When the weather turns cool, warm things up by firing up the oven and roasting or braising. Here are six recipes from the Blue Kitchen archives.
Last week, autumnal weather inspired me to roast some chicken with grapes, mushrooms and shallots. The cool weather continues, and so does the desire to cook meaty dishes in the oven. We’ll start with some lamb. Continue reading “Six roasting/braising recipes = six reasons to turn on the oven again”
Soup doesn’t have to be relegated to cold weather. Here are seven chilled soups from the Blue Kitchen archives.
We took a quick road trip to upstate New York last weekend. There was a practical reason for the trip, helping one of our daughters move, but there was also plenty of pleasure, much of it food-based. (I know you’re surprised.) And even though we’re in the thick of summer, soups were part of that pleasure. Continue reading “Too cool: seven cold soups for summer”
Paul Greenberg offers three simple rules for eating seafood, and we offer five simple recipes for delicious, sustainable mussels.
Everyone tells us to eat more seafood. It’s a low-fat, high-protein food that’s good for our hearts, our brains. But then we’re warned that pregnant women and small children should avoid canned tuna. That certain species are being overfished to the point of unsustainability. And that many forms of fish farming are wreaking havoc on the environment. So what do we eat? Or not eat? In this Sunday’s New York Times, Paul Greenberg offered three simple rules. Continue reading “Three simple rules, five mussels recipes”
We often ask waiters for their recommendations when we’re torn between two dishes on the menu. The other night, we were at Pl-zen, a new favorite of ours, and the choice came down to a short rib burger with jalapeño jam on a pretzel bun or half a roasted chicken with fingerling potatoes, braised kale and a tamarind-guajillo sauce. Without hesitation, our server said the burger. Continue reading “Playing favorites: six of Blue Kitchen’s most popular chicken recipes”
One of the fun things about writing a food blog is getting to know other food bloggers—even if it’s only “knowing” them from their blogs. This week, I thought I would share recipes from five fellow bloggers I read pretty regularly. Dig in. Continue reading “Five recipes, five favorite bloggers”
SO IT’S ALMOST VALENTINE’S DAY, and you haven’t scored a restaurant reservation. Or maybe you’ve chosen to abstain from the madness of one of the busiest nights for restaurants. Whatever the case, you need a delicious Plan B for this most romantic of holidays. Here are some ideas from the Blue Kitchen archives that might be just what you’re looking for. Continue reading “Recipes for an unreserved Valentine’s Day”
A half dozen terrific side dishes to serve alongside your Thanksgiving turkey—and some ideas for skipping the turkey altogether.
Other countries and cultures have celebrated thanksgivings at the end of harvest, but Thanksgiving with a capital T has become a uniquely American holiday. Some trace its roots back to 1621 and the Pilgrims and Puritans at Plymouth. George Washington, at the urging of Congress, made it an official national holiday, proclaiming a “Day of Publick Thanksgivin” in 1789. In 1863, Lincoln fixed its date as the last Thursday of November. Continue reading “Everything but the bird: six super Thanksgiving sides (and some turkey alternatives)”
What we eat doesn’t just affect our health—it affects the health of the planet. Two recent articles highlight serious food production problems and possible solutions.
Want to help improve the planet’s health? Eat less beef and more chicken. That’s the assessment of James Hamblin’s most recent piece for The Atlantic, “Meats: A Health Hierarchy.” He backs it up with some powerful numbers, like the fact that farming cattle produces about four times as much greenhouse gas as does poultry or fish. To explain the impact of this much greenhouse gas, Hamblin quotes Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group: “If every American stopped eating beef tomorrow and started eating chicken instead—which I don’t expect—that would be the equivalent of taking 26 million cars off the road.” Continue reading “What we’re reading: chicken vs. beef and improving fish farming”
Looking for recipe ideas for your July 4th celebration? Here are a number of our favorites from the Blue Kitchen archives.
JULY 4th IS AT THE APEX OF GRILLING SEASON IN THE UNITED STATES. It’s practically written into our constitution that every household shall cook out of doors on this day. So I’m going to start this post with ideas for the meal’s centerpiece. Continue reading “Recipes for a delicious 4th of July”
Whatever spring is dishing out weatherwise, one of these seven recipes should stand up to it nicely.
Monday, it was 86 degrees in Chicago. For much of the rest of this week, it’s going to be in the 40s and 50s. Such is spring in the Midwest. In searching through the Blue Kitchen archives, I see posts over the years have reflected the season’s mood swings. So this week, I thought I would share some recipes from the archives that take advantage of seasonal ingredients and offer options for all kinds of seasonal—and unseasonal—weather.
Pictured above, this quick, simple recipe takes delicious advantage of fresh English peas, which are at their seasonal best now, but you can also use frozen peas. Parmesan, cream and minced garlic balance the peas’ sweetness. Continue reading “Seven recipes for spring (whatever that is)”