Throughout these strange months of limited activity, I, like many people, have turned to the kitchen for comfort and distraction. I haven’t been cooking quite as much as I thought I would, and its been a bit of a rollercoaster of success and failure. For myself, I’ve made hamburgers, hot dogs and rich pastas, I’ve been known to have chips and dip for dinner, I’ve made … [Read more...] about Fennel Vichyssoise
Vegetables
Summer Squash Muffins
Sunny yellow summer squash is so abundant here in the summer. If you know anyone who grows it, you’ve probably found a bag of excess stealthily left on your doorstep in the deep of night – when it grows, it really grows. The farmers market is also awash in all varieties of summer squash, and sometimes I find it so cheerful I just can’t say no. But I frequently have one or two … [Read more...] about Summer Squash Muffins
Roasted Fennel Soup with Fennel Parmesan Toast
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
Autumn Celebration Salad with Port Poached Pears, Maple Pepper Walnuts, Stilton Croutons
I’ll be honest, I am not a big salad eater. Because I feel like, for the most part, salad is often just an afterthought. Sure, I like a restaurant salad with nice add-ins that I am not going to get at home, but I find most home salads come from a bag and use processed, packaged toppings and bottled dressing. People seem to volunteer to bring the salad to a party because it’s … [Read more...] about Autumn Celebration Salad with Port Poached Pears, Maple Pepper Walnuts, Stilton Croutons
