Impress friends and family this Easter with a homemade decadent, moist coconut cake, layered with tangy lemon curd and strawberry, and cloaked in a velvety coconut frosting. No time? No worries. This cake can easily be prepared in approximately 60 minutes  with a little help from your local supermarket—in my case, Trader Joe's. Start with a vanilla cake mix. Trader Joe’s makes a wonderful vanilla-bean mix that calls for eggs, milk and melted butter. I substituted melted coconut oil which lends the cake a subtle coconut flavor. The zest of one lemon was also added to the batter. Since I wanted…

Memories of my childhood Valentine’s Days always include piles of paper heart doilies, red and pink construction paper, glue and glitter. I adored creating what I was certain were masterpieces, despite the likelihood I misspelled names or inadvertently created glue globs on my homemade hearts. Though I would love to recreate those memories with my own children, I don’t seem to be raising any crafters. I can, however, cajole them into making sweets, especially if those confections include frosting and sprinkles. This year we are making heart-shaped Rice Krispie treats, decorated with melted …

Hot chocolate truly is the ultimate summer drink.  No... that’s not a typo.  Historically, hot chocolate’s beginnings can be traced back to the  ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations of balmy Mexico.   Food historians believed the Mayans drank the beverage both hot and cold, without sugar but with the addition of chile and spices.  Xocolatl, as it was called, was considered an excellent medicinal drink, especially for stomach ailments. Explorers discovered the drink and brought it back to Europe where it evolved into the sugary, rich libation we know and love today... one served mostly during…

It’s not only the iconic star of the The Martha Stewart Show who chose Katonah as her home.  Nikki Elkins, the program's kitchen manager and TV chef is a recent Katonah settler as well, and is thus far delighted with her decision to leave the city behind.  “Love Katonah. Everyone has been so welcoming,” Elkins told me over cranberry seltzers during my recent visit to her lovely ranch-style home on Croton Lake Road last week.  “It’s a nice mix of country and city folk.”  The amiable Miami native lives here with her husband, Kent Motland—a high school literature teacher currently on leave and …

In the present day world of discount mega stores and Black Friday deals, a handcrafted gift has indeed become a rare and cherished item.   Consider making some homemade treats from the kitchen this year in lieu of a scented candle or monogramed guest towels. The recipient will - no doubt - appreciate the time, effort, and gratification of your thoughtful gift.  I’ve come up with a few ideas to help you get started on this quest. Think you don’t have the time? Most of these will take you less time than driving to the mall and back.  Enlist your kids help, and you have now just created a new …

Making pie is certainly not as easy as eating pie. It’s the crust component of the task that makes people nervous, leading them to outsource the Thanksgiving dessert course with store-bought pie shells to fill and bake themselves.    Not that outsourcing is such a bad thing. Overall, Thanksgiving should be about spending quality time with the family, not striving to host the be-all and end-all culinary event of the year. However, if you want to finally conquer your fear of making crust, I’ve come up with a few tips to help make this undertaking a bit easier and definitely more tasty. The 411 …

After four days without power due to the bizarre pre-Halloween snowstorm, and a freezer full of defrosted meats, my kitchen table rendered a carnivore’s delight this past week. My larder was more laden than usual since I had stocked up before the storm, expecting a lovely weekend with the family spent by the fire. Instead, we spent late Saturday afternoon fleeing a darkened home in a blizzard, as trees began crashing down all around us.  And so, a week early, I celebrated at home what starts today in Manhattan: NYC Meat Week, planned to help connect farmers to the people who are eating their …

Though the U.S. pumpkin crop seems destined to serve as either fall decor or as a macabre candleholder to grace the front porch each Halloween, the French have long known the pleasure and ease which comes from filling the hollow of a pumpkin with bread, cheese and meat, roasting it until the golden flesh has caramelized and the scent of the rich, creamy stuffing beckons. I first saw a stuffed pumpkin last year on an episode of Martha Stewart which featured one of my favorite food writers and cookbook authors, Dorie Greenspan.  Greenspan, who splits her time between New York and Paris, shared …

Here’s an easy and guaranteed autumn recipe for fun: take one stadium football game; add several friends and family members. Mix in a truck, parking lot, grill, canopy, and delicious food and drink. For extra flavor, add a football or frisbee to the mix. Enjoy up to 2 hours pre-or-post-game. Food for a tailgate party can run the gamut from extremely easy—open bag of chips and salsa—to more gourmet fare if you are willing to set up a portable grill. The point is to enjoy the festive atmosphere and the season’s last chance for al fresco dining.  My family spent a recent Saturday having a ball (…

With the muggy temperatures this past weekend, the last thing I wanted to do was spend time baking in the kitchen. But what to do with our family’s recent acquisition of apples from the farmer’s market, other than happily eating them raw? A salad? Hmm... maybe a Waldorf salad? I will be the only one eating this, since my husband, Jamie, eschews dried fruit, and he’s also not a fan of grapes or walnuts. In fact, anyone who knows him will be quick to point out his animosity to any dish prepared with fruit, including desserts—he's not shy about broadcasting his disdain. However, I’ve figured out…

