Light and Lively Grilled Oysters

Once you get them shucked, this is as simple as it gets, and memorable for any gathering! May is the month of my mother’s birth, her death, Mother’s Day, and, of course, here we are in the middle of Memorial Day Weekend, my thoughts turning to all of those who are no longer here: my…

Meyer Lemon and Herb Hummus with Confit Garlic

So many possibilities! What do you like? Anyone who has been to my kitchen knows there is always a bowl of hummus in my refrigerator. It is often lunch, a snack, sometimes even breakfast or supper. We have it on a salad, offered up with cucumbers or endive leaves, smeared on rye crackers, or dressed…

A Spring Salad of Three Peas and Some Pods

Peas are the star of this delightful spring salad, but the Meyer Lemon and Ginger Vinaigrette is one you’ll surely use again! A large salad can really set the tone for a holiday meal, especially if it is one that is a little different and makes its own statement of the season. Spring salads can…

Because sometimes we all need to be coddled.

 Coddled eggs may have gone out of fashion, but they are always a delight. One of the last gifts my mom gave me was a set of egg coddler cups from Williams Sanoma. They were beautiful little treasures in Delft white with blue, which she knew I loved, with shiny stainless-steel tops. She thought my…

Goat Cheese Marinated with Herbes de Provençe

Keep a jar in the refrigerator, and you’ve got a quick appetizer! One of those happy accidents. I had prepared a plate of sliced goat cheese for a gathering and I sprinkled it with herbs and crushed red peppers, drizzled it with olive oil, and had a bit left over at the end of the…

Let’s Play! Steamed Mussels with Leeks and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

There’s probably a hundred ways to make mussels in white wine, so why not 101 and use some sun-dried tomatoes! Mussels are pretty popular in my house. Whether serving as a starter, a component on a buffet, or a quick and humble main dish for supper, these lovely little bivalves are always welcome, and always…

Radish & Sesame Winter Salad

There’s sesame in three ways in this lovely salad! After the holidays are over, all I want to eat is salads and light meals. My body has long since told me to behave, and I certainly listen as I turn the page on the calendar. While we try to keep things fairly healthy even during…

My favorite leftovers!

We try hard to reduce waste in the kitchen, and planning for use of “leftovers” goes a long way to help! It can be a challenge to repurpose those leftovers hiding in the refrigerator. One can toss the remnants of yesterday’s casserole in soups, vegetables and grains in frittatas and omelets, and lots of leftovers…

Warmed Mixed Olives and Artichokes

Simple, but quite addictive! I often make an olive and artichoke tapenade at gatherings. It is always well received, and any leftovers keep for quite some time. You can also make it well ahead of time because it keeps well in the refrigerator. Let’s try something new       However, this year, I decided to switch things…

Feast of Seven Fishes – Stew!

You can honor the idea of the Feast of Seven Fishes in a one-dish meal that takes a fraction of the time, but delights with great flavor! Time is short, and I’m sending you a rerun of a previous post. Happiest of Holidays to you all! Dorothy I prepared the full Feast of the Seven…

Sherried Mushrooms on Sourdough Toasts

A simple recipe that is perfect for a snowy day! Growing up in rural New England, I was fortunate to be surrounded by forests. I was also lucky to have an uncle who was an avid forager for all things wild and wonderful in our woods.  Fresh food and antique glass He lived just up…

Aunt Jeanette’s Luscious Lemon Tart

This tart is all about the lemon, so don’t be shy! Anyone who knows me, knows I love lemons! To me, my idea of lemonade is freshy squeezed lemon juice and water, that’s it! I was delighted when I realized that all three of my grandchildren loved to suck on raw lemons since they were…

Jan’s Parsley and Cheese Bread

This was one of my sister’s favorite bread recipes. Dear friends, I have been absent here for a while. Sadly, I lost my beloved sister Jan on the morning of Halloween after a brief and unexpected one-month battle with lung cancer. It still doesn’t seem possible she won’t walk through my door, and my heart…

Chilled Strawberry and Red Wine Soup

This is vibrant, simple, delicious, and make ahead. Who could ask for more from the last of the Autumn strawberries? My friend Ray gave me this recipe many years ago, and it always makes an appearance in our house along with the local strawberries. We often served this soup at high summer for a brunch…

Sweet & Sour Autumn Slaw

Who doesn’t love a nice crunchy slaw? This one is packed with flavor that only gets better with time. Sometimes I find the weirdest things at the farmers market. This week, my eyes spied a cone-shaped cabbage. Yes. Connie Conehead would have snapped it up in a minute. I already had a head of radicchio…

One last zucchini recipe for the season, no apologies…

We’ve enjoyed them every which way we can, and still they grow with glee. This recipe is just for fun.  Ever since my own children were little, we made zucchini boats at this time of year. They enjoyed making them as much as eating them, and we’d stuff all kinds of extras in the little…

Orzo and Radicchio Salad Cups with Honey Lime Dressing

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,…