The seriously foolproof Pork Shoulder Roast

A handful of simple ingredients and even simpler prep and cooking deliver a tender, juicy, wonderfully flavorful pork roast. Recipe below.

WHEN MAKING ROASTS IN THE OVEN, one challenge recipes invariably address (with varying degrees of success) is how to keep the meat from drying out or becoming tough—or both. Beef roasts are particularly prone to these issues, especially the cheap cuts. Not so with pork shoulder roasts. This flavorful cheap cut comes out juicy and tender with practically no fuss at all. And as a bonus, it tastes like you worked really hard to get it just so. Continue reading “The seriously foolproof Pork Shoulder Roast” →

Authentic Indian cooking deliciously decoded: Dal Makhani (Buttery Black Lentils)

Make this flavorful, spicy vegetarian main dish in your slow cooker—you can start it in the morning, then return home to a heavenly fragrance and meal. Recipe below.

OUR WONDERFUL FRIEND ANUPY SINGLA IS A POWERHOUSE. Prolific blogger (over at Indian as Apple Pie), author of numerous cookbooks that make Indian food accessible for the American kitchen and entrepreneur with a bustling company offering delicious Indian ingredients to make the whole thing even easier. Continue reading “Authentic Indian cooking deliciously decoded: Dal Makhani (Buttery Black Lentils)” →

Cooking up a great bowl of red (or white or green): Four Chili recipes

Marion's Chili

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e just got back from a lovely weekend of too much driving, eating out and staying up late. So when we were finally back home in our kitchen, I craved a restorative bowl of chili. Specifically, Marion’s go-to recipe. That got me thinking about some of the various chili recipes we like to make and eat. Here are four of them. Continue reading “Cooking up a great bowl of red (or white or green): Four Chili recipes” →

Liven up your staples and your dinner: “Old Godmother” Oven-braised Chicken

A handful of Asian pantry/fridge staples turns chicken thighs into a delicious, weeknight-quick dinner. Recipe below.

“Old Godmother” Oven-braised Chicken

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]H[/su_dropcap]ere is a very simple, very tasty weeknight dish. So simple, in fact, that we thought it was only going to be dinner, not a post. But as it baked in the oven, the aroma filling the kitchen told us we should photograph it, just in case. Continue reading “Liven up your staples and your dinner: “Old Godmother” Oven-braised Chicken” →

How the French do rustic: Chicken Chasseur (Hunter’s Chicken)

Chicken, mushrooms and tomatoes are at the heart of this rustic, one-pot dinner, traditionally cooked by French hunters. Recipe below.

Chicken Chasseur

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]L[/su_dropcap]ast week’s recipe, Marion’s Polish Hunter’s Stew, came about because John over at Kitchen Riffs shared a recipe for an Italian hunter’s dish, Chicken Cacciatore. When I saw it, I realized Marion had never made bigos for the blog and put in a request. (We’ll share a link to John’s recipe in the Kitchen Notes below.) So when I saw a French hunter’s dish somewhere else, I of course had to make it. Continue reading “How the French do rustic: Chicken Chasseur (Hunter’s Chicken)” →

A traditional Mexican favorite, not so slow cooked: Beef Barbacoa Tacos

Barbacoa is a flavorful Mexican meat preparation with many variations. Here, it’s cooked in an Instant Pot and served as tacos. Recipe below.

Beef Barbacoa Tacos

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]I[/su_dropcap]t is colder in Chicago right now than in Antarctica. And the North Pole. And Mount Everest. But even before the polar vortex bore down on us this week, bringing the coldest weather in a generation, snow and cold had us thinking of meaty, stewy, cozy dishes. And as luck would have it, Marion had recently come across a barbacoa recipe. Continue reading “A traditional Mexican favorite, not so slow cooked: Beef Barbacoa Tacos” →

A delicious test drive of an impressive new kitchen tool: Instant Pot Short Ribs

Cooking beef short ribs in an Instant Pot greatly reduces cooking time and still delivers the delicious, tender goods. Recipe below.

Instant Pot Short Ribs

WE’VE NEVER BEEN BIG ON RUSHING INTO THINGS. Last November, we finally got an Instant Pot. And this past weekend, I finally cooked with it. The first thing I cooked? Short ribs, of course. Continue reading “A delicious test drive of an impressive new kitchen tool: Instant Pot Short Ribs” →

Lentils and pasta in one delicious, traditional dish: Pasta e Lenticchie

Pasta and lentils—pasta e lenticchie—is a traditional Italian favorite with many versions. Here’s ours. Recipe below.

Pasta e Lenticchie

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]T[/su_dropcap]his week’s recipe began with six words: Tortellini, Lentils/Collard Greens/Pork Sausage. Lifestyle website InsideHook asked six Michelin-starred Chicago chefs to name their favorite meals in town, and Lee Wolen at BOKA called out the pasta dishes at Daisies. Those six words were the full menu description of one of those pastas. Continue reading “Lentils and pasta in one delicious, traditional dish: Pasta e Lenticchie” →

A humble dish cooks up cozy memories: Shepherd’s Pie

Originally created as a frugal way to use leftovers, shepherd’s pie, a hearty UK favorite, combines lamb and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes, then baked. Recipe below.

ON MY WORST DAYS IN HIGH SCHOOL—a pop quiz, homework not done, any day that started with 8am swim class—one thing could reliably turn the day around, at least for a while. That was walking into the cafeteria at lunch and seeing shepherd’s pie on the menu. Continue reading “A humble dish cooks up cozy memories: Shepherd’s Pie” →

Why to buy fresh cranberries now: Pan-roasted Chicken with Cranberries

Fresh cranberries are only available during months ending in “er”—buy and freeze them now to make this simple, but complex, company-ready meal again and again. Trust us, you will.

Pan-roasted Chicken with Cranberries

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]H[/su_dropcap]oliday craziness is in full-tilt boogie mode. So no new post this week—instead, here’s a favorite recipe from last December that will definitely show up on our table at some point for holiday guests. The signature tartness of fresh cranberries is the key. It turns pan-roasted chicken, potatoes, shallots and herbs into a complex meal you’ll be happy to share with company too.