Holidays

Thumbnail image for Four-Cheese Southwestern Breakfast Strata with Chorizo

Four-Cheese Southwestern Breakfast Strata with Chorizo

April 17, 2012

Mary Anne here. Last week an old high school friend wrote to me on Facebook and waxed eloquent about her family reunions where apple-laced stratas were frequent features and she got me thinking about this versatile, old fashioned favorite. This rustic breakfast staple also used to be a staple in my catering repertoire when I [...]

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Thumbnail image for Rich’s Light New York Cheesecake

Rich’s Light New York Cheesecake

April 10, 2012

Mary Anne here. Or should I say, Rich Doscher here! Rich is a registered dietician at the hospital where I work. Together with a physical therapist, the three of us give seminars at local senior centers and churches, instructing folks on keeping one’s joints healthy. For such a young “kid,” Rich has an amazing grasp [...]

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Thumbnail image for Orange-Mango Upside-Down Cake

Orange-Mango Upside-Down Cake

April 5, 2012

Mariel here. While my family isn’t particularly religious, we’ve always celebrated every holiday with a certain degree of religious zeal. When I was little, there were nearly as many decorations and preparations for Easter as there were for Christmas. We had an Easter tree flaunting hand-blown eggs that we painted on our front porch (my [...]

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Thumbnail image for Classic Shortbread with Fresh Orange Zest

Classic Shortbread with Fresh Orange Zest

March 7, 2012

Mariel here. Well, the bridal shower we hosted went off without a hitch. Sort of. The day itself was picture-perfect – the food my mom lovingly prepared (and took a day off work to make) was delicious, as always, the flowers were radiant and even the weather cooperated with sunny skies and a balmy 60 [...]

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Thumbnail image for Homemade Mixed Berry Jam

Homemade Mixed Berry Jam

March 1, 2012

Mariel here. As my mother elucidated in her post earlier this week, we’ll be hosting one of my best friend’s bridal showers this coming Saturday. Since my mom is a specialist in afternoon teas, we decided to stay the course and drum up an array of dainty, midday nibbles. While mommy dearest is far more [...]

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Thumbnail image for Finska Kakor, aka Finnish Cakes with Sweet Butter and Almonds

Finska Kakor, aka Finnish Cakes with Sweet Butter and Almonds

January 17, 2012

Mary Anne here. Mariel’s BFF is getting married in May, and naturally we’ll be hosting her bridal shower. Mariel’s gal pal is like the second daughter I never had, and so of course I want the party to reflect how much we love her. One of the best ways to express our devotion is through [...]

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Thumbnail image for Apple and Potato Soup with Brie and Glazed Pecans

Apple and Potato Soup with Brie and Glazed Pecans

January 3, 2012

Mary Anne here. The inspiration for this soup actually came to me in October when the hospital where I work ladled up a delicious blend of apples and fennel for “Food Day.” I wanted to recreate it precisely, but since fennel can be pricey in these parts, I opted to divine the soup with a [...]

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Thumbnail image for Sun-Dried Tomato Caprese with Smoked Mozzarella

Sun-Dried Tomato Caprese with Smoked Mozzarella

December 27, 2011

Mary Anne here. Old Man Winter officially arrived last week, yet here at Feast on the Cheap, Mariel and I share a craving for all things tomato. Our Summer Tomato Salad with Brie and Bermuda Onion, The Palm’s Monday Night Salad, or even a hearty Heirloom Tomato and Bread Salad would quell our yearning. Maybe [...]

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Thumbnail image for Crispy Kale Chips

Crispy Kale Chips

December 22, 2011

Mary Anne here. This fall, I spent a glorious eight hours up north in horse country with my favorite girl, Mariel. I just love those quiet, mom-daughter days. On this particular adventure, we stopped for coffee on the way and, while sipping from our paper cups, we perused the goodies at a local farm stand. [...]

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Thumbnail image for Lacy Florentine Cookies with Almonds and Chocolate

Lacy Florentine Cookies with Almonds and Chocolate

December 19, 2011

Mariel here. With Santa arriving in less than a week, it seemed only logical to post a cookie for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. I took a stroll on over to My Danish Cooking, which chronicle’s Gitte’s endeavors to keep her Danish traditions alive while living with her husband and grown son in the US. [...]

