Decadent Mac n’ Cheese
As part of the modern update for our Midwestern potluck, my test kitchen crew and I decided we absolutely had to take on Mac n’ Cheese. Of course there are a million recipes for it out there, but hey, why not one more. In my opinion, this is where it’s at anyway. Mascarpone and good... Read More→
Green Bean Casserole
No proper Midwestern Potluck would be complete without Green Bean Casserole. The most common version features canned green beans, canned mushroom soup and of course, French’s Fried onions and is shared at church picnics and Thanksgiving tables all over; there’s a reason it’s so popular, it’s really easy, the ingredients are easy to keep on... Read More→
Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup is normally a winter soup for me, but since I didn’t share it this winter and we need it to make the Green Bean Casserole for our Midwestern Potluck, I’m sharing it now. The truth is, I don’t know why I think of it as such a distinctly Winter item;... Read More→
Homemade Mint Jello Salad
In May I had the distinct privilege of taking a trip to Chicago to visit two of my favorite Midwestern ladies, Katie and Susan. They also happen to be two of the people I cook with most often, even though we don’t live in the same state. I arrived on a cold and rainy Chicago... Read More→
Classic Caesar Salad
A few weeks ago I noticed an old jar of anchovies wrapped around capers in my fridge. The truth is, I don’t really like anchovies that often, so who knows how long they had been there. And I only like them on pizza with olives or in Caesar dressing. Then last weekend I made a... Read More→
Croutons
I hate throwing away good bread and because Marc love French toast with an intensity rarely seen, we don’t really have a lot of extra bread lying around our house getting stale. But there are other things to do with good bread, aside from making French Toast (shhh… don’t tell Marc, he’ll be heartbroken) and... Read More→
Cardamom Panna Cotta with Berries
This week, the local strawberries came to market in Philly, and that meant I wanted to buy them all, and not simply to make Cardamom Panna Cotta with Berries. I love these very special little berries that taste how all strawberries should taste. I think about these berries all year long, and then when the... Read More→
Pretzel Sandwiches
Upon moving to Philly, Marc and I learned that Philly is well known for pretzels. While the fame of the cheesesteak seems to overshadow the pretzel, for us, this is a great sadness. While I don’t care much for cheesesteaks at all (blasphemy, I know) I really love a great pretzel sandwich. We first had... Read More→
Ottolenghi Fave: Grilled Zucchini and Basil Salad
One of the most inspirational cookbooks I’ve purchased in the past few years was Ottolenghi’s Plenty and one of my favorite recipes in the whole gorgeous book is An Ottolenghi Fave: Grilled Zucchini and Basil Salad. I love to make it deep in the Summer as an alternative to Caprese. Plenty is a vegetarian cookbook... Read More→
Watermelon and Feta Salad
It was finally HOT and humid in Philly today, which in my book means salad for dinner; if that salad is a Watermelon and Feta Salad, all the better. I love this salad. It’s gotten really popular in the last few years, but its trendiness doesn’t diminish its appeal to me. It’s o-so-simple and refreshing.... Read More→
Tangerine and Rosemary Spritzer
It was early Sunday morning and all the liquor stores were closed. With no champagne on hand, we decided that instead of a mimosa, we’d have to head for the hard stuff. Citrus was an obvious choice to pair with the salty breakfast menu and gin was the bottle in the freezer. Here’s the fruit... Read More→
Savory Olive French Toast with Bacon Marmalade
This dish came about in a cool way. I went to Brooklyn to visit my dear Erin and brought her some delicious olive bread as a hostess gift. The day got away from us, and it was time for our dinner reservation before we got around to eating it. Of course I was concerned about... Read More→
Salmon with Lingonberry BBQ Butter
Once upon a wine pairing, my sister Heidi challenged me to make one dish to pair with both a chardonnay and a pinot noir; this Salmon with Lingonberry BBQ Butter turned out to be just the dish. I thought quite a bit about different proteins that I thought would be up to the task, and... Read More→
Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds
Sometimes, I find kale salad boring, there, I said it, but this Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds is anything but boring. I really like all of the crunchy seeds and nuts against the substantial kale. And raw kale is usually just a bit too tough for me. I like it roasted, or... Read More→
Red Potato Salad & Whole-grain Mustard
Red Potato Salad & Whole-grain Mustard is the side for a wine pairing I just completed for MacRostie winery’s May release. I’m posting it here, just a little out of order, but the whole meal should be up by next week. And in the meantime, enjoy. This salad can stand on its own. I couldn’t... Read More→
Morning After Meal: Assemblage Cooking: Succotash with Corn Pasta
Gotta love leftovers. Especially when you can re-purpose them into something new, different and exciting. If you made succotash for your derby party and there’s lots leftover, never fear. Simply boil some pasta. I used a very cool corn pasta in this instance. Then reheat the succotash, add some spinach to get your greens in... Read More→
*Definitely Not Derby Pie* – Chocolate Walnut Pie
When I began my research for *Definitely Not Derby Pie* – Chocolate Walnut Pie, I found out that the name is protected fiercely by the Kern family and the Melrose Inn- the creators. It’s kind of funny to me because the pie is pretty simple. It’s basically a chocolate chip cookie with walnuts in pie... Read More→
Succotash
This quick and dirty, fresh from the freezer version of Succotash makes it an o-so-easy side dish. And for a Kentucky Derby Party where the main dish is some serious meat, like my Twice Glazed Brisket: Bourbon and Peaches, I recommend keeping it vegetarian, even though bacon is typically found in the dish… this is... Read More→
Twice Glazed Brisket: Bourbon and Peaches
I can’t take credit for the awesomeness of this Twice Glazed Brisket: Bourbon and Peaches. I made this recipe almost exactly as the chef wrote it for the February 2012 issue of Bon Appetit. But I’ll add my pictures and comments [Text in brackets is mine, the rest is from Chef Lee] so you know... Read More→
Chilled Peach Soup
This Chilled Peach Soup recipe is based on an appetizer I used to have at the Inn at Kristofer’s in Sister Bay, Wisconsin. The restaurant was one of my early exposures to fine dining. I’ve modified it a little to suit my taste, but it’s basically the same as what they used to serve in a... Read More→