Non-fat Greek Yogurt--a Satisfying Snack

Take half a cup of non-fat Greek-style yogurt, chop half a banana over it, and drizzle 1 teaspoon of honey over this concoction.

Musings on being critical and the truly excellent burger

I have adopted a more critical attitude towards food in the last few years. I can think of numerous instances where I sat down at a restaurant, replete with white tablecloth and sparkling cutlery, only to be disappointed with the food placed before me as well as the bill. I can also recall other instances when I approached a famous "dive", but left with food that didn't meet the hype. There have been too many simple items made poorly: over-dressed and wilted mixed salads, dry scrambled eggs, and soggy quesadillas.
I now seek to find a truly excellent burger, which satisfies the following criteria: rare (red and raw) on the inside, seasoned (so that I don't have to add salt, ketchup, or hot sauce), served with accompaniments that add rather than obscure the taste of the meat, and a bun that does not fall apart, nor taste like cardboard.
Next in this series: Burgers that do not fit this criteria.

Mid/late-winter meal

Roasted chicken with roasted brussel sprouts, carrots, potatoes and enoki mushrooms.

I left out the roasted parsnips, which unfortunately didn't taste as good as the rest of this.

Fish sauce: the all-purpose condiment

Fish sauce doesn't have to be limited to seasoning Southeast Asian cuisine. A couple of weeks ago, I added fish sauce to marinara sauce on a whim. Although some might think the combination of fish and marinara sauce might taste repugnant, the result turned out delicious, as the fish sauce deepened the flavor of the tomatoes, making me resolve to use fish sauce everytime I make spaghetti. The next day, I didn't have spaghetti, but I did have a Caesar salad, to which I added fish sauce instead of anchovies. That tasted pretty good, as well. And, you might inquire, as to the following day? I think I went out for dinner. Regardless, fish sauce can season more than your pho and fried rice--it's proving to be a very versatile condiment.