Salmon Roasted with Herbs, Rice Pilaf with Onions, Almonds and Currants, Maple-glazed Carrots, and Icebox Cake

January 5, 2010

Today is Sam’s third birthday. We celebrated this weekend with a houseful of kids and a very patient though ultimately frazzled Kindermusic teacher. During our party planning, Sam asked for a whipped cream cake. Not knowing exactly what a whipped cream cake might entail, I turned to the trusted Smitten Kitchen. The resulting concoction, an […]

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Easy Pasta Supper with Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce

January 4, 2010

I’ve eaten so much pasta in my life that my blood must be part durum wheat by now. My childhood memories of dinner are crowded with images of a big bowl of salad and a basket of garlic bread on the table and a pot of spaghetti on the stove, with a huge bucket of […]

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Beef Tenderloin with Arugula and Horseradish Sauce, Baked Brie with Mushrooms and Thyme, Rockin’ Celery, and Chocolate Chunks with Cherries and Pistachios

December 18, 2009

We’re planning to have a few friends over for New Year’s Eve. Instead of coordinating a full sit-down dinner, I’m planning a spread of bite-size delicacies. A plate of hors d’oeuvres balanced in one hand with a glass of champagne in the other is my idea of a party — even when it’s just me […]

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Halibut, Veracruz Style over Rice and Salad with Orange-Lime Cumin Vinaigrette

December 17, 2009

This was originally going to be tilapia, Veracruz style but Reuben was too enamored with the halibut to pass it up. I especially liked this preparation not only for the taste but also because the sauce can be made the night before. As you can see from my photo (thank you Reuben for my early […]

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Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

December 15, 2009

I think Orangette was the first food blog I ever read. Kristin pointed me towards it years ago and I was hooked. Being the thoughtful friend that she is, Kristin sent me Molly Wizenberg’s (aka Orangette) book, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, last week for my birthday. I had already […]

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Bow Ties with Chicken Sausage and Leek Sauce with Roasted Broccoli

December 14, 2009

Well, I’m still working though the “B” cookbooks at the library. After years of watching Lidia Matticchio Bastianich’s show on PBS, I finally picked up one of her cookbooks. I will admit, I skipped the sizeable section on fresh pastas due to my fresh pasta phobia (I know, I know, how hard can it be) […]

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Pumpkin and Tomato Laksa

December 11, 2009

Despite my recent cravings for hearty winter food, I’ve also been craving something with brighter flavors too. This laksa is warming and filling, and the clean flavors are a welcome respite from holiday excesses. Nigel Slater calls it a recipe to “restore and comfort.” Pumpkin and Tomato Laksa adapted from The Kitchen Diaries by Nigel […]

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Chickpea, Sweet Potato and Chorizo Stew

December 10, 2009

I’ve never really been sure when autumn crosses over into winter. I’d always thought the winter solstice marked the first day of winter, which just goes to show my American roots — apparently we regard the season as starting on the solstice and ending on the following equinox (regardless of the fact that in the […]

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