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!

it’s time to make the donuts

Posted on April 26, 2009 by jentarantino

donuts from scratch?! yes! this may seem like a daunting task, but it is surprisingly easy. with this recipe, you actually make the dough the night before which makes “donuts for breakfast” an easy reality. i didn’t have a donut … Continue reading →

Posted in desserts | 3 Comments

thin crust pizza

Posted on April 23, 2009 by jentarantino

i grew up in chicago, the land of the deep dish pizza, but my taste has always leaned towards the crispy, charred, thin crust pizza that comes out of a wood burning oven. my fellow chicagoans will probably have me … Continue reading →

Posted in breads, recipes | 8 Comments

soup secrets

Posted on April 15, 2009 by jentarantino

soup is a noble food. this may sound a bit like an “over the top” way to describe such a simple food, but i really believe that soup making is humbling. you chop, you saute, you simmer, you wait. if … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, soups | 1 Comment

chocolate caramel salted tart

Posted on April 14, 2009 by jentarantino

i am a self proclaimed food magazine junky. i love them. i subscribe to four different titles and pick others up at the grocery store if their covers draw me in. this week it was saveur. the cover had me … Continue reading →

Posted in desserts, recipes | 3 Comments

baked potato chips

Posted on April 9, 2009 by jentarantino

about a month ago, my sister, who is the gardener in the family (i, on the other hand, have a black thumb and could kill a plant just by looking at it), gave me quite a bit of rosemary from … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, side dishes, vegetables | 4 Comments

brownies from a bowl, not a box

Posted on April 4, 2009 by jentarantino

it’s so easy to fall back on boxed brownie mix when we really want a brownie. it’s easy, you only need a few ingredients, and they always come out the same. well, now you will have a “go to” recipe … Continue reading →

Posted in desserts, recipes | 8 Comments

chicken pot pie

Posted on April 2, 2009 by jentarantino

my next “ode to chicken stock” recipe is the humble chicken pot pie. before i started making these my own way, i tried a lot of different recipes. they all seemed to have one thing in common…time consuming steps and … Continue reading →

Posted in meat dishes, poultry, recipes | 2 Comments

dumplings for dinner

Posted on March 31, 2009 by jentarantino

since i made chicken stock this week, i thought i’d do a couple of posts highlighting chicken stock as a main ingredient. these dumplings are served swimming in a bath of reduced chicken stock and fresh parsley. i made the … Continue reading →

Posted in meat dishes, pasta, recipes | 11 Comments

chicken stock

Posted on March 27, 2009 by jentarantino

so, if you have been following my blog, you’ve probably figured out by now that i like to make things myself. it’s satisfying, it teaches me patience, and it usually saves money. chicken stock is one of those products that … Continue reading →

Posted in recipes, soups | 6 Comments

green olives in my cupboard

Posted on March 24, 2009 by jentarantino

in lieu of making sad, uninspired dishes because grocery prices have gone through the roof, i’m trying to tap into my “inner italian” and make simple pasta dishes that pack a wallop with taste but use ingredients i already have … Continue reading →

Posted in pasta, recipes | 5 Comments