real recipes. made up people, places, and things
Using ghee as the cooking oil for this stovetop popcorn gives a layer of delicious buttery flavor that goes so well with crisp (not chewy) popcorn. And Nutritional Yeast is what I grew up with. Carob and Tempeh can stay in the 70s but popcorn just doesn’t taste like popcorn to me without the cheesy […]
This strawberry sangria comes together in minutes so you can make it ahead or make it on the fly. With just the right amount of tart and fruit and sweet it’s perfect for date night or when friends stop by or for when you crave some quality alone time- with cocktails. Making sangria with hard […]
I’ve made variations on this chickpea chili from scratch and I’ve made it using canned chickpeas and tomatoes because sometimes dinner needs to come together in less than thirty minutes. But with a few additions, like the spicy cilantro cream, that add flavor and complexity the sum seems greater than the parts. Remember last weeks […]
It’s always good to have a few snack items in your arsenal that are easy to remember, have very little hands on time, and can please a variety of palettes and preferences. Socca, the original gluten free flat bread made with equal parts chickpea flour and water and little else, is one of those snacks. […]
Every once in awhile I find a recipe worth obsessing over this Roasted Onion Cream, a simple, vegan, onion sauce is one of them. It’s inexpensive, the hands on time is minimal, it’s actually good for you, and you can use it so many things from soups to scrambles. Roasting the onions adds sweetness and […]
Is it still a Manhattan when there is no bourbon? no cherry? Still the essence is there, the oak aged brandy, the carpano antica sweet vermouth, a dash of bitters. A brandy cocktail worth repeating. I keep one fancy vermouth and one inexpensive vermouth (sweet and dry) on hand because it makes a difference sometimes. […]
a one pan cast iron orange chocolate tart perfect for two, perfect for date night, also perfectly acceptable for one or four
Part comfort, part Sunday morning this chicken pot pie flavored with an untraditional tomato based sauce and topped with a tender biscuit topping studded with green olives can be on the table in less than an hour. If you want to serve it for valentines -hello bloody mary valentine!- but don’t have heart shaped cutouts […]
Sometimes we swerve when we mean to serve but life goes on anyway. If my resolutions last you’ll be getting a weekly round up of three to five new recipes that all work together. A menu! A theme! Yes, six years into this blog and I finally started an editorial calendar (I also added ads, […]
It’s the little things that can bring it all together, a garnish, a side. Of course the big things matter, the entreé is what gives strength and fills us up and helps us carry on but that is a matter of survival. Pickled radishes? They are a matter of style. Want some things to serve […]
Do you really need a recipe for roasted spicy sweet potatoes? Maybe not. Let this serve as a reminder instead. Sweet potatoes are awesome, sweet potatoes are easy, sweet potatoes are pretty and quick, and, even pretty quick. And if you do want a recipe I’ve got one of those for you too. If you […]
Since these are steamed and rich with ginger and scallions I’m calling them lamb dumplings. But really, with the hearty lamb filling and the slightly chewy homemade wrapper, I am reminded of pasties, though I’ve never seen, nor want to see, a steamed version of those. This is a winter dumpling, rich and comforting. Perfect […]
The pomegranate seeds fooled him. “It’s dessert,” he said. “I’ll eat it last.” It’s onions,” I said. “Onion salad, try it now.” He waited. He ate onion salad for dessert. I like it with rice. As a side for dumplings or grilled shrimp. Not dessert. Salting the onions and allowing them to sweat it out […]
When you have pizza as often as we do it’s important to mix things up. Some days are thin crust, some days are thicker, sheet pan pizza one week, pizza baked one pizza stone the next, almost every breakfast pizza baked in a cast iron skillet. Red sauce, white sauce, just olive oil and garlic. […]
Eggnog Fizz Cocktail If you’re still with me after the title than you must be ready for a holiday cocktail with just a hint of nog. Cranberry simple syrup adds a bit more holiday cheer to this bubbly frothy combination that tastes better than it looks and better than it sounds because gin and egg […]
Yes, cheese bread! Rich in color and flavor, crackling with crisp parmesan and studded with pockets of tangy sharp cheddar cheese this quick bread is everything its name suggests and more. All the careful considerations of America’s Test Kitchen’s quick cheese bread but brought up a notch, with more cheese and more spice. If you […]
I suppose that pizza is not the only thing this lemon garlic white sauce might be good with but it pairs so perfectly with winter vegetables like brussel sprouts or cauliflower that I haven’t used it for anything else. Roasted the garlic mellows the garlic flavor enough to allow you to use a whole head […]
Like all the best recipes these easy sautéed mushrooms allow for substitutions and modifications. chanterelles out of season? shiitakes too darn expensive? cremini cramping your style? switch it out. just follow a few basic principles and you have a most simple, delicious, easy and satisfying side dish or garnish. Bonus points for being vegan and […]
Dead simple and delicious, marionberry or blackberry hard cider poached pears served with luscious honey whipped cream.
