February 2012
3 posts
Happy Valentine's Day...A Dinner For My Valentine...
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Rigatoni With Tomatoes, Zucchini and Pine Nut...
Baked pasta is a wonderful thing. From lasagna to tortellini or pastitsio to mac and cheese there are countless variations that are always crowd pleasers.
The combination of hearty pasta with veggies and or some kind of meat, be it turkey sausage, ground beef or lamb just to name a few, with a cheesy sauce of some kind just oozes warmth especially on a chilly night.
I adapted the above recipe...
8 tags
Provencal Vegetable Soup (Soupe Au Pistou)
In looking for a vegetable soup to make to use up some veggies in the fridge I decided on this Provencal Vegetable Soup or Soup Au Pistou.
Normally considered a summer soup because of its use of summer produce such as white beans, green beans, tomatoes, summer squash and potatoes, it also makes a great wintry soup.
The pistou (which means pounded in the Provencal language) is sauce made of...
January 2012
4 posts
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Sheila's Pot Roast Dinner
Waking up to an inch of snow last weekend I immediately decided it was time to make my first pot roast of the winter. I’ve always been partial to cooking hearty soups, stews, and one pot meals that braise away for hours in the oven.
I can linger in the kitchen taking my time as the house fills with increasingly wonderful aromas of the meal to come.
I didn’t follow any particular...
11 tags
Cinnamon Buns
I haven’t made cinnamon buns in a very long time.
When I was first married I will admit to thinking Pillsbury’s Poppin’ Fresh Cinnamon Rolls in that little tube sold from the freezer case at the grocery store were pretty darn good.
After some years had gone by, and my baking skills advanced to a point at which I had become comfortable with trying what would be ...
7 tags
Shrimp Biryani (Indian Shrimp and Rice)
I’ve recently joined an online food community called FOOD52 and have been having so much fun exploring it. Its mission is to support, connect and celebrate home cooks. If you are not familiar with it you can check it out at www.food52.com.
This recipe for Shrimp Biryani (Indian Shrimp and Rice) is one I discovered while searching for shrimp recipes on FOOD52.
I have had very little...
11 tags
Yellow Split Pea Soup With Winter Squash
Belated Happy New Year to all! I’ve taken a bit of a break from blogging (always feel guilty when I haven’t posted for a week), but don’t assume that means I’ve taken a break from cooking. This week we had our first dusting of snow. The temperature suddenly dropped yesterday, and when I glanced out the sliding glass doors in my family room I was shocked to see a...
December 2011
11 posts
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Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies
In my experience molasses is one of those flavors that people either really love or really hate, but there’s no middle ground. I happen to be one of those who really love it. And especially when it reinvents itself as it does in these Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies.
The crunch and chewiness of this cookie is the perfect vehicle for the molasses. The more you chew, the more the molasses...
8 tags
Mrs. Snyder's Sand Tarts
When I was growing up throughout my junior high and high school years the week after Christmas I would go over to my best friend’s house to see her beautifully decorated tree, and get a first hand look at her many Christmas gifts.
I will admit now that as a Jewish girl who looked forward to lighting a menorah, eating latkes, getting a new pair of pj’s and some chocolate...
7 tags
Meyer Lemon Curd
When cooking during the winter months, the natural order of things is to decide on a dish and shop for whatever ingredients you might need to make it. Common sense, right?
Whereas in late spring and summer when the farmer’s markets are in full force I like to buy what looks particularly great and then decide what I can create with my bounty.
But occasionally my impulsive nature wins out...
7 tags
Applesauce
Hanukkah begins this evening and that can only mean one thing.
Tonight, as well as sometime during the next 7 nights many of us will be frying latkes for the festival of Hanukkah .
Traditionally latkes are served with a dollop of applesauce or sour cream on them.
In our family we have always preferred applesauce…and not just any applesauce will do…I always make my own, and for...
9 tags
Raspberry Trifle
A trifle is one of the most festive desserts there is, and perfect for the holidays.
Traditionally trifle is an English dessert featuring jam-spread spongecake drenched in sherry or brandy, cloaked in a vanilla custard sauce, covered with raspberries, topped with whipped cream and garnished with a sprinkling of almonds.
