Category Archives: main courses

bowl of beans, sausage and chard

Beans, Sausage and Chard

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april 3, 2020

bowl of beans, sausage and chard

Our wonderful public radio station asked me recently on Instagram “What is your favorite snow day meal?” Even though it was spring and not a snowflake in sight (or hindsight, darn it) I did not hesitate when I answered  Beans and Greens. Truthfully, if the thermometer read triple digits, my answer would be the same. We all need a little extra comfort in these trying times, and it’s time to recast that original recipe with some nice sausage for an extra filling and homey dish that can both feed a crowd or dwell faithfully in your freezer for when you need a culinary hug.

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quinoa pancakes with maple syrup

Quinoa Pancakes

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december 26, 2019

quinoa pancakes with maple syrup

 

Love me some pancakes, but not fond of the sleepy state that ensues. Carby sugar rush is a given unless there’s a hefty side or two of protein to keep me from snoozing. I think I’ll just add some high quality protein to my buttermilk pancakes with chewy bits of cooked quinoa and call that an eye opening breakfast. Continue reading →

sausage vegetable cheese grits

Sausage Vegetable Cheese Grits

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october 23, 2019

sausage vegetable cheese grits

Meals eaten from a big bowl with a big spoon taste better, and that’s a fact, according to certain authorities. Okay, my authority and not necessarily others. It’s my favorite manner of meal delivery—big salad, big bowl of chunky soup and for this breakfast, big bowl of cheese grits topped with autumn veggies and local sausage. Continue reading →

closeup of lemon maple roasted chicken

Lemon Maple Roasted Chicken

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september 25, 2019

closeup of lemon maple roasted chicken

In summer, the neighborhood fills with the aromas of simple grilled foods. Fall is when the party shifts indoors and the house smells like a cozy restaurant. Here’s a recipe to guarantee you and your family or guests will feel like patrons at a corner cafe where comfort reigns supreme. Continue reading →

Crab Corn Chowder

Crab Corn Chowder

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august 14, 2019

Crab Corn Chowder

In Virginia and Maryland, the blue crab capitals of the Eastern seaboard, there are two types of crab aficionados.  Those who grab a pile of crabs, spread them out on newspaper and then pick for hours on end. And then there are those like me who like our crabmeat in a nice little tub labeled “jumbo lump”. Continue reading →

Spring Breakfast Salad

Spring Breakfast Salad

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june 5, 2019

Spring Breakfast Salad

 

Weekends are for big, hearty breakfasts. That’s the mantra at my house, whether it’s early or late (brunch) or a breakfast for dinner. There is extra time to gather colorful, seasonal ingredients and there is time to make something out of the ordinary. The local farmer’s markets have offered spectacular strawberries and tender asparagus from Agriberry Farms, crisp greens (these are from Schuyler Greens and purchased at Little House Green Grocery), fat radishes from Lakeside’s Tiny Acre and pastured eggs. Continue reading →

hot and sour scallop soup

Hot and Sour Scallop Soup

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april 24, 2019

hot and sour scallop soup

 

Soup is one of those meals enjoyed year round, with seasonal ingredients and temperatures to suit the weather. In summertime, Cucumber Vichyssoise is green and cooling. Autumn calls for Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cider and Chipotle Spice and winter brings big steaming bowls of White Bean and Cabbage Soup. Spring soups are less heavy, more on the broth spectrum, with light veggies and bright herby flavors. Such is today’s Hot and Sour Scallop Soup, as incendiary as you like with hot pepper and fresh ginger. Continue reading →

southwest paneer with peppers and onion

Southwest Paneer with Peppers

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april 3,2019

southwest paneer with peppers and onion

Indian food is my absolute favorite cuisine  to cook and also enjoy in restaurants with a bunch of adventuresome  friends who like to share all the flavors and delights of East Asian food. The chewy, waxy, filling nature of paneer cheese brings out the closet vegetarian in me, but I wonder sometimes “why does Indian food get to possessively claim paneer as its own?”. Why not a southwest vibe?

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bean and artichoke pasta bake

Bean and Artichoke Pasta Bake

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march 21, 2019

bean and artichoke pasta bake

It would be easy to categorize this dish as a variation of macaroni and cheese, which is what we all tend to call pasta in a creamy, cheesy sauce. But there are veggies in this pasta, with a sauce made creamy from blended white beans and artichoke hearts, as well as feta cheese, and green peas and roasted red pepper nestled among the noodles. This, my friends, is not your mother’s mac and cheese. Continue reading →

beans and greens

Beans and Greens

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march 6, 2019

beans and greens

Southern comfort food means a big old pot of beans simmering on the stove. And an even bigger pot of slow cooked greens. This recipe combines the two and adds potatoes for good measure, because potatoes are the universal symbol of comfort with any meal.

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