A warming soup from people who understand the cold: French Canadian Pea Soup

This traditional Quebecois soup turns dried yellow peas, smoked ham hock, aromatics and broth into a simple, comforting meal. Recipe below.

French Canadian Pea Soup

WHEN I WAS A KID IN DETROIT, our family was all about practical home cooking from fresh ingredients. One of the few prepared foods that was a regular part of the rotation came in a can: Habitant French-Canadian Pea Soup. And, you know, all these years later, I still love this soup—and, wonderfully, it still tastes the same: hearty, soothing, and delicious. It’s still a part of our lives, even though now, to buy it, we have to drive to Canada. Continue reading “A warming soup from people who understand the cold: French Canadian Pea Soup” →

Too easy to taste this good: Quick Caramel Cake

No reason to tell them why this sweet, buttery caramel cake is so easy to make—just bask in the compliments. Recipe below.

Caramel Cake

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]I[/su_dropcap]’m a Midwestern, urban woman—the daughter of Eastern European immigrants. The desserts of my childhood tasted of cherry, chocolate, sweet cheese, cinnamon. Some things never crossed my path and, when I first ran across them, I thought they were weird. Too sweet and oddly sticky. How could people like them, much less want them and seek them out? One of those flavors was caramel. Seriously, what? Continue reading “Too easy to taste this good: Quick Caramel Cake” →

Karaage: Chinese-style Japanese fried chicken

As popular as pizza in Japan, karaage is an ideal appetizer—chunks of chicken thigh marinated in soy sauce, sake, mirin and aromatics, then dipped in potato starch and quickly fried. Recipe below.

Karaage

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]hen we are in Detroit, which is every few weeks these days, we almost always find some reason/excuse to have dinner at Johnny Noodle King. This small, busy, fast-moving joint is always bustling and always full of all sorts of people who happily line up for a bowl of ramen, a nice drink and some terrific Japanese-inspired snacks. Continue reading “Karaage: Chinese-style Japanese fried chicken” →

Detroit memories and a perfect fall dessert: Apple Dried Cherry Galette

Sweet/tart russet apples and bourbon-soaked dried cherries create a fall-flavored filling for this easy, rustic galette. Recipe below.

Apple Dried Cherry Galette

A LITTLE WHILE BACK, WE SPENT SOME TIME IN DETROIT AGAIN, for a beautiful crisp fall weekend of visiting and hanging out and our trademark driving around looking at stuff. One morning, we drove over to Eastern Market just to see what we could see. Continue reading “Detroit memories and a perfect fall dessert: Apple Dried Cherry Galette” →

Unexpected quick comfort: Cabbage and Red Lentil Soup

An unlikely mix of ingredients—cabbage, red lentils, leeks, a jalapeño pepper, white miso paste, turmeric and fresh ginger—creates a simple, satisfying soup. Recipe below.

THIS SOUP IS SO EASY THAT WHEN I WAS PUTTING IT TOGETHER, I expected it to be nothing. At best, an acceptable meal cooked quickly from things we had in our pantry and fridge at the end of a busy, exhausting weekend. But it surprised us both, turning into something wonderful. Continue reading “Unexpected quick comfort: Cabbage and Red Lentil Soup” →

Simple comforts in a single pot: Sweet and Sour Chicken with Cabbage

As colder weather settles in, this quick braise of chicken thighs and cabbage wedges in a sweet/sour sauce makes us happy to stay in. Recipe below.

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Cabbage

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]T[/su_dropcap]his quick, easy weeknight dish is something I used to make often, years back. Then somehow it fell off my radar—I’m not even sure why. But a week or so ago, we were driving through the Wisconsin countryside, on a chilly, misty day, and we went past a little field of cabbages. Just like that, this dish came back to me. Continue reading “Simple comforts in a single pot: Sweet and Sour Chicken with Cabbage” →

Slow and creamy, with a side of memories: Mushroom Risotto

Butter, a mix of mushrooms, arborio rice, Parmesan and patience add up to a luxuriously creamy, savory, rich meal. Recipe below.

Creamy Mushroom Risotto

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e’ve already talked about our wonderful road trip through Quebec this summer. Now that the nights are starting to draw in, I’ve often thought of our favorite meal of the trip—which was at, seriously, a Best Western. And the pinnacle of that meal was a dish of mushroom risotto. Creamy, rich, fragrant, at once rustic and elegant, it was so well made and so unforgettable. Continue reading “Slow and creamy, with a side of memories: Mushroom Risotto” →

Making use of more of our garden’s bounty: Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Regional variations of Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce are a mainstay on countless Chinese restaurant menus. Here’s how to make it at home. Recipe below.

Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]I[/su_dropcap] have recently written—twice, mind you—about our prolific Romano bean plants. Our single eggplant, er, plant is giving the beans a run for their money, producing endless long, slender Asian eggplants and challenging us to find new ways to prepare them. Instead, I’ve opted for an old way, a classic Chinese dish. Continue reading “Making use of more of our garden’s bounty: Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce” →

Keeping up with our garden’s bounty: Braised Romano beans with Cherry Tomatoes

Romano beans and fresh tomatoes are an Italian classic with many variations. Here, bacon, garlic, shallots and basil lend their flavors to the mix. Recipe below.

Romano Beans with Cherry Tomatoes

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]I[/su_dropcap]t’s all Romano beans all the time right now in our yard. This is the first time I’ve grown them, and they are being a fabulous success—the bushy little plants bursting with new pale-green pods practically every time I look at them. That means coming up with bright ideas on how to prepare them. Continue reading “Keeping up with our garden’s bounty: Braised Romano beans with Cherry Tomatoes” →

Slow, seasonal yard-to-table goodness: Romano Beans with Cashews

In season—and farmers markets—right now, Romano beans are simply, slowly cooked with olive oil, salt and chili pepper, then tossed with lemon juice and chopped cashews for a summery side or a lunch on their own. Recipe below.

Roma Beans

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]T[/su_dropcap]he first thing I did when we got home from our latest giant road trip was go out to survey the back 40. What with almost two weeks of neglect and dry weather, I had figured that things in the garden could be anything from merely meh to disastrous. They were actually pretty wonderful! Continue reading “Slow, seasonal yard-to-table goodness: Romano Beans with Cashews” →