News
Entertainment
Science & Technology
Life
Culture & Art
Hobbies
News
Entertainment
Science & Technology
Culture & Art
Hobbies
ASIAN BACON | Live the Live ™
Sometimes the happiest of cooking accidents happen with bacon. My original plan was to make Chinese-style honey ribs for dinner. But instead of pulling a nice rack of ribs out of the freezer, I accidentally took out a slab of pork belly. I only realized my mistake after I thawed it, so I decided to…
TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN: A BIG THUMBS UP | Live the Live ™
Before our daughter was born, my wife and I traveled the world. We got engaged in Paris. We honeymooned in Thailand. We swam with dolphins in Moorea. We rode camels along the Mediterranean in Morocco. So when our daughter was born, many of our friends thought our traveling days would be over. One…
SEMI-PORTUGUESE KALE SOUP | Live the Live ™
I live just down the road from Fall River, Massachusetts, and New Bedford, Massachusetts, two thriving proud Portuguese communities. In middle school, my daughter had to take mandatory Portuguese language classes. We've got dozens of authentic Portuguese restaurants in the area, and even a well-stocked supermarket with its own bacalhau (salt cod) room: Portugalia Marketplace,…
A GUY WALKS INTO A BAR… | Live the Live ™
I recently rediscovered a story I wrote a couple of years ago, after my trip to New Zealand. I had hopes of getting it published somewhere, with no luck. So, what the heck...I'll reprint it here, adding a few photos to help with the story. A Guy Walks Into a (New Zealand) Bar… I recently…
GARDEN TOMATO CONSOMME | Live the Live ™
The definition of a consomme is: "a clear soup made with concentrated stock." I might add "mind-blowing" to that sentence, especially with this recipe. The key to success-- and this is crucial--is to use absolutely garden-fresh, in-season ingredients. If you try this with greenhouse or supermarket tomatoes, you're just wasting your time. 4 1/2…
BBQ CHICKEN AND BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA | Live the Live ™
I grill year-round. I'll stand in 3 feet of snow to get smoked ribs just right, if I have to. Through years of tireless experimentation, I've come up with a barbecue sauce that I can be proud of. I prefer a slightly sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, and it works really well with pork or…
GUANCIALE: A CRUCIAL CARBONARA INGREDIENT | Live the Live ™
Pork is magical. And though I’ve loved pork chops and store-bought bacon all my life, it’s only been in the last decade that I’ve learned to appreciate other cuts of pork and how they’re prepared. Guanciale is one of those meats, and it's a key ingredient to a classic Italian dish: pasta carbonara. Looking at…
A CLASSIC LITHUANIAN COLD BEET SOUP | Live the Live ™
It's interesting that an Eastern European country that is as far north as Newfoundland has one of the most refreshing cold summer soups of any country in Europe. It's a cold beet soup called Šaltibarščiai (pronounced shul-tih barsh-chay) and it's classic Lithuanian cooking at its best. No summer was complete without my Mom's Šaltibarščiai on the table,…
COLD CUCUMBER SOUP | Live the Live ™
What do you do when the hot weather kicks in and the cucumbers start taking over your garden? Make soup! The original cucumber soup recipe comes from Ikies Traditional Houses, a wonderful hotel in the beautiful town of Oia in Santorini, Greece. After a long, hot day of exploring the island, we would settle down to a…
PANCAKES MADE WITH FRESH RICOTTA | Live the Live ™
These pancakes are made from fresh ricotta cheese, whether homemade or store-bought. Light as air...and really delicious! I've made a few batches of fresh ricotta cheese in my day, but when my daughter has a craving for pancakes at the last minute, a good-quality store-bought ricotta cheese will do. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I…
A REFRESHING CUCUMBER COCKTAIL | Live the Live ™
Sometimes, a cool adult beverage is just what you need after a long day of yard work. The cucumber plants in my garden have started producing, so it's time to make this refreshing cocktail! 4 fresh cucumbers, peeled and seeded Small ice cubes 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves 2 teaspoons granulated organic…
GARDEN-FRESH GAZPACHO | Live the Live ™
When it's done right, gazpacho is one of the most delicious summer soups you'll ever have. The secret, of course, is using super-fresh veggies. That's why I crave it at the first sign of a vine-ripened tomato in my garden or a local farm stand. When my tomato plants have dozens of ripening fruits on…
“MEXICAN” CHICKEN WINGS | Live the Live ™