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Thumbnail image for Old-Fashioned Hermit Cookies

Old-Fashioned Hermit Cookies

December 6, 2011

Mary Anne here. Hermit cookies are hands-down my ex-husband’s favorite treat. Tim is very conscientious about his diet, but when it comes to eating these chewy gems, all thoughts of eschewing sugar are cast aside. When a certain baking company stopped mass-producing the bars a few years back, I swear he was bereft. He needn’t [...]

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Thumbnail image for Chocolate, Walnut & Coconut Pie Bars

Chocolate, Walnut & Coconut Pie Bars

November 29, 2011

Mary Anne here. Sadly, the Thanksgiving family feast is over and the holiday bustle is officially in full swing. Between Black Friday, which now apparently launches during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade (gasp!), to Cyber Monday we are inundated with pressure to buy, buy, buy! Not so fast. I’m still glowing from our unequaled Turkey Day [...]

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Thumbnail image for Glazed Carrots with Ginger and Fresh Orange Juice

Glazed Carrots with Ginger and Fresh Orange Juice

November 23, 2011

Mary Anne here. Mariel is right – when it comes to our Thanksgiving feast, it’s all about the side dishes. I have to admit, I’ve gotten into a bit of a rut in terms of trying out new veggies, but who wants to mess with success and risk disappointing the “kids” on such an important [...]

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Thumbnail image for Thanksgiving Side Dish Inspiration

Thanksgiving Side Dish Inspiration

November 17, 2011

Mariel here. Sure, my mom’s turkey is to-die-for – check out her tips on what to do and what NOT to do – but let’s be honest, it’s all about the side dishes. On what other day is it socially-acceptable to attend a formal dinner wearing elastic-waisted cargo pants – or cargo pants of any [...]

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Thumbnail image for Gingersnap Cheesecake

Gingersnap Cheesecake

November 10, 2011

Mariel here. The women in my family are queens of the cheesecake. If you haven’t already given my grandmother’s versions a spin – both the chocolate and the regular – you better hop to. My mom has become a cheesecake pro in her own right and regularly dishes up these treats for her nearest and [...]

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Thumbnail image for Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potatoes, Leeks and Portabella Mushrooms

Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potatoes, Leeks and Portabella Mushrooms

November 1, 2011

Mary Anne here. When my children were toddling tots, I struggled to find a dinner that pleased all three of them and their dad as well. Ravioli, Linguini with Clam Sauce, Chicken/Turkey Potpie, and Chicken Tenders were about the only choices they could all grudgingly agree upon. (Note: The links for Ravioli and Linguini with [...]

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Thumbnail image for Popovers aka Yorkshire Pudding

Popovers aka Yorkshire Pudding

October 27, 2011

Mary Anne here. So here at last is my final installment to our Sunday dinner of Roast Beef  and Horseradish Cream with Haricots Vert and Roasted Shallots. One Christmas, when I was still the proud mother of two (number three was my post-New year’s surprise!), we hosted a lovely family from London for the holidays. [...]

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Thumbnail image for Haricots Verts with Roasted Shallots

Haricots Verts with Roasted Shallots

October 18, 2011

Mary Anne here. As promised, here’s my second installment to a Rittenhouse “Sunday Dinner.” When my eldest son and I went shopping for our Roast Beef, the produce market was touting thin Haricots Verts for a mere $1.99/pound. Usually when I want to treat myself to this crisp cousin of the fatter green bean, they [...]

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Thumbnail image for Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream

Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream

October 11, 2011

Mary Anne here. I must confess, I am not an ardent carnivore, but some of my warmest childhood memories center around Sunday family dinners. Oftentimes my mom would pull out all the stops and serve her bawdy brood a rare roast beef complete with all the trimmings. In those days, we ate gravy and butter [...]

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Thumbnail image for Spiced Cheddar Cheese Twists

Spiced Cheddar Cheese Twists

October 6, 2011

Mary Anne here. A couple of weekends ago I hosted a “girls night” with my two sisters and one of my beloved nieces. We howled like raucous schoolgirls as we gossiped, giggled, and did a wee bit of guzzling, all while feasting on an over-flowing charcuterie board. The spread was laden with thin slices pf [...]

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Thumbnail image for Black Bean and Candied Sweet Potato Soup

Black Bean and Candied Sweet Potato Soup

September 29, 2011

Mary Anne here. Black beans were on sale at my local grocer and so I decided to take these beauties out for a spin. Most – if not all – of the bean soups I’ve sampled are pretty predictable in a sort of  monosyllabic way. But as I considered my seasonal culinary options, visions of [...]

