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Explain this to me: there are people who like ketchup but don’t like tomatoes; there are vegetarians who don’t like salad. These are what I like to call food paradoxes, and I happen to be guilty of both of them. Do you have a food paradox? I can’t be the only one. I know Mother [...]
When you’re moving, there are two essential things you need: a place to move to and someone or something to help move your stuff to that place. When I moved recently, I had neither until the very last minute. In fact, I was so preoccupied with trying to acquire the first part that I almost [...]
What do you get when you take finals week, moving, and living on your own for the first time? Answer: my life for the past two weeks. In a whirlwind 14 days, my family moved out of their CNY home, and in the process, we parted ways. My parents are relocating to New Jersey, and [...]
I have to apologize to you guys because I neglected a very important meal of the day: breakfast. I’ve posted over 500 amazing recipes on here since starting Smart Cookie almost 2 years ago, but a very small portion of them are breakfast-related. I didn’t plan for that, nor were there any anti-breakfast biases involved; [...]
Every time I eat an avocado, I think it’s a trick. Something can’t be THAT good and THAT good for you; life just doesn’t work like that. And yet, unless science is lying to me, that delectable avocado is loaded with nutrients and creamy richness. It’s miracle food, my friends. Now that I’m on a [...]
I know we’re all supposed to be afraid of bread and carbs, but my god, sometimes you just need them. When it comes to eating your emotions, I swear no food makes me feel better than some good, starchy carbs. They fill me up with artificial comfort, and make my tummy happy. Maybe they don’’t [...]
I get a lot of traits from my mother, but my paralyzing indecisiveness is not one of my favorites. For me, trying to make a decision, even a simple one, is a huge struggle. I used to wonder how I got to be that way, why I couldn’t do something as basic as choosing an [...]
Happy Mother’s Day! Treat your mama to some good food; everyone knows that’s the way to a mother’s heart. I cooked up a quick video message to Mother Cookie and all you other moms out there, including a special serenade. Enjoy! See you all tomorrow for a brand new, delicious recipe. In the meantime, be [...]
I used to wonder where I got such a passion for food from. It consumes my daily thoughts, and when I am upset, food is the source of comfort I go straight to. But lately, I’ve realized it’s obvious where my obsession stems from: Mother Cookie. Like mother, like daughter, right? You see, last week [...]
It’s that time again! We’re heading to the grocery store to check out the latest products, and I’ll give you the scoop on if they’re any good or not. From summery Oreos to Tiramisu Gelato, there are a ton of tantalizing options in every aisle. What should you be stocking your cart with? Smart Cookie [...]
I would argue that most people who dislike Brussels sprouts just haven’t had them prepared the right way. Me, I could eat them prepared any way, but I understand how you could easily be turned off by plain, whole boiled sprouts. Developing a love for Brussels sprouts is like any other relationship; you’ve got to [...]
If you breaded and fried a boot, I’d eat it. I don’t know why that crispy layer of breading makes such a difference, but it really does. For example, mozzarella cheese is awesome, but mozzarella cheese breaded and fried is amazing. And for further proof, just check out toasted ravioli or onion rings. Breading + [...]
One word to describe this week: hectic. It’s the end of the semester, the most dreaded, anxiety-riddled time of every college kid’s life when there’s so much work that you just don’t do anything because success is impossible. There’s no sleep, no food, and no showers. Lucky for you, you don’t have to look at [...]
Not many people are as lucky as me to absolutely love their co-workers. Most people can’t stand the people they work with; or at most, they tolerate them. I, however, found a sort of family at my job. But when new interns came in during the fall, I was concerned we wouldn’t get along, and [...]
Year after year, I am unable to see my sister on her birthday because it just happens to fall around the same time as finals (I swear, college has it out for me). Naturally, this upsets Sister Cookie as well, but I think that’s more because I’m not there to bake her anything than because [...]
You know that classic little grilled cheese sandwich your mom used to make you as a kid, the one with thin slices of white bread and American cheese? This ain’t it. My Guacamole Double Grilled Cheese is a sandwich of epic proportions, and it is going to rock your silly childhood sandwich’s world. Step aside, [...]
I have a vivid memory of trying guacamole as a kid and feeling completely indifferent to it. I wouldn’t say I was as utterly repulsed by it like I am by cream cheese, but I had no desire to try it again. Life went on, avocado-less. For whatever reason, I wound up giving avocados another [...]
Well folks, we made it through another week, and we’re just about to cross the threshold into May. Can you believe it? I like to call it Manic May because it’s the end of the semester, I have finals, and everyone I know decided to be born at once, so I have a million birthdays [...]
We as humans may not hibernate per say, but it sure does feel like it. When March rolls around, we slowly start to come out of our late-winter slump, opening our zombie eyes and feeling a slight hint of hope. Then, with April’s arrival, something warm really begins to awaken within us, and we feel [...]
Soup in spring isn’t as strange as it sounds. I’m a big believe that it’s silly to limit a food to a season merely because of its temperature. Ice cream ain’t just for the summer, and soup ain’t just for winter, and I’ve got just the thing to prove that to you, my Spring Veggie [...]
Ever since my first edition of our new bi-weekly feature Smart Cookie Shopping, I have been dying to share the next edition with you. Food is so exciting, and a successful trip to the grocery store is like winning a scavenger hunt. Consider me your expert explorer as I lead you down the aisles and [...]
A while back, I crafted what I consider to be heaven’s nectar: Milky Way Ganache. It was beautiful in its simplicity: my favorite candy bar melted together with heavy cream to create a satiny, rich sauce like no other. After I shamefully ate way too many sinful spoonfuls, and the chocolate-caramel bliss was gone, I [...]
