu item at our house.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t a big fan of the first version, which had cubes of cheddar cheese tossed with the macaroni.  I was a child, so I most likely was being picky and didn’t appreciate the big bursts of cheddar thr...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Feb 2, 2012, 10:00 am
On an evening without kids in our company, what better way is there to spend the evening than a leisurely dinner for two at a restaurant?  With last Friday being one of those nights, I graciously accepted the offer to dine at Olé Mexican Grill.  Not only would it be a romantic dinner for two, but...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Feb 1, 2012, 10:00 am
While it may seem silly to be planning your Valentine’s Day menu so much in advance of the day, there are some definite benefits.  First, there’s no need for last minute panic and shopping. Second, you have the opportunity to try the recipe before the actual day, so that you are able to perfect...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jan 30, 2012, 10:00 am
Having one person that is vegetarian in our house doesn’t make meal planning difficult, usually.  When there are four or more of us for dinner, I simply substitute the meat item with a non-meat protein, and everyone is happy.  In fact, quite often I make two of the non-meat protein, as I enjoy a...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jan 26, 2012, 10:00 am
When a perennial favorite ceases to exist, it is often difficult to fill the void.  For 36 deLux, that has not held true.  Located in the home of the former Richard’s Bistro, 36 deLux has done a terrific job of providing the same excellent quality of food, service, and atmosphere that its predec...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jan 25, 2012, 10:00 am
There are still three weeks until Valentine’s Day, which still may be a little bit early to begin planning.  However, what says love like a well-prepared menu?  Over the past two weeks we have highlighted delicious chocolate desserts.  Today we are sharing a completely different recipe, Soy Mil...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jan 24, 2012, 10:00 am
I’ve been using cake flour for pasta dough lately, but it always seems to come out too sticky. Is it something to do with the wet weather we’ve been having, or should I go back to all-purpose flour? Wet weather will somewhat influence how much moisture flour will absorb, but that’s not the pr...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jan 23, 2012, 10:00 am
After spending most of the afternoon at our daughter’s gymnastics tournament, we were thinking of a meal that would be quick to prepare and filling.  My  husband suggested homemade steak subs with lots of veggies, and that seemed like a perfect solution.  Knowing that the subs themselves may no...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jan 19, 2012, 10:00 am
This past Sunday I was invited to dine at China Blossom with a guest.  Thus, I asked my husband to join me for an evening of what I hoped would be good dining. We arrived shortly before our reservation time of 7:00.  The restaurant was busy, with most of the tables full.  We were able to be seat...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jan 18, 2012, 10:00 am
If I asked you what food you think of when I say Valentine’s Day, I would be willing to guess that most people would respond, “Chocolate.”  Although I am not an adoring fan of that addictive treat, I appreciate that most people, such as my children, are.  So, what better way would there be t...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 28, 2011, 10:00 am
Our final Harvest Dinner event is not simply one event but an entire week of dining.  Hosted by the SJ Hot Chefs (AKA South Jersey Independent Restaurant Association), Fall Harvest Week will take place from October 30th through November 4th.  With  more than thirty independently owned restaurants...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 27, 2011, 10:00 am
About a decade ago, I remember speaking with a friend about her lasagna recipe.  Raised in an Italian family, her lasagna was the best I had ever had, especially the ricotta.  I asked what brand she used.  Her reply was, “Where do you buy your ricotta?” At that time, I thought that was an in...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 25, 2011, 10:00 am
A little over a month ago, my husband and I attended the annual wine tasting and auction for the Palace Theatre.  It was a fabulous evening of (You guessed it!) wine tasting that ended with an auction.  Of course, there were other pieces to this evening, such as some beautiful art and delicious fo...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 21, 2011, 10:00 am
Through our Harvest Dinner series, we have met many great chefs who are hosting dinners at restaurants and festivals.  This week we are pleased to feature another chef who is serving dinner in a different location.  Elise Johnson will be hosting dinner at her home for eighteen lucky dinner guests ...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 19, 2011, 10:00 am
Out of our four children, our oldest is the least picky.  In our house, that is saying a lot, for none of our kids are truly picky.  Having the “no thank you” serving really has helped with that.  However, if I had to choose one that I could offer almost any food and expect that it should be ...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 18, 2011, 10:00 am
A few weeks ago, I had the good fortune of spending a few days with my parents.  While we did spend every evening together, during the day we typically did things in pairs.  Most of those days my mom and I spent time together, touring the area, browsing in shops, and stopping for a bite to eat.  ...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 14, 2011, 10:00 am
