Weeknight-quickish Chicken Thighs with Basil and Lemon

Fresh basil, lemon and garlic add bright, lively flavor to easy-to-make roast chicken thighs. Recipe below.

BASIL IS A REGULAR FEATURE IN OUR GARDEN. Easy to grow, it most often sees action in batches of pesto in our kitchen—some consumed the day they’re made as part of a summery pasta, many more batches frozen for enjoying a taste of summer in the dead of winter. Looking for another way to use our bounteous basil, we remembered some chicken thighs lurking in the fridge. Continue reading “Weeknight-quickish Chicken Thighs with Basil and Lemon” →

Rich Fudgy Brownies with (or without) Pecans

These rich, chewy, chocolaty brownies are topped with a delicious two-ingredient icing. Recipe below.

THE OTHER DAY, OUR NEIGHBOR ROSA INVITED US TO A COOKOUT in her backyard in honor of her sister Lorena’s birthday. We love her cookouts—there’s always great food and great conversation and her yard is an elegant, shady oasis—even on the hottest days, she somehow conjures cooling breezes. And we love Lorena, so celebrating her birthday? in Rosa’s yard? sounded like a perfect evening. Continue reading “Rich Fudgy Brownies with (or without) Pecans” →

Greek Grilled Chicken Thighs

Olive oil, lemons, garlic, oregano, paprika and Greek yogurt create a delicious, tenderizing marinade for grilled chicken thighs.

SUMMER IS MADE FOR GRILLING. This summer, though, I’ve glanced guiltily at our grill on the patio countless times when we’ve been working in our garden, but haven’t fired it up even once. So we figured we could at least share one of our favorite grilled chicken recipes for those of you who are grilling this summer. Continue reading “Greek Grilled Chicken Thighs” →

Arugula Mushroom Quiche

Arugula and mushrooms team up in this slightly peppery, umami-rich vegetarian quiche. Recipe below.

ONE OF LIFE’S LITTLE PLEASURES FOR US is looking in the fridge and seeing leftover quiche, ready to be gently reheated or, honestly, just eaten cold. We’re experiencing that now, thanks to my recent urge to actually make a quiche. Continue reading “Arugula Mushroom Quiche” →

Red Currant Chutney

Red currants, apple, shallots and lots of spices create a deliciously acid/sweet/spice chutney to serve with various meats or tofu or… Recipe below.

I LOVE RED CURRANTS. When I was a kid, my father always had currant bushes, and to this day I always make room for one red currant bush, even in our very small yard. Continue reading “Red Currant Chutney” →

The quickest, easiest Corn on the Cob

Microwaving ears of corn in their husks is so fast and so easy. And the corn is absolutely delicious, even without butter and salt. Recipe below.

YOU KNOW THE OLD ADAGE ABOUT IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT’S NOT. Yeah, not this time. This corn on the cob is truly amazing—and amazingly simple to prepare. Continue reading “The quickest, easiest Corn on the Cob” →

Too hot to cook? Curried Chicken Salad

No-cook Curried Chicken Salad is a lively take on classic chicken salad, perfect for warm summer days. Recipe below.

IN TOO-HOT-TO-COOK SUMMER, this Curried Chicken Salad is an easy, delicious main course. You use leftover cooked chicken (or store-bought rotisserie chicken), so no need to turn on the stove. And you serve it chilled, perfect because summer also provides us with too-hot-to-eat days. Continue reading “Too hot to cook? Curried Chicken Salad” →

On the road. Yes, again.

Bob-Jo’s Frozen Custard, Wyandotte, Michigan

NO RECIPE THIS WEEK. We’re on the road in Michigan sampling others’ recipes. At Bob-Jo’s in Wyandotte, Michigan (we got there just before closing—they cheerfully served us delicious frozen custard treats, then efficiently rolled down the shutters and drove off as we ate at an outdoor table). A lovely “regular breakfast” with eggs, peameal bacon and a salad at A Dog’s Breakfast in Windsor, Ontario. Fresh takes on classic French cuisine at Bar Pigalle in Detroit. And ramen. And Middle Eastern kebabs. And…

We’ll be back next week with a recipe by us. See you then. And if you haven’t clicked the new horsey SUBSCRIBE HERE button in the right column, please do so now. You’ll get an email each week connecting you to our latest post. Thanks!

Tamarind-Glazed Chicken Thighs

Tamarind paste and fresh orange juice create a lively, sweet/sour, caramelly, smoky glaze for roasted chicken thighs. Recipe below.

TAMARIND’S INTERNATIONAL APPEAL is what caught our eye first. The tamarind tree is native to Africa, but is now grown all over Asia and in Mexico. According to The Spruce Eats, the dark, sour, sticky paste made from its fruit is a common ingredient in Thai, Indian and Mexican cuisines, as well as Vietnamese, Latin, and Caribbean cooking. Here, it teams up with orange juice to bring a bright, citrusy freshness to oven-roasted chicken thighs. Continue reading “Tamarind-Glazed Chicken Thighs” →

Just buttery enough Shrimp Scampi

A mix of olive oil and butter (and not too much of either) gives Shrimp Scampi with Fettuccine its classic rich, indulgent flavor.

LAST WEEK’S SHRIMP CUCUMBER STRAWBERRY SALAD HAD US WANTING MORE SHRIMP. And the abundant parsley in our garden made us think of shrimp scampi. It’s a perfect summery pasta dish—garlic, white wine and parsley brighten it up while butter gives it a luxurious finish. But too many recipes go way overboard with the butter, making it heavy and calorific. Continue reading “Just buttery enough Shrimp Scampi” →