Grubarazzi

One of my fondest memories of New Year’s dates back to a few years ago when my parents and I spent the holiday in North Carolina at a friend’s lake house. Snow was blanketing the water, but all we needed was a bottle of jagermeister and the hot tub to have a jolly ole time. We ran wildly out of the house and dashed through the snowy winter-scape to the hot tub, laughing all the way.   This is my first recollection of my parents preparing the traditional New Year’s Day feast. We devoured all of the good luck foods including black eyed peas (for growth), ham (for progress), corn bread (for wealth), and greens (for prosperity). Oh, and dark chocolate cognac cake (just because).  The happy memories from that trip floated through my mind while I cooked a pot of Good Luck Soup. The memories made the soup taste that much better. Instead of corn bread on the side I topped the soup with mini ham and cheese sandwiches. These little crouton impersonators were the perfect twis...

Not only was I raised by an epicure family, but I married in to one. We all worship good grub which came in handy during the holidays when the Grubarazzi house hosted dozens of family members and friends. Lucie (aka: sis-in-law & Lulu) is a killer cook and she makes a mean eggnog. She learned the skill from her mom, and the tradition of making a silo of drunk, spiced egg batter for Christmas parties carried over to our house this year.  Step away from the eggnog carton, and pour yourself a heaping mug of Lulu’s eggnog.   Ingredients: 12 egg yolks 1 pound confectioner’s sugar 1 cup Peach Schnapps 4 cups Bacardi Select 2 cups Jim Beam (Bourbon Whiskey) 2 liters of heavy whipping cream 12 egg whites Freshly grated nutmeg Cinnamon Directions: Step 2: In a very large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until light in color. Add confectioner’s sugar in stages until combined. Add 2 cups of rum slowly while beating constantly. Cover and cool...

  Maybe it is the holidays that provide me with the perfect excuse to drench everything in chocolate.  Nevertheless, these five spice chocolate dipped pecans are winners any time of year. I could not believe how tasty these little suckers are. A tiny pinch of Chinese five spice sends chocolate to another planet. A planet I would buy real estate on.   Warning: Your hands will get delightfully messy as you dig out each nut from the chocolate. Enjoy it, although you should try to avoid licking your fingers until the end. I had to wash my digits a few times…  What! It’s Chocolate! We should play with our food more. Five Spice Chocolate Dipped Pecans Ingredients 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips (dairy free) 4 tablespoons thick coconut milk (find in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores) 2 cups pecan halves ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder Directions Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside. In a double boil...

  There are a few unique foods my family makes every holiday without fail. One of these goodies is momma’s old fashioned potato candy. Do not doubt me when I say it is one of the most surprising and decadent little candies out there. Who in their right mind makes candy out of potatoes? I could take a wild guess here (and possibly do some research), but all I know is we make candy out of potatoes and we like it. The ingredient list is unpretentious. To make 100 pieces of candy use 1 large potato, 4 pounds of confectioners’ sugar, and a cup of your favorite smooth peanut butter.  I say 4 pounds of sugar because the same thing happens to me every year. The hand scribbled recipe calls for 2 pounds and it is never enough. You want the consistency of play-doh and a little extra sugar to roll out the dough with. Buy extra! You won’t use the entire 4 pounds, but you will come close.  I added semi-sweet chocolate to melt and drizzle on top which is not in the ori...

Roasting chickpeas is so 2007. At least, that was the year everyone rediscovered these crunchy, protein packed wonders. I had my first (and best) roasted chickpea years ago when I spent every Thursday evening eating dinner with a tight knit and loving Iranian family. The mother did all of the cooking, and I began to crave everything she made with a wild abandon. I still do. Her roasted chickpeas were simply salted and roasted dry.  Perfection.  This recipe is simple, to the point, and impeccable. The honey and spice soaks in as they roast and encases each chickpea in a candy coating. If you are looking for a unique bowl of goodies at your next cocktail party, try this simple recipe for a big wow factor.  Spicy and Sweet Roasted Chickpeas Ingredients 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry ¼ cup clover honey 1 clove garlic, grated 1 jalapeno, finely diced 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce 5 teaspoons adobo sauce Pinch of salt Directions...

My husband was in the mood to talk. Mind you, this is rare and I must take full advantage of his sudden willingness to make conversation while I cook dinner in the kitchen. Instead of shushing him to concentrate on the task at hand (okay, it happened a few times) I was enjoying his company. We sipped on wine while I rubbed down pork tenderloin and boiled barley, wondering what I was making for the two of us. As it turns out, being distracted in the kitchen is a recipe for greatness. Or being in love. Either or. The flavors of Spain jumped out of my pocket and I conjured up a dish that was unique yet simple. When he took a bite of the saffron infused barley pilaf, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, he stopped talking, and started shoveling. This is a good sign, right? I think so.  Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin Ingredients 24 oz pork tenderloin, trimmed 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon paprika 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspo...

  I recently received a lovely jar of raw desert flower honey as a travel gift from family who vacationed in Arizona. They came across The Health Foodie at the Arizona Farmer's Market and thought of me (hugs). The honey is delightfully sticky, has a pleasant floral aroma, and I am addicted. It goes in my coffee, on toast, and there have been a few occasions when it found its way directly from pot to mouth. This liquid gold popped in mind when I was craving something sweet over the weekend. How do I make cookies using only honey as sweetener?  After scavenging through cookbooks for a few helpful tips these soft, bite-sized cuties were born. The honey imparts a flowery sweetness while dried cherries and walnuts add chew and crunch.  Raw Honey Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from Ellie Krieger ) Ingredients 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature ¼ cup canola oil ½ cup raw honey 1 large egg ½ teaspoon vanilla paste 1 tablesp...

I found an ingenious use for my luscious pumpkin rum sorbet . What does Grubarazzi do with a cup of sorbet waiting patiently to be eaten in the freezer? Make ice cold, creamy Pumpkin Rumtini’s!  It’s like re-gifting… to myself! Watch out. You will want to slurp these up faster than you can say “yummy”, but you might go to bed early after drinking one of these (I do not know this from experience). I will be making a double batch of my pumpkin rum sorbet just to drink these babies with my family on Christmas. What You Will Need  A cocktail shaker   2 martini glasses, chilled 1 cup of pumpkin rum sorbet ( recipe here ) 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup 2 ounces Amarula 4 ounces of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum A handful of golden raisins, soaked in rum Allow the pumpkin sorbet to soften slightly (or microwave for 20 seconds).  Place all of the ingredients in to cocktail shaker, cover, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Pour in to c...

  By now you are experiencing turkey-day overload. The thought of eating one more turkey pot pie, one more bowl of turkey noodle soup, or one more bite of a turkey sandwich sends you in to a downward foodie spiral.  Do not worry your pretty little head. Grubarazzi is here for you.   Say “Namaste” to the day by cooking up an Indian feast at home tonight. It takes a little extra time and a teeny bit of effort, but it is well worth it. You will end up with a piping hot cauldron of creamy, spicy grub loaded with vegetables, protein and stress reducing antioxidants (scientific fact).  Chicken Saagwala is an exquisite blend of spinach, onions, and traditional Indian spices stewed slowly to develop a buttery texture unmatched by any other spinach dish. It’s incredibly comforting, and if you make it at home it can be amazingly wholesome.  Serve chicken saagwala with a heaping spoonful of basmati rice pilaf filled with fresh herbs, almonds, spices ...