We Tried Trader Joe’s Sfogliatella Pastry

Trader Joe's Sfogliatella seems like something I should have liked. Crunchy pastry with a semolina, ricotta and candied orange filling. Not too sweet. Sounds perfect for me. But honestly, I'm just....ambivalent. I like the filling. It's thickened with the semolina and flavored with just the right amount of candied orange zest for me. …

ByMichelleApril 18, 20230Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Ricotta Cuoricini Ravioli

I'm not sure the products folks fully thought through Trader Joe's Ricotta Cuoricini Ravioli. Because while heart-shaped pasta with a ricotta and balsamic reduction filling sounds tasty, it does leave the raviolo with a brown...protuberance in the middle. After someone on Reddit said they looked like tongues in the package, I couldn't unsee it. …

ByMichelleJanuary 26, 20230Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Sweet Cannoli Dip

Until I saw Trader Joe's Sweet Cannoli Dip, I had no idea it was even a thing. But a quick search around the Internet says people have been making this at home for ages. And for me, I think making it "from scratch" would probably be the way to go. Because that way you can…

ByMichelleNovember 22, 20220Comments

Book Reviews Recipes

Hello! My Name is Tasty | Review, Recipe & Giveaway

Hello! My Name is Tasty reveals the secrets to the recipes that make Portland's Tasty n Sons and Tasty n Alder brunch powerhouses. Chef John Gorham and co-author Liz Crain are holding nothing back, allowing home cooks to make a little of the magic behind Tasty's global diner fare. 4 stars ******************************** I've been a fan of…

ByMichelleAugust 15, 20170Comments

Book Reviews Recipes

Kale Malfatti with Brown Butter & Pumpkin

Kale Malfatti with Brown Butter and Pumpkin from Chef Jenn Louis' next cookbook, Book of Greens. The Book of Greens from Portland Chef Jenn Louis comes out in April, but I’m not going to be able to wait that long to talk about the kale malfatti with brown butter and pumpkin.By then, we’ll be at the very…

ByMichelleJanuary 10, 20170Comments

Cooking Main Course Pasta Recipes

Summer Pasta Solution #1 – Penne with Zucchini, Ricotta & Chickpeas

Summer is officially here! And along with the beach parties, cookouts and s'mores, it's time to complain about zucchini! Get ready, overzealous gardeners every where are about to start leaving crazy amounts of zucchini on your doorstep. I've never been lucky enough to live next door to someone whose zucchini crop gets out of control every…

ByMichelleJune 20, 20160Comments

Cooking Pizza Recipes

Friday Night Slice: Pineapple + Jalapeños = Pineapeño

No one has really committed to Spring yet. We’re still in the rainy season and our grill remains bundled up, still in its winter slumber, but this week's Friday Night Slice is one you can make today and carry into the summer barbecue season. I can’t say I know exactly where this one came from. Was it a craving for island breezes and sunshine? Or just a passing thought about the pepperoni and jalapeño from Pizza Port? Maybe both. This week’s slice is a vegetarian pizza I’m calling a Pineapeño.

ByMichelleMarch 28, 20143Comments

Main Course Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Penne Al Forno

I've never been a super big fan of prosciutto, preferring instead the more bacon-like pancetta. Something about the texture, its sort of stretchiness and flavor just put me off. But lately, it's growing on me. (See the grilled pizza with prosciutto and arugula). When it's cooked just a little bit, prosciutto is an entirely different animal. And its saltiness is perfect in this baked pasta dish.

ByMichelleSeptember 1, 20110Comments

Recipes

Roasted Poblanos with Ricotta, Mint & Cilantro

Chiles roasting over an open flame is one of those scents that's a harbinger of good things to come. Like garlic and onions cooking on the stove, like banana bread baking in the oven. If there's one smell I don't mind filling the house in the summer, it's roasting chiles. When you've swapped 9 months…

ByMichelleAugust 8, 20110Comments