DailyWaffle

KITCHENS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST by J. Ryan Stradal | Review

The Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal is the best book I’ve read so far this year. Food is both its frame and its unifying thread and yes, there are recipes. Yet, it’s only sort of about food. Either way, it takes guts to start a story with lutefisk. Eva Thorvald, our protagonist,…

April 4, 2016

Cooking Op-Ed

Other People’s Food: American, But Not American Enough

“I cook food that’s not Indian, of course, in my house. I feel like it would be a hard sell for me to write a general vegetarian cookbook or to sell that through, versus selling through an Indian cookbook, even though I’m an American.” - Chitra Agrawal, ABCD’s of Cooking and creator of Brooklyn Delhi…

March 30, 2016

Recipes

What’s New at Trader Joe’s – March 2016

Things come and go so fast at Trader Joe's that I thought I'd start doing a monthly roundup of what's new and interesting on TJ's shelves. Here's a look at some of the new items spotted in March.

March 28, 2016

Cooking Main Course Recipes

Not a Sad Desk Sandwich: Braised Kale, Mozzarella & Red Onion Jam

How often do you eat lunch at your desk? Whether you’re in a corporate environment, or working from home, researchers suggest getting away from your desk for even a short break can dramatically impact creative thinking. It’s not even so much about the food, it’s about a change of scenery. I have to admit, until recently, I’ve…

March 23, 2016

Cooking Main Course Recipes

Not A Sad Desk Lunch: Cauliflower with Mint-Walnut Pesto Sandwich

Cauliflower is a little eye-rolly these days. The hype is nearly as bad as it has been for kale. Over the last few years, food blogs have used it for everything from “alfredo” sauce to fried rice. Now, Trader Joe's sells riced cauliflower in both its frozen and produce sections. But let’s not blame the…

March 16, 2016

Baking Fruit Recipes

New Edition-Tradition: Not Cross Bun Bread

Tradition is just something you do more than once, said some cynical person sometime somewhere. Well, if that's the case, this Not Cross Bun loaf is now tradition. I've made it three times, and damn if it isn't simpler than shaping individual hot cross buns. And without a direct connection to Good Friday, you can have…

March 14, 2016

Main Course Recipes

How to Make a Taco Bell Bean Burrito Knockoff

Every time I look at the hashtag #traderjoes on Instagram, people are posting their healthy eating pics – riced cauliflower, beet juice, yogurt, salads. It’s true, Trader Joe’s is great for grabbing some of those healthy staples at a reasonable price. Of course, Trader Joe’s also sells Peppermint Joe-Joe’s and a frozen mac and cheese…

March 11, 2016

Cooking Recipes

MADE: Serious Eats’ Kung Pao Chicken

Good Chinese takeout is one of those things you take for granted if you live in a big city. Sweet and sour pork, almond chicken and beef and broccoli are just a phone call away. Move out to the 'burbs and you may only have one or two choices, including Panda Express. Luckily, there's Serious…

March 10, 2016

Book Reviews

Fiction for the Food Obsessed: Nuts by Alice Clayton

Finally, a rom-com that does food right! Usually food is an accidental backdrop in a story. Hero and heroine meet cute at a farmers market, or there's a front-of-the-house hookup between host and bartender in a restaurant, but the food is usually window dressing rather than a focus. In the last couple of months, I've read two…

March 4, 2016

Cooking Recipes

I’m About to Change Your Mind on Brussels Sprouts

It's November. It's time for pumpkin spice every thing, for trotting out the fresh green bean casserole recipe and talking how it's so much better than the old canned thing your grandma served, and for singing the praises of Brussels sprouts. Ugh, Brussels sprouts? You either love 'em or hate 'em. Until recently, I thought I…

November 17, 2015