I like to imagine that I will someday find a soul-mate with whom I share a bond as strong as mac and cheese. Isn’t that the most we could ever want, a partner who compliments us so well that they actually make us better and stronger? When people talk about their favorite couples, I don’t [...]
I’ll be honest with you; this has been the week from hell. It was seven days where everything that could go wrong did. Usually, once you reach the third day in a row of crap, you realize you’re probably in for a generally bad week, so you saddle up and prepare for the ride, because [...]
My Mass Communications professor gave us an assignment to go as long as we can without the internet. Well, we all know that is not going to happen for the Smart Cookie Cook, because if I refrain from using the internet, then I have no way to share delicious food with you. I hope you [...]
Sorry for hitting you so hard with the sweets this week. Actually, I’m not sorry at all because from the E.L. Fudge Ice Box Cake to the Sandy Buddies, and now to these Copycat Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Pretzel Blizzards, everything has been absolutely delicious. And you know what they say: good things come in threes. [...]
Sometimes, when you least expect it, you get bombarded by a random, unwarranted craving that’s so fierce, you simply must have that food. This happened to me the other day as I was strolling down the cereal aisle. I spotted the endless varieties of Chex cereal, and my eyes zeroed in on the Honey Nut [...]
When I was a kid, E.L. Fudge Cookies were my favorite treat ever. With a rather unrefined childhood taste, I knew little of homemade cookies, and could only base my cookie judgments on store-bought. To me, they were the crème de la crème of grocery store confections. No other packaged cookie could compare to their [...]
This was a big week for us at Smart Cookie. We celebrated my 500th post, which is quite the milestone! I also debuted a brand new bi-weekly feature, Smart Cookie Shopping, where I take you down the grocery store aisles and talk about my favorite food finds lately. Are you overwhelmed by all the awesome [...]
Today is a very big day here on Smart Cookie: it’s my 500th post! Can you believe it? 500 posts of deliciousness! I’ve loved writing every single one of them and sharing them with you, so today, I’d like to invite you to celebrate with me. And naturally, we can’t celebrate without cake. But since [...]
I’d like to welcome you all to a new bi-weekly feature here on Smart Cookie called Smart Cookie Shopping where I take you through the grocery store aisles and dish on the products I’m loving. I’m very excited to bring this to you because there are so many times when I discover a product that’s [...]
Have you ever spent a significant amount of time firmly believing in something, only to have everything you thought you knew flipped topsy-turvy and your perspective changed entirely? It makes you stumble, but once you catch your balance, sometimes you realize it was actually a good thing. My pivotal moment involved sun-dried tomatoes. For as [...]
When I saw Peewee Potatoes at Wegmans, I squealed like a giddy child. They are the tiniest little taters I’ve ever seen, and so cute, I almost wasn’t sure I could eat them. But of course, how can you pass up the chance to chomp on bite-sized potatoes? There was a plethora of possibilities for [...]
Have you noticed the little facelift I underwent this week? No, not me; my face is untouched. I am talking about the website, of course. I was beginning to think we would never get the new look implemented, but at last, here it is in all its bright, fresh, and appetizing glory. Now, there are [...]
Every so often, there comes a recipe so wonderful, so divine that you cannot keep your fat head out of the fridge and away from it. You can fight, you can give yourself pep talks and words of encouragement; but in the end, you wind up face-first in food, too overcome by its delicious force [...]
Do you ever feel like eating is the best part of your day, or is that just me? I look forward to meals like most people look forward to parties or good TV shows. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think is, “I get to eat breakfast soon!” At noon, [...]
Happy Easter to all you little bunnies and chicks! Did the Easter Bunny pay you a visit? I sure hope he brought a plethora of Cadbury Crème Eggs, jelly beans, or whatever Easter confection tickles your fancy. But if you’re still hungry even after all the treats the Bunny bestowed upon you, then get [...]
Welcome to Smart Cookie’s long-awaited new look! There is still a lot of work to be done, and kinks to iron out, but I hope to have everything good to go in the next week or so. In the meantime, I promise you a brand new post on Thursday and every day the rest of [...]
One of the most obvious signs of growing up is when your holidays start to change. For as long as I can remember, my family has celebrated Easter morning together with multicolor baskets brimming over with chocolates and other goodies. Then, in the glow of the post-basket-opening high, we’d have a spirited egg hunt, the [...]
Let’s be real: they don’t call them “Monster Cookies” because they’ve got a monstrous amount of delicious ingredients; that’s just what they want you to think. They’re really called Monster Cookies because you turn into a monster upon eating the sinfully addicting devils. You need more and more, and you’ll do anything to get them, [...]
Sometime last year, the Sweet Potato Bug bit me. And ever since, I just can’t get enough sweet potatoes to combat the fierce cravings that seize hold of me. The Sweet Potato Bug is known for leaving strong addictions in its victims, and I got hit hard. I could eat a sweet potato for every [...]
If you use the term “dulce de leche” with a non-foodie, they’ll probably think you’re exceptionally fancy and cultured. Look at you, using foreign words! But in all reality, dulce de leche is just a pretty name for thick caramel-like sauce. If you like caramel at all, there’s a good chance you will love the [...]
In less than a week, the world’s most beloved bunny will be hopping down that bunny trail to your home and mine, baring whimsical eggs and glorious tooth-rotting confections. Side note: does anybody else find it odd that the Easter Bunny gives out chocolate versions of himself for us to merciless decapitate with our bare [...]
My feeling towards most savory foods is that, if it doesn’t have cheese, it ain’t good. Of course, this isn’t always true. But you would be hard-pressed to find something that isn’t better with a little bit of cheesy goodness. In fact, the more cheese, the merrier. I always order extra cheese on my pizza, [...]
