Vegetarian

Ho. Ho. Ho. and Spinach and Mushroom Gratin

Ho. Ho. Ho. and Spinach and Mushroom Gratin

It is the Christmas season here in Huntington Beach. I know that because my local Costco has Christmas trees for sale.   Seems a tad early to me, but there is some research that holds that people who decorate early for the holidays lead happier…

Farro: You Can Take It With You (Apparently)

Farro: You Can Take It With You (Apparently)

This is a post about farro. People have been enjoying farro for a very long time. Farro images can be found on the walls of the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. The Egyptians stocked the tombs of their leaders with all the good stuff they would…

Pucker Up for Nectarine Frozen Yogurt

Pucker Up for Nectarine Frozen Yogurt

Trust me. It’s tough photographing frozen yogurt. The stuff melts. There you are setting up the shot–just the right lighting…just the right angle– and bam! By the time you are ready to release the shutter, your subject has melted and those pretty little chunks of…

Plum Cobbler Bars From The Heart

Plum Cobbler Bars From The Heart

“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.” -Cesar Chavez   I get a lot of pleasure from sharing food.  There is something wonderful about watching…

Wicked Potato Salad with Dill

Wicked Potato Salad with Dill

    Apples and potatoes? Why not? This recipe brings together an eclectic mix of ingredients into one delicious whole and the magic of the salad is the dressing which incorporates a whole lot of crunch and a piquant sweet and sour dressing. It’s pretty,…

Cumin-Spiced Cauliflower With Fried Lentils and Spinach Yogurt

Cumin-Spiced Cauliflower With Fried Lentils and Spinach Yogurt

  You’re pretty sure to be the only person to bring this salad to the next potluck. It’s unusual. This recipe is adapted from one that appears in Hetty McKinnon’s imaginitive salad cookbook, Neighborhood. I find myself repeatedly going to her cookbooks when I want…

Blueberry Muffins and A Little Refrigerator Drama

Blueberry Muffins and A Little Refrigerator Drama

Three hundred and seventy-three blueberries. That’s how many berries Juliet and I had to pick up off the floor. I had reached into the refrigerator, gotten distracted as I grabbed a jar of marmalade and, in one fraught moment, managed to dislodge the two-pound box…

Cantaloupe Soup With Jalapeños, Red Onion and Basil

Cantaloupe Soup With Jalapeños, Red Onion and Basil

  My husband was a very good cook, but he operated with wild abandon when it came to picking recipes. Strawberries, pickles, and powdered sugar? No problem. Needless to say, it made for some interesting meals. I’m more cautious. In my kitchen, the critical first…

Austrian Plum Cake

Austrian Plum Cake

      Yes. This is exactly as delicious as it looks, and as elegant, too. To be very honest, it is one of the best plum desserts that I’ve baked this season, and I’ve baked (and happily eaten) my share. The Austrians call this…

Hand Pies!

Hand Pies!

Egyptian pharaohs, European kings (and queens!) and Cornish miners all ate them. Beggars ate the crusts. Now, they are hot on the culinary scene again and they are delicious. Hand pies! Hand pies originated when some smart cook realized that there was a workaround for…