The weather has turned, and with a chill in the air and a fire in the hearth there might be the urge to take a bit more time cooking, or bake something tasty. Bread baking is always satisfying, whether yeasted or a quick bread. Sometimes as we prepare a meal there’s a feeling a little…
Category: Snacks
For those of you who love Goat Cheese, and especially for those who don’t.
This nibble is lunch, or supper, or a very quick first-course for a casual dinner party. Or slip into goat cheese quietly with a flavorful retro-inspired cheese ball, perfect for the Fourth of July celebrations. Half of our family loves goat cheese, and half do not. In fact, a couple put it on their terrible,…
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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…
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Secret Recipe Toffee Squares: Now you know!
This is THE recipe to contribute to the bake sale; first to sell out, and always popular. And now, you know the secret. For years, my friend C. helped me stock the green room for our performing artists at the Roots on the River Music Festival. It was a great deal of fun, and our…
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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…
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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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Pear & Ginger Muffins
Ripe autumn pears dance beautifully with spicy ginger! We had a lovely brunch with friends Suzy and Bob last week at the peak of Vermont’s fabulous foliage color. It was an autumn celebration of some of the best of the season: a frittata featuring native squash, beans, and corn. Roasted potatoes, of course. A few…
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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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Maple and Spice Granola
When my children were small, I got in the habit of making granola for them, a big container always graced a prime spot in the larder. With oats and raisins from the bulk section of the health food store, this was a simple and inexpensive cereal to make while on a really tight budget. We…
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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…
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Vermont Cheddar and Rosemary Biscuits
Tender, moist, and packed with flavor, these cheddar and rosemary biscuits are a perfect little afternoon snack or brunch favorite. Do you need a little pick-me-up in the middle of the afternoon? A cup of tea, or perhaps an iced coffee, along with a nibble of something sweet or savory, and you’re set to go…
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Toasted Jack O’ Lantern Seeds
Pumpkin seeds! We have a ton when we carve a Jack O’ Lantern. Don’t throw them away, we can turn them into a delicious snack! You don’t want to waste those delicious and nutritious seeds! It’s so much fun to take those guts, separate the seeds, and make a little treat for after Halloween. But…
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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…
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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…
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Chia Seed Virgin Mary Breakfast Pudding
From chia pet to hot nutritional powerhouse in (only) a few decades, these curious little seeds can boost your morning energy with this savory pudding! My first experience of chia seeds was their thick fur on little clay “pets” that were a rage. My mother grew one on her kitchen window sill. That was pretty…
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Grandmother Alice’s Gingerbread
This is a traditional gingerbread, baked in a traditional square pan, but with a few little flavor twists along the way to move it into this century. I lived across the road from my Aunt Mary, my father’s sister, most of my growing up years. She was a cook who fussed little and rarely used recipes. She…
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One-Ingredient Melon Granita
They are sweet. They are enormous. Muskmelons are in-season right now at the farm stands. Freezing these bargains can preserve this summer treasure for at least a little while longer. At the farm stand this week, I found a beautiful muskmelon that was bigger than my head with an enticing aroma that begged me to…
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New England jonnycakes: traditional, yet ready for the party!
In New England, these little flatbreads have a long history from the indigenous population to today’s dressed-up tables. In New England, these little cornmeal pancakes are called jonnycakes (no “h”), sometimes jonny cakes, two words; in the south, they may be referred to as journey cakes or hoe cakes. They are also known as ashcake,…
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Seductive Strawberry Cream Scones
It’s Impossible to improve on the original old family recipe, unless you add a dab of whipped cream! I was afraid this would be one of those years when the strawberries would taste watery since we’ve had so much rain, but I was wrong! The strawberries have been absolutely delicious this year – sweet, plump,…
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Update your picnic with a modern twist on a three-bean salad and other treats
It’s picnic time, if the weather holds… It has been a rainy spring, and while we haven’t thought much about going on picnics, the warmth is returning, and the bonus from all that moisture is a green landscape that begs for a blanket and a basket of treats. The easiest picnic food is eaten with the…
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Thai Baked Tofu with Peanut & Sesame
Flavorful and satisfying, even the meat-lovers will enjoy this! This is one of my favorite lunches or snacks. It is a little spicy, a little sweet, a little sour, and a whole lot savory. I find it addictive as well! Our local food co-op offered a baked thai tofu in its “Grab and Go” section…
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Sweet or Savory Buckwheat Crêpes
Naturally gluten-free, these lacy traditional crêpes are perfect for either sweet or savory dishes. Buckwheat crêpes are one of my favorites from the family recipe box. My own family loves them as well. I might make them for a Sunday breakfast, brunch with guests, dessert, or as a well-loved after-school snack for my grandchildren. Everything…
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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…
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Pots de Crème
Transform dark (or white) chocolate, heavy cream, and a handful of other ingredients into a memorable dessert in no time at all! Pots de Crème are rich little pudding/custard desserts, and if made with dark chocolate, one of the nicest way to end a special meal, especially around Valentine’s Day. It’s rich, so you will…