I've got dozens of chicken wing recipes, but even so, sometimes I just want something different. I decided to take my favorite taco seasonings recipe and adapt it to chicken wings. Caramba! One of the tastiest wings I've made in a long time! This is such an easy and delicious recipe to make, even for…
APPLESAUCE | Live the Live ™
It's not often that my daughter spends extended time at my house, so when I asked her for a food shopping list, and she said she was craving applesauce, I went out and bought a few pounds of organic apples to make my own. Applesauce is so easy to make, I don't know why people…
THE EASIEST PICKLES YOU’LL EVER MAKE | Live the Live ™
I don't have the patience to boil Mason jars and lids and all that. But I love me my pickles, especially when this year's garden cranks out so many cucumbers! This is such an easy way to make great pickles, it's almost unbelievable...and no water is needed! The salt extracts just enough moisture to make…
ONE-UPPING A STOLI DOLI WITH VELVET ELVIS | Live the Live ™
The inspiration for this incredibly easy to make cocktail is the famous Capital Grille Stoli Doli. I think I've done it one better with my Velvet Elvis. A Stoli Doli is simply Stoli vodka that has been infused with fresh pineapple. If you sit at the bar at the Capital Grille, you won't be able…
TASTY BITES IN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE | Live the Live ™
Been away from the blog for a few days... I recently drove up to Maine to pick my daughter up from the Hardy Boat in New Harbor, a ferry that takes you to and from Monhegan Island, about 10 miles offshore. My daughter spent a week there with her mom, and we decided we'd take…
ZOOKEENEE BREAD | Live the Live ™
I’m pretty good at keeping the zucchinis in my garden harvested on a regular basis, so they don’t get too big. But once in a while, I miss one, and it gets to be huge. That’s when it’s time to make zucchini bread. I was recently told that zucchinis are green...summer squash is yellow. I use…
TWO MOST EXCELLENT BARBECUE SAUCES | Live the Live ™
I grill year-round. I'll stand in 3 feet of snow to get smoked ribs just right, if I have to. Through years of tireless experimentation, I've come up with a barbecue sauce that I can be proud of. I prefer a slightly sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, and it works really well with pork or…
CHAR-GRILLED CLAMS | Live the Live ™
Ever since I had char-grilled oysters in New Orleans, I’ve been obsessed. I’ve made them at least once a month since I’ve been back. But the other day, I went to my local seafood store and I saw some beautiful clams, and I thought: Why not try those on the grill? I had some friends…
MOJITOS BY THE PITCHER | Live the Live ™
It's that time of year when friends are coming over, and you want to make one drink you can serve everyone, rather than playing bartender all night. This one hits the spot. There's only one thing better than a freshly made mojito...and that's a pitcher of freshly made mojitos! Organic raspberries and blueberries are in…
SLOW-COOKED COFFEE-RUBBED BRISKET | Live the Live ™
Fourth of July weekend means it’s time to do some serious barbecue! When I smoke my brisket low-and-slow in my smoker, I use a coffee steak rub that I developed a couple of years ago. It gives a deep, rich crust to the meat that is just fantastic. Depending on the size of the brisket,…
GRILL FOR REAL THIS JULY 4TH: DITCH THE GAS AND GO FOR THE HARDWOOD | Live the Live ™
I find little or no difference between the stove in my kitchen and an outdoor gas grill...so I don't own one. I can make a perfectly delicious steak by searing it in a cast iron pan on the stovetop, then finishing it in a hot oven. So, for me, if the real reason for outdoor…
MY HERRING HACK | Live the Live ™
Back from a trip to Poland and Lithuania with my daughter, where I literally ate my weight in herring. I know a lot of folks aren’t as crazy about herring as I am. But I was raised in a Lithuanian home, and it was everywhere. Growing up on Long Island, outside of New York City,…
DEVILED EGGS WITH BBQ CHICKEN AND COLE SLAW | Live the Live ™
I was away on a fantastic trip to Poland and Lithuania with my daughter for a couple of weeks, and I'll be posting some of our food finds soon. Meanwhile, enjoy this summer favorite. If you're trying to think of something new and interesting to bring to the July 4th celebration, this is it. It…
BABY BELL PEPPERS WITH FRESH CORN STUFFING | Live the Live ™
I came up with this crunchy appetizer years ago, when I needed a tasty bite for one of our summer parties. I wanted something fresh that highlighted the veggies of the season, so when I spotted these baby bell peppers in the supermarket, I got the idea. Baby bell peppers 6 ears fresh corn,…
MILK LIQUEUR | Live the Live ™