In this Harvest Dinner series, we’ve traveled from Nebraska to Georgia to Florida.  Our next stop is Santa Rosa, California, which is the home to ZAZU Restaurant & Farm.  Co-owners and chefs, Duskie Estes and John Stewart, opened the restaurant in 2001 and have been busy earning accolades ever s...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 12, 2011, 10:00 am
It’s been a month since I shared a Simple Solution.  This recipe fits perfectly within this category.  It requires two ingredients and takes about 5 seconds to make.  However, the flavor that it imparts is so much greater than would seem possible. So, how did Asian Ketchup come to be?  As I�...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 10, 2011, 10:00 am
I was invited to dinner at Ithaki last week.  Bringing my husband for company, we made the hour drive in hopes of finding a tasty meal ahead.  Much to our delight, we enjoyed a delicious three-course meal that was filled with great food, excellent service, and pleasant atmosphere. Dining at Ithak...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 7, 2011, 10:00 am
The third restaurant in our Harvest Dinner series is The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.  This “Meet the Farmers” Dinner will offer diners the opportunity to sample delicious dishes made from locally sourced foods and to meet the people who produced them, including local farmers, growers, and seaf...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 6, 2011, 10:00 am
Originally I was going to call this recipe Creamy Zucchini Soup.  However, before I could publish the recipe I read an article in which a chef took another chef to task for calling a soup creamy, when there was no cream in the recipe.  This recipe has no cream; the only “cream-ish” ingredient ...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Oct 4, 2011, 10:00 am
The next Harvest Dinner to be highlighted at Think Tasty will feature a chef duo using only ingredients sourced in their respective states.  Chef Josh Hopkins of the host restaurant, Abattoir, in Atlanta, Georgia, and Chef Steven Devereaux Greene of Herons at the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, Nort...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 29, 2011, 10:00 am
A few weeks ago, I was asked if I would like to try some Walkers Shortbread Cookies.  To be honest, shortbread isn’t one of my favorite cookies; usually, I find them to be bland.  However, I thought they might make a good ingredient in a recipe, so I accepted the offer. Within a few days I rece...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 26, 2011, 10:00 am
A recent Sunday was filled with a nice combination of events:  a few hours of work in the morning, a few hours of back to shopping, a little bit of cooking, and finally, hanging out with the family while eating and watching the Patriots game.  Although it may not have been an exciting series of ev...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 23, 2011, 10:02 am
With today marking the start of fall, it seemed the appropriate time to start a new series.  This series will features chefs and restaurants who are hosting Fall Harvest dinners that utilize locally sourced produce, meats, cheeses, and more.  The series will highlight many delicious events from Ca...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 21, 2011, 10:10 am
In August, my husband and I were able to plan a business/pleasure trip to NYC.  After two days of meetings, we had a day and a half to enjoy the sights and tastes of Manhattan.  We spent our last evening there roaming the Lower East Side, a section which we had not explored together previously.  ...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 19, 2011, 10:03 am
Canning and freezing season is in full swing at our house.  A few weeks ago, we spent the weekend making one batch of canned tomatoes and creating all sorts of peach items: peach and tomato salsa, peach jam, pickled peaches, peach-infused vinegar, peach-infused vodka, and peach bread.  Our basemen...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 15, 2011, 10:01 am
As noted on their website, “Pravda is an underground caviar bar.”  In addition, this Russian-themed bar also has a wide variety of Russian foods and an enormous vodka list.  While a bar might seem to make a better review for our beverage publication, Parched No More, with me in attendance, the...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 13, 2011, 10:00 am
First, I know that the spelling of this yummy dip may not be the way you’ve seen it in other recipes or cookbooks.  However, baba ghanoush is one of those words that has multiple accepted spellings.  So, I chose the one that I liked best! Now, on to the important stuff- this fabulous dip.  I l...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 8, 2011, 10:00 am
Technically, I am calling this a recipe, but I know there isn’t much involved in the recipe.  It simply is a matter of combining two (or maybe three) ingredients to produce a final product.  However, I think that macerated fruit could be considered a recipe in that the final product is fairly di...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 7, 2011, 10:02 am
In our last Food Network Star interview, we learned more about Juba Kali.  This week we are pleased to share our interview with Katy Clark, a competitor who is the owner of a food and fitness company, Fit Chef Katy.  She amazed us with her cooking skills, but unfortunately she was eliminated in th...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Sep 5, 2011, 10:00 am
Both my husband and I enjoy warm, melted cheese in all varieties.  From the stretchy nature of mozzarella to the lush creaminess to brie to the delightful silkiness of a gruyére fondue, we adore cheese in its molten form. Last week I knew I had a small log of goat cheese hanging out in our refrig...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 31, 2011, 10:02 am