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Thumbnail image for A Labor of Love

A Labor of Love

September 1, 2011

Mariel here. You already know that the summer whizzed by in a blur of heatwaves, earth quakes and hurricanes, so I won’t remind you of the obvious. While I hate saying goodbye to June, July and August, I love nothing more than waving hello to September. It’s the world’s most super-terrific month, especially if you [...]

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Thumbnail image for Potato and Canadian Bacon Galette with Sage and Gruyere

Potato and Canadian Bacon Galette with Sage and Gruyere

August 23, 2011

Mary Anne here. Mariel’s recent complaint about mayo-laden potato and macaroni salads got me thinking about this old catering standard of scalloped potatoes and cheese. But first, a little reminiscing. When I was a young girl, my mom used to dish up “Au Gratin Potatoes” when she was feeling gourmet-ish. Her genuinely thoughtful attempt at [...]

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Thumbnail image for Southern Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Biscuits

Southern Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Biscuits

August 11, 2011

Mary Anne here. This recipe was culled from my Nana’s book of “receipts.” She was a post-Civil War baby, raised on a plantation in Eufala, Alabama, and although my grandfather moved his bride to the icy cold of Buffalo, N.Y., her heart and palate remained south of the Mason-Dixon line. Nana’s leather-bound book of receipts, [...]

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Thumbnail image for Open-Faced Peach & Prosciutto Sandwiches with Brie & Arugula

Open-Faced Peach & Prosciutto Sandwiches with Brie & Arugula

June 23, 2011

Mary Anne here. As I cruised my grocer’s aisles this past weekend, the plump, softly furred peaches captured my imagination. I wanted peaches, and I wanted them right then and there – even in their unripened form. Given their immature state,  I began daydreaming this “cooked salad” on bread and the following ingredients somehow landed [...]

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Thumbnail image for Old-Fashioned Devil’s Food Cake

Old-Fashioned Devil’s Food Cake

June 16, 2011

Mary Anne here. In honor of Father’s Day, I opted to plumb the pages of my catering archives and recreate a Devil’s Food Cake that was a favorite “special occasion confection” from gigs past. While both my dad and step-dad are no longer in this world, I humbly offer a culinary tribute to two equally [...]

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Thumbnail image for Michael’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Crunchy Scallions and Fresh Cilantro

Michael’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Crunchy Scallions and Fresh Cilantro

May 26, 2011

Mary Anne here. Well, it seems Michael is getting the hang of contributing to our little blog. This afternoon, in preparation for the holiday weekend, he whipped up this salad (it’s become a standard in our home) and actually WROTE DOWN the measurements – yippee!! Michael is a pretty cute guy and I think he [...]

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Thumbnail image for Memorial Day Menu Options

Memorial Day Menu Options

May 26, 2011

Mariel here. I took a look at last year’s menu for Memorial Day and realized that we’ve added a boatload of family-friendly recipes for this weekend’s start-of-summer feast. While we tend to stick to tradition when it comes to our own Memorial Day “picnic” – Deviled Eggs, Barbeque Spare Ribs, Southern Fried Chicken and Macaroni [...]

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Thumbnail image for Puff Pastry Bites with Stilton, Fig Jam, and Candy-Glazed Walnuts

Puff Pastry Bites with Stilton, Fig Jam, and Candy-Glazed Walnuts

May 5, 2011

Mary Anne here. Living in the Northeast, this wickedly wild winter left me wanting to hibernate. And while our spring has certainly had its fair share of dark and dreary days, we’ve also enjoyed intermittent bouts of sunshine and warmth. I am SO ready for real spring weather that I’m determined to dust off the [...]

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Thumbnail image for Compost Fudge: A Chocolate Brick Brimming with Walnuts, Raisins, Toffee and Butter Cookies

Compost Fudge: A Chocolate Brick Brimming with Walnuts, Raisins, Toffee and Butter Cookies

April 26, 2011

Mary Anne here. Coming off of EIGHT weeks of denying myself chocolate, I was smitten by La Cucina Italiana’s June ’11 issue, featuring an incredible selection of indulgent cocoa-loaded recipes. The following recipe was inspired by their version of a chocolate “loaf” studded with a variety of nuts and crumbled butter cookies. As I eagerly [...]

