Category Archives: Itty Bitty City Kitchen Aresenal

The Gingerbread Man

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We’re heading off to Atlantic City in a few hours for a weekend of gambling, food, drinks, family oh and a show with the cast of Impractical Jokers!

So I’m not cooking tonight. I like my breaks from cooking because I come back to my kitchen totally ready to try a million a new things.

So I don’t have a food post, but I do have a story.

Back in the late 70s/early 80s, my great aunt, my Auntie Anna worked at Orange Savings Bank. I should take a minute to note that my grandma and her sisters are Romano women. Stubborn, independent, and hard-headed. And I’m just like them : )

So in a time when a lot of women stayed home with the kids, they all worked. Hard.

So anyway, my Auntie Anna worked at the bank. And while she worked there, they ran this promotion. When you opened an account, you got this little guy.

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Ta da! Give us your money and we’ll give you this 70s-fab ceramic gingerbread man.

Now, every single woman in my family has one. Mom’s is on the counter next to the stove to rest spoons on while she cooks. Ditto grandma’s. My mom’s sister’s has traveled from house to house with her, got broken, and was even glued back together.

When I moved into my own kitchen, I was pissed.

I didn’t have a gingerbread man.

I know. Major sad face.

I felt out of the loop.

I felt like I didn’t have that little family ties that all the other women had.

Until.

My dad cleaned out my grandma’s attic and found one!

That little guy up there? Yup. He’s mine.

He’s on my counter next to my stove.

Where he sits in the kitchens of all of the other women in my family.

Nutella Granola

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I could eat Nutella straight from the jar.

Big heaping spoonfuls.

I’d be happy.

Then I’d be guilty.

Then I’d be depressed.

And then because I was depressed, I’d eat more Nutella.

Then I’d be happy…

I think you see where this is going.

So I wanted to come up with something that would let me eat Nutella, squelch my afternoon chocolate cravings and still be semi healthy.

So was born Nutella granola.

This is super simple and a great thing to make on a Sunday to have for the week.

You will need

1 cup puff rice cereal

1 cup quick cook oats

1/2 cup hazlenuts

2 heaping tablespoons Nutella

Dump the nuts, cereal and oats in a bowl and stir them up.

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Spoon in the Nutella and stir until all the dry ingredients are coated with Nutella.

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Turn out the mixture onto a foil-lined cookie sheet or baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

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The smell of chocolate and hazelnuts will waft through your kitchen.

Remove from the oven, let cool and then put in an airtight container to store.

Grab a few handfuls when you need a little bit of chocolate.

Add some to your boring, healthy cereal to jazz it up.

I plan on sprinkling this over my yogurt, adding strawberries and raspberries and having my lunch feel a little bit like dessert.

Another Itty Bitty City Kitchen Cranking Big Burgers

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Yesterday, I had no recipes to share with you because my boyfriend and I took a little mini vacation in our own city.

There are so many amazing things to see in the city, and with work and errands and every day life, sometimes we don’t get the chance to explore. Sometimes I think tourists see more of a city than the people who actually live there.

So we decided we’d change that.

There are two places we’ve been talking about going but something always comes up.

So yesterday we said no to cleaning and grocery shopping and, yes, even cooking, and hand in hand, set off for a stroll through Central Park.

It was an absolutely picture perfect summer day. It was the second day of summer in fact, so a walk through the park and a trip to the Central Park Zoo was in order.

I was surprised at just how many things are packed in! The park itself is a sprawling field of green in the tangle of the city, but the zoo doesn’t occupy much of the space of the park overall.

Exotic birds, polar bears, penguins. The sea lions! Can’t forget the sea lions swimming around playfully in their tank.

The only problem with the zoo trip is that now my boyfriend wants a red panda as a pet.

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Thank goodness our apartment does not allow for pets.

We left the zoo and made our way over to Argo Tea for the best chai I’ve ever found in the city.

But the zoo and the park and the tea were just warmups.

We were walking around so we wouldn’t feel guilty for what we were about to do.

In Midtown sits the rocky facade of the Parker Meridien Hotel. Doormen in crisp shirts greet you. The gleaming marble, the heavy draperies. It’s gorgeous. But we weren’t here for the scenery.

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We were here for the burger.

Say what?

Yes, the burger.

I had been there once before, but I couldn’t remember how to get to…

“You here for the burger?”

One of the doormen, seeing us in our tee-shirts and shorts, rightfully guessed that we were NOT checking in to the hotel.

We laughed.

“You look hungry,” he said. This guy was good.

