Miela Tahril

I always thought Patatas Bravas meant “brave potatoes,” which seemed a little strange since what was supposed to be so brave about them? Amazingly delicious, yes, but valiant, fearless or courageous? I don’t think so. Well, apparently my translation skills were lacking, and come to find out it actually means “fierce.” Now that makes sense. As advertised, these are fiercely textured, fiercely flavored, fiercely presented, and fiercely enjoyed. How fierce is really up to you and your inner Spaniard....

Whenever there’s a discussion about the history of celebrity chef pop culture, one name is invariably left out, and this Swedish Meatballs recipe served as a reminder of that sad fact. How anyone can talk about the pioneers of food television without including the Swedish Chef from the Muppets is beyond me. His frenetic energy and charisma makes Gordon Ramsey seem like a shrinking violet by comparison. His technique surpasses Emeril's on every level, and if we’re just talking catch phrases, how...

I have no intention of giving up the best job in the world anytime soon, but if I do, I’d try and get a job in the marketing department of a pumpkin puree company. I’m guessing that like 97% of the canned pumpkin in this country is used during the time from Halloween until Thanksgiving. So if I could figure out a way to get people to use this in recipes all year round, I’d be a total superstar in pumpkin puree marketing circles. Imagine that. It would be…awesome? Anyway, maybe I should rethink...

Michele and I had a very lovely Thanksgiving holiday with the family in Davis, CA. The food and company were wonderful, and as if that wasn't enough, I also enjoyed a flood of viewers posting pictures of their successful Food Wishes' recipes on Twitter and Instagram. I want to thank everyone who mentioned us this holiday, and I couldn't be happier or more proud of all the beautiful food you created and shared. And while we're on the subject, here are a few highlights from our meal. Enjoy!Our handsome,...

Manicotti, which means, “little muffs” in Italian, has to be one of the best ways ever for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. The moist filling will bring the driest bird back from the dead, and you can literally add anything that can be chopped up. Leftover green bean casserole? Throw it in. Peas and Onions? You bet’cha. Cranberry Sauce? No, don’t be ridiculous. Anyway, thanks to the absence of cheese, tomato, and pasta on the usual Thanksgiving menu, this concoction will erase any connection...

You would think the vast majority of the visitors to this blog would be fine with me posting a new holiday cranberry sauce every year, but apparently that’s not the case. After posting the tease picture for this lovely ginger, pear, cranberry sauce, I received a bunch of comments and emails with the same basic message, “please don’t, you’re confusing us.”Evidently, some people like our past cranberry sauce recipes so much, that they don’t know if they should stick with them, or try a new version....

My friends at Allrecipes.com have put together a great recipe hub for Thanksgiving, and as I glanced down the page, I saw this gorgeous pumpkin flan in their gluten-free section. I quickly realized it was a recipe I'd posted a few years ago, and pretty much forgotten about. It only took one glance to remind me of this sweet, satisfying, and yet still relatively light holiday dessert. Anyway, I wanted to share this delicious blast from the past, and also provide you with a link to the extensive Thanksgiving...

It’s always nice when you start out making one thing, and it unexpectedly turns into something else, which ends up being far better than you expected. Such was the case with this quite homely, yet amazingly delicious sweet corn and wild mushroom spoonbread. I was trying to do a simple, wild mushroom-studded, sweet corn casserole to reinforce our holiday side dish repertoire, and before I knew it, I was eating the best, most flavorful cornbread dressing I’d ever tasted. Not only that, but we completely...

We are thrilled to announce that Food Wishes is a Taste Awards finalist in two categories this year! As you may know, we've won an award two years in a row, and would love to keep the streak going. There's no cash prize involved, but something way more valuable...bragging rights!If you’d like to help us out, please follow this link to vote in the “Best Food Program: Web,” and “Best Home Chef in a Series” categories. Voting ends on November 27, 2012. Thank you for the love and suppo...

Here we go again, delving into the treacherous topic of changing up your traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. This time, it’s an old-fashioned cracker dressing vying to be that surprise, uninvited guest. Sure some you alternative lifestylists may go for the cornbread, but generally, bread-based variations rule the day. There’s a great reason for this; they’re easy, delicious, and most importantly, very familiar. Therein lies the problem. Why mess with past success? Your loved ones wait all year...

