New Year's Recipes
Muesli Baked Oatmeal
If you were to choose your career all over again, what would you be? I love what I do, but I could have been very happy as a scientist. Given my love of experimenting in the kitchen, a career in the lab would have suited me well. Though it’s not exactly research for a new…
Simple Vanilla Syrup
A deliciously easy (and economical) way to sweeten homemade iced coffee, lattes, and a variety of other drinks and desserts. For basic simple syrup, simply omit the vanilla. Have you ever added sugar to a glass of iced tea, stirred vigorously to dissolve it, only to find a puddle of semi-dissolved granules at the…
Beef Pot Roast
There’s something special about the aroma of a roast as it slowly cooks to fork-tender perfection. The savory smell is homey, comforting, and makes me want to curl up on the sofa with a good book. Curiously, I recently read that one’s sense of smell accounts for 75 to 95 percent of a food’s perceived…
German Steam Pot with Special Sauce
An authentic recipe from a German friend, a steam pot is one of the easiest, most flexible dinners – and the special sauce bumps it up an extra level! What, you may ask, is a steam pot? I first learned about this rustic yet satisfying meal through Marga, a former neighbor and self-described war-child…
Winter Porridge
The formula for the basic porridge is easy, and you can prepare it in advance for speedy breakfasts throughout the week. I’ve always been amazed by people who go sockless in cold weather. When my feet are cold, everything is cold. So, it’s remarkable that, since the beginning of fall, I’ve only worn socks…
Easy Winter Fruit Salad
A straight-forward combination of fresh fruits with a little something extra to elevate the simple salad into something sublime. From the time my kids could hold a crayon, I helped them make the gifts they’d give their loved ones on Christmas morning. My hope was that amidst all the material trappings of the holiday,…
Rosemary Roasted Cashews
Rosemary, salt, and a hint of heat makes these easy-to-prepare nuts a snacking favorite. A jarful provides a welcome gift, too! When I visit my parents in the weeks leading up to Christmas, my eyes always scan their kitchen counter for a large, red canister. I keep my fingers crossed that…
Party Salmon
Enjoy hot out of the oven for an easy weeknight meal or serve at room temperature for a delightful addition to any buffet table. For a delicious breakfast or brunch, serve in place of lox with an assortment of bagels, cream cheese, chopped hard-boiled egg, capers, minced red onion, and thinly sliced cucumber. Party Salmon…
Roasted Beet Hummus
Serve this gorgeous show-stopper as a make-ahead appetizer, a satisfying snack, or as a base for an anything-but-boring lunch. When I first laid eyes upon this colorful sister of the traditional middle eastern dip, I was smitten by its vibrant ruby hue. Thanks to the addition of a humble root vegetable, the color is…
Blistered Green Beans
Cook green beans in a flash while bringing out their very best flavor with this minimalist but effective approach. Need a 10-minute side dish that tastes great and goes with practically everything? For years I steamed my green beans. Occasionally, I roasted them. For the past year or two, however, broiling has been…
Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Creole is a company-worthy dinner that, with a spoonful of rice and perhaps a crusty roll, is all you need. You can even prepare it the day before and simply add the shrimp just before serving. Last week, I mentioned my tendency to file away recipes for the next season, holiday, or some…
Dulce de Leche Latte
Since I stumbled upon the overwhelming hit of Crock Pot Dulce de Leche a few years ago, the kids regularly enjoy this caramel-like dip on sliced apples and we drizzle it over ice cream and pound cake. One reader loves it as a topping for Crunchy Top Apples and Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal. I even concocted…
