Leek, Lemon and Cauliflower Fettuccine

I’m a big fan of cooking cauliflower until it’s almost creamy … especially in pastas like this one. It becomes part of the sauce, adding heft and health to just a handful of pasta.
Continue reading >>All About the Ham Split Pea Soup

If you’ve got a leftover ham bone in the fridge (or if you can talk your butcher out of one), this is the soup you want to make. And, trust me, take the extra hour to make the Awesome Veggie Broth from scratch … it’s worth it.
Continue reading » »Awesome Veggie Broth

Make this awesome veggie broth any time you’ve got a bunch of scraps in the fridge or cluttering up the counter. Amazingly easy, and so full of flavor.
Continue reading » »Balsamic Braised Chicken Thighs

This dish comes together without much fuss, but the honey and balsamic vinegar give it a surprisingly complex depth of flavor … not to mention a beautiful golden-bronze hue.
8 chicken thighs, skinned
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme…
Last Minute From-Scratch Corned Beef

Yes, you can have from homemade corned beef the same day the lightbulb goes off that it’s Saint Paddy’s Day … TONIGHT. Just pull out your pressure cooker and this from-scratch corned beef (which is better than any store-bought version you’ve tasted, and blissfully free of all those preservatives they’re soaked with) can be on the stove in under ten minutes and on the table in less than three hours.
Continue reading » »Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges

These sweet potatoes have a spicy foil to their sweetness. Look for the dark-skinned sweet potatoes with bright orange flesh (also, erroneously, called garnet yams).
Continue reading » »Sauteed Sesame Bok Choy

Letting the bok choy get nice and browned in some places–what the Chinese call “the breath of the wok”–adds a smoky savoriness to the dish.
Continue reading » »Easy Homemade Plum Sauce

I’d never thought of making plum sauce with dried plums (duh). Turns out it’s that rich plum puree that gives this iconic Chinese sauce its signature taste. This one has a bit of zing from the orange juice and shallot, and is less cloyingly sweet than the store-bought versions.
1 teaspoon finely minced shallot
1…
Spice-Rubbed Roast Fish with Lemon and Fennel

The subtle spice rub and fragrant fennel make this easy fish dish something special.
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