Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Thanksgiving 2020

November 16, 2020 by Mary 4 Comments

Thanksgiving is around the corner and what are we to do with the pandemic and the growing rise of Coronavirus cases? We’re not supposed to get together with anyone outside of our “pod”. I get that. But. It. Is. So. Hard.

I really get it. As I have been alone for the majority of this time and missing my late husband Steve so very very much.

Perhaps your “pod” is larger than most, due to the sheer size of your family? I know that is true with my brother in St. Louis. He has seven children, all married and 15 grandchildren. They are all very careful. And they see each other now. They did not, back in March, April and May.

One of my other brothers, Steve, and his wife Trish, came to live with me for a couple of weeks. They had no place to go! And of course, I was delighted. They had sold one house and their new condo isn’t yet finished being built. They were living in their other house in Vermont but if they passed the 6 month mark there, they would have had to pay a full year of income taxes in Vermont and Connecticut! (Bet Trump never had to do that.)

So they came to me in upstate NY and honestly, we all had a blast. You see, we used to travel together a lot in our younger days, pre-children. And of course, I sort of grew up with him – we are 8 years apart and he is older – but we certainly grew up in the same household. So we do things the same way in terms of kitchen stuff and cleaning up. At one point, when I woke up in the morning, I honestly thought I was at my parent’s house and all was calm and stuff was happening as they had been up, comfortably getting their own breakfasts, the wafting smell of fresh delicious coffee was coming upstairs. I was all smiles. All good. In this household.

Two All-Clad pots in the sunlight. — Here are two of my gorgeous new pots!

So exciting to have new pots!

As a thank you and early birthday present, (my birthday is on Thanksgiving Day this year), my brother and sister-in-law sent me three All-Clad pots, all stainless steel, inside and out, almost too pretty to use. It’s so exciting to get new pots and these are gorgeous!!

Secrets for a Great Thanksgiving You Will LOVE cookbook. — My Thanksgiving Cookbook!

A cookbook with recipes and a process timeline!

Because it is Thanksgiving soon, I wanted to remind everyone about my handy cookbook of all of my big feast recipes along with a hassle-free planning schedule to get everything done with ease and put a magnificent meal on the table, stress free.

You can get it on Amazon here – and I am donating all of the proceeds of the sales to Meals on Wheels to feed the less fortunate.

So pick up a copy and enjoy. I have a whole slew of folks who make my stuffing recipe every year. Yes, it is that good.

Additionally, l know my Momofuku’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette recipe in the cookbook menu is a little unique and not for the faint of heart, bursting with umami. This year I am switching up that side recipe to be Green Beans with a Warm Raisin Caper dressing. Still unique, but a little tamer.

It’s a Martha Stewart recipe and usually I am not a big fan of hers but this sounds good and I think, will be a nice contrast to the richness of the rest of the meal.

So pick up a book and give it a go. And please leave a review to help others find it easily.

And remember to make everything with LOVE. Enjoy!

Have the BEST Thanksgiving ever!! It is sure to be memorable in this climate.

International Market in Arezzo, Italy

November 1, 2017 by Mary 6 Comments

Arezzo International market - spices for sale.

All the beautiful colors, all the beautiful spices!!

Two weekends ago was the International Market in Arezzo, Italy, where I am currently living. My very good friend Tiziana, was supposed to meet me for an aperitivo, but she was not feeling well so I was by myself and then ventured through the market.

I have to tell you about the aperitivos that are offered here. You order a drink such as a decent martini, as long as you explain it correctly that you want a gin martini cocktail instead of Martini brand bianco poured straight into a glass with some olives, and that’s um, bad straight white vermouth to us Americans – total yuck – for a martini.

So, anyway, now I’ve got this place that knows me and they’ve got it down pat, (so nice!), and for 4.50 Euros, you get a drink and then 3 small plates of salted peanuts, potato chips, and green olives, PLUS a buffet of cheeses, bread, roasted peppers, a pizza-like thing and sometimes roasted zucchini and eggplant – my favorites! I think this whole thing is AWESOME vs. 15 – 20 dollars for a martini in NYC, with not even a single peanut to boot!

