Eventually, the muggy heat of summer gives way to the chill of autumn. My favorite time of year to create in the kitchen is fall and winter. Simmer, braise and slow cook are the techniques of the more temperate months and I am all in. Continue reading
Tomato Apple Soup is so much more than just tomato and apple. The soup base is a load of mirepoix vegetables which lends a savory vibe. This is not a sweet soup. Continue reading
Autumn. Frost is coming. Sunrises and sunsets are vividly colorful. Sweater weather has arrived and yours truly could not be more pleased. I adore the cold. We will all miss warm weather garden bounty, but fortunately one can always preserve summer’s best with canning, pestos and salad dressings. Continue reading
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
There are two camps of sweet potato connoisseurs. Sweet and not sweet. I’ve done sweet and I’ve done not too sweet. Seems the classic American route is to top with marshmallows. Those who like the dessert level tuber will dip from the casserole top. The savory coalition will dig deeper in the dish. Continue reading
Do you use your slow cooker only when the weather is chilly? Until recently, I believed this as gospel. On the contrary, the best use may be in warmer months when you want a hot dinner without cranking up the stove. Load it up, walk away, then return to a nourishing meal with minimal effort. These Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs are fluffed with almond flour, not breadcrumbs, and bathed in a tangy sweet and sour tomato sauce. Continue reading
Did you enjoy good luck greens for New Year’s? Along with Pimento Cheese Cornbread, I had Caribbean inspired Hoppin’ John with coconut milk and citrus and purple kale. I feel lucky. Continue reading
Are you in a vegetable rut? This recipe for Garlicky Kale and Carrots will give you a boost. By rut, I mean the sameness of our vegetable side game: open bag of frozen veggies and heat. Roast simple vegetable in oven. Buy precut veggies and make a stirfry. There is nothing wrong, however, with these vegetable sides unless you are bored with the repetition. Continue reading
A little smoked salmon goes a long way. Especially if the salmon is high quality in-house smoked salmon from your local fishmonger, like the burnished slabs found at Tuckahoe Seafood here in Richmond. In this Smoked Salmon Apple Salad the rich smoke taste is offset by the crisp of Virginia apple, earthy baby arugula and a sweet-tart lemon maple mustard vinaigrette. Continue reading
Ever skip a recipe with “grilled” in the title because you either don’t have a grill or don’t want to bother with grill setup? Me, too, except in this case my grill is currently snoozing and I’m too lazy to replace the tank. Cast iron grill pan to the rescue, and failing that, the oven broiler. Both of these are great substitutes for grilling. Smoky flavor will not be imparted but with items like shrimp which take minutes if not seconds to cook, that won’t matter. Continue reading