Red Quinoa with Pineapple and Shrimp

Ever since before Thanksgiving, I've been kind of in a cooking slump. My excuses were closing on a condo, packing, moving, visiting my family in Seattle, coming back, unpacking, getting settled, etc. Really, I could go on with these excuses for ever. But I need to remember how satisfying it is to make a simple meal in my kitchen and not to be eating out every single night.

Over the weekend I was

Ever since before Thanksgiving, I've been kind of in a cooking slump. My excuses were closing on a condo, packing, moving, visiting my family in Seattle, coming back, unpacking, getting settled, etc. Really, I could go on with these excuses for ever. But I need to remember how satisfying it is to make a simple meal in my kitchen and not to be eating out every single night.

Over the weekend I was

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Chocolate, walnut & dried cherry biscotti

I've made biscotti multiple times before using a variation of Robyn Webb's recipe. One of my favorites was Crystallized ginger & pistachio biscotti. Over the past few months I've been meaning to bake a batch of biscotti and finally made plans with Jenna to do so last Friday. This was the first time I baked something in my new oven!

I decided on chocolate biscotti with walnuts, bought the

I've made biscotti multiple times before using a variation of Robyn Webb's recipe. One of my favorites was Crystallized ginger & pistachio biscotti. Over the past few months I've been meaning to bake a batch of biscotti and finally made plans with Jenna to do so last Friday. This was the first time I baked something in my new oven!

I decided on chocolate biscotti with walnuts, bought the

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Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates!

If you are celebrating Christmas, I hope you are having a joyous time with your family and friends, great food and that Santa has been good to you.

I'm doing laundry, organizing my kitchen and later on going to see a movie with my friend Wendy and then getting Thai food for dinner: a Jewish Christmas ;)

Below are two special ornaments I received for my tree this year: the first one is from my

If you are celebrating Christmas, I hope you are having a joyous time with your family and friends, great food and that Santa has been good to you.

I'm doing laundry, organizing my kitchen and later on going to see a movie with my friend Wendy and then getting Thai food for dinner: a Jewish Christmas ;)

Below are two special ornaments I received for my tree this year: the first one is from my

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How to make fudge at home

Fudge! Did you forget to make something sweet for the holidays? Then you should definitely read this post and make this easy no-bake sweet treat to share with your friends!

The truth is that I stumbled upon a fudge recipe on Sasha's For The Love of Food blog, and it looked sinfully delicious and ridiculously easy: a perfect combination if you ask me. She adapted her recipe from Anne Thornton's

Fudge! Did you forget to make something sweet for the holidays? Then you should definitely read this post and make this easy no-bake sweet treat to share with your friends!

The truth is that I stumbled upon a fudge recipe on Sasha's For The Love of Food blog, and it looked sinfully delicious and ridiculously easy: a perfect combination if you ask me. She adapted her recipe from Anne Thornton's

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How to make salmon cream cheese at home: easy!

Sometimes I come up with little ideas that pack a lot of flavor. Last week I bought a pack of cream cheese and a small container of smoked salmon to bring to work for breakfast. But during one of the commercial breaks for one of the many Bravo shows I watch, I decided to simplify my life and make salmon cream cheese so that I'd just have to bring one thing to work instead of multiple containers.

Sometimes I come up with little ideas that pack a lot of flavor. Last week I bought a pack of cream cheese and a small container of smoked salmon to bring to work for breakfast. But during one of the commercial breaks for one of the many Bravo shows I watch, I decided to simplify my life and make salmon cream cheese so that I'd just have to bring one thing to work instead of multiple containers.

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Eating out in DC: Merzi, Ardeo & Bardeo, Estadio

In the last week I haven't done a lot of cooking. I've made a simple version of shakshuka and then relived my childhood by making mashed potatoes, boiled hot dogs (sans buns) and canned peas. Ok, so the last dish might sound gross to you, but I love it! Don't knock it till you try it ;)

Needless to say, there have been quite a few meals out to fill in the gaps.
This week I had lunch with K at

In the last week I haven't done a lot of cooking. I've made a simple version of shakshuka and then relived my childhood by making mashed potatoes, boiled hot dogs (sans buns) and canned peas. Ok, so the last dish might sound gross to you, but I love it! Don't knock it till you try it ;)

Needless to say, there have been quite a few meals out to fill in the gaps.
This week I had lunch with K at

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Kale and White Bean Soup with Turkey

I'd like to share with you my first real meal cooked in the new condo: Kale and White Bean Soup with Turkey. This soup is ridiculously simple to make, gets better with time, is really healthy and can be made vegetarian by eliminating ground turkey from the ingredient list. The sweetness of the carrots is a nice contrast to the heat from the chiles in adobo sauce.

Oh, and this was also the first

I'd like to share with you my first real meal cooked in the new condo: Kale and White Bean Soup with Turkey. This soup is ridiculously simple to make, gets better with time, is really healthy and can be made vegetarian by eliminating ground turkey from the ingredient list. The sweetness of the carrots is a nice contrast to the heat from the chiles in adobo sauce.

Oh, and this was also the first

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Pumpkin project with Robyn Webb and Nestle

I've done freelance cooking and photography for Robyn Webb's blog for almost a year now. Time flies! When Robyn told me she's working on a few recipes for Nestle Kitchens and asked me to bake a few desserts and take photos, I was at first a bit hesitant.

First, I was moving. Second, I was flying to Seattle to spend time with my family. Third, would Nestle's readers know that the photos were done

I've done freelance cooking and photography for Robyn Webb's blog for almost a year now. Time flies! When Robyn told me she's working on a few recipes for Nestle Kitchens and asked me to bake a few desserts and take photos, I was at first a bit hesitant.

First, I was moving. Second, I was flying to Seattle to spend time with my family. Third, would Nestle's readers know that the photos were done

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Lunch in Seattle: Nettletown

One of the things I like about visiting my family in Seattle is checking out new restaurants and meeting my twin's friends. While in Seattle for Thanksgiving, my dad's 60th birthday and Hanukkah (can you say a triple threat!?), I just happened to do both: try out a new restaurant and meet Anna's friend Valentina.

When Anna and I drove up to Nettletown, located in the heart of Seattle's Eastlake

One of the things I like about visiting my family in Seattle is checking out new restaurants and meeting my twin's friends. While in Seattle for Thanksgiving, my dad's 60th birthday and Hanukkah (can you say a triple threat!?), I just happened to do both: try out a new restaurant and meet Anna's friend Valentina.

When Anna and I drove up to Nettletown, located in the heart of Seattle's Eastlake

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Guest post: My dad's vegetable soup

People often ask how I learned how to cook and why I seldom use cookbooks. One word: my parents. I'm actually visiting them right now in Seattle and thought I'd share a "recipe" for my dad's mostly vegetable soup with you. This "recipe" perfectly illustrates his philosophy on cooking: simple ingredients, great flavors, and many variations.

Mostly vegetable soup (Note: to make this a completely

People often ask how I learned how to cook and why I seldom use cookbooks. One word: my parents. I'm actually visiting them right now in Seattle and thought I'd share a "recipe" for my dad's mostly vegetable soup with you. This "recipe" perfectly illustrates his philosophy on cooking: simple ingredients, great flavors, and many variations.

Mostly vegetable soup (Note: to make this a completely

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