Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category
Posted on: November 7th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
This what one of the things I love about dogs. She isn’t wailing about the impending end of her days on the planet. She’s fully engaged, living today, living with excitement. She doesn’t mourn the long walks she used to take when she was a younger healthier dog, she just charges out there to do what she can do now. She doesn’t get all stressed out about the diaper or her funny walk. On bad mornings, she waits patiently for one of us to carry her down the stairs, and we gladly do it, and when she gets down there, she engages in the task of the morning—first, anything fallen since last night? Second…
Posted on: October 31st, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
In The Lost Recipe for Happiness, by Barbara O’Neal, chef Elena Alvarez has good reasons to celebrate The Day of the Dead with great gusto. Here are two recipes, one for Mayan Hot Chocolate, and one for Pan de Muerto.
Posted on: August 7th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
Barbara O’Neal is enjoying the bounty of farmer’s markets, making jam, and lazing around before getting back to work
Posted on: June 10th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
I’m sure everyone in the world has thought of doing this but me–but you know how it is when you discover something stunningly simple and delicious: Hey-sanna, Ho-sanna, Sanna-sanna hey!* I’ve been grilling lemons with chicken breasts and it is amazingly delcious. And easy.
Chicken breasts with Grilled Lemons and Sauteed Spinach
Serves 4
Olive Oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 whole lemons, sliced; save the ends
Thyme
Rosemary
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
4 cups fresh baby spinach, picked over and thick stems removed
Open the chicken breast into butterflies and sprinkle one side with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cover the bottom of a very large cast iron skillet with olive oil and let it get hot over medium high heat. Arrange sliced lemons on the bottom of the pan and place the …
Posted on: May 21st, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
It’s a cold winter afternoon, the kind when winter blisters past the windows, turning everything blue. Inside, I am kneading bread. Not in a bread machine but with my own palms and wrists. The dough is whole wheat, heavy and thick, and it takes muscle to punch it down, to knead and fold and press, then turn it, fold it, press it again. Over and over. For such a glutinous dough, it will take ten minutes to break it down, then a couple of hours to rise and lighten, another round of kneading before I nestle it into glass bread pans to rise one more time.
Posted on: April 18th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
My new book will be out in January, and I’d love to include some reader recipes. Post one to the comments or email me with one to have a chance.
Posted on: March 18th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
A great review from a kitchen professional on THE LOST RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS by Barbara O’Neal.
Posted on: March 12th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
Readers of The Lost Recipe for Happiness who live outside the southwestern US might not know how to roast chiles. A simple recipe to roast a small batch, along with a link to a good recipe for green chile stew.
Posted on: February 28th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
I needed to bake something today (to make up for my distastrous muffins last week) and decided upon scones. Apricot scones. They were so pretty we stopped everything, made a pot of tea (with PG Tips, sent quarterly from England by CR’s mother), cream and jam.
Pretty, no?
Have you baked something beautiful recently?
Posted on: February 22nd, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
Week before last, TOP CHEF had a challenge that involved cooking the “last supper” of a group of individual famous chefs. Fascinating idea. Someone then asked me on Twitter what my last supper would be and I popped off with “a southern breakfast.”
It’s not an easy challenge. I’m still running through the possibilities. I don’t think it would be something rich and gourmet (neither were most of the chef’s choices–they tended to want their childhood favorites). I might want macaroni and cheese and whole grain rolls. Or chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and banana pudding. (Hmm. I think that might be it).
What would you choose? I’ll choose a name from the comments and send …
