kitchen adventures
As the weather cools, my kitchen shifts into baking mode. I often make bread at home, and an easy no-knead English muffin bread is a family favorite. It takes just 2 hours from start to finish, which means I can have the idea for a soup-and-bread supper at lunchtime, and […]
Beef stew in the slow cooker is one of the best things about winter cooking. It’s a simple classic: beef, onions, potatoes, and carrots. You might choose to add bright green frozen peas. I could imagine parsnips, turnips, or rutabaga in here as well. Don’t let the long ingredient list […]
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere in this blog, I’m downsizing in my kitchen. As much as possible, I’ll make a small batch of something, because most of the time I’m cooking for only two people. This Irish brown bread (small batch) is perfect for us. It has become my go-to bread! […]
The weather has turned chilly, and I’m in my kitchen making soup. That’s very common around here: colder weather means soups, stews, and freshly baked bread or muffins. Last night’s supper was no exception: it was a quick scallop bisque. Starting with a pound of frozen sea scallops, I made […]
Let’s say you love chocolate (I do!) but you have no self-control. Or you have a small family (I do!) and don’t like eating the same dessert three nights in a row. Or you’re looking for a gluten-free treat to share with one lucky friend. (Jason, I’m thinking of you!) Readers, I am here […]
There’s a phrase used in the food press recently: aspirational cooking. This is what we wish our kitchens would produce, or what we might accomplish if we really try, or food that we only wish we could manage. Let’s get something straight here – I don’t aspire to cook the good stuff, I […]
Tomato paste is, in principle, an easy thing: squish the tomatoes, separate the skins and the seeds, and reduce the resulting pulp until it’s very thick. I have already posted a Roasted Tomato Paste recipe – here’s a version using a slow cooker or two, for when you can’t stand […]
I use tomato paste all the time. Sometimes I need up to half a cup, sometimes just a little bit. When I make my own, I can store it in the sizes I tend to need most, so I have no more partly used cans in the fridge. Sometimes I have a huge batch […]
Grandma’s cucumber & tomato salad is a good old stand-by for a reason: it’s a fantastic use for summer produce at its peak of flavor. Think about how people lived through hot summers before air conditioning was common! Cold suppers, cooling salads, and lots of lemonade and iced tea … […]
Why shouldn’t a raspberry smoothie have chocolate in it? Who says chocolate isn’t healthful, or shouldn’t be eaten at breakfast? Change your patterns. This smoothie is actually full of healthful ingredients, with very little sweetener – and it tastes great!
There’s only one time of year to make this strawberry chocolate tart. You’ll need fresh berries at their peak ripeness, which to my mind means only fruit grown locally. Berries this luscious don’t travel well. I manage to make one of these tarts about once a year, usually at the […]
This white bean and garlic scape dip is a summer delight, combining a smooth texture with an irresistible garlic punch. It’s perfect with crispy vegetables, or as a dip with chips and pita bread. On hot summer evenings, I don’t feel much like cooking. Tonight I pulled out garlic scapes […]