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Open Slideshow

I love everything about chocolate-covered strawberries. I love the crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth shell and the cool, sweet strawberry beneath. I love giving them as presents, and I love receiving them equally as much. And I especially love how easy they are to make at home — it’s an afternoon project with a result that looks fancy no matter your candy-making skills (or lack thereof)!

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Bowls of honey-roasted peanuts and popcorn kernels tumbling out of brown paper bags were once standard-issue bar snacks — welcome but generic placeholders until dinner reservations two hours later. Now they run the gamut from okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancakes) to pimento buns, often standing in for a casual, graze-fueled supper.

Hotel boîtes are especially astute at showcasing cocktails’ gustatory sidekicks. Sometimes they are luckily gratis, like the petite, spinach-stuffed fritters known as barbajuan that high rollers fill up on at Bar Américain in the Monte Carlo’s Hotel de Paris.

But the place I love noshing at most in between rounds of daiquiris happily involves taking out my wallet.

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Open Cooking Lesson

In the world of cocktails, the Old Fashioned is the person who walks into a room and doesn’t need an introduction. They’ve been in the game for so long that everyone knows them. Everyone admires and respects them. As cocktail recipes pop up and disappear by the season, the Old Fashioned remains. It represents everything a well-crafted cocktail should be: balanced. It’s simply the best, and you can have the best right in the comfort of your own home.

Making the best Old Fashioned at home is really easy. Simplicity is the name of the game here. Bourbon whiskey, a little sugar, and a dash of bitters, stirred up with quality ice and garnished with an orange peel — that’s all there is to it! Let’s break it down a little bit, starting with the ingredients.

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From Apartment Therapy → 6 Stylish Ways to Organize (and Show Off!) All Your Mugs

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From Apartment Therapy → 15 Spots You’re Forgetting to Clean (and How to Take Them On)

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Cacio e Pepe means “cheese and pepper” and that’s all you need to make this gloriously simple pasta dish. Yes, pasta. If you have a favorite brand of gluten-free pasta, go for it. If not, “zoodles” work well for this dish, too. What matters most here is not the noodle, it’s the cacio e pepe.

The type of cheese used for this classic Italian dish matters in a big way. It’s not just any cheese, it’s Pecorino Romano, an aged Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk. Don’t buy cheese labeled only “Romano,” and don’t buy it pre-grated. What you want is the real deal—a wedge of genuine Italian Pecorino Romano.

Once only made near Rome in the Lazio region of Italy, most Pecorino Romano is now made in Sardinia. Handmade in the ancient tradition, this great cheese is naturally rich in conjugated linoleic acid. In a 2010 trial, Pecorino Romano improved markers of inflammation and atherosclerosis in human subjects compared to a control cheese low in CLA.

A generous amount of grated Pecorino Romano finishes Cacio e Pepe after the (z)noodles are tossed in black pepper and bone broth. You’ll be amazed by how much flavor this dish has with so few ingredients. Easy to make, easy to love.

Servings: 2

Time in the Kitchen: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 12-14 ounces (340 g to 400 g) zoodles (zucchini noodles) or 8 ounces (230 g) gluten-free pasta
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (15 ml)
• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, or more to taste (10 ml)
• 1/4 cup bone broth (60 ml)
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (90 g)

Instructions

If using zoodles, set aside for now. If using gluten-free pasta, then cook the pasta in boiling water and drain when it’s still al dente, about 2 minutes less than the regular cooking time. Set aside.

Sprinkle black pepper over a large skillet set on medium heat. Toast the pepper 20 seconds, then add the butter and olive oil. When the butter is completely melted, add bone broth to the skillet. Bring to a rapid simmer. Add the zoodles or pasta.

Cook about 2 minutes, tossing the noodles in the sauce, until zoodles or noodles are soft but not soggy.

Dump the noodles into a large bowl. Pour any leftover sauce in the skillet on top. Sprinkle in the cheese, tossing the noodles until the cheese is melted and noodles are coated. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately.

The post Cacio e Pepe appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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This month we partnered with the Astrotwins to reveal the ways your zodiac sign informs your chocolate preferences. According to the Astrotwins, “Each zodiac sign has a distinct set of personality traits — and believe it or not, there’s a chocolate recipe out there to match every horoscope sign.”

You pride yourself on being at the top of your health and wellness game, so for you, Virgo, chocolate is about wholesome decadence, with a touch of sensuality. Since you’re ruled by clever and analytical Mercury, you’re happy to roll up your sleeves with involved recipes and don’t shy away from trying your hand at fancy techniques. That’s why chocolate-orange truffles are the sweet something that really speaks to your soul. These two-bite candies satisfy your health-conscious heart as much as they do your sweet tooth, plus you love taking the time to create the perfect chocolate shell.

Fruit-inspired truffles are just the beginning for you. Here are five treats that will answer your chocolate craving, without going overboard, and satisfy your need to get a little fancy.

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Even if you never eat dessert, you may find yourself taking part on Valentine’s Day because desserts, and Valentine’s Day, are all about indulgence. It might be one perfect chocolate truffle, or a big slice of chocolate-coconut cake, or (I confess) passing a pint of favorite ice cream back and forth. It’s Valentine’s Day — a day that celebrates the pleasures of being alive and full of love — don’t miss out!

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The next time you want to take your home-cooked dinner to the next level, don’t lose sight of the sides. The main dish is important, but the sides are what makes the meal feel truly special.

There’s nothing new to this concept — think about the best steakhouse meal you’ve ever had. There was that perfectly cooked pan-seared steak, with a mahogany crust and velvety pan sauce. But remember that tender creamed spinach you ate with quiet reverence? Oh, and that twice-baked potato with the ultra-crispy skin and decadent filling? And those buttered mushrooms? You could have just ordered the mushrooms and a glass of red wine and been happy. You see, scene-stealing sides are part of the tradition of the great steak dinner. So when you’re making steak for dinner at home, take note and follow suit.

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