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
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
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
Crunchy, crispy, chewy and creamy. Do these words appeal to you? If yes, you’ll like this salad with four Cs. Crunchy carrots, crisp arugula, chewy pistachios and creamy burrata mozzarella. Toss with a red wine vinaigrette and get ready for a light lunch or dinner. Continue reading
This Sausage Asparagus Pasta comes to the table in less than twenty minutes. That’s faster than ordering carryout. Take advantage of fresh asparagus at local farmer’s markets with this easy entree. Continue reading
Dinner makes itself. This is not a farfetched idea with your slow cooker. Place everything in the crock and check back in a few hours. Dinner magically appears, ready for a simple side and salad. Continue reading
Chowder comes in a can. At least that’s what I believed in youth. Then my parents gave me a German cookbook. I made Westerlander Fischsuppe with mussels, fish, noodles and tomato. After that, no more canned chowder in the home. That meal was surprisingly easy to make and very hearty. Continue reading
Light meals are not just for warmer weather. Above all, we always crave colorful crunchy platters of protein loaded with fruits and veggies. Winter fruits and vegetables make lovely salads. Continue reading
The temperature drops to 9 degrees at night and I say ” I guess it’s now soup weather”. The temperature rises back to the 70s and I repeat that statement. In this kitchen, it’s aways a good time for a steaming hot bowl of soup. Continue reading
I have a tart which will serve as breakfast, brunch, appetizer, lunch or dinner. It can be made ahead and responds to all manner of substitutions. The words apple, bacon and cheese conjure cool weather comfort. This tart is a warm hug from the autumn kitchen. You can make this recipe your own with lots of other additions.
While local apples are fragrant and crisp, they inspire creativity. There is no need to limit your use of apples to sweet treats. Turkey Apple Meatloaf with apple butter dijon glaze is just the right mix of savory and sweet. Broccoli Apple Ale Soup is full-on savory. Apples, raw and cooked, are super versatile. Virginia apple season is spectacular this year and I am in apple heaven. Continue reading