Easter Favorites 2012

April 10, 2012 by mymateriallife

       In photo order (top to bottom): Large tissue paper flowers (instructions here courtesy of Martha Stewart) with home-glittered letters from a party store “make your own banner” kit. My friend Camille’s Meyer Lemon Pound Cake (recipe here courtesy of Amber Simpkins) – flawless in taste, texture and appearance. Camille’s tip:  skip the boiled lemon slices and their brew called for in the recipe.  She made a test run of the recipe and found that they didn’t work for her. […]

Categories: Beverages, Easter, Paper, Savories, Sweets • Tags: featherbed eggs, jelly bean cocktail, marion cunningham, meyer lemon pound cake, tissue paper flowers

Frito Pie Night

January 13, 2012 by mymateriallife

This makes such a fun dinner.  The only problem is that it tastes so good, you’ll be tempted to overeat.  I’ve always loved the idea of Frito pie, but I never had a really tasty one (I usually don’t like the flavor of restaurant chile) until last night. I ate two of them actually.  They were inspired by the current issue of Saveur magazine, the annual one where they feature their favorite 100 food-related things.  I was just flipping through […]

Categories: Savories • Tags: frito pie, saveur magazine

Kind Hearts and Coronets

December 20, 2011 by mymateriallife

That’s hearts as in artichoke hearts.  I don’t think I ever did see that old British film (although it’s right up my alley), but I’ve always loved that title – the way those four words sound together.  I have two really delicious things I made and ate yesterday that I want to share with you.  Somehow this film title came to me as a way to connect them. Yesterday, we had a little cookie baking and decorating session for a […]

Categories: Savories, Sweets • Tags: artichoke dip, elegant cocoa pearls, penzey's, saveur magazine, trader joe's

Cooking Chicken Soup with Rice

November 3, 2011 by mymateriallife

A few years ago we were invited to a dinner during Hanukkah at my friend Larisa’s house and she served the most exquisite chicken soup.  The broth was pristine, the flavor was fantastic and the presentation was beautiful.  It was so simple – just that practically crystal-clear broth with a single – what was it now? A dumpling? A matzo ball?  And a narrow baby carrot.  I knew she was good at chicken soup because she served it to her […]

Categories: Reading Material, Savories • Tags: chicken soup with rice, fiesta del mar, maurice sendak

Fried Green Tomatoes

August 28, 2011 by mymateriallife

                 Aren’t these tomatoes a lovely shade of green?  They’re from the garden of a generous friend.  That’s my only source for them as I don’t grow tomatoes and you can’t find these in the market – except when you don’t want to.  I used to wonder if there was a special green variety of tomato for these, but I eventually realized that there isn’t (although one of the varieties above really is supposed […]

Categories: Savories • Tags: fried green tomatoes, sara moulton

Jack’s Vegetable Tart

June 15, 2011 by mymateriallife

I made this tart for dinner last night.  Like many things we cook, it actually tastes better reheated the next day.  I used to get a tart like this at Jack’s Deli in Westlake Village, so that’s why I call it Jack’s Vegetable Tart.  I never knew Jack, but I always loved his deli (restaurant) and I have such fond memories of eating there with various family members.  Have you heard the latest Kaiser Permanente radio ad about food, scent […]

Categories: Savories • Tags: jack's deli, vegetable tart

Favorite Free Magazines

April 19, 2011 by mymateriallife

I just love it when I can get something I perceive to be valuable for free, don’t you?  So I always get a little boost when I find a new issue of one of these magazines at either Whole Foods (Delicious Living) or the Saratoga Library (California Home & Design). For all the sweet stuff I post on this blog, you probably wouldn’t know that I’ve been something of a health food nut since I was a teenager, and I […]

Categories: Reading Material, Savories • Tags: california home & design, delicious living, delicious vegetable soup, italian harvest vegetable soup

Neat Fried Egg Trick

April 8, 2011 by mymateriallife

We accompanied a young friend on her 4-H chicken duty at a nearby ranch earlier in the week and thanks to her and her gracious mother, we were allowed to keep all the eggs that were laid that day.  The little chicken above is actually sitting on duck eggs, but some of her larger neighbors did lay their own eggs and those are the ones we brought home.  I just thought she looked so pretty sitting there with those lovely […]

Categories: Savories • Tags: lucinda scala quinn, perfect fried egg

Samantha’s Birthday Curry (Rice Table)

March 28, 2011 by mymateriallife

I adopted this recipe from my friend Bev after she made it for a baby shower lunch that my Martino’s Interiors friends held for me in February 2004.  I say adopted because I really took it in and made it a part of the family!  I served it every year at Samantha’s family birthday parties through age 5 and even at 6, when I dropped the separate family party altogether, I served it for the adults and family at her […]

Categories: Celebrations, Savories • Tags: chicken curry, rice table, singapore curry, the joy of cooking