2.22.2011

Want Some Gourmet Mac n Cheese?

This Mac n Cheese recipe is so incredibly rich I think it's terrible to even call it Mac n Cheese.  It is definitely not lacking in flavor.  If there's one thing I would change it would be the cheese content.  Add some extra cheese--mozerella, perhaps so the pasta strings with cheese.  YUM!


2.16.2011

Borscht

Do you know what borscht is?  Have you ever had it?  Well, I must confess that before we tested these four different borscht recipes at the test kitchen, I really didn't know what borscht was.  I'm not one for beets so I guess it's no surprise at all that I've never had it.  Needless to say, I fancy the Polish white borscht (which is unfortunately the least attractive picture of the group).  This set of recipes is just one example of how the test kitchen has opened my eyes to a seemingly limitless culinary world. 










2.15.2011

Whole Wheat Apple Butter Cake

This was one interesting recipe to test.  We used almond meal, cornmeal, whole wheat, and all-purpose flours in this highly dense cake.  The smell was absolutely incredible and the taste divine.  Noelle hugged me after taking one bite and the writers from the health section came back for seconds.  If that doesn't say something about this cake, then I don't know what else will.




2.04.2011

Soon to "Pop" into The Times

A heads-up to all of you LA Times readers out there.  Homemade poptarts are soon to grace the covers of the food section.  It's a very simple recipe and you can fill them with almost anything your creative minds can think of.  In this picture, we are photographing a step-by-step and our wonderful photographer is capturing the nutella as it falls from the mini scoop.  Delicious!  My boss, Noelle, blogged about them, check it out by clicking the link below.

2.02.2011

Olive Oil Recipes

In this week's Editorial Food print, the main article features a woman who grows her own olives and bottles her own olive oil.  I must say that her olive oil is quite fragrant and unique.  She sent us some of her dessert recipes from her soon to be published cookbook to test and print alongside the article.  The two recipes included: Greek Walnut Cake and Pecan Pie.  Making desserts with the amounts of olive oil used in these recipes is, in my opinion, scary.  In my eyes just because you can use olive oil, doesn't mean you should.  Not only is it expensive, but it doesn't result in the most superior texture and flavor you really want in a dessert.  Nevertheless, we made the desserts and styled them for the print.  Here they are.


2.01.2011

Gorgonzola Focaccia

If you haven't already tried to make the focaccia recipe I previously blogged about, don't!  Make this one!  This recipe is pure, simple, and absolutely incredible.  You can get as creative as you want with whatever garnishes you choose.  I used gorgonzola as you can see from the picture below, but you can use whatever you want.  Get creative!



Some Finishing Touches Before Shooting

Shooting the Focaccia

French Toast, 3x

Happy were the days when we tested various ways to prepare french toast in The Los Angeles Times test kitchen.  My boss, Noelle Carter, wrote an article involving three different ways to prepare french toast.  As we developed the recipes, we enjoyed experimenting with different kinds of breads, methods, and ingredients.  This is what we ended up with in the end (and yes, I even made the bacon). 

CLICK HERE for FULL ARTICLE

Classic French Toast
Baked French Toast

Stuffed French Toast