Author Archives: jentarantino

About jentarantino

i went to culinary school back in the mid 90's where i soon discovered that most of my favorite things to eat begin with celery, carrots and onions; or at the very least, one of the three. i cooked professionally for a very short time, but never stopped being a "home cook". i used the skills i acquired in school to teach myself to bake and kept up on food trends by becoming addicted to cooking shows and food magazines. i will eventually open my own soup shop, but until that happens, this blog will be my culinary outlet. i hope it inspires you to... stand lovingly over a simmering pot, wait anxiously for rising bread dough, frost cupcakes with care, marinate, brine, and most importantly... make it yourself!

stuffed shells are not just for sundays

Posted on January 12, 2011 by jentarantino

growing up in a household, complete with an italian grandmother, definitely came with some fantastic culinary advantages. my interest in “all things food” started at a very early age and was fed and cultivated by helping my nana in the … Continue reading →

Posted in cheese, pasta, recipes | Tagged cheese, food, italian, pasta, recipe, stuffed shells | 1 Comment

coconut fish curry

Posted on January 9, 2011 by jentarantino

this meatless month has been going along swimmingly. maybe it’s because of all the fish we’ve been eating, lol! i’ve lost 5 lbs and i’m feeling quite good about starting off the new year in such a positive way. the … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, seafood | Tagged coconut milk, curry, fish, food, recipes, rice, seafood | Leave a comment

polenta please

Posted on January 6, 2011 by jentarantino

my husband and i have decided to start out this new year with an entire month free of meat and booze. it sounded like such a good idea…lose some weight, break some bad habits, teach ourselves some discipline, yadda yadda … Continue reading →

Posted in cheese, recipes, side dishes, vegetables | Tagged food, mushrooms, polenta, recipe | 1 Comment

gorgeous gougeres

Posted on January 3, 2011 by jentarantino

one of my favorite appetizer recipes to make has to be my gourges, or cheese puffs for you “non-frenchy” types. after trying several different incarnations from various chefs, i wrote my own version and i’m ready to share it with … Continue reading →

Posted in all recipes, appetizers, cheese, french, recipes, vegetarian | Tagged cheese puffs, food, recipe | 1 Comment

a new year a new website

Posted on December 28, 2010 by jentarantino

happy holidays everyone! i’m so sorry for the recipe wasteland this december. it was not due to laziness or holiday exhaustion and, i promise, it was well worth it. i was, with the help of my dear friend corey, switching … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

pantry pasta

Posted on December 2, 2010 by jentarantino

it’s that time of year when i start storing away pantry items like a gourmet squirrel. it seems like there is never enough time in the day to get everything done and make dinner as well. whenever the holiday season … Continue reading →

Posted in pasta, recipes | Tagged food, pasta, recipe | Leave a comment

pretty as a pumpkin dinner rolls

Posted on November 22, 2010 by jentarantino

with the holiday fast approaching, many of my friends and family members have been seeking out my advice on their thanksgiving tables. most of them have been asking me the same question… “what should i bring to so-and-so’s house?” and … Continue reading →

Posted in breads, recipes | 1 Comment

easy peasy cherry cheesecake

Posted on November 15, 2010 by jentarantino

i am totally getting into the holiday spirit! it’s been so rainy and cold here in the northwest that i’ve been baking way more than usual; experimenting with some new recipes for the upcoming holidays and revisiting old favorites. the … Continue reading →

Posted in desserts, recipes | 1 Comment

carrot cake cuties

Posted on November 11, 2010 by jentarantino

ahhhhhh thanksgiving. in my opinion, the king of all holidays. everybody gets a nice long weekend, you don’t have to pick out “the perfect gift for the man who has everything”, and you get to feast on delicious family recipes. … Continue reading →

Posted in desserts, recipes | 1 Comment

simple veggie roast

Posted on November 10, 2010 by jentarantino

i stopped blogging awhile back due to life interference. my husband and i were in the middle of buying a house and then i decided to get my real estate license. all interference, aside from my little oscar, has been … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, vegetables | 3 Comments