It is most often made in a trifle bowl which is usually a 2-to 3-quart...
12 tags
Pulled Barbeque Brisket Sandwiches
In a couple weeks it will be Hanukkah, and time to make the latkes. And for many during this festival the latkes will be served with brisket for a holiday dinner. Brisket and latkes just go together so well.
As I mentioned in previous posts I planned to serve latkes to some friends at an early holiday party at my home. Last year I served chili but this year I had brisket on my mind.
I...
9 tags
Classic Cheesecake With Salted Caramel Sauce
One of the desserts I served at my recent holiday party was this Classic Cheesecake. I already had one fully baked in my freezer (it freezes beautifully as long as it is wrapped very well).
I had baked it prior to Thanksgiving just in case I might need it. In a moment of sanity I realized that even for me there comes a point at which the dessert buffet’s cup runneth over so I decided to...
8 tags
Caponata
Colorful food and holiday parties…they seem to go hand in hand. At this time of the year many of us are either giving or going to holiday parties, or doing both.
Occasionally the participants of my aerobics dance class get together after class at each others’ homes to snack and socialize.
Yesterday I had invited everyone to my home for what’s becoming my annual aerobics...
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Penne With Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes and Sausage
Pasta, I’ve missed you! It’s a few weeks since Thanksgiving, my husband and I have worked through the left-overs and I’ve even reinvented some of them, turning the turkey carcass into turkey vegetable soup, and the mashed potatoes into fried potato cakes.
I guess this is proof that it is possible to get your fill of stuffing, potatoes, and gravy if you put enough effort into...
7 tags
Cope's Corn
My sister has been bringing Cope’s Corn to our Thanksgiving dinners for many years. She lives in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country where John Cope’s Fancy Evaporated Golden Sweet Corn is readily available on supermarket shelves.
They also package a Toasted Dried Sweet Corn, used in creamed corn and corn pudding recipes, which we’ve yet to try.
In the spirit...
7 tags
Mashed Potatoes (and How To Keep Them Warm)
Here is a basic recipe for the Mashed Potatoes I served at Thanksgiving. With the turkey taking up one oven, and even if you are lucky enough to have two ovens, it’s always a juggling act trying to figure out which sides to put in which oven and when. Especially if you make as many side dishes as I do.
This version of mashed potatoes includes a way to keep them warm on the stovetop for...
November 2011
9 posts
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Cranberry Jello Mold
Now I’m not saying I’m a food snob, but somehow I never thought I would be posting a recipe for a jello mold on my blog. This Cranberry Jello Mold holds a special place on my Thanksgiving buffet and in our hearts. I first made it for us when we were living in Florida, newly married and unable to make it back home that Thanksgiving.
The recipe probably came from a holiday magazine...
8 tags
Sugar-Glazed Onions
These Sugar-Glazed Onions are a fantastic accompaniment to any holiday meal. In addition to being delicious they can be prepared ahead of time, and simply rewarmed on the stove or in the microwave prior to the meal.
I have used a variety of onions over the years when making this dish. For many years I used pearl onions, and glazed them along with brussel sprouts, or sometimes alone. What I...
8 tags
Sweet-Potato Layer Cake With Orange-Cream Cheese...
This is a fabulous holiday cake I initially made years ago for a coworker’s birthday. It was the first time I had ever tried my hand at making candied orange peel, which I discovered isn’t as difficult as you might think and adds dramatically to the presentation and taste.
It’s a cross between a spice cake and carrot cake in some ways, but has its own distinct flavor. The...
6 tags
My Thanksgiving Menu for 2011
As promised I am posting my menu for this year’s Thanksgiving Feast. Many of the items as you will see are the traditional foods I’ve been serving, at the family’s request for the past 33 years.
Over the years I have slipped in some newer dishes along with the treasured oldies. I have added an interesting salad (like this year), or a soup (a wild mushroom soup, a pumpkin...
