And Eat It Too.

Strawberry summer cake (photo from the "Pasty Studio" blog).

This cake looks absolutely delicious! In fact, drool is slowly trickling down our chins as we browse the "Pastry Studio" blog. Pastries, tarts, cakes, cookies, confections...oh my! And recipes to boot!

Perhaps what we love most about this particular recipe, is the attention to details--a "smidgen" of semolina (for texture), homemade ricotta (for the cream) and olive oil (to moisten the cake), to name a few.

So grab yourself a paper towel, wipe the drool off your face and pay a visit to the "Pastry Studio". Be sure to check out the recipe, here, too!

Sneak Preview: Roasting A Chicken.

The view from above.

Tomorrow, we're revealing our top secret chicken roasting method--but only because everyone should experience the deliciousness of a slow-roasted chicken. Are your taste buds ready for this?

Looking for a good roasting pan? This is my (surprisingly inexpensive, yet highly effective) weapon of choice: "18" Roasting Pan, from Mainstays".

A Simple Smoothie.

Seriously, how often is purple food considered delicious?

I love smoothies! What's not to love about taking a bunch of ingredients, throwing them in a blender and creating a super-tasty, liquefied treat?

Here's a super-easy, quick and delightful smoothie recipe:

-1 banana, cut in to pieces
-1/2 cup frozen blueberries
-1 tbsp. dried coconut
-5 heaping spoonfuls of low-fat, plain yogurt
-1 cup soy milk

Shove it all in a blender, hit blend, pour in a glass and enjoy!

Notes: I prefer my smoothies a bit colder, so I typically cut the banana up and stick it in the freezer (about an hour or so before the blending action begins). Also, you may want to adjust the ingredient amounts to suit your tastes. And for added sweetness, try a bit of honey!

Roasting: A Sneak Preview.

18" Roasting pan, from Mainstays--my weapon of choice.

Roasting a chicken is incredibly easy. It's also incredibly economical. And the best part? It's delicious!

This Friday, we'll share our secret chicken roasting recipe. Trust me, you won't want to miss this one...

10-Minute Dinner For Two.

A healthy trifecta.

My girlfriend and I work a lot. And by the time dinner rolls around, we're in need of something quick (usually because we're starving and don't feel like expending too much energy or time to prepare supper). So we've developed a few meals that quickly satisfy our grumpy, growling tummies--this is one of them.

Dover sole, with spicy asparagus and cous-cous:

-1 lb. dover sole (or similar light fish)
-1 bunch of Asparagus
-3/4 Cup Cous-Cous
-1 Cup Chicken Stock (or water)
-1 Tbsp. Butter
-Cayenne Pepper (a pinch)
-Lemon
-Olive Oil
-Salt and Pepper (to your taste preference)

The key to any quick meal, is getting everything ready--before you start cooking. So get your buddy, boyfriend or girlfriend in the kitchen and start prepping!

First, preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil. To prep asparagus, cut about 1 inch from the bottom of each spear. Arrange fish and approx. 10-20 spears of asparagus on baking sheet (depending on how much you want)*. Drizzle both with olive oil. Add salt and pepper. To the asparagus, add a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional). Put sheet in oven and cook for approx. 10-12 minutes.

Bring 1 cup chicken stock (or water) to a boil (in a small saucepan). Add 3/4 cup cous-cous, 1 tbsp. butter, salt and pepper. Turn off heat. Stir mixture a bit, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let the cous-cous sit on the burner (with lid on) for about 5 or 6 minutes. Add a bit of olive oil and fluff with a fork. Put everything on plates, sit down and realize how awesome of a chef you are! Oh, and eat!

*If you have a toaster oven, you can cook the asparagus separately, using the same foil/baking sheet method. Also, you may have a bit of asparagus left over--use it for another, delicious meal!