Nothing motivates one to get in the kitchen more than a funeral. We all seem to harbor that primordial need to comfort with food. And there are fixed ideas – recipes that we keep in mind, or maybe on a card at the front of the recipe box for easy access. A hearty, comforting dish that we know how to make and how to make well that we can whip up the instant the call comes. … [Read more...] about Tomato Aspic
Sides
Baked Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Sage Cream
It is such a little bit of magic when something truly easy is also masterfully elegant. And that is the case with this simple pasta dish. So few ingredients, only a little fiddling around and you end up with bubbling deliciousness. Maybe because the ingredients are just a little out of the norm or because it basically makes its own sauce in the oven. Serve this up to your … [Read more...] about Baked Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Sage Cream
Simple Soda Bread
Soda bread is really a recipe to have in your pocket. Serving a nice, warm loaf of homemade bread at a moment’s notice is serious kitchen magic. And I’ve made the process for making Irish soda bread even easier by letting the mixer do the work. Soda bread is substantial and hearty – the perfect partner for soup or stew, or corned beef and cabbage. Good butter melting into … [Read more...] about Simple Soda Bread
Green and Gold Collards
Greens on New Year’s Day are an important tradition here in the South. It’s a wish for prosperity in the new year, you see, greens representing the foldin’ money you hope to have in your pocket. Collards are a traditional green and here you can add a little wish for some jangly change in your pocket too with the golden coin-like dumplings. Serve them with some black-eyed peas, … [Read more...] about Green and Gold Collards
Cranberry Ginger Compote
I would hazard a guess that the cranberries on the Thanksgiving table are one of the more polarizing dishes. You can’t have Thanksgiving without cranberries, but the divide between sweet and savory, jellied or chunky, canned or homemade is probably the source of mnay under-the-breath comments and drive-to-grandma’s complaints. I have never been a fan of the cranberry sauce … [Read more...] about Cranberry Ginger Compote
