Gemelli and Chèvre With Cherry Tomatoes and Kale

What a snazzy name for a recipe ... but really, it's just macaroni & cheese with numerous twists !

Tamal Azteca

It was a dark and stormy night ... and supper needed to be hearty and filling. Enough sweeping and shoveling snow! We made up the fires, dried out the mittens, put on the warm slippers and heavy sweaters and dipped into a steaming vegetable casserole with the biggest serving spoon in the drawer.

Bowls of Tamal Azteca and balloons of deep red Rioja - that's all. Until we were full and happily warmed from the inside as nicely as we were by the woodstove fires. Sunday suppers should be that warming on a snowy winter night, don't you think?

The Summer Kitchen ... in Winter

I went for a ride yesterday and then parked and walked in the woods for a bit ... before the roar of snowmobiles let me know that I was about to be engulfed by engines and exhaust and the spinning of metal belts and flinging of mud and snow. Then, I retreated back down the path and on further down the road.


There was a yeasted whole wheat crust rising at the house, so I was on a bit of a time table for walking, but it sure was a pretty day for a quick jaunt.


I found this summer kitchen sitting next to an old house down the road ... what colors next to the whites and greys of winter woods!  The light in the woods was really wonderful because of the cloud cover ...

Two Words ... Meatless Monday

To-may-toe ... To-mah-toe

Po-tay-toe ... Po-tah-toe



Green Herbs

Thyme Sprigs

Meatless Monday

Vegetable Tart

Tomato and Potato Tart with Aged Gouda

a slightly adapted Yankee Magazine recipe

Tart Shell Ingredients:

1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. Kosher salt
½ c. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon chunks
¼ c. ice water

Filling Ingredients:

3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled

2 medium ripe tomatoes … or 6 to 8 smaller tomatoes, ¼ inch slices
1 ½ c. aged Gouda cheese, shredded
¼ c. fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
¾ c. milk or half & half
3 large eggs
Two generous pinches cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 generous pinches fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
2 pretty thyme sprigs

Making the Tart:

1. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade and whiz it to combine.
2. Add the cold butter a tablespoon at a time, whizzing in between. The resulting mixture should resemble a coarse meal.
3. Add the ice water a bit at a time, whizzing until the dough comes away from the bowl’s sides to form a raggedy dough
4. Turn the pie dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and quickly gather it into a ball.
5. Wrap snuggly and flatten it to a disk and refrigerate it for about half an hour while you prepare the tart filling.
6. Whisk the eggs, milk, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl and set it aside.
7. Place the scrubbed potatoes (whole) in a saucepan of water and cook them gently until they are almost completely softened (knife tender). Then, drain and let them cool so you can handle them.
8. Chop the parsley, grate the cheeses (but keep them separate), slice the tomatoes, and then slice the potatoes in ¼ inch slices.
9. Preheat the oven to 425° F and place the rack in the center of the oven.
10. Roll the dough out and fit it into a 10-inch spring form pan. Fold the dough edges back down on itself to form a deep dish tart form. The crust should come up the sides of the pan about 1 ½ inches. Crimp it prettily, line the shell with foil and pie weights and bake it for ten minutes.
11. After ten minutes, decrease the oven temperature to 400°, remove the foil and pie weights and continue to bake the crust for another ten minutes – until the crust is golden.
12. Remove the tart shell and let it cool, slightly.
13. Place layers of potato, tomato, parsley and thyme leaves, Gouda cheese, potato, tomato, herbs, cheese … you should get two layers of each.
14. Pour the egg and milk mixture over all, drizzling over the top to wet everything .
15. Finish the cheese layer by sprinkling the Parmesan cheese over all and laying the thyme sprigs in the center of the tart.
16. Bake for 40 minutes at 400° F. Let te finished tart set for five to ten minutes to ‘set up’ before slicing.

