Vegetarian

A Couple of Swells: A Poppy Seed Vinaigrette and A Garlicky Vinaigrette

A Couple of Swells: A Poppy Seed Vinaigrette and A Garlicky Vinaigrette

  A couple of swells… Are you trying to place that expression? It’s from the classic 1948 MGM musical Easter Parade. It was the highest grossing MGM movie in the 1940s–a real crowd please, apparently.  Here is the link: Astaire and Garland: A Couple of Swells. Aah.…

Woo-hoo! Blue Cayenne is FIVE!

Woo-hoo! Blue Cayenne is FIVE!

  Break out the champagne and the party whistles. Cue the birthday music. Blue Cayenne is five! Who knew! I certainly didn’t. When I clicked “post” that first time five years ago, it was with no small amount of trepidation. Would anyone read my posts?…

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Black Bean and Corn Salad

  When I was a young cook, three-bean salad (sold in a glass jar no less!) was a go-to dish in my repertoire. (My cooking goals were pretty modest then.) This black bean and corn salad is a nod to that original bean salad and…

Pastel De Elote: Mexican Sweet Corn Cake

If a cake and cornbread got married… This is an addicting little cake. It’s beautiful in a simple but elegant way, too. I confess that it becomes an “every single morning” part of my breakfast routine whenever I bake it. Dusted with just enough powdered…

Wow! Jalapeno Cheddar Bread

Wow! Jalapeno Cheddar Bread

Do you have an undiagnosed case of mageirocophobia?  That would be a fear related to some form of  cooking. If you do, you are not alone. People have all kinds of specific phobias about food and cooking. Apparently, there are people who are afraid of…

A Party On Your Plate: Chocolate and Almond Torte

A Party On Your Plate: Chocolate and Almond Torte

A lot of people have had a lot to say about cake. There was, of course Marie “Let them eat cake” Antoinette. Julia Child famously quipped “A party without a cake is really just a meeting.” British PM Boris Johnson stated his position on cake:…

Beautiful Indulgent Cauliflower Soup

Beautiful Indulgent Cauliflower Soup

Comfort food. This cauliflower soup is flavorful and oh-so-creamy. Topping it with big buttery bread crumbs elevates it from excellent to exceptional. It’s the perfect comfort food for these difficult times. By the way, did you know that cauliflower is 92% water? How interesting is…

A Fleeting Season and A  Savory-Sweet Fig Tart

A Fleeting Season and A Savory-Sweet Fig Tart

It’s September, people! It’s fig season here in the Northern Hemisphere. Buy figs now while you can during their excruciatingly short season from August through early October. Figs, a member of the mulberry family, are among the oldest fruits consumed by humans. That said, figs…

Meditating on Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Meditating on Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Homemade bread. It’s having a renaissance if you haven’t noticed. You have only to look at the nearly-empty flour shelves in your local grocery store to know that people are baking. Bread flour isn’t the only baking ingredient in short supply; don’t even think about…

WOW!  Chinese Stir-Fried Tomatoes and Eggs

WOW! Chinese Stir-Fried Tomatoes and Eggs

  For a foodie like me, one of the great joys in life is finding an exceptional recipe. Bonus points if the recipe is spot on in recreating a fond food memory. You know that kind of recipe, I’m sure. You make it. You taste…