Sometimes it’s such a relief to cook for the same number I cook for all summer long. It must sound funny, but it’s actually LESS thinking for me. I don’t have to hold back on amounts like I do when cooking for the family or testing recipes and even then half the time I end [...]
When I was testing waffle recipes for the column, Jon and I had an assembly line going. Me making batter, him cooking the waffles. Click over to the Portland Press Herald to find recipes for Potato Cilantro, Chili Chocolate, Mocha or Coconut Orange Chocolate Waffles. Peanut Butter Banana Waffles 1 ripe banana, mashed 1/2 cup [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potato 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 large sweet potatoes or three small, cut into a total of 6 pieces 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 375°. Melt the butter and the cinnamon. Place the potatoes in a baking pan and toss with the melted butter and [...]
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 [...]
Garbanzo Bean & Roasted Eggplant Salad 1 eggplant Juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/2 bunch minced parsley 2 fresh tomatoes, diced 2 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained Preheat oven to 400°. Pierce the skin of the eggplant several times [...]
Roasted Pine Nut and Eggplant Sauce 1 large eggplant, peeled and diced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 cups diced tomatoes, peeled and seeded (or 2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes) 3/4 cup red wine 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil 1/2 [...]
Tomato, Leek, Brie Linguini 1 tablespoon butter 1 clove garlic, minced 1 large leek, cut in half lengthwise, thoroughly washed, and thinly sliced 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced 3 tablespoons white wine 4 ounces brie Salt and pepper to taste Prepare enough linguini for two while making the sauce. Melt the butter in a [...]