"Moving to the country, I'm gonna eat me a lot of peaches...  Millions of peaches, peaches for me." I couldn't get these lyrics from the Presidents of the United States of America 90's pop song "Peaches" out of my head as I contemplated what to do with the aforementioned fruit I had stocked up on last week at Daisy Hill Farm in Bedford. The season for stone fruits will be ending soon—apple-picking season is knocking at the front door. I'm not ready for the summer season's sweet and juicy tree fruits to be finished, but it is eminent…or is it?    Canners know the secret to prolonging the …

One can learn a lot about a country's culture through it's food, which is why I always insist on including a cooking class in our family itinerary when traveling in a foreign land. I've also found that my kids will try unknown foods more easily after they have participated in preparing it. Currently I am in Bali, Indonesia, where I, along with my sister and two sons, had the extreme pleasure of participating in Lobong Culinary Experience Bali in the popular tourist town of Ubud. Lobong is run by Sang Made and his brother-in-law, Dewa Jana, who worked as a chef at the exclusive Amandari Hotel …

The heat wave last week brought to mind steamy, tropical vacations my family has taken to Asia and Mexico.  Locales where fruit is plentiful, and my children are encouraged to indulge—their favorite form being a fresh fruit smoothie. Together, we took advantage of air conditioning, ripening fruit and plenty of ice to create and test-taste several varieties of frozen fruit beverages—Pina Colada (virgin, of course!), Strawberry Lemon Basil, Blueberry Kiwi Mint, Canteloupe Mango Lime, and an old-fashioned Cherry Lime Rickey smoothie.  Some include yogurt, though most are dairy-free. All have a …

“My cup runneth over with herbs. Anyone need basil, cilantro, thyme or mint?” posted Somers-resident Kathleen Gilston on Facebook recently, to caption her photo of patio pots filled with tall, healthy herbs.   Kathleen’s post inspired me to investigate what locals like to do with their summer’s bounty of herbs. My new summer trend is to make simple syrups with basil, adding it to homemade lemonade or to basil gimlet cocktails.  I’ve tasted lemonade made with rosemary simple syrup but, to me, it doesn’t taste as fresh and light as the basil.  Even if you aren’t inclined to prepare a simple …

Be honest. Who doesn’t feel a twinge of joy (other than our vegetarian friends!) at the sight of a big bucket filled with crispy, flavorful, batter-dipped fried chicken served at a summer picnic, a neighborhood block party or a backyard barbecue with friends? I know I do—I am jumping up and down on the inside, even while verbally exclaiming, “Oh, how unfortunate that there’s nothing healthier available.” I am secretly thrilled for the opportunity to indulge in this old-fashioned American treat. I embarked on a quest this week – a virtual “chicken run” – along with my mother visiting from …

After attending the Katonah Elementary School’s 2nd Grade State Fair and Americana concert last Friday, I was inspired to prepare an old-fashioned dessert from my childhood—from a memorable summer in 1976. It was the bicentennial and I had just finished second grade myself. Summer desserts in my Colorado childhood home consisted of homemade vanilla ice cream, cherry pie à la mode, strawberry-rhubarb pie, lemon bars, or strawberry shortcake. The decision of which sweet to replicate was easy considering the present season is the humble strawberry’s finest hour; it would have to be my …

Just in time for the bikini season, the release of the cookbook You Can Trust a Skinny Cook aims to please those looking to stay fit—or even shed a few pounds—while still indulging in flavorful, un-processed food. It was written by the former co-host of the Lifetime television show, Cook Yourself Thin, Allison Fishman, a TV spokesperson and contributing editor for Cooking Light and a former editor of Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food. She also co-hosted TLC’s Home Made Simple, which featured her instructing families across the U.S. in basic culinary skills. Considering herself foremost a teacher…

As the long Memorial Day weekend beckons, the backyard grill parties commence, most with burgers and hot dogs on the menu.   While there is nothing wrong with the iconic American hamburger, served with ketchup, pickles, etc., it takes mere minutes to spice things up a bit, with a few readily available ingredients.  Rather than doing anything different to the meat itself, I created several simple sauces – most with only 2 ingredients – and toppings to add panache to the burger.  One could even use these to jazz up the hot dog as well.  Below are recipes for five globally-influenced burgers – …

Some just know early on what their future holds for them. Eric Gabrynowicz, chef of Restaurant North in Armonk— found his passion for food at a young age, inspired by his Italian grandfather’s delicious Sunday suppers served each week in Queens. Exploring a possible career in the restaurant industry, Gabrynowicz began as a dishwasher at a restaurant in his hometown of Montgomery, NY at age 14. Bit by the culinary bug, he began working at Sycamore Farms in Middletown, where owners Sue and Henry took him under their wing and introduced him to such talented New York City chefs as Dan Silverman, …

Looking for an enjoyable restaurant for your next family outing to the city, and can’t stomach the thought of Mars 2112 or The American Girl Cafe? If you need to be assured of high chairs, booster seats and children’s menus, the following recommendations may not be for you. But, if you are willing to venture beyond chicken tenders and grilled cheese, keep reading. I have several criteria to be fulfilled when choosing a place to dine with my kids: It has to be loud – this  relieves some of the pressure to undertake my role of Sound Police. The establishment should allow reservations – trying …