Kitchen Sink Black Bean and Ham Soup

When it comes to using up leftover Easter Ham, it doesn’t get much better, or much easier than Kitchen Sink Black Bean and Ham Soup. And I got to run down some of the odds and ends I’d stashed in my freezer. That’s not to say that this improvised cooking project didn’t require a little […]

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Two Bottle Boeuf Bourguinon

Want to hear a Dirty Laundry Kitchen dirty secret? I’ve been struggling to cook and write the past couple of weeks. The oscillating temperatures, my intense need for Spring and sunshine, travel for work and for fun, none of this has been conducive to time in the kitchen to think creatively. And that’s sad, because […]

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Tamale Assembly

It’s finally time for Tamale Assembly. You did all the prep. You bought all the ingredients. It’s time to make the margaritas, await your guests, and learn how to build those tamales. At the bottom of the tutorial, there’s a plan of attack that gives you a timeline of how to pull off the party, […]

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Mushroom and Kale Tamales

Of the three different tamales on my Hot Tamale Dinner Menu, these Mushroom and Kale Tamales are my favorites. That is quite the accolade too, because they’re all amazing. The strong mushroom and kale flavor is perfectly balanced against the dark chile rojo salsa. Even when we make all 30 of each kind, and we’re […]

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Snow Day Chicken Pot Pie

Today, it’s the day for Snow Day Chicken Pot Pie. You know the kind. The wind chill is below freezing, there are logs on the fire; I could curl up and read all day, but fortunately, Chloe T. Dog makes me bundle up to go out for a walk and play in the snow. It’s […]

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Butternut Squash and Bean Tamale Filling

Butternut Squash and Bean Tamale Filling came about after trying out the tamale filling recipes of others, because I wanted to make one of my own. I decided on a vegetarian filling, since the tamale dough itself is so rich in and of itself. The beautiful colors of the beans and squash in this one […]

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Leftover Thanksgiving Enchiladas

Every year I yearn for Thanksgiving turkey just so I can have these Leftover Thanksgiving Enchiladas. I’ve been making these for years, but I never get sick of them. This year, I started making a vegetarian version with mushrooms instead of turkey so I don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving. I bet you’ll follow in […]

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Drumstick Mole

We’re finally onto the main course: Drumstick Mole. For Mexican Thanksgiving 2012, I served this drumstick mole from Fine Cooking. Drumstick Mole is admittedly an ambitious project. But it’s an amazing mole sauce. Trust me, I tested a lot of recipes and this was a favorite. The upside of all the hard work is that you […]

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Roast Pumpkin with Cheese “Fondue”

This Roast Pumpkin with Cheese “Fondue” is an old Gourmet magazine recipe that I’d wanted to try for years. Last year, I finally did it. I used a giant squash called a Cheese Pumpkin at the suggestion of a local farmstand. It was huge! Somewhere between 15 and 21 pounds. Last year I was serving 19, […]

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Eggplant Mushroom “Meat”balls

When eggplant season is in full swing, I am always looking for cool ways to eat them up, like these Eggplant Mushroom “Meat”balls. Added bonus for Marc if the new recipes are not too “eggplanty”; he gets tired of them way before I do. Since spaghetti with marinara is one of Marc’s favorite foods, Eggplant Mushroom […]

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Crab Corn Chowder

It’s finally time for Crab Corn Chowder. While it’s still been gorgeous in Philly and much of me has been living the life of a fall denialist, this past Friday I took my parents out to Terrain for some fall gardening and pumpkin picking. Let’s just say that it inspired me to remember some of […]

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Soba Noodle Salad with Asian Pesto

Soba Noodle Salad with Asian Pesto is one more delicious pesto use. This one requires a little modification, so I’ve written it out again, but it’s useful to compare it to the original so you get a sense of how to modify pesto type sauces in general. Soba Noodle Salad with Asian Pesto is a great […]

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