From Scratch

I can’t help but love a recipe that’s quick and versatile, although in this case the versatility was accidental.
The original was in Self magazine and it’s a delicious, simple version of chicken breasts simmered in an herby, lemony sauce. I had leftover sauce which I used the next day on pasta and, hey presto, I had a […]

Don’t worry, there are no spoilers here. I just watched Episode 1 of Top Chef Chicago, Season 4, and I think we might be in store for a good season.
The days of caterers and culinary students competing seem to be over; nearly all the 16 contestants have some serious experience and some are working at […]

For me, few thing are homier on a cold winter day than a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup. It’s easy and quick to make and so adaptable to individual tastes or what’s on hand; canned soup just doesn’t compare.
I don’t think I’ve ever made chicken noodle soup exactly the same twice. A pinch of this, a […]

The first time I had turkey chili, back when the idea was a novelty, it was so bland it was almost tasteless. Turkey is hardly full of flavor. A friend who made turkey chili would try to compensate for that by loading up on the hot stuff, giving everyone at the table a runny nose and […]

In the comments following my post on gravy thickeners I mentioned using ground nuts to thicken some soups and stews. This is another dish that uses nuts to thicken its sauce and it’s one I could eat every week. I love curry. It’s a wonderful cold weather meal and simple enough that it’s perfect for this […]

We’re all so busy this time of year. I know I’m not the only one who can’t always bear the thought of an hour or more in the kitchen after a long go-go day. Neither microwave meals nor fast food are part of my life, so jam-packed days leave me with only a few options, ranging […]

No, I’m not crazy. I haven’t rinsed raw poultry in a couple years, since reading about a then-proposed change in Federal food safety guidelines to recommend against it because of the great risk of cross-contamination by doing so. Here’s the government’s current official stance:
Washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is […]

Adobo is both a seasoning — you’ve probably seen it at the market — and a national dish of the Philippines. With the latter, it’s a tangy soy braise of chicken or pork, and like most of my favorite dishes it consists of a few good ingredients, simply prepared. The sum is greater than the parts.
When […]

Back in January I clipped an article from The New York Times about a Yalie who uses a microwave to take dining hall food to a new level. Not that Yale food isn’t good. “It is,” Zach Marks told the Times, “especially compared to most colleges.” But he learned that “by playing around, you can make […]

This is a dish, like cold sesame noodles, that I’ve learned to make now that I’ve moved to New England. There are many fine Indian restaurants in New York, but in New England not so many. My recipe quest led me to near-hits and misses but I’ve finally found a winner for this spicy favorite; it’s […]

Chicken is such a staple in this house that if I posted a recipe every time I make it I would have to rename the blog Cluck Cluck. I’m always surprised to hear someone say chicken is too boring to bother with; to me it’s a blank canvas just waiting for flavors.
These Asian flavors are […]

“Oven fried” is an oxymoron, but I’ve tried several recipes over the years in hopes of a healthier alternative to fried chicken, and perhaps you have too. If the taste is good, the texture is not and vice versa. So I keep trying, and this is the latest, which is from the anonymous staff of […]

This lightened version of chicken Dijon came to me on a recipe mailing list six or seven years ago. It’s from a cookbook called Crazy Plates: Low-Fat Food So Good, You’ll Swear It’s Bad for You! by Janet and Greta Podleski. They’re sisters and, like Celine Dion, they’re Canadian. They’re also fond of puns — […]

Here’s why I love pressure cookers. The day got away from me yesterday — I was out with a friend — and it was almost 7 when I got home, famished. The Democratic presidential debate was on at 8, so there wasn’t much time. I dug out the pressure cooker and an acquaintance’s recipe that’s been in […]

My copy of the Perdue Chicken Cookbook is falling apart, and this recipe is one reason. That’s not to say every recipe’s a winner — I write in my cookbooks and the word “yuck” does appear on those pages — but most are winners and this one’s a champ.
As I noted in my cookbook, this […]