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.
Category: Appetizers
Lentil and Mushroom Balls
They are hearty and delicious, perfect for supper by the fire. And this recipe makes enough to tuck some in the freezer for another day. I’ve made a million meat-free meatballs, and usually I’m disappointed. Often they get mushy. Sometimes the flavor is way off, and other times they are just hard little balls sitting…
Mushroom Croquettes with Saffron Lemon Sauce
We need to please a wide range of dietary needs in our family and friends circle, so I thought a special redux of the traditional croquettes recipe was in order. I swapped out lightly cooked shiitake mushrooms for the cooked turkey in this recipe, and bumped up some of the seasoning.
Sourdough Whole Wheat Sesame Crackers
These crackers make use of sourdough discard, with sesame flavor coming from three sources! Homemade crackers are remarkably simple to make, delicious, and can be modified in many ways to create flavor combinations you’ll love. On Saturday, I try to remember to feed “Ginny Junior,” my sourdough starter of 11 years. I often forget in…
Artichoke Bottoms with Scallops and Mushrooms
Artichoke bottoms are perfect little vessels to hold countless fillings. One of my favorite culinary gifts from my late Mother-in-Law Pat, was the discovery of canned artichoke bottoms. Pat was not just a great cook, but a chef in her two high-end restaurants in the Manchester and Londonderry Vermont area, the heart of ski country….
Socca with Toasted Garlic and Cherry Tomatoes
A simple flatbread made with simple ingredients but with a toasted garlic twist. One of our family’s favorite quick sides is socca, a simple chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour flatbread (or is it a pancake?) that can be as simple as just the flour, water, and salt. Cooked in a hot oven or griddle in a…
Smoked Trout and Shiitake Appetizers
A quick little bite that is packed with flavor! This has been the summer of physically distanced mini dinner parties on my front porch. We lugged our houseplants outside, added two long tables together, set up a separate serving area, and added some fans. We’ve made it work, and have been able to enjoy the…
Tofu Salad with Tarragon, Toasted Pecans, and Dried Apricots
Sometimes a new gadget makes cooking more fun! I have a new toy –– a tofu press. So many of my recipes for tofu call for pressing it first and then baking or cooking in some other way. It involves placing the tofu between two towel-lined plates, placing a balanced heavy can or pan on…
Chill-Out Summer Supper with Tomato Water Granita Starter
Dinner parties are arranged a little differently –– they are much smaller, but just as much fun as we enjoy friends and good food!From tomato water granita (with seafood or vegetarian) to chilled seafood stew, everything was made early in the day, so it was all pretty effortless when it came time to eat. More […]
Smoky Grilled Garlic Scape Hummus
It’s a little smoky, a little sweet, and a lot savory with the garlic scapes adding a mild not-quite garlic flavor.I think I could eat hummus any meal or snack of the day, and it’s usually front and center at a party or picnic. I’ve made it dozens of ways, but my latest rendition uses…
Squash Flowers Stuffed with Swiss Chard and Beans
These pretty baked summer squash blossoms are dairy- and gluten- free, and stuffed with a flavorful chickpea and rainbow chard filling. There is something simple and beautiful about an edible flower on a plate. Used sparingly, they can add interesting flavor and color to many dishes. But a flower big enough to stuff? The granddaddy…
Spinach Crazy Salad with Coffee Vinaigrette
It’s certain that fine women eat A crazy salad with their meat. ~ William Butler Yeats “A Prayer for my Daughter” A crazy salad at my home is a kind of kitchen sink dish, you make it with whatever you have on hand, within reason of course! When I make this salad, I go…
Lemon, Farro, and Wild Rice Salad
Farro and wild rice both have wonderful texture, and when you put them together in a salad, you have a winning combination that is packed with flavor and nutrition. I love salads that I can put together and munch on all week at lunch or snack time. They are often the same salads that provide…
Winter Market Shallot and Arugula Soup
My winter farm market had the largest shallots I’d ever seen in my life, as big as an onion; I knew I had to make something special. The staples at our Winter CSA are reliable, and I am extremely grateful that all season long and well into spring, I can purchase organic, colorful potatoes, carrots,…
Fresh Spring Roll Lettuce Wraps
I couldn’t make up my mind. Did I want fresh spring rolls or lettuce wraps? I decided to combine the two! It was a rough week, weather wise, here in Vermont. Ice, rain, snow, then frigid below zero temperatures for days; even the sunshine did not make it easier, and no one wanted to leave…
Black Bean and Corn Salad
Corn and beans are a delicious combination, and when accompanied by lots of other flavorful and colorful vegetables, they shine. This is a vibrant salad with warm spices and lots of crunch! This little collection of beans, corn, vegetables, and spices can play many roles, so make a big batch and serve it differently at…
