Category Archives: spring

asparagus salsa verde

Asparagus Salsa Verde

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may 9, 2019

asparagus salsa verde

The less done to fresh asparagus, the better. Brief blanching, quick roasting or a few hops in the saute pan will do. If you’re lucky enough to score some tender, first-of-the-season asparagus, no cooking at all is just fine. Shaved in a salad or finely diced, as in this Asparagus Salsa Verde, asparagus has a pleasantly grassy flavor and gentle crunch that is unlike any other vegetable. It needs a bright wake up from citrus or acid to come to life. This salsa combines fresh asparagus with lime juice and green as far as the eye can see—except for a few bits of red onion for flavor and contrast. 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 →

Spring Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

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june 13, 2018

spring quinoa breakfast bowl

A friend recently consulted a nutritionist who advised her to eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner. I get it—we really should start our day with a hearty meal and end the day lightly to promote restful sleep and sensible habits. Can’t say I always eat a light dinner unless I’m dining at home because evenings out are my favorite type of entertainment and I want a little of everything! Small plates rule, I say. But let’s not examine my habits too closely unless we’re talking about breakfast. Big breakfasts are my thing, whether we’re serving breakfast tostadas or a breakfast salad or a loaded smoothie bowl. No sweet pastry for me. Continue reading →

Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette

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may 30, 2018

vidalia onion vinaigrette

 

Sweet Vidalia onions are back in season and I’m putting them to good use. Know how they say you can eat them raw? Ever tried that? Me neither, but their mild flavor allows them to take up residence in salads, salsas and sandwiches without imparting a strong oniony aftertaste. You have nothing to fear from this seasonal salad dressing in the way of offending others!

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Strawberry Tarragon Lime Cocktail

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may 17, 2018

strawberry tarragon lime cocktail

And just like that, it’s summer. We may have a month to go by the calendar, but when the temperature climbs and air conditioners kick on ( with more than a little grumbling that it’s May, dangit, and why can’t we wait until June?), we long for great outdoor dining adventures. Pretty lights strung up between trees, the first fireflies of the season and a light breeze rustling the leafy trees. Yep, it’s time to dine and entertain on the deck, in the yard and on the screen porch.

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Strawberry Banana Walnut Ice Cream

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may 9, 2018

strawberry walnut ice cream

 

 

An early summer memory of growing up in the South involved banana ice cream. My mom and I would sit under a fragrant magnolia tree on the side porch, watching heat lightning, in floral cotton nightgowns, enjoying what we deemed homemade banana ice cream. In actuality, we simply smashed a ripe banana and mixed it with soft vanilla ice cream so the term “homemade” is relative. Continue reading →

Asparagus and Shiitake Stir Fry

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april 11, 2018

asparagus shiitake stir fry

 

What better way to welcome spring and say so long to winter than with a recipe featuring elements of both seasons? Hey, there, asparagus, nice to see you again! Butternut squash, it was a good run, and now it’s time to make way for greener crunchies. With my quest to add more veggies to my daily meal plan (see previous post for Socca Pizza), I am finding that if vegetables are roasted ahead, or stir-fried ahead, I”m much more likely to heat and serve alongside my main dish. Continue reading →

Mini Strawberry Cupcakes

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april 28, 2017

mini strawberry cupcakes

 

How do you decide which recipes to publish, Michele? Easy. Pick what’s in season and what looks good at the markets. Let me tell you my little secret, however – quite often the recipe is something I want to eat. Eat and share, of course. Today’s recipe for miniature strawberry cupcakes fits the bill on all three counts : local berries are in season, they are looking beautiful at the markets (and the aroma is intoxicating) and I really, really, really want to eat these. Not sure if the sharing aspect will get a workout this go round.

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platter of asparagus with smoky yogurt

Asparagus with Smoky Yogurt

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april 14, 2017

platter of asparagus with smoky yogurt

 

 

When asparagus season rolls around, I simply cannot get enough. Plain is fine by me, either roasted or steamed. Sauces for dipping or drizzling, or vinaigrettes for tossing, are also welcome at the table.

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Crunchy Quinoa Vegetable Salad

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april 1, 2017

crunchy quinoa vegetable salad

 

You probably have your breakfasts covered, even if your choices are routine and familiar. Perhaps dinners are easy, too, since you cook on the weekends for the week ahead. But lunches may have you scratching your head , as you decide what to pack, if you take a lunch, or where to pick up something not too heavy, something that won’t have you napping in the early afternoon. If you are in the habit of buying lunches out, you may fall into the trap of eating too much in volume and not enough in quality. Continue reading →