A tangy, creamy, vegetarian Middle Eastern treat: Labneh Sandwiches

Sourdough toast topped with labneh, olives, a mix of pickled vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil makes a tangy, delicious, satisfying vegetarian sandwich. Recipe below.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STREAMING FROM MUSLIM AND ARAB COUNTRIES to the Detroit area since the1880s—from Syria and Lebanon and Iraq and Egypt and Yemen and India and Bangladesh and Pakistan and many more places, creating the oldest, largest and most diverse Muslim American and Arab American community in the United States. That’s well known. Far less known is one marvelous annual occurrence that our Detroit daughter always speaks of with enormous enthusiasm. I am not talking, yet, about the Hamtramck Yacht Races, but about something far more delicious. I can sum it up in three wonderful words: RAMADAN. FOOD. TRUCKS. Continue reading “A tangy, creamy, vegetarian Middle Eastern treat: Labneh Sandwiches” →

Two traditional favorites create one delicious dessert: Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

Homemade apple butter makes pumpkin pie creamier and subtly sweeter. Recipe below.

WHEN TERRY MADE CHRIS SCOTT’S LOVELY JOHNNYCAKES AND APPLE BUTTER a couple weeks back, the apple butter recipe was small compared to most, but it was still a lot of apple butter for a two-person household. We heroically slathered it on waffles and toast and pork sandwiches, but there was still some left. That was when I stumbled across this recipe for apple butter pumpkin pie. Continue reading “Two traditional favorites create one delicious dessert: Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie” →

Friends and subtle sweetness: Lemon Cornmeal Blueberry Cake

This lemony bright, nicely substantial cake is infused with rosemary syrup for a subtle herbal sweetness. Recipe below.

A FEW MONTHS BACK, OUR EXCELLENT FRIEND LIZ, the person who encouraged us to create the feature we call Liz’s Crockery Corner, moved away. She and her family now live on one of our favorite places on earth, Whidbey Island in Washington state. Sweet, huh? But we really miss her. The other day, thinking of Liz and her family’s new world, I was poking around in The Hedgebrook Cookbook: Celebrating Radical Hospitality, the lovely book of recipes from the Hedgebrook writing retreat on Whidbey, and came across a recipe for Lemon Polenta Cake with rosemary syrup. Continue reading “Friends and subtle sweetness: Lemon Cornmeal Blueberry Cake” →

A simple soup elevated: Mushroom Potato Caraway Soup

Thoroughly pureeing this simple soup of mushrooms, potatoes and caraway seed makes it velvety smooth and elegant. Recipe below.

A NUMBER OF YEARS BACK, WE WERE ON A ROAD TRIP THROUGH ILLINOIS AND IOWA, noodling around as is our way, and happened upon the Lincoln Cafe, in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Before launching into rhapsodies about its many wonders. I want to start by saying that the Lincoln Cafe has been closed for nearly ten years now. In its heyday, it was that rare place that achieved things which, in America, often clash—providing high-quality, honest, delicious fare and doing it at a modest price. It was neighborhood joint done right, and its location, right on the Lincoln Highway in the heart of tiny Mount Vernon, made it even more lovely. Continue reading “A simple soup elevated: Mushroom Potato Caraway Soup” →

Banana bread made faster, fancier: Pineapple Banana Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze

Baking a banana bread in a bundt pan cuts down on the baking time and makes it more show-offy. Recipe below.

ONE EVENING OVER THE HOLIDAYS, on a night when we were rich in guests and enjoying ourselves immensely, I was looking for a way to add something extra to our evening and ended up knocking together a Vaquero cocktail for us all—it was a nice, bright, peppery change and big fun to think about, and make, and drink. Continue reading “Banana bread made faster, fancier: Pineapple Banana Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze” →

Embracing strong flavors: Pasta with Dandelion Greens

Get into the pleasantly bitter taste of super-healthy dandelion greens with weeknight-quick Pasta with Dandelion Greens. Recipe below.

WHEN WE CAME BACK FROM OUR CINCINNATI ROAD TRIP, the cupboard was bare. Even the simple basics for knocking together a quick yay! we’re home! meal were depleted. We ran to the neighborhood market to quickly stock up, dashing around grabbing things because we were so, so hungry. To my amazement, in the produce department, there was a big handsome bunch of dandelion greens. I grabbed that too and said to Terry, I’ve got a bright idea. And here we are. Continue reading “Embracing strong flavors: Pasta with Dandelion Greens” →

Making the delicious most of a seasonal fruit: Italian Prune Plum Crisp

Briefly-in-season Italian prune plums are the star of this luscious, sweet crisp. Recipe below.

WE’VE BEEN MAKING A LOT OF FRUIT DESSERTS LATELY, and for that reason we almost did not post this one. But it is so, so wonderful, so gorgeous and tasty and the stuff of dreams, that not telling you about this would be wrong. It would just plain be wrong. Continue reading “Making the delicious most of a seasonal fruit: Italian Prune Plum Crisp” →

Our summer of peachy goodness: Peach Blueberry Crisp

This easy-to-make crisp makes the most of delicious summer peaches and blueberries. Recipe below.

WE ARE CRAZY ABOUT THIS SUMMER’S PEACHES. We keep buying giant boxes of them at Trader Joe’s and doing all sorts of magical things with them, like returning to that cobbler from two weeks ago, and like standing in the backyard and eating them out of hand while watching the bees harvest pollen. And we also are getting some nice fat blueberries. Continue reading “Our summer of peachy goodness: Peach Blueberry Crisp” →

Dessert with a side of American history: Peach Cobbler

Easy and flexible to make, peach cobbler is a simple, rustic dessert with a rich history. Recipe below.

THE OTHER NIGHT WE WERE IN TRADER JOE’S PICKING UP OUR USUAL BASICS—nuts, wine, pasta, tiny avocados—when we noticed a display of boxes of peaches. And not just peaches. Big, ripe peaches that, when I opened the box lid, sent up a beautiful fragrant invitation. Yes, I said, even though I wasn’t sure what the universe was inviting me to. Continue reading “Dessert with a side of American history: Peach Cobbler” →

This summer’s light, refreshing go-to drink: Mezcal Ranch Water

Three-ingredient simple to make and absolutely sippable—the Mezcal Ranch Water. Recipe below.

THE OTHER DAY, OVER TEAMS, MY FRIEND PREMA AND I WERE TALKING about our 4th of July weekend plans. She stood up to show me her flamingo-patterned romper—SUPER CUTE—and said that she was taking the afternoon off to go to the pool. She is so smart. I said one of our daughters was coming to visit and I was looking forward to hanging out with her and sitting on the porch and drinking Ranch Water. “RANCH WATER!” Prema said. “I had it for the first time in Austin over Memorial Day, and I am obsessed! ” Continue reading “This summer’s light, refreshing go-to drink: Mezcal Ranch Water” →