Potatoes are one of those vegetables that we keep in a box in our basement. Along with the butternut squash and sweet potatoes, the garlic and the onions, we save what we grow in our garden and when those run out, we buy in bulk from our farmers markets. So when the darkest days of winter arrive,Continue reading “Kielbasa, Corn and Potato Chowder”
Tag Archives: winter
Classic Lemon Bars
I love cookies. I really do. More than cupcakes or cheesecakes or pies or … well, maybe not more than doughnuts. The point is that if you love cookies as much as I (and, thankfully, my children) do, then you need a long list of cookie recipes to choose from. These lemon bars are aContinue reading “Classic Lemon Bars”
Even Better Than the Original Chex Mix
My mother is an incredibly generous cook. When I was growing up, I swear at least once a week she made her signature Tollhouse Cookies to give away. At Christmastime, our kitchen became a veritable cookie factory. These days, she lives 3,000 miles away. But when she flies in, she always arrives with a batchContinue reading “Even Better Than the Original Chex Mix”
Kale and Tomato Hoppin’ John
Growing up, greens and black-eyed peas were as big a part of my New Year’s Day as packing away the Christmas decorations and listening to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 Year-End Countdown. My family ate them because it was tradition and good luck — and likely because it was an easy dish to pull together afterContinue reading “Kale and Tomato Hoppin’ John”
Ginger Crinkles
Looking back through my mother’s cookbooks, I can find at least three dog-eared Ginger Cookie recipes plus one for Gingerbread Cake, oh and there’s a Spice Cake recipe as well. I distinctly recall each of these desserts and I remember loving them all. So this year, as winter set in and I began craving the homey, holiday tastes ofContinue reading “Ginger Crinkles”
Not Your Mother’s Green Bean Casserole
Our garden gives us green beans. We blanch and freeze them. Then, come Thanksgiving, we’ve got what we need for that holiday staple, Green Bean Casserole. But it seems a shame to slather our garden bounty with a can of condensed mushroom soup. So here’s what I make instead. It’s so flavorful, you’ll beContinue reading “Not Your Mother’s Green Bean Casserole”
Warm You Up Chili
I once won a neighborhood Chili Cook-Off with my vegetarian chili recipe, which mixes bulgar wheat with the typical kidney beans and tomatoes to give a chewy, filling feel. These days I’m cooking with meat and chili is a great one-pot meal that can feed a crowd, but I’ve struggled to find a recipe I was happy with. SoContinue reading “Warm You Up Chili”
Celebrating the Season
For my family, this week began with Halloween, continued with two kid birthdays and will end with back-to-back parties on Friday and Saturday. And, as we all know, it only gets crazier from here. I have, pretty much every year, dreaded these busy months of travel and connections, of events and hosting, of anticipation and tears andContinue reading “Celebrating the Season”
Chicken Pot Pie
Here’s how it goes at my house: I bring up a whole, frozen local chicken from my freezer, thaw it in the fridge for a few days, roast and carve it for dinner one night, then gather all the extras onto my cutting board and shred or dice them for a second meal. DependingContinue reading “Chicken Pot Pie”
Beef Stroganoff
This classic is a family favorite — hearty, warming, delicious. It’s a perfect sub for soups in winter and a nice dinner during those cold snaps of spring. Serve it with a salad picked from the garden (ours is sporting sprouts, lettuce, chives and asparagus at the moment). For this recipe, I began with JoyContinue reading “Beef Stroganoff”