SO, MAY 30 IS NATIONAL SCONE DAY. There being only so many days in the year, it is also National Creativity Day and National Mint Julep Day. But you know us, we’re happy to celebrate scones. Continue reading “Celebrating National Scone Day”
EACH YEAR, FOODBORNE DISEASES SICKEN ABOUT 48 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE U.S. This cheerful estimate comes from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They go on to say that an estimated 128,000 of those people are hospitalized and about 3,000 of them die. Fortunately, CDC offers ways home cooks can reduce the risk of foodborne illness in the kitchen. They break their cooking safety tips into four categories: clean, separate, cook and chill. Continue reading “Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill: A food safety guide for home cooks”
Braising turkey thighs with aromatics, red wine, broth and some unexpected umami ingredients delivers a perfect weekend dinner for family or friends. Recipe below.
TURKEY THIGHS ARE LIKE SUPER-SIZED CHICKEN THIGHS, IN THE BEST WAY. Meaty, juicy, flavorful and tender—the opposite of turkey or chicken breasts respectively, but with that distinctive turkey flavor that turns a meal into a celebration. Which makes them perfect for elevating a simple weekend dinner with family or friends. Continue reading “Braised Turkey Thighs”
WE LOVE MUSSELS. A LOT. Every time we cook them, we think we should have them way more often. Here are four reasons you should cook them more often. Continue reading “Four good reasons to cook mussels, six great recipes for cooking them”
BECAUSE PASSOVER IS UPON US (sundown April 12 through April 20), you’ll find that matzoh is readily available in many stores. For us, that means it’s time for two of our favorite recipes, matzoh brei and matzoh crack. Continue reading “Making the most of Passover with two matzoh treats”
IN HONOR OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, we’re revisiting a recipe, a cookbook and a place. We first reviewed Hedgebrook Cookbook: Celebrating Radical Hospitality back in 2013. Hedgebrook is a women’s writing retreat on Whidbey Island in Washington state. Since 1988, its six cabins have been home to an impressive list of women writers. Continue reading “Italian Chicken Stew from a women’s writing retreat”
FANCY MUSHROOMS ARE EVERYWHERE. Supermarkets, farmers markets. Even foraging, if you’re adventurous. So it’s easy to overlook the humble white button mushroom. But as it turns out, they have as much, and in some cases, more anti-oxidant properties than more expensive varieties. And with a few simple ingredients, they can pack some amazing flavor. Continue reading “Two easy recipes featuring delicious, healthy button mushrooms”
MANY PEOPLE SEE MARCH AS HEADING INTO SPRING. And indeed, March 20 is the first official day this year. But the reality here in Chicago and many places elsewhere can be quite different. Lately, we’ve been craving warming comfort food. In recent weeks, we’ve made Kimchi Chicken Soup, Valerie’s Split Pea Soup, Polish Hunter’s Stew, Shepherd’s Pie… March also being the month of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re currently thinking fondly of Irish Lamb Stew. Continue reading “Lamb Stew and a guide to Chicago weekend fun”
Leftover rotisserie chicken, kimchi and canned white beans create a big-flavored, satisfying, healthy, weeknight-quick meal. Recipe below.
WE LOVE LEFTOVERS. Besides the way certain dishes just taste better the second day, there’s the deliciously smug pleasure we get from using stuff up rather than discarding it. So when we were recently faced with leftover rotisserie chicken and a giant jar of kimchi that wasn’t depleting or getting any younger, we created this impromptu soup. It was so good that you’re actually looking at the second batch we’ve made—from the same chicken and jar of kimchi. Continue reading “Kimchi Chicken Soup and the Luxury of Leftovers”
Kielbasa, pork roast, chicken, sauerkraut and cabbage make bigos a hearty stew perfect for winter—and Poland’s national dish.
A WEEKEND DAY TRIP IN NORTHWEST INDIANA LED TO SOME GREAT FOOD. Classic Ruben sandwiches and slices of housemade pie from a 1940s diner. Artisan sweets from a little chocolatier in a former bag factory. And for dinner back at home, takeout bigos—Polish hunter’s stew—from a Polish deli and supermarket that it turns out is dangerously close to our home. Continue reading “Bigos, Polish Hunter’s Stew”