I love recipes like this. Quick and simple, but full of flavor. There’s a little twist here - the ingredients are few and straightforward, but a little out of the ordinary. Pork and fennel are a classic combination, frequently in slow-cooked roasts and braises, and fennel seed is a key ingredient in Italian sausage, so using the fresh fennel just amps up the flavor. But this … [Read more...] about Fennel and Italian Sausage Pappardelle
Cheesy Vegetable Soda Bread
We are moving (slowly, but surely. It was 99° here this week) toward soup and stew season. And when we get there, it’s always nice to serve a fresh loaf of bread alongside a bowl. I only breakout my yeast bread making skills on rare occasions, and certainly not on a busy weeknight. So a good, hearty quick bread recipe is a nice compromise. Simple Irish style Soda Bread is a … [Read more...] about Cheesy Vegetable Soda Bread
Scandi-Style Potatoes
Potatoes are a real kitchen workhorse. They go with anything – fish, chicken, beef, pork, lamb – and it is easy to make them taste good. Tossed with a little olive oil and herbs and roasted, mashed with butter and milk, baked and topped with all manner of things, cold in a potato salad. I’m a believer that if you have a potato in the house, you always have a meal. But I also … [Read more...] about Scandi-Style Potatoes
Italian Chicken, Pasta and Tomato Bake
I’m not presenting here a recipe that is going to change lives or set the culinary world on fire. But this is the time of year for basics, as we move from the easy days of summer to the frantic start of a new school year and as the fresh summer produce fades before the autumn bounty begins. It’s a great time to gather around the table for a satisfying meal, but not such a great … [Read more...] about Italian Chicken, Pasta and Tomato Bake
Watermelon Barbecue Sauce with Country Ribs
I have several Southern community cookbooks that have recipes for watermelon barbecue sauce. I love the idea, and I have made every one of those recipes, but the results were never what I had hoped for. No watermelon flavor, or sickly sweet, or just bland. But the idea appeals to me so much that I have continued to tinker with the concept for years, and I finally hit on it. … [Read more...] about Watermelon Barbecue Sauce with Country Ribs