Have I mentioned that I love when travel, be it business or pleasure, brings me to Manhattan?  It really is an amazing place to be.  Earlier this month, I spent a few days there on business.  With perfectly aligned schedules, my husband was able to schedule his work travel to match mine, which me...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 29, 2011, 10:00 am
Last week I wrote about one of my favorite desserts, wedding cake.  In addition to enjoying the hint of almond in the cake, I love that there is a layer of fruit and a rich buttercream frosting.  Yes, I do know that some people prefer wedding cake with chocolate in place of fruit, but for me that ...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 26, 2011, 10:05 am
Season 7 of Food Network Star may have ended, but our interviews of the contestants continue.  Although eliminated in the second episode, Juba Kali displayed fabulous knowledge of food and cooking.  We were able to speak with him and learn more about this fabulous chef. TT:  As a chef, scientist...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 25, 2011, 10:05 am
My husband travels more for business travel than I do.  While I understand that the days are long and lonely, some of the benefits, such as dining at great restaurants, make me a little envious.  For most of the last year, when he would travel to Manhattan, he would be situated somewhere in Midtow...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 22, 2011, 10:10 am
There are two types of cake that vie for the position of favorite cake.  One of those is carrot cake, which I adore for its moist texture and sweet yet savory frosting.  The other is wedding cake, which I’ve enjoyed since I was a little girl who got to try a piece when my parents returned from a...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 17, 2011, 10:08 am
During the summer, when our schedule allows, my husband and I schedule our business travel at the same time.  Although our days are filled with meetings, we have our evenings, and occasionally our weekends, to play.  What better way is there to spend a Saturday in Manhattan than walking through va...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 16, 2011, 10:41 am
Zucchini is one of those vegetables that seems destined for filling with ingredients.  Growing up, my mom frequently stuffed zucchini with spinach, which made a delicious dish that could be served as an entrée or side.  This spring I created a tomato-stuffed zucchini topped with mozzarella.  As ...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 11, 2011, 10:05 am
With this season’s Food Network Star nearing the end of the competition, it means that more chefs have been eliminated from the show.  Last week, we were able to speak with Justin Balmes.  This week, I was delighted to be able to speak with Jyll Everman, who was eliminated in week 8. TT:  As a...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 10, 2011, 10:10 am
We are fortunate to have wild blackberry bushes in our backyard.  However, most summers there aren’t that many berries on the plants.  In fact, there usually are only enough for the kids to pick and eat.  Of course, I’m not going to complain about kids thinking that blackberries are a special...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 8, 2011, 10:10 am
I love when I am amazed by a dining experience.  Over a month ago, my husband and I took a 10-day trip that was a mix of vacation and work.  We started with the vacation piece, during which we toured Maine and New Brunswick.  We chose Bangor, Maine, as our first night’s stay, as it was more tha...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 4, 2011, 10:05 am
On a recent Tapas Monday, I lacked creativity.  I had a meeting near a great Italian specialty shop, so I decided to seek inspiration there.  As I knew would happen, I wasn’t disappointed.  I found more cheeses than one would need for a dinner for two, assorted cured meats, and interesting crac...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Aug 1, 2011, 10:03 am
Watching television isn’t one of my favorite pastimes, especially if it is a reality show.  Reality shows seem to include way too much drama.  However, a few years ago, Food Network introduced The Next Food Network Star, and I was intrigued.  Watching people with various food backgrounds compet...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jul 29, 2011, 10:02 am
Walking into this restaurant is much like walking into a kitchen.  If you visit the lower level, you can watch by windows through which you can see the pasta and bread being made.  On the first floor, you are able to see the brick oven in which many of the dishes are baked.  With the smell of gar...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jul 27, 2011, 10:02 am
Blueberry season is in full swing.  My husband and I have made three trips to our local pick-your-own farm to stock our home for the next year, which means we’ve had a few busy days.  We spent two Saturdays picking a dozen or so pounds and making blueberry jam and salsa, which means that we have...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jul 25, 2011, 10:08 am
When I am in Manhattan, whether it be for business or personal travel, I am certain that one of my dinners will be had in the Meatpacking District.  The energetic vibe and vast quantity of excellent restaurants located here completely compensate for the difficulty had in walking the cobblestone str...
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Michele K. posted an article on Tasty Thoughts - Your Food News - Jul 21, 2011, 10:00 am
Zucchini is one of those vegetables that I wish was available locally all year long.  Sadly, its stay is much shorter than that, and it is a vegetable that doesn’t freeze well whole.  So, while zucchini is available I like to cook with it frequently. I have served zucchini in numerous forms:  ...
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