Hot Crab Dip with Old Bay Seasoning Serves 10 Ingredients: 8 oz. whipped cream cheese, softened – $2.19 3 scallions (about ¼ cup), chopped fine – $0.99 ½ of a red bell pepper (2/3 cup) , chopped – $1.07 a heaping ½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese – $1.09 ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese –[…]
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[…]
Leek and Apple Soup with St Andre and Sweet Potato
Mary Anne here. We really are cooking in these parts, although you’d never know it by the pitifully few posts making it to our beloved blog. It seems that I’m long on inspiration but short on time when it comes to formally writing my latest creations. Hurricanes and snow storms only serve to slow my[…]
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[…]
Thanksgiving Side Dish Inspiration
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[…]
Haricots Verts with Roasted Shallots
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[…]
Black Bean and Candied Sweet Potato Soup
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[…]
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[…]
An Hour-by-Hour Thanksgiving Plan
The final installment of our Turkey Day prep plan has gone live over at Patch.com. Here, we dish up an hourly action plan that’ll hopefully make hosting this harried holiday dinner just a little less frantic. If you need the full line-up, check out Part I and Part II. We’ll be back next Tuesday with[…]
Wintry Mulled Wine
Mary Anne here. ‘Tis the season to eat, drink, and be merry, so we thought it fitting to raise a special Sunday glass of mulled wine in honor of the week ahead. Mulled wine is a traditional Christmas libation dating back to Medieval times, but these days, there is no shortage of interpretations. Whether you[…]
Thanksgiving Countdown: One Week Out
In our second installation for Patch.com, we elucidate the finer points of defrosting and pre-baking for Turkey Day. Check us out, if you’re feeling the crunch! Part I covered grocery shopping, table-setting and taking stock of your pantry; in Part III we’ll take you through gravy-making, side-dishing, and turkey-roasting on Tuesday November 23rd. Update: The[…]
Mom’s Cranberry Nut Bread
Mary Anne here. Every year, Cranberry, Pumpkin, and Date Nut breads all grace our holiday table, regardless of who hosts the family feast. And all three of these traditional breads work double-time: first, as a sweet side to the savory turkey and trimmings on Thanksgiving night, and then the next morning, re-heated alongside eggs and[…]
Thanksgiving Countdown: Two Weeks Out
Mariel and Mary Anne here. We recently teamed up with AOL’s Patch.com to provide a handy-dandy guide to prepping for the holidays. We’re thrilled to debut this week’s inaugural post, which highlights tips and suggestions for organizing your kitchen now that we’re two weeks away from Turkey Day. We hope you’ll take a minute to[…]
Fall Fest: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Pancetta and Garlic
Fall Fest: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Pancetta and Garlic Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 pints Brussels sprouts (about 18-ounces) – $6.00 4-oz diced pancetta (or thickly-sliced prosciutto) – $3.99 5 Tablespoons olive oil – stock 2 Tablespoons white wine – stock 5 cloves garlic, sliced lengthwise – stock Ground pepper – stock Grand total assuming[…]
Cinnamon Pear Cake with Maple Brown Butter
Cinnamon Pear Cake with Maple Brown Butter Serves 15-20 Ingredients for Cake: 3 pears (any variety will work, I used Boscs), peeled, cored and chopped roughly – $2.08 1 teaspoon cinnamon – stock ½ cup water – stock ½ cup oil (canola, vegetable, corn) – stock 3 eggs – stock 3 cups all-purpose flour –[…]
Acorn Squash and Pear Soup
Mary Anne here. Wandering the aisles of my local market, I noticed that pears were finally out in full force…and were conveniently nestled beside a display of the most beautiful green acorn squash I’ve ever laid eyes upon. Right there in the supermarket, I began conjuring up a soup that wed these disparate beauties and[…]
Creamy Corn Pudding
Mary Anne here. This recipe is an oldie but a goodie. I pulled it out of the archives this past Thanksgiving and it was a tremendous hit. I don’t know why I had forgotten such a delightful side dish, as it is soft and creamy with just a whisper of sweetness. The pudding is[…]
Nana’s Date Nut Bread
Mary Anne here. This bread is delicious with any of the dinner choices from our Christmas menu list, AND it also freezes well. Another bonus? It makes a spectacular, inexpensive hostess gift! The aroma of the bread as it’s baking is sure to capture the nose of anyone within sniffing distance. This dense delight also[…]
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[…]