Melty cheese and crispy bread are the perfect pairing for soup, creamy or brothy. And this may be the ultimate soup sidecar. If you are fan of the classic croque monsieur, this is basically just the top. A creamy, cheesy béchamel sauce browned until bubbly on a good piece of bread. I like it plain, but feel free to alter it to suit your soup – before you melt in the cheese … [Read more...] about Fontina Cheese Toasties
Soup and Salads
Roasted Garlic Soup
Winter is all about soup. I could eat a nice, steaming bowl of warming soup every day in the chilly months. A cup of summer tomato soup from the freezer for lunch with a simple sandwich, a hearty bowl with chunky bread and a good salad for dinner, even a little mug of leftover as an afternoon snack. And this roasted garlic version is particularly comforting. It’s the … [Read more...] about Roasted Garlic Soup
Autumn Sweet Potato Salad
Part of the joy of Thanksgiving for me is the leftovers. I cook a turkey bigger than my family could ever eat on the day, I make huge amounts of dressing, I even cram some in a loaf pan to bake so it can be sliced to fit on a sandwich. My shopping lists include good bread, cheese and condiments for next day sandwiches. I’ve made Fig, Bourbon and Vanilla Bean … [Read more...] about Autumn Sweet Potato Salad
French Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
When the weather turns chilly, it may seem that the time for cold salads has past. But this lovely, homey lentil salad is perfect for fall. The ingredients for this could not be humbler, but somehow the whole comes off as sophisticated. This is the kind of dish I imagine a French home cook would whip up if you just dropped by unexpectedly. This salad is great beside a … [Read more...] about French Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
Fresh Pear Vinaigrette
My favorite simple fall salad dressing was created quite unexpectedly. I was given a fancy bottle of white balsamic vinegar infused with pear. That’s what it said on the label, but I never tasted any hint of pear. It sat in my pantry for a while, unused. But at some point, I was asked to bring a salad to a dinner, and had purchased a pear to cut up on top. My forward … [Read more...] about Fresh Pear Vinaigrette
