Summertime, and the living is easy, at least a little longer. We love a chilled salad, something packed with flavor that we can enjoy over a few meals without any additional cooking. Pasta salads are always at the top of the list, whether a humble macaroni salad, or colorful pasta primavera. They feed a lot,…
Category: Appetizers
Parsley and Parmesan Broth with Crabmeat Salad
Full of flavor, and we didn’t waste a thing! One of the joys of having an accomplished chef and restauranteur for a mother-in-law was the abundance of knowledge of little techniques along the way from her, often just by eating what she served. It was always incredible, always memorable, and never skimped on calories, carbs,…
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Chickpea Flatbread with Asparagus & Chives
Chives and asparagus are among our earliest sprouts here in New England, dancing together nicely at this time of year! This is the season of lilacs in our village, and what a year it is! There isn’t a street where one does not inhale this incredible scent of spring, and their luscious color as well….
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Warm Frisée and Radicchio Salad with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette
Slightly bitter, slightly sweet, a treat for the eyes and palate. My husband came back from the market with a head of radicchio rather than the head of purple cabbage on my list. It was a delightful mistake since I really love that colorful and slightly bitter green (is it still a green if it…
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A Platter of Bitter Delights with a Touch of Sweet Maple
Bitter just needs to be balanced, and since the sap is running, we know what to use! The sap is running! Today, it is supposed to hit 55 with spring rains forecast! Warm days and cold nights in late winter and early spring in Vermont mean the precious gold of our region is flowing through…
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Heavenly Deviled Eggs
Sometimes, you just have to make things a little healthier, even a classic you don’t really want to mess with! No matter how elegant the party, the first thing to disappear are the humble deviled eggs. I’m not even talking caviar or truffle topped here, just a basic halved egg filled with the yolks and…
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Let’s Have a Party! We’ll Have Crab and Mashed Potato Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms!
A special starter for a dinner party, fun hors d’oeuvre, or a comfort food supper. (And there is a delicious vegan option as well!) First of all, any dish that has mashed potatoes as a prime ingredient is going to be on my favorites list. This has both mashed potatoes and local crab meat, which…
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Let’s Have a Party! We’ll serve June Cleaver Toasts, of course!
Nothing could be easier; these delectable little canapés may become a routine in your home after the first bite. Promise! I was told by an old family friend, Hilda, who lived to her 100th year, that this was a recipe for a party canapé in a pinch, popular in the 1950s, quick and easy. They are…
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Let’s have a party! Amie’s Olive and Artichoke Tapenade starts it off.
With pantry items and a couple of fresh touches, you can have a lovely appetizer in minutes! I love an appetizer you know you can throw together at the last minute, and even better if you can make it a day ahead of time. I can’t remember a party where I didn’t have a bowl…
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Pat’s Holiday Gravlax
I first received gravlax as a gift from my Mother-in-Law and was amazed that this could be accomplished in a home kitchen I remember getting this gift of home-cured gravlax, a salt-preserved salmon, every year at Christmastime from my mother-in-law Pat, my husband’s father’s second wife. The first time she gave it to us, I…
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Aunt Mary’s Salt Cod Cakes
The fish that fed the world, traveled from my Aunt’s kitchen to mine, with a few changes along the way. My Aunt Mary made cod cakes frequently, with a flavor that still tickles the memory after all these years. An old New England standby, these were extremely economical, although usually a bit on the bland…
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Corn and Red Pepper Fritters with Poached Eggs and Salsa
Hurry! Corn season is fast winding down. This dish will serve as breakfast, brunch, or a quick summer supper, and there’s simple vegan and gluten-free options as well. We are approaching the Equinox, and with it the final days of our corn season. This is the time to squeeze in as many fresh corn dishes…
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Savory Olive and Rosemary Madeleines
Little three-bite savory delights, perfect for a party! It started with a trip to King Arthur Baking in Norwich. I was meeting my friend Suzy for lunch at the cafe, and had a couple of things to pick up from the baking store, primarily the organic white whole wheat flour I frequently use. Of course,…
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Peach and Cheddar Tartine on Sourdough Rye Bread
Pick a fruit, pick a cheese (yes, vegan cheese, too) any combination will be good, and you will have a perfect topping for a tartine. My friend Carolyn and I treat each other throughout the year. I get eggs from her lovely flock of hens, and delivery day usually means the handing off of a…
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Stuffed Napa Cabbage Leaves with Peanut Sauce
We love the ease of feeding ourselves a rainbow of nutrition in high summer in Vermont! You never know what you will find at the farm stands and farmers markets in July in Vermont, but it’s a sure bet there will be lots from which to choose and enjoy. This week, I found everything I…
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Spicy Gazpacho
In just a few minutes, you can have a stash of chilled summer soup waiting for you on these hot summer days! it got hot and humid, in the 90s just when we all wanted to work in the garden! This is when I look for a cold lunch or dinner, salads or chilled soups…
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Spring Pea and Asparagus Salad with Radish Top Dressing
If you love peas, you’ll love this salad! Spring means the return of fresh, local green things! Fiddleheads, ramps, spring lettuces, radishes, pea shoots, and the much-anticipated asparagus. How we love those first spears, pulled fresh from the earth! There will be grilled and steamed asparagus, asparagus soup, asparagus in stir fries and salads, served…
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Haddock Quenelles in Saffron Fish Broth
Light, fluffy dumplings swimming in a flavorful pool of delight, inspired by a character from the past. Dec. 31, 1985, was memorable on several counts. First of all, I made a lavish New Year’s Eve feast inspired by the vintage cookbook “Francatelli’s Modern Cook” 1887, a revision of earlier editions. I had picked this up for…
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Baked Nantucket Bay Scallops
A quick and easy recipe that lets the flavor of these beautiful scallops shine through. I have been scallop greedy this winter. Some years, New England bay scallops, especially Nantuckets, are hard to find or really expensive because they truly are rigidly protected and the absolute best in the world. They were still expensive this…
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Apple, Onion, and Cheese Party Sandwich
A little sweet, a little savory, and full of flavor, this sandwich can please a crowd and yes, you can make it vegan quite easily. After this long entertainment drought, I’m certainly looking forward to having family and friends over, and it’s never too early to plan for a party. While a big gathering is…
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Seared Sesame Tuna and Swiss Chard
A warm salad, starter, or light lunch, this dish is filled with flavor and texture. This dish is really simple and quick, taking just a few minutes in the kitchen from start to finish. It is delicious warm or at room temperature. The dressing makes the dish, and you can use it on any fish…
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Winter Radish Fritters
These little winter radish fritters can be an appetizer, party food, a side dish, or lunch! We’re trying to be good and eat as much from the local winter CSA as possible. In mid-February, we still have roots of every kind, lots of roots, our continuing supply of baby greens, lots of eggs and cheese….
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Corn and Horseradish Stuffed Baby Potatoes
Little bites of big flavor, these potatoes are always a crowd pleaser, even if this year the party is a little smaller! The big game is Sunday and since this year Tom Brady will not be leading the New England Patriots to victory, it’s just another game in our area. Who did you say was…
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Polenta Pizza with Sautéed Fennel and Leeks
If somehow you accidentally end up with a five-pound bag of cornmeal, dust off an old recipe or two! A few years ago, I clipped Mark Bittman’s recipe for polenta pizza from the New York Times. His version used pancetta and spinach and involved making the polenta, letting it set in the refrigerator until firm….
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Roasted Shrimp Cocktail with Avocado and Melon
I love a recipe that I can make early in the day and let sit around in the refrigerator getting better and better as the day goes on. Special little salads fall into this category, and in our family shrimp is always at the top of the list.
