Author: chefalice

Recipes where you can dump all the ingredients into one pot and come back to a finished dish later are the true joy of using a slow cooker. Why do the work when your slow cooker can do it for you? I like to make this sweet treat on a weeknight as a little pick-me-up when I’m pressed for time.

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Cocktail parties were all the rage in the ’50s, and while the variety of appetizers from Rumaki to a Party Cheese Ball often took center stage, it’s impossible to have cocktail parties without Mad Men–era cocktails, like this classic!

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This used to be my go-to drink as a kid whenever I’d go with my parents to a wedding and there was an open bar. (My brother would get the Roy Rogers.) I used to think that Shirley Temple herself must have done the same, and that’s why the drink was named after her, but I’ve since learned that not only did she not invent the drink, she didn’t even like it!

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When I think of milk shakes, my mind automatically jumps to images of chrome-plated countertops and leather swivel chairs while rock ’n’ roll music plays softly in the background. No matter how old I get, I’ll always find the image of a chocolate malted milk shake endlessly charming.

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This is not even a dessert, really. It’s a recipe without any real measurements or rules, fast and loose. It’s a Southern thang, a friend told me. I had to try it to believe it. And, boy, is it good. Your cornbread has to be stale and crumbly. I suggest buttermilk ice cream here, but I’ve made it with strawberry and even coffee ice cream too. Drink the morning after a long night.

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Chorizo is a great shortcut ingredient. It is heavily spiced (paprika, coriander, and cumin, just to name a few) so you don’t have to buy a lot of pricey spices to make this full-flavored stew. Here its flavors are complemented with chunks of creamy squash and wedges of sweet apples. Look for kabocha at farmers’ markets in the late summer and fall. If it’s unavailable, substitute acorn squash. The stew can be made up to three days in advance; store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator.

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Creamy soups are a must for the humdrum days of winter. They are warming and silky smooth, store beautifully (make a double batch and store it in the freezer), and are guaranteed to get you through those days when you just can’t face the cold and a trip to the grocery store. Although rich, this soup is light on cream (only one-quarter cup) and bolstered by a sprinkle of spicy crunchy pumpkin seeds and a swirl of pumpkin seed oil on top. The soup can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for up to three months. The…

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