I call this a milk liqueur, because I remember my Mom made it when I was younger, and she called it "pieninis likeris" (milk liqueur) in Lithuanian. But a good friend of mine, knowledgable in all things alcohol, said that it's not much different than a "milk punch," something that was common in New Orleans.…
CHICKEN PARMIGIANA | Live the Live ™
After making a batch of this for my daughter this week, I got a bunch of requests for the recipe. So here we go! Chicken parmigiana, much like pizza, is a bit more difficult to make than you might think. Sure, there's plenty of crappy chicken parm out there, made with processed frozen chicken cutlets,…
MARINATED BEEF TIPS WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS | Live the Live ™
An easy way to marinate beef is to simply throw the meat in a bag and dump some Italian dressing into it. As simple as that sounds, it flavors the meat really nicely. But I've got a problem with anything that comes from a jar and was made in a factory, especially when it's so…
CHAR-GRILLED OYSTERS | Live the Live ™
It’s been a few years since I visited New Orleans, and it was great to see that many of the old food destinations were still there: the Napoleon House, Café Dumonde, Acme Oyster House, and across the street from it: Felix‘s Oyster House.My friend, Rick, told me I had to try the char-grilled oysters at…
THE BOULEVARDIER COCKTAIL | Live the Live ™
I've always loved Manhattans and Negronis...two different cocktails, yet similar in certain respects. Both use sweet vermouth. Both have a touch of bitterness: Manhattans will often include a few dashes of angostura bitters, where a Negroni gets its bitterness from Campari. So when I visited Food Network chef Geoffrey Zakarian's The Lambs Club restaurant in…
ASPARAGUS WITH BUTTER AND PARMIGIANO REGGIANO | Live the Live ™
Butter and cheese. Can anything be better? It’s especially great when asparagus is in season, growing in my garden, like right now. This is a great side dish with any main course like a big slab of meat, and has special meaning to me because my cousin first introduced me to asparagus with this recipe…
LAMBURGERS WITH FETA CHEESE DRESSING | Live the Live ™
When it comes to grilling, lamb is often overlooked. Some folks think it tastes too gamey, which can be true with grass-fed lamb that comes from New Zealand or Australia. Although you can't beat their strict quality standards, the flavor can be intense. I don't mind that intense lamb flavor in a chop, but when…
GRILLED CLAMS WITH PASTA | Live the Live ™
Who says you have to only cook burgers and steaks on the grill? This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy clams...and without the clam knife! I always use hardwood charcoal. A couple of dozen (or more) little neck clams, washed and purged 1 stick (8 oz.) of unsalted butter 1/4 cup extra virgin…
COFFEE-RUBBED ROASTED CHICKEN | Live the Live ™
Season it, pop it in the oven and walk away. Couldn't be easier! 3 tablespoons brown sugar1 tablespoon Kosher salt1 tablespoon ground coffee (use your favorite)1 teaspoon granulated garlic1 teaspoon granulated onion1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Whether you spatchcock your chicken or not, doesn’t really matter. I find that…
PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND SAUSAGE | Live the Live ™
When my daughter hangs out with me, I always ask her what she wants me to cook for her, and there are a few "Dad" recipes that are her favorites. This is one of them, especially when fresh asparagus is available. And as any parent will tell you, if your kid is craving a dish…
ASIAN NOODLES WITH PEANUT SAUCE | Live the Live ™
There's something about Asian noodle dishes that make them incredibly addictive. They're great hot or cold, and easy to make at home. I store an arsenal of basic Asian ingredients in my pantry, so slapping this together is no effort at all. And if you don't have Asian noodles around, chances are you've got a…
SPICY BRINED AND GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS | Live the Live ™
Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine these wings for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. They can be grilled or roasted in the oven.…
PICKLED ASPARAGUS: THE NEW SEASON | Live the Live ™
I moved to my current home in the fall of last year. One of the toughest things to say goodbye to in my previous garden was my asparagus patch. Over the years, I had grown loads and loads of delicious asparagus, but sadly, there was no good way to transport that patch to my new…
THE DERBY AND THE MINT JULEP! | Live the Live ™
The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is today and although I'm not a big horse racing fan, I am a huge fan of the official drink: the Mint Julep! The Mint Julep is such a perfect, classic and historic bourbon drink, it seems silly to wait until Derby Day to have one. Of course, as any…