A not-too-sweet anytime treat: Blueberry Sour Cream Cake

Blueberries and sour cream are the basis of this modestly sweet cake a dessert, a breakfast treat, a mid-day pick-me-up. Recipe below.

WE ARE STILL BEING VERY CAUTIOUS THESE DAYS. We are not flying. We are not going into our offices. We are only going into shops and the library and other public places when they are relatively empty. We aren’t going to bars at all, which is so sad. But we are still seeing people, with great care, as we wait out what looks to be a multi-year pandemic. Meaning we still want to have some treats on hand, just in case. Thus this simple bundt cake. Continue reading “A not-too-sweet anytime treat: Blueberry Sour Cream Cake” →

A cozy breakfast for you and future you: Buttermilk Waffles

Make a whole batch of these delicious buttermilk waffles and freeze some for homemade toaster waffles. Recipe below.

ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, IF WE ARE IN TOWN (and let’s face it, these days we still always are), we kind of laze out of bed whenever. We drift down to the kitchen and sit around the island and have boatloads of coffee (me) and tea (Terry). We look out the back door into the tiny backyard and comment on whatever birds are visiting the birdbath (lately, a pair of cardinals are bossing around all other comers). Eventually, one of us makes a late breakfast. Continue reading “A cozy breakfast for you and future you: Buttermilk Waffles” →

Mastering secrets and Blueberry Thyme Scones

Fresh blueberries, thyme, lemon zest and juice—and two insider tips—create light, delicious scones. Recipe below.

BY NOW, PROBABLY EVERYONE HAS HEARD OF MASTERCLASS, where masters of their crafts in various fields teach online classes. The creative agency where I work gave us all MasterClass subscriptions so we could learn whatever caught our imaginations while we’re all stuck at home. But being a creative agency, we of course took it further. We’ve started doing our own master classes, with colleagues sharing their own special skills. These scones are a direct result of that. Continue reading “Mastering secrets and Blueberry Thyme Scones” →

Deliciously simple (simply delicious?) English Muffins

Turns out English Muffins are as easy to make as they are great to eat. You don’t even bake them—you cook them on your stovetop. Recipe below.

WHEN I UNDERSTOOD HOW EASY IT IS is to make English muffins, I regretted all the years in which I have never made them. The basic elements are few—flour, yeast, salt, buttermilk or yogurt. They have one hour-long rise and then a short ten-minute rest once they are shaped. You don’t even bake them—you cook them on the stovetop. And then you have these delicious things. Continue reading “Deliciously simple (simply delicious?) English Muffins” →

Cinnamon Rolls, almost like my mother made

Un-iced and not overly sweet, this cinnamon roll is a perfect dessert, breakfast or anytime snack. Recipe below.

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]Y[/su_dropcap]ou know how sometimes someone says a thing to you that unexpectedly puts everything in a whole new light? That opens a doorway where, for the longest and most wearying time, you’d just seen the same dull wall? Continue reading “Cinnamon Rolls, almost like my mother made” →

Autumnal, rustic and offhandedly impressive: Walnut and Boozy Cherry Scones

Dried tart cherries are plumped in bourbon, then baked into easy-to-make, not-too-sweet scones. Recipe below.

Dried Cherry Walnut Scones

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]S[/su_dropcap]cones are the perfect baked dessert for someone who doesn’t bake much and prefers baked goods that aren’t too overly sweet. In other words, me. Continue reading “Autumnal, rustic and offhandedly impressive: Walnut and Boozy Cherry Scones” →

From dinner to dessert to breakfast: five ricotta recipes (and a surprise or two)

Ricotta Chevre Cake

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]T[/su_dropcap]his weekend, our daughter who bakes was in town. So she and Marion baked the traditional Italian cake you see here, made with ricotta, goat cheese, dried tart cherries and a mere seven tablespoons of flour. More about this cake later, but it got me thinking about ricotta. Continue reading “From dinner to dessert to breakfast: five ricotta recipes (and a surprise or two)” →

Black Friday breakfast: Ricotta Pancakes with Sautéed Pears

Thanksgiving was a smashing success (or close enough). Now delight your weekend house guests with Marion’s light, creamy pancakes topped with sautéed fruit. Recipe from the Blue Kitchen archives below.

Thanksgiving is arguably the most important food holiday. Sure, food matters with other holidays, but for Thanksgiving, food is the holiday. For food magazines, the Thanksgiving issue is the September issue of Vogue, and the cover girl is invariably the turkey.

At Blue Kitchen, we prefer to focus on the periphery, providing interesting side dishes that liven up the holiday table. Sweet Potato Vichyssoise for a surprising, elegant first course, Kasha, a non-traditional traditional side in our house that gravy loves every bit as much as mashed potatoes, Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Root Vegetables, a tofu-free vegetarian main course or side… [read more here…]

Biscuits and the “meatiest” vegetarian red eye gravy you’ll ever make

While Blue Kitchen continues a brief break, we’re sharing some of our favorite dishes from the archives. This week, it’s Drop Biscuits and Vegetarian Red Eye Gravy, so umami-rich it might even fool a meat lover. (Also, with this post, we celebrate Blue Kitchen’s ninth anniversary.)

AT DINNER WITH FRIENDS THE OTHER NIGHT, one of the diners at our table exclaimed over a vegetarian entrée on the menu. I realized at that moment that I will never willingly become a vegetarian. If there are meat or seafood options on a menu, I can’t get excited about vegetarian choices. Or as I put it to our companions, “It would take a death threat from my doctor to make me turn vegetarian.” [Read more here…]

Biscuits and Vegetarian Red Eye Gravy to please (and maybe even fool) a meat lover

Adapted from The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook, this red eye gravy gets its umami-rich, sausage-like flavor and texture from mushrooms, herbs and spices. Paired with easy-to-make drop biscuits, it creates an iconic Southern breakfast. Recipes below.