Red, White and Blueberry Cake Serves 10-12 Adapted from Martha Stewart Ingredients for the Cake: 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking sheet – stock 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for baking sheet – $3.59 2 teaspoons baking powder – stock 1 teaspoon salt – stock 2¼[…]
Farro Salad with Sweet Potato, Scallions & Dried Cherries
Farro Salad Serves 6 as a side dish Ingredients: 1 ½ cups farro – $ 5.99 (for a 1 lb. bag) 3 cups chicken stock or water ½ lb. sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice – $0.99 3 oz. prosciutto – $3.99 2 scallions, chopped, green and white parts – $0.25 ¼[…]
Sesame-Miso Asian Beef Tacos with Quick-Pickled Peaches & Red Onion
Sesame-Miso Asian Beef Tacos with Quick-Pickled Peaches & Red Onion Serves 4 Adapted from a recipe in Better Homes & Gardens Ingredients for the Pickles: ½-cup white vinegar – stock ¼-cup sugar – stock ¾-teaspoon salt – stock 1 ripe peach, sliced – $1.75 ½ medium red onion, sliced very thinly – $0.69 Ingredients for[…]
Shrimp Quesadillas with Peaches, Caramelized Onions & Brie
Shrimp Quesadillas with Peaches, Caramelized Onions & Brie Serves 2-4 Ingredients: 1 cup of red onion, diced 2 Tablespoons butter, divided – stock 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided – stock Splash of balsamic vinegar – stock Salt & pepper – stock 2 peaches, sliced (you can also use frozen peach slices) – $2.99 4 sprigs[…]
Tomato-Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives & Capers
Tomato-Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives & Capers Serves 4 Inspired by a recipe from Real Simple Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil – stock 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – $4.00 Salt & pepper – stock 1 medium onion, chopped – $0.50 2 large cloves of garlic, minced or run through a press – stock[…]
Beef Barley Soup with Mushrooms
Beef Barley and Mushroom Soup Serves 10 Ingredients: 1 cup barley, cooked according to package instructions – $1.59 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided – stock 2 lbs. boneless beef Chuck steak, cut into small chunks – $8.70 the juice of 1 large orange (1/3 cup) – $0.50 2 cups diced carrots – $0.99 1½ cups[…]
Chorizo and Shredded Chicken Soup
Chorizo and Shredded Chicken Soup Serves 8 to 10 Ingredients: 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts – $3.99 1 lb. Mexican Chorizo sausage, cut into ½” thick rounds – $8.49 1 medium sweet potato, about 2/3 lb. – $0.89 3 Tablespoons olive oil – stock 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped – $0.99 ½[…]
Classic Chicken Parmesan with Crunchy Panko & Smoked Mozzarella
Chicken Parmesan with Panko Topping Serves 6 Ingredients: ½ cup Panko bread crumbs – $2.49 ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese – stock 1 Vidalia onion , diced – $1.14 2 cloves garlic, minced – stock splash of Balsamic vinegar – stock 3 Tablespoons plus 2 Teaspoons olive oil – stock 2 ½ cups jar[…]
Sliced Steak with Turnip Puree and Toasted Quinoa
Sliced Steak with Pureed Turnips and Toasted Quinoa Serves 4 Note: When buying turnips, select the smaller ones. They are not only sweeter but also a whole lot easier to peel and dice before boiling. And the quinoa (a protein-packed grain, BTW) is actually crunchy as this recipe requires only a small amount of water[…]
Cinnamon Streusel Baked French Toast
Apple Cinnamon Baked French Toast Serves 6 Ingredients: 1 loaf of stale bread (I use Challah or a baguette) – $2.49 8 large eggs, lightly beaten – stock 2 cups of buttermilk (click here for buttermilk substitute) – stock ½-cup applesauce – $2.19 ½-cup sugar – stock 2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract – stock Streusel[…]
Vegetarian Chili with White Beans & Wild Mushrooms
