From Scratch

It’s not just the absense of ham hocks or other meat that makes this lentil soup a little different, it’s also the inclusion of lemon, adding another dimension to the broth. The end result is a colorful lentil soup that’s lighter than most and I welcome that right now.
I’ve been eating sparingly since the holidays; indulging […]

Anthony Bourdain says this soup is ridiculously easy and he’s right. It’s also delicious and was a perfect starter for Christmas dinner.
But don’t wait for a special meal to try this. It doesn’t have to be bone-chilling outdoors to enjoy soup and if, like me, you’re trying to atone for holiday indulging, it’s been shown that we tend to […]

If illustrator Norman Rockwell were still alive, I wonder if he’d do a vegetarian version of his iconic Freedom From Want? The painting, from his Four Freedoms, is seared onto our national consciousness as an idealized family Thanksgiving but for millions, a turkey on the table is neither ideal nor desirable.  
These days there are plenty of choices for […]

I really ought to call this “mac” and cheese because I always use penne; today’s is dark whole wheat. And it’s grownup in two other ways: it’s lighter, both in fat and cholesterol, and the flavors are not bland. Far from it. 
When I wrote about excessive pasta portions in July, I mentioned a recipe I’d seen that […]

This is a perfect accompaniment to the chicken tikka masala or any spicy dish for that matter. Dip a bit of naan into it to cool things down or simply eat it on the side. It will help use up leftover yogurt from the chicken dish, assuming you buy one large economical container, and because I […]

Even with a roadside sign, this tiny farmers’ market is easy to miss, tucked as it is in the verdant front grounds of a New England church.

I was in a bit of a rush, as usual, but of course I stopped. The line between “almost late” and “late” is a fine one and I was […]

The origin of hummus can be told in three words: lost to antiquity. It’s been around for thousands of years, in the Middle East, the Mediterranean and parts of India. While the word “hummus” is Arabic for chick pea, the primary ingredient, most of us use the word for the popular dip and spread, which […]

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to dress up a dinner plate. This simple timbale achieves that while adding a bit of height and best of all, it can be done ahead.
This recipe is from Marlene Sorosky’s Fast & Festive Meals for the Jewish Holidays, but the cookbook is for anyone who likes good food. […]

This is a summer favorite. It’s chilled, it’s lemony-refreshing, it’s pasta and it’s a snap to make. Technically it’s a side dish, but I’ve also eaten it as a main course, adding veggies or protein to it or having it with greens or fruit salad.
When this recipe ran in The New York Times — I believe it […]

I’ve always loved soup, especially cold soup in hot weather, and there is more to summertime soup than just gazpacho. Jacques Pépin’s soups are favorites. They are generally simple, relying on just a few top-notch ingredients, and always delicious; many use a touch of something unexpected, such as the sesame oil in Velvet of Carrot or the Tabasco […]

There are several dishes I took for granted in New York; they were everywhere and it never occured to me to make them at home. Cold sesame noodles are in that group. It’s almost impossible in my part of New England to find a Chinese restaurant that serves them. I found them only twice: a white-tablecloth place […]

I love it when I check email and find a recipe I can use, especially when it coincides with my make-ahead lifestyle. When it reminds me of a former favorite that fell out of favor for nutritional reasons, so much the better.
Cook’s Illustrated  sent this recipe for 24-Hour Omelet with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella. Assemble it today, […]

One of the best surprises is finding an interesting recipe while I’m already at the market. When it turns out to be good enough for the regular rotation and fast enough for any weeknight, I’m thrilled. This delicious, refreshing recipe goes together so quickly the first thing I did was put the water on for the […]

Something about food blogging should have been obvious from the start, but wasn’t: I think about food more than I used to and probably a lot more than you do. So while I was at dinner at an Indian restaurant recently, enjoying my raita, I thought about the no mayo deviled eggs I was working on […]

I enjoy a challenge so when my friend and fellow blogger, linshaolin, (see Breakdown in the Fast Lane in the blogroll) requested some deviled eggs recipes I was happy to give it a try, even though I hate mayonnaise, as I’ve mentioned more than once.
I had two goals: to come up with tasty and satisfying […]