Potatoes and cheese make excellent culinary partners. I adore potatoes with cheese and plenty of cheese with my potatoes. This much is true : you can always back off on the cheese, but keep the potatoes steady and plentiful. Continue reading
Inevitably, pumpkin pie graces the Thanksgiving table. Apples are at their peak in fall, so a sweet apple tart will bring joy, too. Continue reading
Pumpkin spice is everywhere and in everything. Beverages, candles, personal care products and naturally, baked goods. Think of these Pumpkin Chile Muffins as the anti-pumpkin spice treat. Continue reading
The thrill of the hunt begins each fall at the roadside stands. I look for unfamiliar varieties of apples to try for cooking and eating. This year it’s the Ozark Gold apple. This variety is a little over fifty years old, so not exactly new, but new to me.
Bright bands of sunny yellow and burnished red decorate this fruit. It’s an early type so I bought up a mess of apples before others take its place. Soon there will be Stayman and Empire and the marvelously crunchy Evercrisp. I do love a crisp apple to remind me of Virginia’s bounty. This chef also likes to add apples to all manner of sweet and savory dishes before the stands close for the season.
Maple Apple Dessert Sauce is a cinch to make and it stores in the fridge for a couple weeks. Plain vanilla ice cream becomes something ethereal. Waffles and pancakes get the salon treatment with an unexpected alternative to syrup. Apple and ginger make a compatible couple. Imagine the decadence of this sweet sauce ladled sparingly on top of Gingerbread Ice Cream .
This dessert sauce is chunky and thick with apples and toasted pecans. You will need to gently heat it in the microwave if not used right away. It becomes very thick once refrigerated. If you want the sauce to be more pourable, add a few drops of extra maple syrup after heating.
recipe by Michele Humlan, The Good Eats Company
makes about 2 ½ cups
ingredients
1 ½ pounds apples, peeled and chopped (about 5 cups total)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅔ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ½ cup apple cider
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped toasted pecans*
*to toast pecans, keep halves whole for even toasting, then chop; 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes will give a nice color and flavor
directions
Summer ends and I look for ways to use the tender garden herbs before first frost. This simple recipe for Shrimp Puttanesca is the Mediterranean Diet at its best. Both fresh oregano and basil work well. Continue reading
Seasonal eating is always preferred, but I confess a fondness for watermelon all year long. Watermelon (and its juice) is available perennially at most grocery stores. The bright pink elixir of juice, mixed into cocktails or mocktails, brings fond memories of balmy summertime. Continue reading
Here is simplicity for a hot summer day. Make this lemony salad dressing a day or two ahead. When you’re ready, grill the flat iron steak and slice it after resting. Scatter lettuce leaves across plates or platter, top with steak and drizzle with dressing. Simple meal, done. Continue reading
Cold soup appeals to me when the heat index stands between me and the stove. Local corn is still in season and that sweet crunch contributes to a nice light meal. Best thing is no cooking! Continue reading
Friends reminisced recently about ice cream treats of our youth. Specifically, how they’ve changed. Ice cream sandwiches evolved into elaborate affairs with gourmet ice cream between real chewy homemade cookies. Sherbet became sorbet and ice cream choices are gelato, frozen yogurt and nondairy frozen desserts. Variety appeals to everyone. Continue reading
Summertime and the cooking is easy, for the obvious reason of wanting to generate less heat. This tasty recipe features local corn and the meatiness of grilled tuna. Grilling the tuna is quick and easy. Creamy corn with capers, white wine and shallot takes only a few stovetop minutes. If you want a side of asparagus as shown here, the microwave will help. Continue reading