So I’m walking down the streets of the International Market with nothing enticing me to buy or eat. I maybe could have stopped to have had a beer someplace and tried to meet some people but I had to drive home and I already had that one martini by myself so I did not want to do that. Then, this person on the street grabs my arm and says, “I know you!” and I’m like, “No you don’t. Nobody knows me here.” (except for my lovely 12 friends and NO ONE else and she wasn’t one of them) But no, she insisted, “I know you, I know I know you,” she said flaying her arms, very surreal. And I was like, Ok, maybe… and then she says, “From the winery!” Where I live in San Fabiano, at the cantina, she did write up my order…

It was so sweet of her and I was finally so sweet back. I may look normal on the outside but I am not, since Steve has passed.

I am really messed up In my brain and just with everything, I am so, so sad. Writing this now with tears streaming down my face, I’ve learned that it’s much easier to cry in the shower.

My whole life has changed and yes now, I am living in beautiful Tuscany with amazing friends, but I so miss Steve and I am so sad.

So for now, I just want to share with you some pictures from the International Market. Italians are very interesting. First of all, there were amazingly few “international” booths and when I was there, they were completely empty!

The Swiss and Tunisian booth had no one, the Russian booth had some activity with the vodka as well as the Spanish booth with paella. Potato chips were a hit in the German booth. My friend Cristina enjoyed the New York Pastrami booth, complete with Heinz mustard, the next day. But the most active booths were the prosecco, porchetta, salumi and cheese booths – all Italian!

Here are some pics to enjoy.

Arezzo International Market - one big paella pan.

This is one HUGE paella pan!!!

Arezzo International Market-loving potato chips

Italians LOVE potato chips and isn’t it neat how they get them on these spears?!

Arezzo International Market - the delicious porchetta.

Ahhh – the DELICIOUS porchetta along with the pancetta and salumis!! My “porchetta” recipe is here

Truffles for sale!!

Arezzo International market - frying bread.

Frying ciaccia fritta – bread!

Arezzo International Market - another great Popiel product.

Selling another “great Popeil product.” I think this is a pot lid that can cook something else at the same time…

I’ll have a recipe coming next week. LOVE to all!!!

The Spring 2017 MARY’s secret ingredients box revealed!

April 7, 2017 by Mary 2 Comments

Yes! Spring is officially here (even though I was still wearing gloves today) as our Spring 2017 MARY’s secret ingredients box revealed!

As always, we have unique products you’ve probably never heard of, but we think you need to know about as they are all natural, good for you and will make your ordinary dinnertime super extraordinary, easily, with my recipes coming up. And, we have this great theme going on with honey (so good) and sesame (open wide!).

Did you know that honey helps prevent cancer and heart disease, reduces ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders, is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, reduces cough and throat irritation and even though it’s a sweetener, it helps regulate blood sugar?

And sesame seeds are one of the most ancient foods on earth. Full of protein, rich in oils, and high in linoleic and oleic acids. All good! That’s why we created this box for you!!

Here is our terrific fun video made by our super talented team.

Recipes to come using all of these awesome products and remember to always cook with LOVE and I guarantee your food will taste better!

CATSKILL PROVISIONS WHISKEY HONEY TRUFFLES

Combine New York honey, whiskey and chocolate and what have you got? THE most delicious chocolate truffle in the whole wide world!

Located in Long Eddy, New York, in a small northwestern corner of the Catskill Mountains, Catskill Provisions specializes in creating all natural food products and craft spirits from resources close at hand, including the finest raw wildflower honey.

Whiskey Honey Truffles — NY State handcrafted bittersweet chocolate truffles infused with our NY Honey Whiskey. Vanilla, salt, local butter and cream (all organic) join in this marriage for a decadent experience.

GET DRESSED SESAME SENSATION SALAD DRESSING

You know how you always wanted to recreate the delicious cold noodle dish from the Chinese restaurant? Well here you go – dress your noodles and lots of other things with this baby and slurp away!

Feel your best with Get Dressed,™ an all natural, vegan, kosher,  gluten-free and sugar-free line of specialty salad dressings. Gourmet “dresser,” Vanessa Miller designed each delicious dressing to double as a marinade to effortlessly elevate otherwise ordinary dishes. Suggested pairings on every label remove the guesswork and ensure speedy, mouthwatering meals. In addition to delighting tastebuds, each Get Dressed bottle cap contains a secret message, reminding dressers at home to seize the day and dress it your way.

