Six recipes featuring seasonal, versatile pears

Pears from the American Northwest are in delicious, abundant supply right now. Here are six different ways to make the most of them.

It’s that season. You know, apple season. Time for piling the family in the car and heading off to an orchard to pick more apples than you can possibly eat. Legions of apples taking over the produce department in the market. I like apples well enough, but I love also-in-season pears. Here are some ways we’ve cooked with them. Continue reading “Six recipes featuring seasonal, versatile pears” →

Nuanced performance: Braised Pork Chops with Earl Grey Tea, Cider and Fennel

Pork chops and fennel bulb are oven braised with apple cider, tea leaves and aromatics for a quietly rewarding fall meal. Recipe below.

WE SOMETIMES COOK WITH BIG FLAVORS HERE. Kimchi. Brussels sprouts. Bacon. Flavors that swagger in and own the dish. More often, though, we choose ingredients that have plenty of personality, but are content to blend in—supporting characters in an ensemble cast happy to add to a delightful performance without upstaging anyone else. This is one of those dishes. Continue reading “Nuanced performance: Braised Pork Chops with Earl Grey Tea, Cider and Fennel” →

Six roasting/braising recipes = six reasons to turn on the oven again

When the weather turns cool, warm things up by firing up the oven and roasting or braising. Here are six recipes from the Blue Kitchen archives.

Last week, autumnal weather inspired me to roast some chicken with grapes, mushrooms and shallots. The cool weather continues, and so does the desire to cook meaty dishes in the oven. We’ll start with some lamb. Continue reading “Six roasting/braising recipes = six reasons to turn on the oven again” →

Seasonal times two: Roasted Chicken with Grapes, Mushrooms and Shallots

Grapes, in season now, are roasted in chicken pan drippings with mushrooms, shallots and rosemary for a deliciously autumnal dinner. Recipe below.

Seasonal cooking can refer to working with ingredients that are in season. It can also refer to using seasonal cooking methods. This week’s recipe is a mix of both. Temperatures recently took on an autumn coolness here, encouraging me to turn on the oven and roast something for the first time in a while. For the seasonal ingredient, I chose grapes. Continue reading “Seasonal times two: Roasted Chicken with Grapes, Mushrooms and Shallots” →

Extra crispy, please: panko adds crunch to Chicken Schnitzel

Panko breadcrumbs give these chicken breast schnitzels an assertively crispy outside. Dredging the chicken with cornstarch helps keep the meat tender inside. Recipe below.

THE BREADED MEAT CUTLET GOES BY MANY NAMES. For Germans and Austrians, it’s schnitzel. Italians call it cotoletta alla milanese—or milanesa for short. At our current favorite Mexican restaurant, it’s milaneza, and our favorite Polish spot calls its schnitzel schabowy. In Japan, it’s katsu (tonkatsu when it’s made with pork). Continue reading “Extra crispy, please: panko adds crunch to Chicken Schnitzel” →

Summer in a glass: Strawberry-infused Vodka Cooler with Basil

With just five ingredients—strawberry-infused vodka, fresh basil, simple syrup, lemon juice and club soda—this cocktail is as cool and easy as summer itself. Recipe below.

So suddenly, kids are back in school. And I’m getting frantic emails about recipes to try and beaches to check out before summer’s over. How did that happen? Thanks to overly hectic schedules and unseasonably cool temperatures (which we love, don’t get me wrong), summer seems to have slipped out the back door on us. Continue reading “Summer in a glass: Strawberry-infused Vodka Cooler with Basil” →

Greek-inspired, weeknight-easy: Lamb Chops with Feta and Olives

A marinade with red wine vinegar and lemon juice quickly tenderizes flavorful lamb shoulder chops. Feta cheese, Kalamata olives, red onion and lemon zest add even more flavor. Recipe below.

For me, grabbing lamb when I see it in the store is almost automatic. Ground lamb for weeknight-quick burgers, cooked rare, a leg of lamb for a special holiday feast or maybe lamb rib chops when I’m feeling extravagant. Or, most often, lamb shoulder chops—cheap, flavorful and with a chewiness that can be easily tamed with a trick or two. Continue reading “Greek-inspired, weeknight-easy: Lamb Chops with Feta and Olives” →

Road trips and dining at the bar

For the second time in as many weeks, we did a weekend road trip to upstate New York. About 1,500 miles in three days, part two of the daughter move. And while it was tiring—besides the driving, there was the loading and unloading of boxes and bags, a bookcase, a bike and countless things not starting with B—just looking at the photo above has me ready to get in the car again. Continue reading “Road trips and dining at the bar” →

The simple pleasures of grownup taste buds: Linguine with Brussels Sprouts, Feta and Bacon

Quickly browned, then braised with onions and garlic, Brussels sprouts are tossed with feta, bacon and sage and served over pasta. Recipe below.

AT MY OFFICE, THE CREATIVE DEPARTMENT recently did a workshop on presentation skills. Each of us had five minutes to speak on the topic of “What I have learned.” One colleague spoke enthusiastically (to be fair, that’s her default mode of speaking) on learning to love Brussels sprouts. Continue reading “The simple pleasures of grownup taste buds: Linguine with Brussels Sprouts, Feta and Bacon” →

Too cool: seven cold soups for summer

Soup doesn’t have to be relegated to cold weather. Here are seven chilled soups from the Blue Kitchen archives.

WE TOOK A QUICK ROAD TRIP TO UPSTATE NEW YORK LAST WEEKEND. There was a practical reason for the trip, helping one of our daughters move, but there was also plenty of pleasure, much of it food-based. (I know you’re surprised.) And even though we’re in the thick of summer, soups were part of that pleasure. Continue reading “Too cool: seven cold soups for summer” →