I love split pea and ham soup. It’s possible that was inherited from my dad. And it’s his birthday today, so this is in his honor. But for good split pea soup you have to plan way ahead and cook it for days. And it’s really heavy. This is a great alternative for spring. It […]
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Smart Gal Salad: Tri-Color Peppers, Hearts of Palm, Cilantro
This recipe is quick, easy and satisfying assemblage cooking at its best. The fresh veggies take a couple of minutes to chop and the hearts of palm are canned. This salad can be assembled in 5 minutes. For real. While I make this salad most often in the summer for barbeques and picnics, it occurred […]
Continue readingChicken, Veggie and Quinoa Bowl
My dear friend Molly recently asked for this recipe. She likes to eat at Protein Bar in Chicago for quick, healthy lunches; her favorite is their Healthy Parm and she wanted advice on how to make it at home. While I’ve never been myself, next time I’m in Chicago, I hope to stop in and […]
Continue readingRoasted Veggie Caponata
Caponata is a Sicilian dish that’s old enough and it’s history murky enough that I can call this dish Caponata too. Most recipes and histories of the dish agree on eggplants and capers being included in the relish. And that’s where I started. Lots of eggplants. Then I balanced it out with lots of other […]
Continue readingChopped Beets, Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese Salad
I roasted a lot of beets in January. And I still have some hanging around. This was intentional. One strategy that makes home cooking more relaxing in the long run is to prepare several recipes that require an overlapping labor intensive ingredient. So rather than roasting beets every week, I roasted a large quantity of […]
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Artichoke and Preserved Lemon Soup
I love artichokes. A lot. But I do not make them often because Marc despises them. We’re talking mortal enemies. He can sense from two days out if I steamed an artichoke while he was away for the weekend, so clearly, I only serve this Artichoke and Preserved Lemon Soup when he’s not around. The […]
Continue readingGolden Beet and Fresh Chèvre Bruschetta
Guess what I asked of my sister for a Christmas present? If you said “golden beets,” I’m shocked but you’re right. They can be hard to get here in Philly, for no apparent reason. I prefer them to red beets; they taste more earthy to me and a little less sweet. Since she brought me […]
Continue readingDryuary Salad with Chickpeas and Feta
Last year, I didn’t eat meat or drink alcohol (unless I was at Blue Hill in New York since I made the reservation in November) for the month of January. This wasn’t a resolution so much as a staving off death measure. For whatever reason, December 2011 was so wet it required a Dryuary. Fortunately, […]
Continue readingChili Cheese Cornbread
Chili demands cornbread and while it is always delicious, a simple tip and some extra ingredients will make yours stand out. Preheating not just the oven, but the skillet too, creates the excellent crust the best corn breads have. This works for muffin tins as well. ½ cup butter or margarine—softened (can use a little […]
Continue readingLucky Vegetarian Chili with Black Eyed Peas
It’s hard work to make a terrible chili. It’s also easy to make a great one. At this point I have both had and made so many versions that I can’t pick a favorite. But for me, two obvious requirements in a great chili are lots of veggies and lots of spices. The heat and […]
Continue readingOven Roasted Tomato Soup
I love soups. It’s true. I make a lot of them and I make them in large quantities and freeze half for a rainy day. For me, there’s nothing like this slow Oven Roasted Tomato Soup. I use lots of garlic and often keep it really plain. But you can season it any way you […]
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Cous Cous with Pomegranates
I absolutely love making this Cous Cous with Pomegranates salad all winter long. It pairs well with almost any protein, or it’s great on its own. I love it because of the vibrant colors and flavors of the mint and pomegranate kernels. I also love all of the textures. The chewy cous cous, the tart […]
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