Sesame Sensation is the first spicy tahini dressing on the market. It will elevate your taste buds and instantly make your dish into a gourmet meal!

JOSEPH JOSEPH SMART BAR

Joseph Joseph has done it again, melding form and function in the most beautiful way. You’ll LOVE washing your hands again and one wash will remove the disagreeable odors too.

Founded in 2003 by twin brothers Anthony and Richard, Joseph Joseph specialises in creating design-led products for the kitchen and home with a strong emphasis on form, functionality and quality. As one of the fastest growing companies in the worldwide homewares market, the brand has earned global recognition for its multi-award-winning designs.

SmartBar takes hand washing to a whole new level with its multi-layer approach to hygiene. Its sleek stainless-steel case not only looks good but also helps remove odour from fingers and hands by attracting the sulphur molecules deposited by foods such as garlic and onions. Unlike other stainless-steel soap bars though, smart bar can also be filled with liquid hand soap meaning you can have thoroughly clean and fragranced hands in one go. Simply fill the unit with liquid soap and then press the silicone button to dispense a small amount into your hands through the non-drip valve at the back of the product. For mess-free storage, smart bar even comes with its own silicone draining mat. Hand wash only.

SOOM CHOCOLATE SESAME SPREAD

This chocolate covered enchanted sesame seed spread will have you spreading it on everything, and then some. Move over Nutella – this is way better for you! This is like a spreadable chocolate covered halva bar!

Sister Entrepreneurs “We are a Philadelphia-based women-owned business of three Soom sisters – Shelby, Jackie and Amy – passionate about showcasing the delicious, nutritious and versatile qualities of tahini. Inspired by the unique flavor of Ethiopian sesame seeds, we are dedicated to popularizing tahini in the American market.”

Chocolate Soom — Why deny your sweet tooth? Peanut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, kosher, no added oils… and only 10 grams of sugar!  The indulgence of chocolate with the nourishment of sesame.

WILDER HONEY JALAPEÑO MUSTARD

A little sweet, a little spicy, a lot addictive. We bet you’ll be spreading this mustard on EVERYTHING!!

At Wilder Condiments, we love California. That’s why our mustards are made from here, from ingredients grown here – bringing bright and bold flavor to your favorite eats. We believe in beach cookouts, brown bag lunches, and good food tasting better.

Our mustards were a backyard project, mixed up between BBQ’s and beer brewing sessions by chef and owner, Isabel Freed. Based along the sunny surf swept coastline of Santa Cruz, our hometown inspires us – with good food in good company at the helm of everything we make.

Honey Jalapeño Mustard — The perfect blend of sweetness and spice. Made with sustainably grown California honey and jalapeños. Best enjoyed brushed over grilled chicken, with a crisp sav blanc in a picnic basket.

MARY’s secret ingredients spring 2016 subscription box

April 16, 2016 by Mary 5 Comments

Our MARY’s secret ingredients spring 2016 subscription box shipped early last week to amazing RAVE reviews!!! This box is so very special with fantastic products supporting terrific causes. As you know, with the box we support Feed The Children, the global organization dedicated to providing aid to children and fighting the hunger epidemic.

And also included in this great seasonal box are two other items supporting important causes. 100 Cups A Day supports clean water solutions starting with the state of Guanajuato, Mexico and The Tea Spot donates ten percent of its sales in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs.

Here is our unboxing video!

Read about all of these products in more detail below. As always, I created some scrumptious new recipes using each one, which will be posted on this site over the next two weeks

This box is so special, as we are not only inspiring you with healthy new products to help you make awesome LOVE inspired food but you are also supporting all of these great initiatives when you buy a box.

As a special offering, we have made up more of these subscription boxes so you can still go to maryssecretingredients.com and buy a box for $34.00. That price includes shipping anywhere in the continental US. This is quite a good deal since the box is worth over $55.00!

Mother’s Day is coming – this makes a great gift!

