Search Results for: Mavis linneman

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN We’ve all reached for a box of Duncan Hines brownie mix when that irresistible urge for something sweet and chocolate-y hits us. And while they’re tasty, out-of-the-box brownies are never quite as satisfying as their homemade counterparts from the local bakery (or from your home oven). Why do we buy box mixes when making brownies at home is as easy as saying your ABCS? Well, laziness and convenience mostly, but these can easily be changed. With a well-stocked pantry, making a batch of brownies will be almost as easy as dumping that box mix into a bowl […]

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN I love barbeque. Americans love barbeque. Pretty much everyone in the world loves barbeque. You can slather barbeque on any number of meats, including pulled pork, chicken, ribs, and that lesser known but no less lovable cut of meat—the beef brisket. My boyfriend, Doug, doesn’t just like barbeque brisket. He LOVES it. If we go to a restaurant and it’s on the menu, hands down, that’s what he’s going to order. And that brisket sandwich will disappear before you’ve even had a chance to ask for a taste test. So, when my parents asked me to make […]

  BY MAVIS LINNEMANN Trying to please everyone when it comes to dessert can be a difficult task, especially when you’re feeding a crowd. I recently paid a visit to my boyfriend’s parents in Midland, Michigan, and there was much debate between Doug and I as to what we should make for the family and guests at a BBQ his mom had planned. Doug loves cheesecake; his dad wanted chocolate; and his mom and sister like fruit desserts. I was at a loss until I found the below recipe on Allrecipes.com. Why not combine the three ingredients into one delicious […]

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN One of my new favorite magazines is Cooking Light, because it offers foodies like me ways to cut calories and fat in all my favorite dishes. There’s even a way to make donuts more healthful! (Keep that oil at 375?F to keep your donuts from getting greasy.) I spied a Parmesan and Eggplant Souffle recipe in CL’s June 2010 issue, but it seemed a little off. I’ve spent a lot of time with Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and, if you know anything about French cooking, you know that the French really know how […]

[image via MANIFEST VEGAN] BY MAVIS LINNEMANN I was first exposed to Greek food many years ago when my best friend, Laura, and her parents, the Brokamps, took me to the Panegyri Greek Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Greeks have always known how to throw a party, and the festival is a barrage of fun activities: music, dancing, amusement rides, raffles, games, and, of course, food. The succulent smell of lamb wafts through the air at Greek festivals, but it’s the sweet and sticky Greek pastries that really win me over. There’s usually a host of Greek moms and grandmas […]

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN When I was in middle school, my dad used to drive me to St. Ursula Villa School in Cincinnati every morning before he turned around and went to work in Northern Kentucky. Sometimes, on Fridays, we would leave home a little early and stop by Remke’s, our local grocery store, to pick up fresh donuts on our way to school. This early-morning Friday pit stop was my dad’s way of saying: We made it through the workweek, and we deserve a treat. In my mind, donuts, my dad, and well-deserved rewards will always go hand in hand. […]

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN Over Memorial Day weekend, I had the opportunity to cook with some of my favorite kitchen bitches—my sister Paige and my friends Emily and Lauren. With so many sous chefs, I knew I could make a really stellar meal for all the family and friends joining us for the holiday. In my head, there was only thing we could make that would celebrate both the warm weather and the joy of being with family: homemade pasta. Why in the world would you make pasta when you can buy a box for 99 cents? Because it’s a fun […]

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN For those of you who would rather sit on the couch and watch someone else cook on TV than venture into the kitchen, this post is for you. After many hours of intense sedentary research, I’ve compiled a list of the best and worst of the food TV world. I’ve done all the work, so now you don’t have to waste precious DVR space with crappy culinary programs. Only the best for the KB and her readers! Most Fabulously Entertaining Award: Brian Boitano in What Would Brian Boitano Make? Gay or straight, no one’s knows, but this […]

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN Like any child, I hated Brussels sprouts. Detested them. They emitted that bizarre sulfur odor, tasted like garbage and looked like something the dog had thrown up. Even as an adult, I thought there was no way in hell you could ever get me to eat another Brussel sprout. Enter my roommate, Laura. Armed with a fistful of bacon and a killer recipe, Laura proved to me that these tiny cabbages deserve a place in my cooking repertoire. Since then, I’ve convinced many other avowed Brussels sprout haters to give them another go-round, and I dare say […]

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN I fell in love with Indian food about 10 years ago, when one of my friends and I popped into a nondescript storefront selling curries and naan like McDonalds sells hamburger, with only two or three guys working the entire line and whipping up orders like it’s nobody’s business. As an Indian food virgin, I was drawn to a dish that was both exotic and familiar at the same time, one I was sure I couldn’t go wrong with, just because of the description, which probably went something like this: “Succulent pieces of yogurt-marinated chicken draped in […]

BY MAVIS LINNEMANN No mommy hang-ups here. I love my mother, even when she does take on that Joan Crawford-like persona. Most of the time, though, she’s a real peach. Unfortunately, I won’t be making her a mother’s day feast this year. I will, however, be cooking for my friend Emily’s family, and I wanted to make something really special, something that just screams spring, so I stepped into my kitchen to test out possible recipes. There’s one vegetable that’s earthy and bright at the same time, that has the ability to stand on its own and blend in with the […]