Little Peruvian “Beak Peppers,” also known as Sweetie Drops, are making their way to our dinner plates adding a little punch of acid and mild heat. While roaming through the market this week, I came across two unusual ingredients and knew I had to create a dish that would use them both. The first was…
Category: Appetizers
Smelts with Lemon & Capers
Yes, these little New England natives have a funny name, and they don’t look like much more than a mouthful, but these mid-winter natives remain popular. Rainbow smelts are a saltwater fish that, like salmon, spawn in fresh water tributaries, particularly on the Maine coast. These little gems are an extremely popular target of ice…
Socca with Garlic and Herbs
Quick and easy, this chickpea flatbread tastes like nothing else! This unique, crunchy chickpea pancake, hails from the south of France, a rustic Niçoise street food. Made simply with chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour, water, and olive oil, there are also versions of this dish in Italy. It is perfect in its simplicity, but that doesn’t…
Roasted Vegetables Make the Meal
Roasting vegetables enhances the flavor––who doesn’t love those caramelized edges? I love roasted vegetables, and I love the process of prepping and roasting them. From potatoes to Brussels sprouts, it is hard to think of any vegetable that doesn’t benefit from the added flavor and texture when roasting. I grew up in a time when…
Homemade Hummus with Roasted Chickpeas
If you make it from scratch with dried chickpeas, this dip not only tastes better than what you find in the market, but it is quite economical as well. I love hummus. I always have some in my refrigerator and I use it for dips and as a spread on sandwiches or crackers. As delicious…
Party Wings & Other Things
Use this Maple, Ginger, and Garlic Marinade on wings, or cauliflower florets, and everyone is pleased! Most of my family loves wings, some love them spicy, some love them mild, and some don’t eat meat at all but love the spicy flavors! Since everyone does not eat meat, there is no one-shop recipe….
Boston Brown Bread
If you have never heard of the New England tradition of Boston Brown Bread, you are in for a treat! When I was growing up, when we had a supper of beans, they were often served with Boston Brown Bread. This was the comfort meal, a bowl of beans and a biscuit or brown bread….
New Year’s Shrimp Egg Rolls with Homemade Duck Sauce
A family tradition that is fun for all ages. The kids and I make Homemade Egg Rolls, Fried Rice, and Crab Rangoons every New Years. It is a change from other foods we’ve been feasting on the last couple of weeks, and it is always a lot of fun. It takes only moments for the…
Christmas Morning Breakfast Quiche
A Perfect Make Ahead Breakfast using Sugar Snap Peas and Caramelized Onions! I forget about quiche for long periods of time, or perhaps I make them too often and tire of them. If it’s been a while, perhaps it’s time to revisit. When I would serve this to my guests at the inn, I looked…
Whole Grain Buttermilk Biscuits with Herbs & Parmesan
Mom’s Weeknight Biscuits with a few Twists Biscuits with baked beans. Biscuits with soup. Biscuits with chicken and gravy, and just about everything else. That is how I grew up. My mom made beautiful yeast breads on the weekends, but weeknight supper was all about the quick biscuit. She didn’t need a recipe; she made…
Baked Camembert with Cranberry, Pecans, & Ginger
A Special Appetizer You can Assemble the Day Before Your Event, and Bake off as your Guests Arrive If you are looking for a special appetizer that is quick, easy, and can be assembled the day before your holiday or event, a wheel of Camembert or Brie, baked in puff pastry, and dressed up with…
Conjuring Clarified Consommé
It’s Kitchen Magic at its Best! It really seems like magic when you take a pan of murky stock and in just minutes transform it into crystal clear broth! There is no nutritional reason to clarify stock, it is all about the appearance and nothing more. But if you have never done this, it is…