4 tags
Happy Thanksgiving 2011
Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers and their families! I’ve been happily immersed this past week with Thanksgiving preparations and sadly have been unable to find time to post prior to the holidays. Sharing with you my Thanksgiving table, menu and decor has been on my mind throughout the week.
I am feeling pangs of guilt because I was unable to get some recipes out to you earlier so...
6 tags
Pan-Roasted Chicken With Shallots and Couscous
Chilly nights and pot roast dinners… a perfect combination, but who said a pot roast has to be beef? Deliciously simple one-pot meals can be made with chicken, lamb or even fish as the main attraction.
This Pan-Roasted Chicken With Shallots And Couscous is proof of that. Inspired by a recipe I had seen for pan-roasted chicken with tarragon and lentils, I switched out a few ingredients...
Anonymous asked: I just discovered your website and will be making the stuffed cabbage on Monday for guests. I think the recipes look fabulous as well as the pictures. Hey, I even love your older cast iron pots! Wish me luck on the cabbage. I'll be back.
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Chicken Piccata
Last evening I was short on time and hadn’t planned ahead for dinner. In looking through the freezer I saw I had a package of boneless chicken breasts.
When it comes to chicken I prefer using bone in chicken for a recipe or roasting a whole chicken because it results in a more flavorful, moist piece of meat. Boneless and skinless breasts tend to be dry and lack much flavor especially...
9 tags
Boeuf En Daube (French Beef Stew)
Daube is a French term for a wine based stew, in this case made with beef, and cooked for a long time in a tightly sealed pot.
Although delicious right out of the pot, like most stews it is best to cook it ahead and allow the flavors to meld over night.
It differs from most stews in that the beef marinates over night in a combination of red wine, vegetables and herbs prior to cooking. The...
October 2011
8 posts
5 tags
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Skillet Apple Crisp
It’s autumn and that means the farm stands and grocery bins are overflowing with the season’s bounty of apples…there are numerous varieties available and all at their peak flavor.
When our boys were young and we were living in Chicago we took them apple picking at the local orchard every fall. We went with a group of friends, who like us, found themselves transplanted in the...
9 tags
Lemon Chicken With Croutons
Ina, Ina, Ina…I can’t help myself…I love your recipes…and you never disappoint. Of course I’m speaking of Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. And this is her recipe for Lemon Chicken With Croutons from her book Barefoot In Paris.
I’ve made it several times, and most recently a few days ago when my younger son was in town on business from San Francisco, and...
4 tags
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French Chocolate Bark
The leaves are only just beginning to turn, Halloween is a couple of weeks away, and yet thoughts of the upcoming Thanksgiving are already spinning inside my head.
In our family it’s become “my holiday”, the one that I’ve been happily hosting for some 30 years now, and the one that no matter where we’ve lived my family has always found their way to our doorstep...
7 tags
Red Wine and Port Poached Pears with Mascarpone
I served these Red Wine and Port Poached Pears with Mascarpone for dessert when we had some friends for dinner recently. I snapped the photo before I had actually garnished with the chocolate shavings…guess I was a bit excited to share this fabulous dessert with you. Forgive me. The chocolate shavings added the perfect finishing touch.
Bosc pears are in season now and at their...
9 tags
Slow-Roasted Salmon With Spring Herb Sauce
Okay, I know it’s October and not spring, but this recipe for Slow-Roasted Salmon With Spring Herb Sauce is just too delicious and easy not to serve year round.
I have to admit to being a bit tired of grilled salmon and this method of slow-roasting the salmon found in The Herbal Kitchen by Jerry Traunfeld intrigued me. With an abundance of herbs still in the garden no need to make a run...
5 tags
September 2011
7 posts
9 tags
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Mom's Mashed Potatoes
For our holiday dinner I served mashed potatoes to accompany the brisket. Instead of using my Kitchen Aid Mixer as I so often have, and keeping them warm by placing the covered bowl over simmering water, I decided to simplify things and use my mother’s old potato masher to make her mashed potatoes.
The Jewish holidays always make me think of my mother. Our home was where the...
