Savory Summer Crepes

When I think of crepes, chocolate, jam and a generous dollop of whipped cream leap to mind. You, too? Well, let’s walk away from that image and consider how delicious a batch of thin, savory pancakes would be with some pan-roasted mushrooms, a handful of fresh garden herbs and spoon or two of creamy chèvre. Drooling yet? I thoughtContinue reading “Savory Summer Crepes”

Huevos Rancheros

This is truly less a recipe and more a set of assembly instructions, but it does feel helpful to have a guide as I meal plan or rally myself to get dinner on the table on a busy weeknight. So here goes. My best instructions for how to turn this simple, nutritious meal into aContinue reading “Huevos Rancheros”

Warm Raspberry Sauce

We’ve had a beautiful bounty of raspberries for a few years now. They begin to ripen just as our strawberries are petering out, giving us a month more of fruit for our granola and our pound cake and our salads. And, if we harvest more than we feel like eating on any given day, there’sContinue reading “Warm Raspberry Sauce”

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

As summer veggies begin to appear in the garden, there’s a decadent treat you might overlook: the flowers on your zucchini plants. These fragile beauties are a tasty delicacy, a little sweet, with a silky mouth-feel. If you’re growing zucchini, simply keep your eye out for blossoms as they appear on your plant. If youContinue reading “Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms”

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry season can’t go by without my making at least one batch of strawberry shortcake. There’s just something magical about the perfect combination of sweet-ish biscuit, homemade cream and the natural deliciousness of strawberries at their peak. Over the years I’ve used a patchwork of recipes to pull together this dish. My favorite whipped creamContinue reading “Strawberry Shortcake”

Balsamic Vinaigrette

I’m a huge salad fan — I build them with spinach, beets, lentils, you name it. But the piece that really pulls all those fresh veggies together is the perfect dressing. For a mix of spinach and sprouts and strawberries and pecans, I have long enjoyed this Poppy Seed Dressing. Then I remembered how well balsamic vinegarContinue reading “Balsamic Vinaigrette”

Chickpea Curry Dinner

As early spring warms into longer, sunnier days, I find my dinners are a mix of winter’s root vegetables and early-bird greens and onions and herbs. This curry dish couldn’t be better suited for this in-between time — pair potatoes, sweet potatoes and/or carrots with kale or spinach or chard. Maybe you have some cilantroContinue reading “Chickpea Curry Dinner”

Irish Soda Bread

My husband’s father is Irish-American and his mother was Italian-American, which means my husband grew up with an appreciation of both cultures, but a table topped with Italian dishes. When our family began our own holiday traditions, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day was among them. But there was no cherished Irish Soda Bread recipe to be handedContinue reading “Irish Soda Bread”

Cranberry Orange Sauce

I made my first-ever cranberry sauce a few Thanksgivings ago. I have to admit, I was pretty smitten. These days, it’s not hard to find whole, fresh cranberries at many stores. But if fresh aren’t available, frozen whole cranberries will work too. I have tinkered endlessly with this recipe, trying to find the perfect balanceContinue reading “Cranberry Orange Sauce”

Sugar-Coated Pecans

Add these to a salad or scatter them alongside the pickles and crackers on your cheese board or set them out before you serve your meal as an irresistible snack. In any case, they’ll bring a little fancy, a little salty, a little sweet to your table. The secret is starting with top-quality nuts. AndContinue reading “Sugar-Coated Pecans”