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[…]
Asparagus Galette with Gruyere Cheese
Mary Anne here. A galette is a term used to describe various types of flat, round or free-form breads and cakes. In this recipe, it’s used to describe more of a tart-like dish, while my Potato and Canadian Bacon Galette serves as a tart but actually bakes en casserole. Now that I’ve cleared that up…[…]
Chocolate-Dipped Butter Cookies with Toffee Crunch
Mary Anne here. A few weeks ago, I posted my devilishly decadent Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Heath Bar Toffee Frosting. They were a diet buster to be sure, but more annoying than that, they left me with a paltry amount of leftover toffee crunch. What to do? As you know by now, I am[…]
Classic Shortbread with Fresh Orange Zest
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[…]
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Heath Bar Frosting
Mary Anne here. Chocolate + peanut butter, topped with Heath Bar bits = my idea of heaven! Not much more to say about this combo, other than that I should’ve come up with this before Lent! The inspiration for these sinful cupcakes arose in the baking aisle of my local grocery store. It seems that[…]
Chile Con Queso aka Tex-Mex Style Nacho Cheese Dip
Mary Anne here. Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, and this year I may actually watch the game as my New York Giants tackle the New England Patriots! Usually it’s all about the grub…and the commercials. My cheering section of the Ellicott-Rittenhouse team plans to keep up our spirits no matter what happens on the[…]
Crab Stuffed Ravioli with a Duxelle of Mushrooms, Shallots, Red Peppers, and Pistachios
Crab Stuffed Ravioli with a Duxelle of Mushrooms, Shallots, Red Pepper, and Pistachios Serves 4 Tip: Uncooked ravioli can be prepared the day before. Keep in the fridge, in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Cover carefully with plastic wrap. If planning ahead and freezing all or part of the[…]
Finska Kakor, aka Finnish Cakes with Sweet Butter and Almonds
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[…]
Simply Scampi
Mary Anne here. As I write this, the wind is positively roaring outside my window; the thermometer has plummeted into the single digits and the windchill factor boasts a cool minus 8. It’s this time of year when my body – revolting against well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions – craves all things butter. And what better[…]
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Crostini
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Crostini Makes about 20 crostini Ingredients: 3 medium beefsteak, jersey or vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered and seeded – $3.98 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced 1 teaspoon sugar – stock ¼ teaspoon salt – stock Freshly ground black pepper – stock 2 Tablespoons olive oil – stock 1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar –[…]
Apple and Potato Soup with Brie and Glazed Pecans
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[…]
Sun-Dried Tomato Caprese with Smoked Mozzarella
Sun-Dried Tomato Caprese with Smoked Mozzarella Tip: You can prepare this up to 2 days before. Bring the tomato mixture back to room temperature before serving. Store the toasted baguette rounds in a sealed plastic container. Serves 10 Ingredients: 4 ozs. sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil – $2.49 2 cloves garlic, minced – stock 1[…]
Crispy Kale Chips
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.[…]
Spinach-Ricotta Spread on Crispy Parmesan Squares
I’ve become a serious deadbeat in the kitchen. Apparently my culinary inspiration has gone the way of the Walkman and every week I scratch my head over what to make for Feast. Stew Leonard’s prepared foods have become my new bestie – ditto for Progresso soups and frozen ravioli – and gone are the days[…]
Old-Fashioned Hermit Cookies
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[…]
Chocolate, Walnut & Coconut Pie Bars
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[…]
Glazed Carrots with Ginger and Fresh Orange Juice
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[…]
Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Gouda, Sage, and Prosciutto
Mary Anne here. It would seem that I’m having a love affair with fresh sage these days. It started in August when I grew weary of mayonnaise-laden pasta salads and concocted a Potato and Canadian Bacon Galette laced with sage and Gruyere. In September, the itch for this herb returned and I whipped up a[…]
Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potatoes, Leeks and Portabella Mushrooms
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[…]
Popovers aka Yorkshire Pudding
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.[…]