"nicole weston" news and stories

Yesterday, I realized with a start that we were several days into Hanukkah and I had not mentioned a single traditional treat appropriate for the Festival of Lights. When it comes to foods for Hanukkah, the very first thing I think of is potato latkes (I'd hazard a guess that I'm not alone in this association). I missed my family's annual Latkepalooza back in Philly this year as it was the same night that I was traveling out to the west coast. Because of that, I arrived late Sunday night exhausted and hungry for latkes.

After a frying experiment last year that left her kitchen smelling like short order station for several days, my mom has issued an embargo on all things fried. That left me looking for oven-baked latke options in order to satisfy my seasonal craving. Luckily, I happened upon a recipe of Nicole's (of Baking Bites) and I used that as my guide into the world of unfried latkes.

Happily, they were absolutely delicious. I learned the hard way that you have to grease your foil-lined pan agressively, as without sufficient oil, they'll stick horribly and you'll lose all the wonderful crisp brownness that develops on the side of the latke that is in contact with the pan. I used four medium baking potatoes and one onion and came away with 15 good-sides latkes. I ate mine with creme fraiche and a little cranberry jam, while my dad ate several along side some poached eggs.

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The first time I came across the term 'brown butter,' I was reading a menu at an Italian restaurant. I was 20 and functioned under the firm assumption that butter was bad. I couldn't imagine why any thinking person would create a sauce that was based solely on butter. However, one of my dining companions ordered that pasta dish and when the plates arrived, I was entranced by the sweet, nutty smell that was gently rising from her plate. She noticed my fascination and offered me a bite. The forkful of pasta instantly converted me from a butter avoider to a butter lover .

Despite my affection for butter, I don't use brown butter in my own cooking frequently. However, since reading Nicole's post on Baking Bites that details how to make it, I'm thinking that I need to cook up a batch and find an excuse to gently toss some veggies or pasta in it.

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It's getting to be the time of year when our thoughts turn to baking apple crisps and pumpkin pies. Often times recipes for those desserts just contain a reference to a spice blend designed specifically for those dishes. But what if you don't want to buy a little plastic container marked "Pumpkin Pie Spice" and already have your own store of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice? Nicole at Baking Bites has posted recipes for Pumpkin and Apple Pie spices and includes tips for tweaking those recipes according to your particular tastes. So go forth and bake for the holidays, knowing that your spice blends are unique and fresh because you made them.

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There's a new kid on the blogs, you might be thinking. But look a little more closely and you'll see that Baking Bites is actually an old friend who's gone through an extreme makeover. Our very own bakerina Nicole Weston's personal food blog, Bakingsheet has been transformed (of sorts - technically, Bakingsheet is still out there) into Baking Bites, with a different name, a fresh look, and all kinds of delicious new things. Take a peek!

Happy Fat Tuesday, everyone.

The whole idea behind having pancakes on Fat Tuesday is to use up the butter, milk, eggs and other indulgent ingredients that you might having lying around the house so that you won't be tempted during Lent. But because everyone likes pancakes and not everyone observes lent, calling the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday "National Pancake Day" makes the tradition open to all - and I think that we can all agree that more pancakes are not a bad thing.

For my pancake day breakfast, I opted not to go with something decadent, but instead with something more wholesome so that I don't feel too bad about starting the day with a couple more pancakes (topped with maple syrup, of course), than I need.