He pointed us around the curtains and down a narrow hallway. There was no sign, no indication. Until you got to the end and saw the neon light in the shape of a burger with an arrow pointing right.

We were in the right place.

You walk in and you do a doubletake. Were we really just in that elegant lobby? Really?

This is what you see when you walk in:

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A dimly lit wood-panelled box completely covered in scribblings and signatures, 6 or 7 booths, a long table with barstools, and there, directly in front of you, an itty bitty kitchen.

The grill, the register, the fryers, the blenders for milkshakes. Yup, all crammed in that little space.

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And guess what they crank out of that itty bitty kitchen?

These big burgers and even bigger bags of fries.

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Any description I give here will be completely inadequate.

Just go.

Read the rules on ordering (yes, there are rules), and wait your turn.

Grab a seat as soon as one opens up.

Sip your beer and get ready for a bite of the best burger you will ever have.

No overexaggeration.

I mean, did you see the kitchen? There’s no room for overexaggeration.

Hummus – Meme’s Secret

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Remember yesterday when I told you that I can never get food to taste quite like meme’s?

Well, that was a tiny fib. I can get one thing right.

Hummus.

I’ve told you before about my love of tahini. Hummus is probably the most common introduction most people have to the sesame seed paste.

Nothing compares to homemade hummus. There are some store brands that are okay in a bind, but once you make it yourself, you will never be able to dip your carrots and celery sticks into the plastic tub again.

This is a ridiculously easy recipe. For a while though we couldn’t get it to taste like meme’s.

Granted, meme’s recipe was something like garlic a lil bit of lemon, a lil bit olive oil, some tahini, some pepper and the chickpeas. And fresh lemon juice. My lil bit would always be different from her lil bit.

But no matter what we did, it wasn’t quite right. It was delicious, but not quite right.

Until the day that meme told us her secret. She had been holding out on us.

So here it is. How meme makes hummus

Into the cuisinart (meme calls it a cuisinart not a food processor.) So into the cuisinart

2 cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons tahini

olive oil (enough to make the mixture smooth. this is an add and blend and add if you need more ingredient)

juice of half a lemon

a few grinds black pepper

1 can chickpeas, rinsed, and here’s the trick. reserve the liquid the chickpeas are in. Add maybe one or two tablespoons to the mix. Trust me.

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Blend it all up in the cuisinart. Serve with carrots, celery, cauliflower, warm pita, use it as a sandwich spread. This is a great healthy snack or a great way to start a meal if you’re tired of salad.

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I promise you, once you make it, you’ll never buy it again. And bonus, it’s way cheaper to make it yourself, so the money you save can go into paying for the itty bitty city kitchen. You may even be able to buy a new gadget for your kitchen!

If you can find the room for it.

Bushberry Cake – Slightly Modified

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Earlier today I was extolling the virtues of summer berries. And then, as if they read my mind, Chatelaine posted this amazing recipe.

Bushberry Cake

You may scratch your head when you read the name, but when you read the ingredients and how easy it is, you will just say oh my gosh I need that.

Now, admittedly, I changed up this recipe a bit. The original calls for cranberries and I used dried cherries. It also calls for a whiskey butter sauce. Now, I love me a good boozy sauce as much as the next gal, but remember that over-indulgent weekend we had? Yea, we’re still working it off. So I ditched the sauce and turned the Bushberry Cake from dessert to breakfast pastry.

I hope you don’t mind my creative license, Chatelaine.

If you want to make it the real way, here’s the recipe.

I pretty much followed the cake part of the recipe as listed.

  • 1.5 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • .5 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • .5 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • raspberries
  • dried cherries (the recipe calls for cranberries, but the grocery store didn’t have them. dried cherries give the same tart notes, plus I already had them)

Preheat the oven to 400.

In a large bowl cream together the butter (room temperature) and the sugar and the vanilla.

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Measure out the flour and baking powder in a small bowl. (I just used my measuring cup to save bowls)

Pour the milk out into another small bowl.

Alternate adding the flour mix and the milk to the butter and sugar, stirring well with each addition, until all of the ingredients are combined.

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Gently stir in the raspberries and the cherries.

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Pour the mix into a 9×9 greased baking dish.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown.

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My kitchen smelled like butter and sugar and fresh raspberries.

Who needs scented candles when you have warm, summery baked goods in the oven?

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The beauty of a glass dish is seeing the little punctuation marks of berries scattered in the batter.

Summer Berries

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My other summer obsession?

The explosion of bright, tangy, sweet, tart berries!

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Really does anything say summer more than a bowl full of berries?

Sweet juicy strawberries sliced in half, bright pops of a blueberry exploding in your mouth, bright tart raspberries.