My inability to help visitors to this blog with questions about gluten-free Thanksgiving baking has been well documented. I’m a gluten junkie of the highest order, and know almost nothing about gluten-free substitutions, which is why I shy away from giving advice that could potentially make someone ill. Luckily, my good friend Shauna Ahern, better known as "The Gluten-Free Girl," has just launched an interactive app called, “Gluten Free Thanksgiving Baking.” If you’re interested in getting more...

This Thanksgiving, we’re assuming your turkey will be juicy; your mashed potatoes lump-free; and your gravy, smooth as silk. You are a regular visitor here, after all. However, it’s probably not a bad idea to hedge your bets and serve a pumpkin pie so tasty and texturally perfect that no matter what goes wrong, everyone will leave with a smile on their face, and a delicious memory in their heart. By the way, this is that pie. After many years of experimentation, I’ve finally perfected...

Since New York City and surrounding areas are still in such desperate need of help, I thought I’d post links to some of our favorite NYC-inspired recipes, in the hopes you’ll think to yourself, “After all the delicious food the Big Apple has given to us, the least I can do is give a few bucks to the Red Cross to help them out.” After enjoying some pizza, cheesecake, blintzes, and pastrami, please follow this link and give what you can. Thanks and enjoy! Make Your Own Pastrami New York-Style Cheesecake...

I love a hearty beef chili as much as the next guy, but once in a while there’s nothing wrong with going over to the light side, and enjoying an equally comforting bowl of white bean and chicken chili. I’ve always used thighs for my chicken chili, which of course have more fat and flavor, but after a bunch of requests for a chicken breast version, I decided give it a go, and I was very happy with the results.The key is to not overcook the chicken when you sear it. You want it slightly undercooked,...

The weather just turned cold and wet here in San Francisco, and when that happens I always crave something hot and comforting, ladled from a steaming pot. I do have a brand new video to post for Friday that fits the bill nicely, but due to circumstances beyond my control, it will not be up until late in the day. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this video recipe for beef merlot that I posted a few years ago. It’s an easy take-off on beef bourguignon, and one of my all-time, cold-weather favorites....

About 30 years ago, I made puff pastry from scratch in culinary school. It came out really, really well, and I haven’t made it since. Why? Because frozen puff pastry is so readily available, so consistently perfect, and so easy to work with, that the thought of going through all the time and trouble to make my own seems kind of crazy. Of course, that’s a poor attitude for a cook, and one I’ve been fighting against all these years as I convince people that making your own bread, dressings, cheese,...

If you follow me on Twitter, it's fairly obvious who I'm voting for, so I'm not doing any kind of recommendation here, but simply wanted to encourage you to vote. Whether you're voting for the President, or the talking haircut who agrees with 3% of the world's climate scientists, the important thing is to get out to the polls and make your voice heard. Enj...

I’m not a big fan of “make-ahead” recipes, but when it comes to Thanksgiving, the less we have to do before dinner, the better. This turkey wing gravy will not only free up valuable kitchen time, but chances are it will look and taste even better than those frantic, last-minute versions. A world-class gravy, while not a difficult procedure, does require a little bit of finesse and attention to detail. Of course, screaming kids, chatty relatives, and alcohol consumption are the natural enemies...

Tabbouleh is another one of those popular recipes for which I’ve received hundreds of food wishes for, and yet inexplicably I’ve still not posted one. Why not? I have no idea. I’m as mystified as anyone. In the meantime, I wanted to share this fine version from friend of the blog Robert Sogomonian (aka @psyrixx). You can check out his original post here. Enj...

I’m calling this lemon curd “lite” because it does have less fat than most traditional recipes, but that doesn’t mean it’s a “light” recipe. Calling this recipe “lite” is kind of like calling thin-crust pizza, “low-carb.” It’s all relative. Speaking of relative, as I mention in the video, this would make a great holiday gift, so even if you’re not a big fan of lemon, pay attention nonetheless.  Above and beyond the nominally fewer calories, I really like the appearance and texture of...