Bay Scallop Gratin and Buttermilk Birthday Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

September 19, 2009

There has been no shortage of “staying in is the new going out” headlines since the recession hit last year, usually applied to statistics about fewer people going to pubs, a rise in subscriptions to online DVD rental services or a surge in sales of board games. Not surprisingly, restaurants have been particularly badly hit, […]

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Black Bean, Eggplant and Leek Chili with Lime Sour Cream and Honey Buttermilk Cornbread

September 18, 2009

The first cookbook I remember buying was 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes. I was in college, living in a co-op at the time, and needed something to help me cook a vegetarian dinner once a week for 40 people. I probably thought the book was a bargain — with that many recipes, there would surely be loads […]

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Salmon Provencal and Roast Herbed Potatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

September 17, 2009

I’ve been enjoying every minute of our Indian summer. On Tuesday, we spent the entire afternoon at the beach with some of my daughter’s new school friends, the first time we were able to play at the beach like that all summer. It was the kind of day I’ve been imagining having every summer since […]

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Grilled Lemon Chicken with Summer Corn Salad and Green Beans

September 16, 2009

Where I grew up in northern Illinois, there was a fabulous farm stand nearby at a busy intersection. My memory of it is that it always seemed to be on the verge of falling to pieces and I was always surprised when it reopened, having somehow made it through another punishing Midwestern winter. I remember […]

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Pasta Shells with Lemon, Tuna and Artichokes

September 15, 2009

I had originally planned on making an autumn fish stew today, but with the sun splitting the stones, as they say here, for the past week, all thoughts of such wintry food went out the window. There will be plenty of time for that later. Considering that it rained almost every day of July and […]

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Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup with Parmesan Toasts, Cape Cod Chopped Salad, and Honey Whole Wheat Pound Cake

September 14, 2009

It never fails — no sooner do I accept that summer is over and order a delivery of oil for the boiler, get the sweaters out of storage and think about swapping the summer-weight duvets for the winter ones than a spell of sunny, warm weather comes our way. I’m certainly not complaining about getting […]

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Chicken Tikka Masala, Pan-roasted Curried Cauliflower and Peas, Cucumber Raita, and Apricot Chutney

September 13, 2009

If you’ve ever been invited to dinner at my house, chances are this is what I served you. The dishes always turn out well. Even people who think they don’t like Indian food like this meal. The tikka masala is an adaptation from a Chicago Tribune recipe. It’s probably not even an ounce authentic, but […]

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Ginger-glazed Kebabs of Sweet Potato, Tofu and Shallots with Coconut Satay, Grilled Wraps with Artichoke Paste, Spinach and Cheese, and Pasta Salad with Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olives

September 12, 2009

My good friends from Washington, D.C., Dave and Mary Clare, surprised us with a visit this week. Actually, they gave us plenty of notice about the visit but we usually only get to see them around Thanksgiving, so in that way it was a surprise. In honor of the visit, my husband and I put […]

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