100 Cups A Day

100 Cups A Day is an organization dedicated to the physical and spiritual well-being of water, founded by sculptor and ceramic artist Natalie Blake. Natalie is awesome!! Each cup is hand-thrown in porcelain by Natalie and her assistant Kyle in her studio in Brattleboro, Vermont, with all proceeds going to Caminos de Agua – an organization working to innovate and implement open source solutions to sustainable, safe, clean drinking water in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico and globally.

100 Cups

For this spring box, Natalie has crafted a special edition symbolic cup. “The simplest vessel gifting the simplest need. Drink 100 cups of water and become aware of water in your life.”

Joseph Joseph

Founded in 2003 by twin brothers Anthony and Richard, Joseph Joseph specialises in creating design-led products for the
kitchen and home with a strong emphasis on form, functionality and quality. As one of the fastest growing companies in the worldwide homewares market, the brand has earned global recognition for its multi-award-winning designs.

Rocker 100 – Stainless Steel Garlic Crusher

By using downward pressure and a ‘rocking’ motion, this stylish, stainless steel tool crushes garlic cloves quickly and easily by forcing the pieces up through its mesh holes, leaving your hands free of garlic odour. Simply use the Rocker™ 100 to crush your garlic, then spoon or scrape it from the curved press with ease to add to your cooking. Rocker™ 100 is easy to clean under running water but is also dishwasher safe. A game-changing kitchen gadget that will revolutionise your garlic crushing!

Just Jan’s

It was December 2011; a decades long career in the film industry was coming to an end and Jan was looking for a new endeavor. One day while delivering a batch of fig spread to a friend, Jan had a chance encounter with a food industry veteran. Word had gotten out about this film producer’s fig spread, and he wanted to know if it was as good as he had heard. Jan ran home, got what was left of the spread, and met him at a coffee shop so he could taste it. After tasting it, he said “This is better than anything on the market. Would you consider doing this for a living?” The rest is history. Today, Just Jan’s can be found in the Four Seasons San Francisco & Westlake, and at select gourmet retailers across the country.

Just Jan’s Tangerine Marmalade

Just Jan’s Tangerine Marmalade, is a unique twist on traditional Orange Marmalade. Our Tangerine Marmalade is all natural and lower in sugar, allowing the bright citrus flavor of tangerine to shine through. Brighten up your morning toast, or try it in your evening cocktail.

Savory Choice

Located in Northern California, Savory Choice offers a full range of premium broth concentrates. They have been making news around the country because they deliver broths that taste good enough for chefs to call their own. Their clean label products contain no MSG, or HVP, and they’re naturally gluten free with zero trans fats.

Veggie Authentic Pho:

Made with traditional flavors and aromatics, infused in a rich broth, this Pho contains no artificial flavors or coloring added and is made with natural ingredients. Add your choice of protein or veggies, cooked rice noodles and garnish with your choice of condiments to create the perfect pho dish in minutes. Each stick pouch of liquid broth concentrate is reconstituted with 2 cups (16 oz) of hot water. Savor the homemade flavor!

Sir Kensington’s

Launched by Scott Norton and Mark Ramadan in 2010, Sir Kensington’s offers award-winning lines of ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. I met Scott just last week – super nice guy!!

Sir Kensington’s strives to create products recognized as both healthy and uncompromisingly delicious by using only-the-best ingredients such as Certified Humane eggs and whole tomatoes.

Sir Kensington’s Dijonnaise

Sir Kensington’s Dijonnaise is the perfect blend of mayonnaise and mustard. With slightly spicy notes of their propriety mustard mix, paired with smooth and tangy Classic Mayonnaise, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Enjoy with your favorite sandwich, or as a crust on seared fish.

The Tea Spot

The Tea Spot is a leading producer of handcrafted whole leaf teas and the creator of Steepware®—innovative tools that make the premium tea experience effortless and accessible. The company was founded in 2004 by Maria Uspenski, a cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of leaf tea during her recovery. Her message is simple and powerful: tea in its freshest form renders premium flavor, unmatched health benefits, and is eco-friendly. Through their 10% Pledge, the company donates ten percent of sales in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs

Meditative Mind Sachets

These premium sachets contain a soothing white tea blend to sharpen the mind and arouse the senses. Rosebuds are known to ease nervous tension and have a calming effect. The exotic floral scent of night–blooming jasmine is used as an anti-depressant in herbal medicine. This combination works together to enhance the light, subtle flavor of the white peony tea leaf base – creating the perfect remedy for a stressful day.