My new favorite addition to the mix, dried tart cherries.

They really punctuate the brightness of the berries with their chewiness.

Instead of yogurt, try cottage cheese.

Yummm.

Healthy Breakfast Alternative – Ice Pops!

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I have many food obsessions.

These change seasonally. In the winter, it’s anything topped with warm melted cheese, in the fall, it’s anything with butternut squash or cinnamon, in the spring, it’s fresh grassy greens. In the summer? Ice pops.

I already told you about how my dad bought me two rocket pops as a kid – that’s probably the root of my obsession.

But, really, just think about it for a second.

Think about being a kid and eating an ice pop out in the backyard, or sitting on your front steps, or poolside as the sun beats down and melts the pop down your hands.

Bliss.

That right there, the icy cold pop hitting your tongue, the sticky melted liquid running down your arm, the sun beating down as you run your bare feet through the grass.

That’s happiness right there.

Yet, as adults, we forget all about the humble ice pop.

Now, I love the ones in the box in the freezer section as much as I did as a kid – fudgcicles, fruit bars, creamsicles – but I know that these are loaded with sugar and preservatives (though there are a ton of all natural options on the market.) Edy’s, Ciao Bella and Whole Foods’ 365 brand are all pretty decent options.

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But nothing will be as good or as fresh as what you make at home.

Let me ask you something, do you like smoothies?

Do you make them at home?

Have you ever considered freezing your smoothie and putting it on a stick?

Why not?!?

Everyone knows food on a stick is so much better!

Scientifically proven fact!

Okay, well maybe not, but think about all the times you’ve eaten foods on a stick and now try and think about all the times you were unhappy while eating foods on a stick.

See?

So instead of just making a smoothie and sipping it on my way to work, I’m embracing my inner child!

Toss some of your favorite fruits in the blender with some ice and some water. Instead of pouring into a cup and sticking in a straw, pour into ice pop molds, or into paper cups and stick in a Popsicle stick.

Or, you can get a little fancy and alternate layers of fruit and Greek yogurt for a protein and fruit packed way to start your day. It will feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast. These are great afternoon pick me ups, too.

I don’t know about where your office is, but at mine, this guys shows up outside at 3 pm every day. Right when I’m having a sweets craving.

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Say no to the vanilla cone and yes to the vanilla yogurt pop you stashed in the freezer.

I found a ton of great ideas at Woman’s Day.

Another great idea is to mix a little Nutella into your yogurt. It feels a little naughty to have chocolate in the morning, but you’re giving yourself calcium and protein and Vitamin D. Need a morning jolt? How about pouring some coffee into vanilla yogurt, stirring and freezing for a creamy does of caffeine.

I walked to work with an ice pop this morning and admittedly got some stares.

They’re all just jealous.

I mean, come on, if your day starts out with an ice pop, there’s no way it can be a bad day.

Peanut Butter Rice Crispie Oatmeal Bars

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Holy family parties over indulging weekend, batman!

That’s what Robin would be saying in the batcave right now as he tried to strip off his spandex suit and give his tummy some room to breathe.

Whew. A Barbecue with three rounds of delicious homemade food on Saturday (burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, cake, perogies, kielbasa, more cake) followed by a surprise Birthday brunch today (bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausage, french toast, pizza, sushi, cake, brownies, and yes I said pizza and sushi. Who doesn’t like sushi with their pancakes?)

I’m laying in bed in sweatpants right now wondering how I am ever going to find something in my closet for work that I can actually zip tomorrow.

So with this gluttony in mind, I prepped for a healthy week.

I did my usual food shop of fresh fruit and came home and washed it and chopped it all up. It’s stacked in the fridge and ready to go. There’s Greek yogurt, too. So we’re good.

But here’s my downfall.

I always need something crunchy.

Yes, fruit is crunchy.

But it’s not the same crunch factor.

I love granola in my yogurt and granola bars are a great grab and go, but they’re so… processed.

After all the stuff I put in me this weekend, I’m feeling like I want all pure, natural, fresh foods.

And as few chemicals as possible.

When I’m in my holistic, granola earthy-crunchy moods, my first thought is always Trader Joe’s. I know I can trust what’s in the store, but at the same time, not break the bank like I would at Whole Foods.

Remember, this itty bitty city kitchen doesn’t come cheap.

So off we went to Trader Joe’s for a few more things to set us up for a healthy week. We got some dried fruits and some nuts for munching.

Then I saw this.

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Puffed rice cereal. No artificial colors or flavors and no preservatives. We’re talking my language.