Vegetarian White Bean Chili with Mushrooms Serves 6 Note: Don’t use canned beans for this dish as the lengthy cooking time will cause the beans to lose their integrity. Additionally, if you don’t want to soak the beans overnight follow these directions for the quick-boil solution: Using a large pot, cover the beans with about[…]
Christmas Dinner Recipe Ideas
Over the years I have experimented with an inordinate number of Christmas dinner recipe ideas. Past favorites have included Turkey with all the trimmings and Roast Beef with Yorkshire pudding, but the all-time winner in our house is my Herb and Honey Marinated Filet of Beef. After the economy crashed in September of ’08, which[…]
Oatmeal-Blackberry Pancakes with Orange Zest and Greek Yogurt
Anyone who assumes the role of “head chef” in their home kitchen knows how difficult it can be to please the whole table. And my table, always includes a temperamental toddler who’s prone to wild deviations in taste. One day a food is in, the next it’s out. But when all else fails and everything[…]
Red-Wine-Braised Brisket with Dried Fruit
Red-Wine-Braised Brisket with Dried Fruit Serves 10 Ingredients: 2 cups robust red wine (I use Cabernet) – stock 5-6 lb. beef brisket (aka bottom round roast or pot roast) – $40.00 Paprika, kosher salt & pepper – stock 3 large onions (about 2 cups), chopped coarsely – $1.49 2 bay leaves – stock 3 sprigs[…]
Shredded Chicken & Figs with Marcona Almonds and Thyme
Shredded Braised Chicken & Figs with Marcona Almonds & Thyme Serves 6 Adapted from Food & Wine Ingredients: 2 teaspoons canola oil – stock 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can also use skin-on/bone-in, just discard bones & skin after cooking/before shredding) – $5.00 Salt & pepper – stock 1 large carrot, chopped –[…]
Cinnamon-&-Sugar-Dusted Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
Craving other pumpkin-spiced delights? Check out our Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Seed & Spinach Pesto, Pumpkin Risotto, Pumpkin & Ricotta Lasagna, and Curried Pumpkin Pie Soup Cinnamon-&-Sugar-Dusted Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins Makes 18 NOTE: Buttermilk Substitute (I never keep any on hand and always use this substitute): In a glass container, whisk together 1/3 cup milk[…]
Black Rice Salad with Roasted Beets, Montrachet & Pistachios
Black Rice Salad with Roasted Beets and Montrachet/Chevre Cheese Serves 4 Note: I wrote this recipe as though the reader plans to enjoy the salad over the course of several days. Obviously, if you are planning on dining with friends and family, all of the assembly is done at once, separating any leftovers as directed…if[…]
One-Pot Chili Mac & Cheese
One-Pot Chili Mac & Cheese Serves 6 Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon of olive oil – stock 1 spanish or yellow onion, chopped finely – $1.19 2 cloves of garlic, minced – stock ½-lb lean ground beef – $5.49 12-oz bottle of beer (I used a wheat beer, Blue Moon) – stock 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth[…]
Cheesy Zucchini Pie with Prosciutto and Sweet Onions ala Alyssa
Zucchini Pie ala Alyssa Serves 12 Ingredients: ½ lb. zucchini, scrubbed and chopped diced – $1.75 2 Tablespoons olive oil – stock 1 medium-large Vidalia onion, diced – $1.16 3 cloves garlic, minced – stock 3 oz. Prosciutto – $3.99 ½ cup shredded Fontina cheese – $2.99 ½ cup diced fresh mozzarella – $2.69 ½[…]
Roasted Tomato & Corn Pie with Smoked Gouda and Caramelized Onions
Roasted Tomato & Corn Pie with Smoked Gouda and Caramelized Onions Serves 4-6 Adapted from The Painted Apron Ingredients: 1 pint grape tomatoes – $2.49 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided – stock 1 small sweet onion, roughly chopped – $1.04 1 Tablespoon butter – stock 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen – $0.69 ½[…]