POURfect Measuring Spoons & Curry Pho with Veal & Veggies

October 16, 2015 by Mary 7 Comments

My mother used to say, “You must have the right tool to do the best job.” How true that is – for anything! Well for cooking, there are measuring spoons and then there are these POURfect measuring spoons. Completely accurate – perfect for bakers where that accuracy really matters – a dream to use in that each spoon easily snaps on and off of the holding ring so you don’t have all of these dangling spoons all around while you’re trying to measure something, and all the sizes!!

First, there’s the 2 tablespoon size! Simple, but genius, because how often do you use 2 tablespoons? All the time!! Then, there’s the 11/2 teaspoon size and ¾ teaspoon – again genius. And I haven’t even gotten to the dash, pinch, smidgen, or drop measurements. Who knew there were real standard measurements for these? All these years, I just guessed!

And then there’s the leveling tool and the shiny surface area of the interior bowl of the spoon so ingredients slip out easily yet the rest of the spoon is matte so you have a better grip on it. The depression in the middle of the spoon is also so clever – a pourfect thumb grip! (couldn’t resist.)

Do I like these spoons?

You bet!

These spoons were designed when owner, Randy Kaas,unfortunately lost his sight in 2001. He had been in the kitchen utensil business since 1978 and was inspired by the TV show, The French Chef starring Julia Child. The need for a mixing bowl that wouldn’t spill when you couldn’t see what you were doing was recognized. POURfect Products solve common cooking problems making your life easier, less messy and more enjoyable.

POURfect measuring spoons are the only, Made in USA, 100% accurate spoons that snap off one at a time, have markings in English, Metric and Braille and are comfortable to hold. There isn’t another set of 12 measuring spoons that include all of these hard to find sizes.

Take a look at this luscious recipe I made recently featuring these spoons upfront as this has a lot of different ingredients, yet this soup comes together very quickly. I made this on a weeknight and it was perfect!

CURRY PHO WITH VEAL AND VEGGIES – serves 5 – 6

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into quarters and then 1/4” slices
1 lb. ground veal
2 Tbs. curry powder
Salt to taste
10 cups vegetable broth or vegetable pho
5.5 oz. brown rice udon noodles
4 kale stalks – main artery removed, rolled and cut in a chiffonade
1/3 of a bunch of beet greens, stalks separated from greens, greens sliced thin
¾ of an orange pepper, cut in 1/3” squares
¼ cup chopped oil-cured black olives
1 tomatilla chopped
Handful of sorrel leaves, leaves sliced, stems chopped for garnish, or use sliced scallions

Warm the olive oil with the onions in a large skillet. Cover and sweat the onions for 5 minutes on low heat. Add the ground veal and brown partially, until just pink and broken up into small chunks. Add the curry powder and salt to taste. Stir well to combine.

Meanwhile pour the broth into a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Add the udon and cook 2 minutes less than the package directions.

Turn heat to low and add the meat and all the rest of the vegetables, except for the sorrel stems. Stir for a minute or two. Add the chopped olives and the very end.

Serve immediately in bowls with chopsticks and LOVE. Garnish with the chopped sorrel stems, or you could use thinly sliced scallions. Enjoy!!

POURfect 13-piece measuring spoon set was one of the products in our MARY’s secret ingredients fall box. You can get your winter box here! Make a great gift and helps us in our support of Feed The Children.

Subscription Box, Spring 2015 Revealed

May 14, 2015 by Mary 6 Comments

MARY’s secret ingredients subscription box, spring 2015, revealed!!

We had so much fun!! It is so interesting to research and find new companies and products, do the testing :), and then pick the best for you! This box has products from Italy and Scotland, spice mixes influenced by the foods of South America, a delicious new form of low calorie pasta that’s really made of vegetables but you’d never know it, an amazing kitchen tool, the BEST cheese straws and the most flavorful and wonderful tasting pho. If you ordered a box, you won’t be disappointed. And I’ve got some knockout recipes coming up, using all of these products as ingredients, giving all the ready-to-eat items a whole new usage.