6 tags
Mom's Viennese Apple Cake
A reader recently commented that she loved my Mom’s Banana Sour Cream Cake and was hoping I would post more of her cakes, specifically her apple cake for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
As I am in the midst of cooking and baking for the holidays I decided to post this now for those looking for a delicious holiday cake…my Mom’s Viennese Apple Cake. Layers of apples and...
7 tags
Brisket...Two Ways
Brisket …Two Ways
At sundown on Wednesday, September 28 Jewish families worldwide will usher in the New Year 5772 with the observance of Rosh Hashanah, beginning with a holiday dinner that evening.
In addition to apples and honey, it has become customary to serve sweet foods at this meal in the hopes of ushering in a sweet year. Among these are sweet kugel (a noodle pudding), tzimmes ( a...
6 tags
Grilled Lomo Saltado
Lomo Saltado is a popular dish in Peruvian cuisine.
The Spanish introduced the pepper steak to Peru, but Chinese immigrants made it famous. They took the steak and pepper, added a bit of potato and soy sauce, and one of Peru’s favorite foods was born: Lomo Saltado!
There are many variations of this dish, but it usually consists of some type of beef steak, marinated in vinegar, soy...
Papa Cristo's Greek Restaurant and Market
On our recent visit to Los Angeles to visit with our son we went to one of his favorite Greek restaurants for lunch, Papa Cristos.
This “Zagat rated Best Greek Restaurant in LA” is also a fabulous market, deli, grocery, bakery, and wine store… a one stop Greek shopping Mecca!
It was difficult to choose what to order at the grill since everything coming off looked...
8 tags
Osso Bucco
Ossobuco or osso buco is Italian for “bone with a hole” referring to the marrow hole in the center of the cross-cut veal shank.
This dish hails from Milan, and is said to have originated in the late 19th century. It may have been a “farmhouse dish” or on the menu of a neighborhood osteria (restaurant).
The veal shank is relatively inexpensive, cut from the top of the thigh so there is a...
August 2011
7 posts
3 tags
The 2011 Most Beautiful Garden Contest
This past Friday I found out that my garden has been awarded first prize in our village’s annual garden contest, and I’m delighted and most appreciative!
I think most gardeners would agree that the pleasure received from hours spent nurturing and caring for one’s garden stems from the personal satisfaction each of us derives from watching something grow into a thing of...
My Magazine Photo Op!
In the most recent issue (Oct, 2011) of the Better Homes and Garden Special Interest Publication of Kitchen and Bath Ideas my kitchen is featured as one of several beautiful kitchens with creative storage solutions! To say I’m excited is a huge understatement… let me begin at the beginning…
In November of 2007 we decided to embark on a kitchen remodel. We had moved into our...
7 tags
Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw
Not your mother’s coleslaw…the traditional mayonnaise based coleslaw that we’ve all grown up with and still enjoy has been reinvented in this more healthful version which I served recently.
The recipe comes from the August, 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living featuring an article on classic summer salads slimmed down.
Nappa cabbage replaces the standard cabbage, while the...
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Angel Food CakeWith Nectarines and Fresh Blueberry...
I wanted to serve a light summer dessert after a dinner with friends last evening. Our dinner was anything but light since we were having big juicy grilled burgers, thick slices of fresh homegrown tomatoes and vidalia onions, fresh corn on the cob dripping in butter with a squirt of lime juice for those who dared, and a sweet and spicy slaw made with nappa cabbage.
I decided to make Ina...
6 tags
Smoked Trout Spread
This Smoked Trout Spread is delicious on little toasts or crackers and makes a great appetizer.
I love smoked whitefish when served for brunch with bagels and smoked salmon. I’ve also made a delicious smoked whitefish salad by adding finely chopped celery, fresh dill, lemon juice, and a small amount of mayonnaise to the flaked whitefish which has been skinned and deboned. Most...
4 tags
July 2011
7 posts
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Mom's Banana Sour Cream Cake
My mother was a great baker. She would whip out cakes faster and easier than anyone I know. At the time I was growing up this is a fact that went unappreciated by me.
However, now that I have been enjoying baking for many years, I have come to realize that the ease with which she could produce one of her delicious cakes is something to marvel at.
Her repertoire included mile high sponge and...