There’s a recipe on the box for a sort of peanut butter rice crispie treat, but it had way too much sugar going on.

So I got home and came up with this less sweet, but salty and satisfyingly crunchy, and healthy!, snack bar.

Pour 2 cups of the cereal and 1 cup of quick cook oats into a bowl.

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Mix.

Add 5 tablespoons chunky peanut butter. I like the extra crunch factor of chunky peanut butter.

Drizzle over about a tablespoon of honey.

Stir.

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Line a baking dish with plastic wrap, leaving enough extra to be able to fold over and cover the top.

Turn the mixture out into the plastic-lined dish and press down.

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Pull the plastic wrap over the top, pulling tight and pressing down to bring the mix together.

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Pop in the fridge for a few hours so it firms up.

Cut, grab and go!

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This satisfies my salty and crunchy cravings so I stay out of the peanut M&Ms at work.

At least for one day.

Breakfast on the Fly

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Good, good, goooood… good morning! ba ba ba abababa.

No I’m not this chipper in the morning. But that’s what I wake up to.

My alarm sings good morning.

Isn’t that so much better to wake up to than some high pitched beeping?

It makes me giggle before I’ve even opened my eyes.

So why am I setting an alarm on a Saturday?

Well, we have to head to Jersey for some family time. So it’s up and breakfast and coffee and out the door.

Breakfast is my favorite meal. I can eat breakfast foods all day. Speaking of which, breakfast for dinner hasn’t happened in a while… hmm… maybe this week.

It doesn’t even have to be some fancy homemade breakfast to make me happy. I’m such a cereal junky. I could eat cereal all day. All day.

I love opening the cabinet, pulling out a box of cereal and transforming it. Transform cereal? Yup. Add some fruit or some chopped nuts. Change up your milk. A hint of coconut milk over otherwise boring bran flakes and you have a tropical start to your day. A sprinkle of cinnamon and some peaches over corn flakes and you have a peach cobblery start to your day.

This morning?

It’s summer and it’s berry season.

Blueberries and raspberries tumbled over some honey nut Cheerios. A tiny sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts for a nod to Italian flavors.

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He, on the other hand, is the egg master. Check out those perfectly yellow, gooey yolks! Those red flecks? Armenian red pepper. Does it have a real name? Yes. Can I even begin to spell it or say it? No.

But any Middle Eastern food store would know what you mean. It’s spicy. And it gets spicier as you cook it. (I learned that the hard way the first time I added it to my lentil soup.)

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It took us maybe ten minutes to brew coffee, make eggs and concoct a cereal blend. You have ten minutes in the morning. And if you don’t, it’s totally worth waking up a little earlier to have your breakfast at home, on your couch, instead of while walking to work or while sitting at your desk.

Try it!

Remember to Drink your Ovaltine

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Hot chocolate is the ultimate in comfort.

It’s warm, it’s chocolate, it’s milk, it’s soothing. It’s all the things that give us comfort as a child.

There is nothing more comforting than hot chocolate made with Ovaltine.

They changed the packaging since we were kids. The orange and brown is how I always will picture Ovaltine

They changed the packaging since we were kids. The orange and brown is how I always will picture Ovaltine

After my work event last night, I was tired, I was wet and I was cold.

Tropical storm Andrea wasn’t so tropical at 11 last night. She was pretty chilly.

As predicted, I didn’t get to enjoy any of the food, or more tragically, any of the desserts at the event.

I came home wet and tired and in desperate need of removing my heels.

I hate heels. They are one of the cruelest inventions, right up there with push up bras and spanx.

There are so many places in the city to get gourmet hot chocolate. And there are so many recipes I have at hand to make my own gourmet hot chocolate. But 1. it was late and 2. when I want comfort, I want the flavors of my childhood.

I always had Ovaltine as a kid. And I always loved Ovaltine. It has so many childhoos associations – a glass of chocolate milk and a cookie after school at grandma’s, a glass of Ovaltine and a bowl of sugary Lucky Charms while watching Saturday morning cartoons, and of course, A Christmas Story. Who doesn’t associate Ovaltine with Ralphie?

I meant to post this last night, but honestly, I was too tired.

So here is how I ended my night.

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A steaming mug of hot chocolate and Glamour magazine.

Next time you have a hot chocolate craving, forget about Max Brenner’s and Jacques Torres and Serendipity, and put away the Ghiradelli gourmet chocolates and the heavy cream and the double boilers. Grab a mug, spoon out two tablespoons of Ovaltine, pour in some milk, zap it in the microwave for a minute or two, and curl up in your favorite pjs like you did when you were a kid!