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Thumbnail image for Gluten-Free Chocolate Mousse Cake

Gluten-Free Chocolate Mousse Cake

April 14, 2011

Mary Anne here. Ah…the holidays are upon us once again, and this year Passover and Easter arrive within a week of each other. As I’ve written in the past, when my mom married my step-dad, George, the Ellicott brood donned both Easter bonnets on Sunday and Yarmulkes on Friday night (the boys, of course!). And [...]

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Thumbnail image for Corned Beef and Cabbage with a Boozy Peach Glaze (a.k.a New England Boiled Dinner)

Corned Beef and Cabbage with a Boozy Peach Glaze (a.k.a New England Boiled Dinner)

March 15, 2011

Mary Anne here. In general, I prefer to prepare most meals from scratch and that includes brining a fresh piece of brisket for homemade Corned Beef. But alas, my day job is interfering with my true love, our little blog, and I simply didn’t have the four days required for brining the beef. Thankfully, my [...]

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Thumbnail image for Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Crabmeat

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Crabmeat

March 10, 2011

Mary Anne here. So I guess it seems I’m in splurge-mode these days, while my dutiful daughter has been shopping her market’s sale shelves. That being said, I do have a pretty good excuse for this pricey dish: I was serving my Osso Bucco to very special guests (Mariel, my niece, and their respective husbands!). My [...]

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Thumbnail image for Osso Bucco: Braised Veal Shanks

Osso Bucco: Braised Veal Shanks

March 3, 2011

Mary Anne here. We’ve been on a real braise-craze of late, but who can blame us, given the wicked winter we’ve endured here on the East Coast. These patiently nurtured, slowly roasted stews and braises have been a shared comfort here at Feast. The following recipe is a total splurge – a la the 1980′s [...]

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Thumbnail image for Valentine’s Day Chocolate Ice Cream Cups

Valentine’s Day Chocolate Ice Cream Cups

February 12, 2011

Mary Anne here. This confection is dedicated to one of my true loves. Valentine’s Day is upon us – as is Feast on the Cheap’s second birthday – and so I’ve spent a lot of time this week thinking about both occasions. In my musings, I realized that while February 14th is usually equated with [...]

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Thumbnail image for Super Bowl Party Tips

Super Bowl Party Tips

February 1, 2011

Mariel & Mary Anne here. If you’ve signed on to host a super bowl soiree – and if you’re starting to panic over what to serve and how to serve it – we’ve outlined a low-maintenance Sunday game plan over at Patch.com. We’ve also shared tons of recipe ideas as well as a brand new [...]

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Thumbnail image for "Creamy" Wild Mushroom Soup

"Creamy" Wild Mushroom Soup

January 13, 2011

Mary Anne here. Recently Mariel created a pasta dish starring Tagliatelle with a Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Since it was tremendously popular with our readers, it stayed top-of-mind…so top-of-mind that I’ve been craving mushrooms ever since. Inspired by the flavor of Mariel’s aforementioned creation, this potage has all of the richness of a cream soup – [...]

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Thumbnail image for Butternut Bread with Quick Ginger-Apple Butter

Butternut Bread with Quick Ginger-Apple Butter

January 4, 2011

Mariel here. Happy New Year! If you’re anything like me, the calendar change came and went with little fanfare: I ate an entire cheese plate, my husband and I belatedly cut into our wedding day cake topper (and didn’t get sick from eating it!), and then I lay on the couch struggling to keep my [...]

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Thumbnail image for Walnut Crumble Coffee Cake

Walnut Crumble Coffee Cake

December 30, 2010

Mary Anne here. As you may have noticed, Mariel has been on a breakfast binge as of late, creating a smorgasbord of delectable dishes like Whole Wheat Maple Pomegranate Pancakes, Ginger & Cinnamon-Spiced French Toast and her very own Cinnamon Pear Cake with Maple Brown Butter. Despite her incredible new repertoire, Mariel asked that I [...]

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Thumbnail image for Crab-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Crab-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

December 23, 2010

Mary Anne here. From the time he was a little boy, my eldest son has been wild for Portobello mushrooms, whether they’re grilled, sauteed in oil and splashed with Balsamic vinegar, or just plain raw. This past week ushered in a flurry of frantic activity in my nursing job, so my boy came home to [...]

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