Extra lemony Lemon Thyme Bundt Cake

Lemon juice, zest and extract brighten this light, fragrant, summery cake. Recipe below.

Lemon Thyme Bundt Cake

INSPIRATION FOR OUR RECIPES COMES FROM MANY PLACES. THIS ONE STARTED IN OUR GARDEN. The thyme in our garden, which for years has been a charming, compact clump, has all at once gone crazy. It’s surging onto the walk; it’s galumphing up to its neighbors (aster and coneflowers) in an entirely too pushy way; it’s become completely overconfident and obnoxious. Continue reading “Extra lemony Lemon Thyme Bundt Cake” →

Quick, easy, delicious—Spicy Lemon Maple Salmon

Spicy Lemon Maple Salmon fillets have a subtle but lively flavor and just a hint of heat. Finishing them under the broiler caramelizes the glaze.

Spicy Lemon Maple Salmon

SALMON IS OFTEN OUR GO-TO FISH WHEN WE WANT SEAFOOD. It’s easy to prepare, foolproof delicious and, frankly speaking, more affordable than many other choices. The only downside for me is that I can go on autopilot when preparing it—olive oil, salt, pepper, tarragon and a hot skillet. Again, foolproof delicious, but looking to change things up recently, I poked around in our archives and found this. You quickly marinate salmon in lemon juice, maple syrup, cider vinegar, oil and cayenne pepper, start it in a skillet, finish it under the broiler and you’ve got a real weeknight-quick treat. Bonus? This recipe was inspired by a tuba museum. You’ll find the recipe and backstory here.

A weekend of potato salads

Potato Salad with Capers, Shallots and Mustard

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IS THE UNOFFICIAL START OF SUMMER. For us, summer is potato salad season, and weekend events conspired to confirm that. First, we were invited to an out-of-town birthday barbecue. Because we were traveling, we didn’t want to do anything mayonnaise based that needed refrigerating. Our Mark Bittman-inspired Potato Salad with Capers, Shallots and Mustard does not. Continue reading “A weekend of potato salads” →

Simple Oven-fried Chicken Thighs (thanks, Judy Hesser)

This easy-to-make oven-fried chicken has truly crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. Recipe below.

Simple Oven-fried Chicken Thighs

AS MUCH AS WE LOVE FRIED CHICKEN, WE DON’T DEEP FRY ANYTHING. So imagine our delight when we discovered an oven-fried recipe that produces truly crispy skin and tender, juicy chicken within. And did we mention it’s crazy simple to make? Continue reading “Simple Oven-fried Chicken Thighs (thanks, Judy Hesser)” →

Microwaving puts the quick in Quick Skillet Potatoes

Nuking potatoes instead of parboiling them makes skillet-sautéed potatoes even quicker to fix. Fresh herbs add a nice finish.

Quick Skillet Potatoes

YOU USE IT EVERY DAY. BUT CAN YOU MAKE IT COOK? Mark Bittman asked that about microwave ovens several years ago, when he was still writing The Minimalist column in the New York Times. In the article, he sang the praises of actually cooking fresh foods in your microwave. We don’t do that so much, but we often give fresh foods a head start in the microwave. Nudging carrots toward tenderness before adding them to our classic Chicken and Wine. Speeding up our popular favorite, Half-baked Potatoes. Or skipping parboiling for our Quick Skillet Potatoes, making them nice and tender on inside and crunchy on the outside. You’ll find the recipe for these delicious potatoes—and the Mark Bittman article—right here.

On the road, thinking of Mushroom Spinach Quiche back home

Mushroom Spinach Quiche

WE’RE ON A ROAD TRIP OUT WEST. Today, we ate lunch sitting at the bar at The Kitchen American Bistro in Boulder, Colorado. Marion and I both ordered the quiche, with roasted mushrooms, leeks and Parmesan, along with a beautiful salad they just called “simple greens.” It was perfect. The quiche reminded me of our own version made with mushrooms and spinach. The mushrooms, sautéed with shallots, tarragon and the spinach, lend an umami meatiness to this vegetarian meal. You’ll find our recipe here.

Ethiopian spices turn up the heat and the flavor: Roasted Berbere Chicken Thighs

Berbere, a chili-based spice mix that’s a staple of Ethiopian cuisine, brings respectable heat and big, complex flavor to Roasted Berbere Chicken Thighs. Recipe below.

Roasted Berbere Chicken Thighs

WE RECENTLY CAME ACROSS BERBERE in a four-year-old issue of Bon Appétit. For me at least, it proves once again that throwing things away is overrated. Berbere (pronounced bair-buh-RAY) is an Ethiopian spice blend used pretty much throughout the country. According to Spruce Eats, “key ingredients are usually red chili peppers, fenugreek, and ginger, with the addition of warm spices like coriander, cardamom, allspice, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and some lesser-known indigenous spices such as korarima, ajwain, and long pepper.” Continue reading “Ethiopian spices turn up the heat and the flavor: Roasted Berbere Chicken Thighs” →

Chickpea Salad—a fresh (and healthier) take on a summer favorite

Fiber-rich chickpeas stand in for potatoes in this crunchy, healthy, summery salad. Recipe below.

Chickpea Salad

THIS VERY SIMPLE DISH IS A RIFF on a recent New York Times recipe, that in turn, is a riff on a summer classic, potato salad. It is ridiculously easy to assemble—a few minutes of measuring, chopping and a bit of stirring. You never even need to turn on the stove. Continue reading “Chickpea Salad—a fresh (and healthier) take on a summer favorite” →

Creamy Boursin Chicken Thighs—too good to be this easy

Boursin, a flavorful French soft cheese, is the basis for a luscious, weeknight-quick sauce for pan-cooked chicken. Recipe below.

Creamy Boursin Chicken Thighs

OLD SCHOOL LUXURIOUS AND WEEKNIGHT EASY pair beautifully in this dish. Made mostly with a handful of pantry and fridge staples, its lush, creamy texture and flavor come from Boursin cheese. Continue reading “Creamy Boursin Chicken Thighs—too good to be this easy” →