A little nutty, a little tart, smooth and somewhat sweet. This is a frozen drink for cold days, it’ll give you chills in the best sort of of way. Because you love it, and because you want more. The only problem with this Pear Pomegranate Amaretto Cocktail is that is that if you’re not careful […]
These are the cookies that get requested each holiday season. Dark with molasses and loaded with spice, as a gingersnap should be, they warm and comfort. Delicious on their own, with hot chocolate, spiced cider, or dipped in milk. They can be soft and a bit chewy or crispy- it’s up to you. The Gingersnap […]
What’s more comforting on a cold autumn evening than roasted winter squash? Mostly savory with just a little bit of sweet, this stuffed acorn squash can be an easy weeknight meal or the centerpiece of a delicious vegetarian feast. The sweet and creamy nature of the squash is balanced with a dose of ancient grains […]
Deliciously easy sweet peppers and onions roasted with balsamic vinegar
An autumn squash pie made with fresh roasted kuri squash (or your favorite pumpkin type winter squash), a not quite pumpkin spice blend of spices, and a don’t ask don’t tell one hundred percent deliciously graham cracker like honey whole wheat flaky pastry crust. Best of all this bad boy bakes up in an 8” […]
Inspired by chimichurri this is my all purpose, add to almost anything sauce. It has a little heat, a little zest, and a lot of green.
Small batch summer vegetable fritters are for those of us who can’t choose just one. Corn? Green beans? Peppers? Have one or have them all- it just takes a few more bowls and and less than five more minutes to make a fritter buffet showcasing all the summer vegetables. I won’t mention the summer squashes […]
Some may see this as a desperate attempt to make something other than enchiladas or salsa verde with my bounty of tomatillos but I’m going to stick with sort of genius. Not full on genius, that’s reserved for novels that make me both laugh and cry, math with all sorts of symbols, and world peace. […]
The subtle spice of cardamon and clove play nice with a kick of brandy, and a not too sweet chocolate chaser. Best of all, on a hot summer evening- frozen. Chai Brandy Alexander cocktails are the dessert drink I can’t wait to share with a crowd. The brandy alexander is a lesson in moderation. When […]
There is something immensely satisfying about baking something that is both beautiful and tasty, add two notches of oh yeah for using up some garden fresh tomatoes. With just a whisper of sweet, this mostly savory skillet cornbread does double duty as a summer tomato upside down cake. Whether you call it cornbread or corn […]
Luscious, rich caramel ice cream softened with spice and the subtle bitterness of black coffee. The kind of dessert that you feel compelled to tell every one who tries that you made that, that ice cream is you. Take said coffee caramel ice cream and sandwich it between two layers of soft, rich chocolate cookie, you […]
There is nothing quite as perfect as a salsa fresca made with summertime ripe and bountiful tomatoes, fresh tomatoes bursting with flavor and variety, no uniformly red hot house fruit but the variety and zip that only something fresh and local has to offer. Now is the time for this summertime chilaquiles recipe made with […]
Nothing cools on a sultry summer night like this easy to assemble coconut panna cotta- dairy free and not too sweet it’s the more sophisticated and relaxed grown up version of jello you’ve been waiting for. A dessert with the tang of fresh lime, tropical back notes of banana and coconut milk, and just the […]
These coconut curry noodles with grilled pickled vegetables are a quick and simple spicy noodle dish- inspired by bahn mi and thai coconut curry, and delicious hot or cold. If it wasn’t for those charred pickled vegetables this would fall into the weekday food in my mouth right now catagory. But those veggies are worth […]
Feel like spring in a glass? plus gin. Because. Well. Gin. Whip up a batch of Garden Gimlets: gin gimlet w/fresh cucumber, lime, & basil. When spring arrives each week at the farmers market (or in your garden, if you are so lucky) brings new revelations. Berries, basil, cucumbers of all varieties. The first week of […]
Topped with fresh berries and brightened up with just a hint of lime zest- this could be breakfast or brunch or a delightful summertime dessert. All of the tender eggy goodness of a swedish pancake but baked in one go on a sheet pan. So no hot stove just bake and go! I was once […]
