Step aside, tofurkey: Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole has vegetarian guests covered

Layers of kasha, mushroom-Parmesan sauce, spinach and cheeses bake into a delectable vegetarian main course for Thanksgiving—or for any wintry night. Recipe below.

Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e always seem to have at least one vegetarian at our Thanksgiving table. So we’re always looking for a delicious main course dish that doesn’t leave the vegetarians in our life feeling second best. And more specifically, that isn’t tofurkey. Continue reading “Step aside, tofurkey: Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole has vegetarian guests covered” →

Dessert? Dinner? Five recipes show how dried tart cherries do both

Ricotta Chevre Cake

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]L[/su_dropcap]ast week’s scone recipe left us with a surplus of dried tart cherries—and a reminder of how deliciously versatile they are. Here are five ways you can use dried cherries, some sweet, some savory. Continue reading “Dessert? Dinner? Five recipes show how dried tart cherries do both” →

Not French, but sort of French: Braised Duck Legs with Sauerkraut and Apple

Duck legs are braised in a mix of sauerkraut, apples and shallots for a rustic, satisfying, cold weather meal. Recipe below.

THE FRANCOPHILE IS AT IT AGAIN. This recipe is not authentically French or even French-inspired, but built from French longing. It started when my colleague Brian brought some chocolate confections back from Paris. Continue reading “Not French, but sort of French: Braised Duck Legs with Sauerkraut and Apple” →

Big on comfort, easy on the heat: Tomatillo Chicken/Turkey Chili

The traditional bowl of red turns green and lightens up, as tomatillos replace tomatoes and chicken and turkey stand in for beef. Recipe below.

TOmatillo Chicken Turkey Chili

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]C[/su_dropcap]hili. For many, it’s over-the-top flavor pyrotechnics. Or “I dare you” fiery hot. To us, chili is comfort food. Like a good stew or soup. Subtle complexity rather than giant flavors, heartily satisfying. You know, comforting. This tomatillo-based turkey/chicken chili checks all those boxes and then some. Continue reading “Big on comfort, easy on the heat: Tomatillo Chicken/Turkey Chili” →

The classic Sicilian dish named for an opera: Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma, a beloved traditional dish, gets its name from a Bellini opera—and an update with Japanese eggplant. Recipe below.

Pasta alla Norma

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e’ve been doing a lot of harvesting and prepping of crops from our modest city yard. Last weekend, Terry brought in all the remaining basil and put up a bunch of pesto. I froze a flock of shishito peppers. We are drying herbs, and I am pondering whether to dry some tomatoes or just continue my usual policy of eating and eating and eating them out of hand while standing next to the tomato plants. Continue reading “The classic Sicilian dish named for an opera: Pasta alla Norma” →

A nicely busy Sunday ends with simple, smoky goodness: Dijon Grilled Chicken Thighs

Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, tarragon and thyme and good, hot coals add up to smoky chicken thighs with a subtle European accent. Recipe below.

Dijon Grilled Chicken Thighs

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]L[/su_dropcap]ast Sunday was Father’s Day. I mention this only because last Sunday, we went to a big box hardware store to pick up some garden supplies and something I’d thought of last minute. The parking lot was jammed, busier than we’d ever seen it. Likewise the store aisles. At first, we didn’t know what was going on. Then we realized—it was dads. Continue reading “A nicely busy Sunday ends with simple, smoky goodness: Dijon Grilled Chicken Thighs” →

The Korean-Italian mashup you’ll set on repeat: Kimchi Carbonara Linguine

Pasta carbonara, a bacon-rich Italian favorite, gets a cross-cultural makeover with kimchi, Korea’s national dish. Recipe below.

Linguine Kimchi Carbonara

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]C[/su_dropcap]arbonara is one of nature’s perfect foods. Whatever recipe you follow, it involves bacon (or some sort of fatty pork), vegetables and aromatics cooked in bacon fat, pasta, cheese and eggs. Sometimes cream, sometimes not. Like I said, perfect. And now we’ve discovered something that makes it more perfect. Continue reading “The Korean-Italian mashup you’ll set on repeat: Kimchi Carbonara Linguine” →

A new way to love our favorite cheap cut: Chinese-style Short Ribs

Hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic and scallions help flavor these hearty short ribs. You can cook them quickly in your Instant Pot—or braise them slowly in the oven. Recipe below.

WE HAVE COOKED SHORT RIBS SO MANY TIMES, SO MANY WAYS. So when we had dinner guests coming this weekend and spotted beautiful flanken-cut ribs at the meat market, I wondered if I could find a new way to cook them. The answer, of course, was yes. Continue reading “A new way to love our favorite cheap cut: Chinese-style Short Ribs” →

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)” →