Vegetables

Fresh and Wild Mushroom Stew (for the good times)

The vocabulary word for today is umami. Now don’t go getting all “low energy” on me. I really don’t want to see any of you putting your heads down on your desks and hyperventilating like this is just too hard.          …

Persian Eggplant Sandwich and A Serious Cookbook Addiction

Is there a support group for compulsive cookbook buyers? Hundreds of cookbooks share my office bookshelves with my collection of history and political science books from my thirty-two year teaching career and my growing collection of photography books. My history books are sacred possessions but I’m…

Creamy Garlic Mushrooms (Almost too yummy.)

There is a vendor at the farmers market I frequent who stands in front of his stand every week and sings “almost too yummy” about his produce in a scratchy tenor voice. On more than one occasion, I have heard the nearby vendors good-naturedly (and…

Roasted Sweet Onion Salad Dressing and Musings about Weetabix and Cobb Salad

Do you get the dreaded “midnight munchies?” Me, too. Here’s a photo. OK. Maybe that isn’t me. But, alas, my refrigerator raids seldom get more inventive than a bowl of Weetabix and just enough cold milk to keep the Weetabix crispy. I’ve had many a…

Pasta with marinated cherry tomatoes

Did you forget? This is National Lasagna Awareness Month. Funny choice of words, I think. Who isn’t “aware” of lasagna? Speaking of funny (well…sort of funny), this made me laugh. Reminds me of those wonderful classic Steven Wright jokes. If you want to celebrate lasagna…

Potato Salad with Goat Cheese

“Found a little patched-up inn in the village of Bulson. Proprietor had nothing but potatoes; but what a feast he laid before me. Served them in five different courses-potato soup, potato fricassee, potatoes creamed, potato salad and finished with potato pie. It may be because…

Borscht: Would you like vodka with that?

  The bowl of borscht pictured above is not a soup. At least, it is not a soup unless you want it to be. Borscht can be served as a hearty stew and as a cold gazpacho-like drink. It’s your call. However you serve it,…

Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup

    According to what I read online, cauliflower was the “it” vegetable for 2014. Where was I? Don’t get me wrong. I love cauliflower. I just didn’t get the memo. No problem that I missed the big party, though. Cauliflower continues to be “hot” in…

Turkish Eggplant with Yogurt and Green Chile Oil

Does your food smile? Superstar (and perfectionist) chef Yotam Ottolenghi has been known to empty shelves displaying food in his delis because of the smile factor (actually, the no smile factor). In Ottolenghi’s food world, you have to be able to taste the food before…

Israeli Pumpkin Soup

“Ever notice that Soup For One is eight aisles away from Party Mix?”                                                             —Elayne Boosler…