My primary memory of hominy is a quick Sunday night dish my mom used to whip up with eggs and sausage, but I love hominy as a more unusual side for a good Mexican meal. I recently made this dish for a gathering of my parents’ friends, and when they realized it was hominy, I got a few looks. One friend told me she hadn’t had hominy since early childhood, when it was served in … [Read more...] about Creamy Hominy Bake with Green Chiles and Cheese
Skillet Strawberry Upside Down Cake
In the last few years, I have truly become a seasonal eater. The rise in popularity of farmers markets has encouraged me in this, because the array of beautiful farm fresh fruits and vegetables is so tempting. And after years of being desensitized by perennially available produce, I have rediscovered just how amazing produce is in season, not treated by gasses and flown and … [Read more...] about Skillet Strawberry Upside Down Cake
Meyer Lemon Chiffon Dip for Spring Vegetables
Simple, delicious spring vegetables really just need the simplest of bright accompaniments, and this dip really hits the bill. It is tangy with lemon and perfectly creamy and even has a sunshine-y yellow hue. I love this at room temperature as a dip for lightly steamed asparagus spears or artichoke leaves. Put it can also be spooned over as a sauce. And its uses go far … [Read more...] about Meyer Lemon Chiffon Dip for Spring Vegetables
Blanquette de Veau (Creamy Veal Stew)
Blanquette de veau is a delicious, classic French dish with a real difference. I’ll admit though, I’d never really considered tackling it, because, at first look, it seems a bit complicated. But I recently hosted a book club at my house to discuss the book Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris, a rich, evocative story laced with memories of classic French food. So of … [Read more...] about Blanquette de Veau (Creamy Veal Stew)
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese with Country Ham and Leeks
From the first time I made macaroni and cheese, I’ve used this basic recipe, with the sauce you simply stir up. We were not a big macaroni and cheese family, and never had any version from the box until college, when the hot pot was our main cooking apparatus and I had an ingenious roommate. I think I might have originally found the recipe in a kids’ cookbook, but I don’t … [Read more...] about Creamy Macaroni and Cheese with Country Ham and Leeks