In doing this, we hope to inspire you with new recipes to take the doldrums out of the daily question, “What’s for dinner?” Please email us any recipes you create using these products as we are planning on developing a community cookbook with the whole collection at the end of the year. Won’t that make a great holiday gift?

And by buying a box, you’ve just helped in our efforts and partnership with Feed The Children to eradicate worldwide childhood hunger. Thank you for joining in on our big hairy audacious goal.

Please take a look at our super cute video put together by our amazing team – it’s worth the one minute!! (who knew products could dance?)

Our June summer box ships on June 25th! You can order that here.

Chef’s Planet Cit-Trease

Chef’s Planet makes life in the kitchen easier by offering unique, cleverly designed gadgets to fit your active lifestyle. They are constantly thinking of new ways to make cooking simpler and more enjoyable! This clever tool makes it easy to remove citrus from the peel so you can enjoy fresh fruit cut up in a bowl or juiced in a juicer. Simply score the citrus in a complete rotation by placing the blade teeth at the edge of the peel. Continue rotating the citrus and move the Cit-Trease handle in a perpendicular position to the face of the fruit until it pulls away from the peel. Getting juiced was never so easy & healthy!

– Stainless steel blade will not rust or tarnish
– Great for preparing citrus and other “scoopable” foods like avocados and squash
– Dishwasher safe (top shelf)
– Patent pending

Chelsea Market Basket – Their founder’s passion for inspired specialty food and thoughtfully designed gifts led to the creation of Chelsea Market Baskets in 1993. Owner, David Porat continues to search the world for distinctly high quality, unique, innovative products with a certain indescribable charm. Chelsea Market Baskets aims to delight customers through their retail shop in NYC, mail order gift business and wholesale imports.

Reids of Caithness Oaties – Product of Scotland

Donald Reid started this family-run bakery located in Thurso, Scotland in 1966 using his grandmother’s over 100 year-old recipes. He uses the same locally grown oats from the same mills that his grandmother used to bake her delicious biscuits and cakes. The recipes are unchanged and their award winning, buttery, crisp cookies have stood the test of time. We can see why!

Delta Bred Cheese Straws

We are excited to share with you one of their most treasured family recipes. These cheese straws are made in small batches and use 100% real cheddar cheese. They are perfect for anyone looking for fine taste at fine times! Whether you enjoy your cheese straws with sweet tea or mint juleps, we can assure you will experience the mighty fine taste of Delta Bred!

Harvest Foods Shirataki Harvest Noodles Marinara

Made from Konjac Yam Root, this secret weight loss food enjoyed in Asia is now available to you in a vibrant marinara sauce of blended tomatoes, onions, basil and sea salt to delight your taste buds. Healthy and convenient, Shirataki Noodles are vegan and low calorie, making them perfect for anyone trying to be mindful of their weight.

Skinny and easy never tasted so good!

Loacker Cremkakao Chocolate Bar – Product of Italy

Nine – count ’em nine – bite-size pieces make up Loacker‘s velvety chocolate bar with cream-filled centers and their signature light and crispy wafers. They make them easy to break apart so each bar-within-the-bar is a treat unto itself to savor and linger over. Cremkakao is a milk chocolate bar.

So easy, yet at the same time, so hard to share.

Samba Flavor Chimichurri Dry Mix

This is your chimichurri on the go! Created with gourmet quality herbs and spices for the chimichurri lover, this is very easy to prepare. You can mix it with wine, vinegar or lemon juice and olive oil. Adjust to your preferred acidity and taste!

Enjoy the best flavors of South America!

Savory Choice Authentic Veggie Pho

Made with traditional flavors and aromatics, infused in a rich broth, this pho contains no artificial flavors or coloring and is made with natural ingredients. Add your choice of protein or veggies, cooked rice noodles and garnish with your choice of condiments to create the perfect pho dish in minutes. Each stick pouch of liquid broth concentrate is reconstituted with 2 cups (16 oz) of hot water.

Savor the homemade flavor!