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There might be some Cuban grandmothers who would cringe at my interpretation of this classic Cuban dish. But this is how I like it: I chucked the raisins (raisins with ground beef? Yuk!) and deleted the cinnamon (a spice reserved only for desserts in my household). Picadillo is so freakin’ simple and cheap, it can be a weeknight staple served over white or brown rice with a salad. Read more: Recipe: Cuban inspired Picadillo 
With the football game and socializing at parties, hosts need some delicious yet simple fare to complement the suds. Grilling or barbecue is always a solid choice, but in early February, it’s not a realistic option for many parts of the nation. Beer and pizza go together as well as…well… beer and football. Combine all three and every fan will be happy, regardless of the score. This year’s Superbowl has cities with wonderful, drinkable brews. To commemorate this historic event, we’ll recommend two distinct beers from a brewery in each town, Boston and New York. The beer styles chosen from each brewery pair well with pizza, a lager and an IPA. Read more: Beer n’ pizza: Two great tastes for a Super Bowl score Food writer Jennifer Fields introduces some fruit to her hamburger patty recipe: fresh lime juice. Quick and easy with a zingy flavor for summer or winter grilling. Read more: New year, new recipe: Homemade Burger Patties with Fresh Lime Juice 
Unabashedly rich and irresistible, few foods bring on such giddy cravings as chocolate. Love is sweet, but it’s much sweeter with chocolate. Its phenylethylamine is the same chemical that our brains produce when we fall in love. Quality chocolate stirs the same emotions and is positively addictive this close to Valentine’s Day in Tampa Bay. Charge up your appetite, and your wallet, with some luscious choices from candy land. Read more: Chocolate is love in an edible form: Nine of Tampa Bay’s best chocolate shops The New Year is well underway. I don’t know about you, but for me, the dawning of a brand new calendar encourages me to freshen things up in the kitchen. Gone are the last few months of heavy, overindulgence (thank goodness!), and in comes lightened flavors to get our bodies moving for the new adventures ahead. Like this recipe for Edamame Salad with Avocado and Grapefruit. Read more: New year, new recipe: Edamame Salad with Avocado and Grapefruit Osteria Natalina draws from its previous life as Spartaco to offer something new and something old. It’s set in the same location, a corner of a strip center in South Tampa. Its obscure location doesn’t keep it from being discovered — it’s a well-traveled haunt. And its short, uncomplicated menu, with English subtitles, showcases owner Spartaco Giolito’s hometown, Rimini, on the Adriatic coast. Read more: Tampa restaurant review: Un-ostentatious Osteria Natalina showcases seaside legacies The Russians got this classic recipe right — the rich, creamy sour cream and succulent meat come together to curl your toes and make a chilly winter evening just a little warmer. This recipe — lower in calories than the original — is simple to make and riffs on the traditional flavors. And from snout to tail, I’m a pork-aholic, so the use of boneless pork chops instead of sirloin makes the pocketbook feel a wee heavier too. Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, I met chef Michael Vaughn who feeds about 200 hungry entertainers who live in some of the 61 train cars parked just outside of town. Chef Michael says he likes the adventure. “It’s definitely the greatest show on earth. We are the world’s largest city without a zip code,’’ he adds. The 16-year saw-dust veteran may have learned to cook in the south but his cuisine spans several continents. His international mix of patrons come from seven continents, including Uzbekistan, Uruguay, Russia, Mongolia and Paraguay. Michael invites the animal trainers, trapeze artists and others to bring him recipes and teach him about their special dishes that personify their home country. Read more: Food fit for a circus clown: Behind the scenes in Ringling Bros. kitchen If old acquaintances are not to be forgotten, don’t choose a forgettable place to ring out the old year. Check out these ideas to ring in New Year’s Eve 2012 in Tampa Bay. Read more: New Year’s Eve restaurant spots and events for Tampa Bay 2012 Hot chocolate; a single sip can bring forth a flood of buoyant memories. The mere mention of the steaming elixir creates mental images of warming yourself near the fire while watching snow fall gently through partially frosted windows. Hot chocolate is the king of comfort foods that is enjoying a renaissance. Read more: Sweet recipe: The return of hot chocolate and cocoa |
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