A quick-cooking, show-stealing dish: Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans

In the Instant Pot, dried black beans and a handful of ingredients turn into a luxuriously delicious side or main course in 45 minutes, no presoaking, no sautéing, no fuss. Recipe below.

Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans

THE FIRST TIME I EVER HAD BLACK BEANS was in a tiny restaurant somewhere in upstate New York, in the form of black bean soup. I was ever so young and ever so inexperienced. I don’t remember anything about the restaurant except that it was small and friendly, and the windows looked out on hemlock trees, and our waiter, a tall, calm woman, was also the sole front of house person and likely the owner and possibly one of the cooks. Continue reading “A quick-cooking, show-stealing dish: Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans” →

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 warming soup from people who understand the cold: French Canadian Pea Soup

This traditional Quebecois soup turns dried yellow peas, smoked ham hock, aromatics and broth into a simple, comforting meal. Recipe below.

French Canadian Pea Soup

WHEN I WAS A KID IN DETROIT, our family was all about practical home cooking from fresh ingredients. One of the few prepared foods that was a regular part of the rotation came in a can: Habitant French-Canadian Pea Soup. And, you know, all these years later, I still love this soup—and, wonderfully, it still tastes the same: hearty, soothing, and delicious. It’s still a part of our lives, even though now, to buy it, we have to drive to Canada. Continue reading “A warming soup from people who understand the cold: French Canadian Pea Soup” →

Unexpected quick comfort: Cabbage and Red Lentil Soup

An unlikely mix of ingredients—cabbage, red lentils, leeks, a jalapeño pepper, white miso paste, turmeric and fresh ginger—creates a simple, satisfying soup. Recipe below.

THIS SOUP IS SO EASY THAT WHEN I WAS PUTTING IT TOGETHER, I expected it to be nothing. At best, an acceptable meal cooked quickly from things we had in our pantry and fridge at the end of a busy, exhausting weekend. But it surprised us both, turning into something wonderful. Continue reading “Unexpected quick comfort: Cabbage and Red Lentil Soup” →

This soup runs hot and cold: Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup

Deceptively creamy despite the lack of dairy or butterfat, this deliciously mild-flavored soup can be served hot or cold. Recipe below.

THE WEATHER IS BEING VERY NEUROTIC. It’s June, but today it feels like… April maybe? We’ve had some days of near-90s, but that never sticks. The temperature keeps slinking back down. Continue reading “This soup runs hot and cold: Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup” →

Pushing all the warm, meaty, spicy buttons: Chicken Chorizo Chili

Spicy, flavorful Mexican chorizo sausage and chunks of chicken are at the heart of this robust, meaty chili. Dark beer helps amp up the flavor too. Recipe below.

The bitter cold Marion wrote about last week just keeps coming. So when I discovered a new-to-me chili—chicken chorizo chili, to be precise—all kinds of delicious buttons were pushed. Continue reading “Pushing all the warm, meaty, spicy buttons: Chicken Chorizo Chili” →

Cold finally overcomes procrastination: Valerie’s Split Pea Soup

Bacon, plentiful aromatics and a bit of cumin create a hearty split pea soup you’ll make again and again. Recipe below.

Dear Valerie,

SO HERE’S THE THING. IT’S COLD. IT’S REALLY COLD. I’ve been sitting in my kitchen holding a big steaming mug of coffee and wearing a turtleneck and a down vest and a hoodie, with the hood up, and wool socks and lined pants, and I’m thinking about putting on more clothing, but I’ve been reluctant because I’d like to continue being able to bend my arms and legs. All of this has made me think of what I want for dinner, which reminded me of that recipe you sent me, for one of the best things ever—split pea soup. Continue reading “Cold finally overcomes procrastination: Valerie’s Split Pea Soup” →

Fried Green Tomato Soup, inspired by Toledo

Green tomatoes make this creamy soup less tomato-y, more vegetal. Leeks, garlic, thyme and bacon add to its savoriness. Recipe below.

We seem to have a natural affinity for the Rust Belt. Marion grew up in Detroit, me in St. Louis. And while our ultimate destination on our recent road trip was Washington, DC and the Virginias, stops in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Toledo moved us every bit as much. Continue reading “Fried Green Tomato Soup, inspired by Toledo” →

Comfort in the kitchen: Dijon Beef Stew with Brandy and Shallots

Beef, brandy, two kinds of mustard, generous aromatics, carrots and mushrooms braise into a robust, soothing stew. Recipe below.

Comfort food. Are there two more comforting words? They conjure up very different things for all of us, I’m sure, but for me, they often look/smell/taste like this meaty, stew-y dish. But comfort isn’t just in the food—it’s in the making of food, time spent in the kitchen. Continue reading “Comfort in the kitchen: Dijon Beef Stew with Brandy and Shallots” →

A blizzard and Irish leftovers: Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables

For the first time since 1871, Chicago had no measurable snowfall in January or February. So less than a week before the nominal beginning of spring, of course, we got seven inches. This was the view from my office window yesterday. You know, Tuesday. The day I’m often scrambling to create the post—and often produce the recipe—you find here on Wednesday. I had a recipe of sorts in mind, but the fierce snow and an admitted lack of willpower on my part stood between me and some necessary ingredients. So instead, I’m serving up a hearty lamb stew posted here several years ago, also during a Chicago March snowstorm. Continue reading “A blizzard and Irish leftovers: Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables” →