A super easy dessert of puff pastry tarts filled with cardamom-mascarpone cream and orange juice-soaked strawberries.
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Tagged: guilty pleasure
Chocolate-Pistachio-Wafer Wedge
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
This recipe is dedicated to all you guys out there looking for a last minute, very affordable Valentine’s gift. Yes, I’m calling out the men on this one but it’s with good measure. Over the course of the last day, I have had not one, not two, but three guys start to panic in my presence. It starts with realization and then frustration that there’s less than 24 hours to pull off something classy that looks like it took weeks to plan. Well, boys (and procrastinating girls), I’m giving you a freebie: Chocolate-Pistachio-Wafer Wedge.
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Inspiration: Romance
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
Whether you love it or despise it, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. While I’m not one for sappiness, it’s a perfect time to celebrate those you cherish, whether you’re cooking for them or buying something sweet.
These are a few items that say “Valentine’s” to me be it in the vintage design, the indulgent factor, or just as a celebration of the romantic.
A Virtual Valentine Party {Recipe & Giveaway}
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
I’m not one for heart-shaped boxes, chocolates, or cupid-clad anything, but I always look forward to Valentine’s Day because it’s a reminder to commemorate the people you most adore. To celebrate the upcoming holiday of the loved and beloved, I’ve joined some like-minded food friends for a a virtual Valentine’s party where we’ll each cook and share with you a recipe from my friend, Sarah Copeland’s, new book, The Newlywed Cookbook. It’s a deliciously romantic, user-friendly book filled with ideas for cooking for those you love. For the party, I’ll be baking her Thousand-Layer Chocolate Chip Cookies which have quickly become a favorite of all those I love.
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Night Market Five-Spice Chicken
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
Though I’ve never been to Taiwan, there’s one thing I know for sure: I’m a huge fan of night market-style fried chicken. It’s one of a variety of xiaochi (aka “finger foods) found in Taiwanese night markets and is more or less popcorn chicken seasoned with garlic, soy, and a good amount of Chinese Five-Spice powder. I first tried it on last month’s Six Taste Taiwanese Food Tour and it has quickly become a staple in my house, earning the nickname, A.F.C. (aka Asian Fried Chicken).
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Pumpkin Pie Custard with Spiced Streusel
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
As part of the menu I developed for this year’s The Biggest Loser Thanksgiving menu, I made this lower fat, lower calorie take on pumpkin pie. Yes, removing the crust immediately helped, but I also tweaked it in a few other ways: using lite coconut milk instead of cream, fewer eggs, and a whipped tofu topping so it’s also vegetarian and dairy-free. It may sound like a lot of substitutions, but the result is a spiced, subtly coconut crustless pie that’s every bit as decadent (in flavor) as the original.
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Blue Cheese, Shallot, and Delicata Squash Pizza
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
Among my friends, it’s understood that rain and wind means pizza is on the menu. It’s a habit that formed when I was living in Florence when a group of us would religiously meet up at the local pizzeria whenever it really began pouring out. A blustery rainstorm only happens a few times a year out here in California, but when it does, I immediately start making pizza. There’s something about sitting next to a wood-fired oven with a glass of hearty red wine that really ups the coziness factor of a wintry day, know what I mean? While I may not have a kick-butt Italian pizza oven, I do have a technique that does a good job mimicking the oven, minus the char. And the big glass of hearty red wine? Well, you could skip it though I’d highly recommend you don’t.
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Pretty. Easy. Toffee-Espresso Chocolate Clusters
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
Any kid will tell you: October is just one long countdown to Halloween. The whole month revolves around first choosing a costume and then, of course, concocting a plan for cashing in on as many sweets as possible.
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Happy Hour: Liquid Lineage
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
Like a champion show dog, an exceptional cocktail comes from a high-quality pedigree: The Final Ward is one such cocktail. During a celebratory wrap dinner at Hollywood’s Eveleigh, I started talking shop with barkeep, Garrett Mikell and he suggested I try The Final Ward. But to fully appreciate The Final Ward, you have to look at its cocktail family tree.
The Shirley Temple Sundae
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
I really wanted to be Shirley Temple when I was younger. Maybe because we both had ringlets or because my mother strapped me into taps shoes the minute I could walk, but I always felt we were kindred spirits. My sisters and I would put on shows for our parents and their guests during dinner parties and I was the go-to girl for the Shirley Temple roles. Not that I ever objected. I would channel my best Shirley smile, don my sequined dance skirt, and eagerly attempt my best rendition of On The Good Ship Lollipop. Seeing as I was a fan of all things ST, I was naturally obsessed with her namesake drink and would ask for it every chance I got — with extra cherries, thank you very much.
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