PASSOVER IS UPON US (sundown April 22 through April 30) and that means matzoh is readily available in many stores. For us, that means it’s time for two of our favorite recipes, matzoh crack and matzoh brei. Continue reading “Two great ways to use extra matzoh (or reasons to buy extra)”
Boursin, a flavorful French soft cheese, is the basis for a luscious, weeknight-quick sauce for pan-cooked chicken. Recipe below.
OLD SCHOOL LUXURIOUS AND WEEKNIGHT EASY pair beautifully in this dish. Made mostly with a handful of pantry and fridge staples, its lush, creamy texture and flavor come from Boursin cheese. Continue reading “Creamy Boursin Chicken Thighs—too good to be this easy”
Sourdough toast topped with labneh, olives, a mix of pickled vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil makes a tangy, delicious, satisfying vegetarian sandwich.
RAMADAN, A MONTH OF FASTING, PRAYER, REFLECTION AND COMMUNITY FOR MUSLIMS WORLDWIDE, is going on now. Our Detroit daughter Claire has been regularly updating us on the rich offerings of Ramadan food trucks throughout the area helping people break their daily fasts deliciously. One of her favorite trucks, Corn on the Corner, a year-round business that, for Ramadan, pulls out all the stops, with incredible specials created just for the holiday. Continue reading “Middle Eastern Labneh Sandwiches are a creamy, tangy vegetarian delight”
Butter, whole milk, potatoes and leeks add richness and stewlike heartiness to this Scottish favorite. Recipe below.
SCOTLAND KNOWS ITS WAY AROUND COLD WEATHER, pretty much year ’round. I’ve written here about a wintry summer visit there years ago with my brother. So it’s easy to understand how the fishing village of Cullen, on Scotland’s windswept northeast coast, would create such a hearty, warming, almost stewlike soup. And how Cullen skink has become something of a national treasure. Continue reading “Cullen Skink, a traditional Scottish smoked fish soup—creamy, buttery, hearty”
A lively, comforting traditional Guatemalan stew with Mayan roots. Recipe below.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING. When Marion recently came across a mention of jocón, a Guatemalan chicken and tomatillo stew, the yo-yo that is winter weather this year had just taken another chilly dive. We were ready for something warm, stew-y and comforting. Something just like this. Continue reading “Jocón de Pollo: Guatemalan Chicken and Tomatillo Stew”
These burned-looking Brussels sprouts are actually perfectly done—and delicious. Extremely simple recipe and variations below.
SOME HOME COOKS ARE VERY SIDE DISH-FOCUSED. ME, NOT SO MUCH. I want sides to be healthy and delicious, of course, but I also want them to appear magically while I’m working on the main course. These quick charred Brussels sprouts come close. Continue reading “An easy peasy spectacular side dish: Quick Charred Brussels Sprouts”
WE’VE BEEN COOKING BRUSSELS SPROUTS A LOT LATELY, even for us. This was supposed to be a post about our most recent method of cooking this mighty winter vegetable that’s so simple, it’s almost a non-recipe. Unfortunately, a mighty winter cold had other ideas and pretty much knocked us out. So watch for the new recipe soon—and in the meantime, enjoy Linguine with Brussels Sprouts, Feta and Bacon from our archives.
CHICAGO IS BLESSED WITH A LARGE CHINATOWN FILLED WITH AUTHENTIC REGIONAL RESTAURANTS. Unfortunately for us, during Chinese New Year, those restaurants are more than filled with celebrants. So if like us, you’re looking to celebrate the Year of the Dragon at home (February 10th through the 16th is the public holiday this year) here are eight Chinese and Chinese-inspired recipes. Why eight? It’s considered a very lucky number in many Asian cultures. Continue reading “8 recipes for celebrating Chinese New Year at home”
Three recipes show how vinegar can bring lively, surprisingly subtle finishes to your cooking.
THERE WAS A QUARTER-CUP OF BALSAMIC VINEGAR in last week’s Balsamic Mushroom Sausage Pasta recipe, added at the very end. When faithful reader Dani commented that it wouldn’t have occurred to her to add vinegar, we thought of how often we actually do that here. Continue reading “Vibrant and delicate—cooking with vinegar delivers both”
Mushrooms, Italian sausage and balsamic vinegar create an umami-rich, weeknight-quick meal. Recipe below.
WHEN YOU HEAR MUSHROOM PASTA, YOU EXPECT TO SEE MUSHROOMS IN THE DISH. That’s one of the charms of most mushroom dishes, the distinctive shapes of sliced, halved or even whole mushrooms. As you can see above, that’s not the case here. Continue reading “Simple ingredients, big flavor: Balsamic Mushroom Sausage Pasta”