Mary Anne here. I know that I’ve been absent from our beloved blog recently, but I have some pretty hefty excuses. I won’t bore y’all with each and every scintillating detail, but suffice it to say that as Mariel prepares to become a mama, this older version of motherhood is having a different sort of[…]
Four-Cheese Southwestern Breakfast Strata with Chorizo
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[…]
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.[…]
Mixed Greens with Walnuts and Dried Cranberries
Mary Anne here. Salad is the simplest of all preparations, and as far as I’m concerned, no dinner is complete without one. I love most things green, but nothing more so than the crisp snap of spinach or arugula tossed with dried fruits, cheese, and crunchy nuts. Often, when I’m just too tired to even[…]
Corned Beef and Cabbage with a Boozy Peach Glaze (a.k.a New England Boiled Dinner)
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[…]
Brisket Ragu
Mariel here. That Beer-Braised Brisket I made last week? Well I finally finished it off. After transforming it into delicious little sliders, I explored my inner Italian and whipped up a homemade ragu that far exceeded my expectations since a) I’m not Italian and b) I don’t have much patience when it comes to letting[…]
Beer-Braised Brisket Sliders
Mariel here. My workload has been a tad oppressive as of late, which certainly isn’t a bad thing when you’re a freelance writer. But unfortunately, all that writing, researching and scrambling means I’ve neglected my wee little kitchen. Last week, I subsisted solely on Chipotle-Spiced Pulled Pork, Mango Salsa and Apple Raisin Slaw leftover from[…]
Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey Hash
Mary Anne here. Whether you’re planning a brunch, lunch, or dinner, this leftover-laden creation has to be the ultimate comfort food! I combined the remnants of our turkey with stuffing, boiled potatoes, sautéed onions and gravy. It’s Thanksgiving dinner’s finest transported to a hot pan and crisply browned on both sides. If I had any[…]
Chunky Chicken Salad with Cherries and Walnuts
Mary Anne here. Our frugal-yet-fabulous mantra would be a whole lot harder to maintain without scooping up seasonal fruits and veggies. And right now, in the midst of this sultry July, Bing cherries are at their peak. While we’ve all seen recipes for chicken salad with grapes, it occurred to me that it might prove[…]
Garden Pasta Salad with Chicken Sausage, Dried Apricots, and Walnuts
Mary Anne here. The weather outside is frightful – and I’m not talking snow. Here in the Northeast, we’ve been hitting 90-degrees almost daily, and the Weather Channel is predicting we’ll top out at 100 by the end of the week…and it’s only the sixth of July! This past weekend, I was hankering for my[…]
Easter Leftovers: Lamb Shepherd’s Pie
In addition to Shepherd’s Pie, Scoth Broth does wonders for rehashing a slew of leftover lamb. Easter Leftovers: Lamb Shepherd’s Pie Serves 6 Ingredients: 1 lb. leftover lamb, (about 3 cups) coarsely chopped 1 Tablespoon olive oil – stock 1 large yellow onion, diced – $0.79 2 Teaspoons minced garlic – stock 1 ½ Teaspoons[…]
Split Pea Soup with Smoked Pork
Mary Anne here. Recently Mariel and I received an inquiry from our friends at The Hip Hostess, asking if dried split peas needed to soak overnight before preparing them in a soup. Split Pea Soup! How could I have forgotten to include this family staple on Feast — a dish my mom still whips up[…]
Cornmeal Crusted Cod with Pecans and Coconut
Mary Anne here. While taking stock of my pantry and fridge last weekend, I realized I have an abundance of baking products…and unfortunately, a growing waistline to match! Post-holiday dieting is as much a tradition as the festive meals themselves, but creating appetizing dinners that are both cheap and calorie-conscious can be a challenge…. I’ll[…]
Herbed Croutons
Mary Anne here. ‘Tis the season for cleaning out the fridge and addressing those bits of leftovers too good to toss, but not really all that appetizing in their current condition. This was the case with our leftover breads and rolls from Christmas dinner. And as Michael pointed out, turning bread into crumbs was redundant[…]
White Bean, Kale, and Sausage Soup
Mary Anne here. Our Cassoulet certainly covers the bean and pork superstition that goes hand in hand with celebrating New Year’s Eve, but we thought to offer an alternative, just in case. And, it’s yet again, another soup. Seriously, Mariel and I just can’t get enough of this winter staple! I created this soup after[…]
Hanukkah Potato Latkes
Mary Anne here. My mom was raised in a southern Presbyterian home during the Great Depression, and as I’ve mentioned in the past, she comes from a long line of quasi-professional home chefs. In 1966, she remarried, and in the process of “adopting” an incredibly warm-hearted, hysterically funny step-dad, we also embraced his Judaic culture[…]
Rich Turkey Stock – Leftovers
Mary Anne here. In years past, I haven’t had great luck when it came to preparing a homemade stock from the carcass of our Thanksgiving turkey. For whatever reason, my mom’s chicken stock (from her Matzo Ball Soup) works perfectly for chicken, but somehow does not translate when it comes to the mightier bird. I’ve[…]
Turkey Pot Pie – Leftovers
Mary Anne here. After stuffing our Thanksgiving gourds and then relishing 10PM sandwiches piled high with turkey, stuffing, cranberry chutney and even sweet potatoes (a la Mariel – and a new combo for me!), it’s time to make thorough use of the holiday bounty by preparing entrees utilizing our leftovers. There are plenty of recipes[…]
Out-of-the-Kitchen Asian Noodles
Mary Anne here. Ahh! It’s Labor Day! How is this possible? I feel like I only just wrote our Memorial Day menu. I knew the summer was swishing by in a seemingly endless downpour of rain, but to wake up this morning and realize that the last official weekend of summer is upon us –[…]
Roasted Salmon on a Bed of Leeks
Mary Anne here. Two weeks ago, I created a pasta recipe using leeks, but when I purchased them I had to buy the “bunch” and had two leftover. Given my mantra of “let no food go uneaten,” I decided to create a new recipe based on the extra leeks. I love fish – Salmon in[…]