kitchen adventures
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
Let’s talk about comfort food – the stuff that you turn to when you’re dead tired, hungry and cranky. You want a one-pot meal, something that is simple and quick to put together. I’ve got just the dish. This is gyudon, which is short for gyuniku donburi, or Japanese beef bowl
I love a good tart, don’t you? This chocolate raspberry tart is a wonderful example of something that’s simple but delicious, and it’s especially good when made with local berries. I like to make a small 5-6 inch tart. This will give you 4 servings, or 3 if you are
In summer, there’s very little that’s more refreshing than a Japanese cucumber salad (sunomono). You’ll need seasoned rice vinegar – look for it at a grocery that carries a large selection of Asian ingredients. If you have only plain rice vinegar, then add a bit of sugar and a bit of soy
It was Auguste Escoffier who devised the now-famous dessert, Pêche Melba, in the early 1900s. It consisted of fresh peeled peaches, slightly sugared, with raspberry purée, served over vanilla ice cream in a swan carved of ice. The dish has become a classic, though usually the icy swan bowl is
Sometimes you need to work a bit of household magic: make a meal appear out of nowhere, fast. This quick and splendid spaghetti with clam sauce for 2 is a perfect example. Keep spaghetti and a can of clams in your pantry, and if you also have garlic, a lemon, a bit of
Tomato beef is one of those summer dishes that uses garden produce and what’s on hand. It’s a fake stir-fry: things are cooked one layer at a time, bundled into a large bowl, then mixed and served. Don’t be alarmed by the length of the recipe – it’s all chop
Sometimes you want a small cake: just enough to serve one or two friends. Make a small-batch vanilla cake! I use a 6-inch round cake pan, and the finished cake fits perfectly on a luncheon plate. This cake can be ‘dressed up’ in a lot of ways: split and layered with whipped
Pasta with asparagus and mint – is this a combination you’ve ever thought of? Here’s a nice little vegetarian supper for two. It is a quick dish, with a few tricks to enhance the flavor. The asparagus is chopped small, to cook quickly for freshest flavor. The cream is heated
There are times when you absolutely require chocolate just as soon as possible. There are also times when you need just a few cookies, not a big batch. We’ve got you covered here for both: chocolate coconut macaroons in a small batch. These delightfully shaggy macaroons are made from ordinary pantry ingredients:
I’m Maurita Plouff, and I write about cooking and preserving the local harvest in Southeast Michigan. Any recipe you find here is something I have cooked myself, and enjoyed, and think you might like too. I invite you to try the recipes, and leave comments.