I love the magic of soup. With such a few ingredients you can create richly flavored and complex bowls of delight. And those bowls can be elegant and sophisticated or hearty and homey. I make this soup while I’m doing other things in the kitchen – cut the vegetables and roast them while putting the dishes away, simmer them in the broth while making a grocery list, blitz it all … [Read more...] about Roasted Fennel Soup with Fennel Parmesan Toast
Smoky Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Stew
As the New Year starts, we turn again to our black-eyed peas for luck. I usually go for something traditionally Southern, but every once in a while, I like to ring the changes and spice things up. This hearty stew has all the cold-weather comfort of old-fashioned Southern black-eyed peas with a fantastic hit of smoke and spice. I’ll admit, I am mostly a … [Read more...] about Smoky Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Stew
Cranberry Ginger Muffin Tree
Make anything in the shape of a wreath or a tree at this time of the year and instant celebration! So I present this lovely and charming muffin tree for the holidays. It’s bound to bring a smile to the faces of your breakfast companions, and I love how fun it is to serve it right on the baking sheet and let everyone tear-and share. These treats are something of a cross … [Read more...] about Cranberry Ginger Muffin Tree
Pomegranate Glazed Cocktail Sausages
Don’t laugh. I really like cocktail weenies. I know, they seem a little outré, like those memes of horrible recipes from the past that go around. But I have made many versions of glazed cocktail sausages for parties, particularly at Christmas, and people’s eyes light up and they are devoured. Now, I say I love these, but I have also seen them go horribly wrong. I mean, I’m … [Read more...] about Pomegranate Glazed Cocktail Sausages
Mulled Wine Brownies
I love all the silly sweets at Christmas. This rice crispie treat wreaths, cupcakes with red and green sprinkles, those little pretzel reindeer. It’s the kind of fun the holidays are all about. But sometimes it’s nice to present something a bit more grown-up. As the children in my life are turning into adults (faster than I like), I find more reason to try out those … [Read more...] about Mulled Wine Brownies
