The word “casserole” conjures up images of canned cream of-fill-in-the-blank soup from my childhood. I grew up in the Midwest, in a household that watched the price of milk and bought in bulk when it went on sale, which meant that we were no stranger to casseroles of the tuna variety and others. While my [...]
This recipe came to me as one of those happy accidents. During the middle of a catering job for 50 people, I popped what was meant to be a lightly cooked cabbage and squash slaw with flecks of both strewn throughout, into the oven. A few guests arriving, a few mini-catering emergencies later and this [...]
Pomegranate is one of the girls favorite winter fruits. That, combined with our gigundous box of citrus that has just arrived from Florida, rounds out this dish nicely. It’s a beautiful crop of oranges and grapefruits this year and the juicy globes are just what I’m hankering for. This recipe is one I almost [...]
This steaming, hearty soup-for-dinner recipe is easy and fairly quick. Just add salad and crusty bread and you’ve got a great dinner. While soups are all very simple to make, what makes any soup flavorful is the time that you take at the beginning to develop the flavor. I mention this often, taking time in [...]
Poaching is a technique used to gently cook what is usually already a tender ingredient. Chicken and fish are commonly poached in a flavorful broth called court bouillon, which is made by simmering aromatic vegetables and herbs in water. When used to cook fruit, it’s common to simmer in red wine, another sort of alcohol [...]
Fresh apple cider has a very short shelf life and even changes flavor over a few days. It is possible to use cider that’s beginning to ferment, “cider that tastes like ginger ale” as my daughter describes it, in your cooking such as with the below recipe. The other possibility is to make apple juice, [...]
Delicata squash is a smaller squash that has a shorter shelf life than most. It is oblong in shape, with a butter-colored skin, striped with dark green. When I first tested this recipe I tried it with some of the usual squash accompaniments – maple syrup, nutmeg and butter. It was good. Then I tried [...]
Don’t get me wrong, I really like to entertain and have folks laughing and eating at my table. But, the day after, when there are leftovers, is perhaps the warmest and coziest part of Thanksgiving, when you can enjoy the good food without all of the buzz of entertaining. My favorite way to use Thanksgiving [...]
Brussels spouts have gotten a bad rap. Mostly due to the fact that perhaps the only way we’ve eaten them is when they’ve been cooked to a mushy, gray pulp. I grew them for the first time this year in my garden and am still harvesting the generous offering the four plants have given all fall [...]
Skirt, hanger or flank steaks are all wonderful cuts of beef for broiling, sautéing or grilling. All are thin cuts from the belly of the steer and have a coarse, loose grain that absorbs marinade well. I like these steaks for a number of reasons, not the least of which is you can get away [...]
