So a guy friend is hosting a barbecue this weekend on the terrace of his apartment building. In Manhattan. It’s not quite the same for me as a traditional backyard gathering, but these are the things we sacrifice to live in the city.

At least there will still be some classics in the way of burgers, hot dogs, and chicken. But the rule of being a dinner party or barbecue guest is you can’t show up empty handed. While ordinarily I prefer to contribute something of the beverage variety, or pre-washed-and-cut fruit from the nearest grocery store, I’ve decided it’s time to man up and cook something. I don’t want to be shown up by a bunch of boys, even though without question they can cook better than me.

Barbecue essentials that the boys will be providing consist of meat. I don’t cook meat, so I’m opting to make cole slaw.

You need:
1 small bag pre-chopped cabbage/cole slaw mix
Sprinkling of celery seed for garnish/flavor
Red grapes (as many/few as you like) Read More »

Rachael Ray is one of my heroes, I’m a huge fan and I’m not afraid to admit it.

I am ashamed to admit however, that I’m now a fan of Robin McGraw — well, her cooking, anyway. She made an appearance on Rachael Ray’s talk show and revealed this *gem* of a family recipe, so I’d like pay it forward and share it with you!

ALMOND COOKIES:

Ingredients
1 pound (4 sticks) margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup blanched sliced almonds, finely chopped
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 250°F.

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine margarine, sugar, vanilla extract and chopped almonds using a rubber spatula. Fold in the flour – you want the dough to be dense enough to handle with your hands. Sometimes it will take more flour to make this happen, so start with 3 1/2 cups and add flour as necessary. Read More »