Almost Gone

Vegetable Cobbler

There was something so utterly comforting about this dish. While it worked really well this evening, at the height of summer, I can see myself making it when the snow is blowing and the drafts are shifting throughout the house.  It's an easy mix of celery, onion, garlic, carrots, acorn squash, cauliflower, tomatoes, mushrooms, red lentils, oregano, chives, and parsley, vegetable broth, some hot spicy chili sauce, and a cornstarch and water thickener. This 'cobbler' has chunks of everything; there is no mincing here. It's substantial vegetarian fare. The dish is topped with herbed dumplings that have been cheesed up with smoked Gouda. We had it with a big bowl of steamed green beans and big glasses of Meritage.

Pisto Castellano ...

 Pistou, Pisto Castellano, Pisto con Gambas ... by any other name is ratatouille. Ratatouille with stuff added gets a 'Pisto con ....' handle. In any language , you can't get more seasonal! Pisto and ratatouille are really the same dish ... one French and the other Spanish ... I daresay the tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers and onions know nothing of political borders or languages. They grow and ripen under the same hot summer sun and when they offer themselves up ... it all comes together to make the ultimate seasonal vegetable dish. Different regions of cooks add few different touches and herbs; the dish morphs to meet the needs of the different hungry bellies!

As the layers of tomatoes ripen on the back porch, I take my pick and head to the herb garden for fresh parsley. Within an hour, there is a soft satisfying dish of traditional Pisto Castellano - plain and simple ratatouille sitting on the dinner table for our Meatless Monday fare.

Sprinkled with a bit of cheese and served with some black olive and rosemary bread and a wedge of goat cheese pressed in Herbs de Provence, it makes for a wonderful seasonal supper. If ever there was a directive to crack a bottle of red wine, this is the time for that directive. Open a full-bodied red, plate some olive oil and herbs, black olives, have on hand a big loaf of crusty artisan bread, and enjoy some Pisto/Ratatouille!

Cauliflower and Barley Salad with Toasted Almonds

The continuing parade of vegetables is marching out of the kitchen and onto the dining room table! I've been at the Farmer's Market for two weeks straight and have come away with some great produce that SB is not growing in his 'bit of Earth'.

This week, it was a gorgeous head of cauliflower, some of the first I've seen around. I dug up another of the newest recipes from my latest cookbook, power foods - 150 delicious recipes .... This pearl barley with cauliflower and toasted almonds is very reminiscent of a risotto. The barley is slowly simmered to a nice 'bite'. Then, Parmesan cheese is added to the last bit of moisture and makes for a creamy finish. Cauliflower and toasted almond chunks are added and the dish is finished with a spritz of lemon juice and some freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Power Foods! - Green Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Don't you just love summer salads ? It's Meatless Monday here and we're really trying to keep to a few meatless meals a week. I'd love to say that we succeeded this evening, but I had such a hankering for a pork tenderloin and a couple good sides. Soooo... I will be doing meatless later in the week.

Two Words ...

New Cookbook

Roasted Vegetables

Cold Eggs

Fresh Herbs

Salad Bowl

Broccoli Gribiche

Middle Eastern Lentils and Peppers with a Side of Rice

My sweetheart has been gone for two weeks ... he's a long-distance bike riding maniac. My brother, Rich is his cronie and partner in insanity. They took a big loop of a trip from New Hampshire to Boston to Cape Cod to the Rhode Island and Connecticut coasts to Long Island to New York City to the Hudson Valley to western Massachusetts and back to New Hampshire. The weather has been less than stellar for the past couple weeks, so I wanted their welcome home meal to be hot, comforting and simple. I thought they would be wet, hungry, and tired ... and I was correct. Last evening, the guys dragged themselves and all their gear into the house at around 6 PM. They'd been riding since 7 AM. Boy, did they look haggard, but lo and behold ... dinner was just being placed on the platter! It was piping hot and so comforting! When I grinned and chortled, " Just in time for dinner !", they  asked, "Are you clairvoyant? How did you do this?" There was no clairvoyance. It was luck, folks. Pure luck.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

I found this recipe for risotto a couple years ago on one of the foodblogs. I honestly think it might have been Heidi Swanson's blog... but maybe not. I really can't remember! Suffice it to say, the recipe is not mine, but I wish it was and I will keep it in my recipe book forever!

Pumpkin and Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Shells

perfect for a centerpiece or a jack o' lantern

Pumpkin Season is upon us and I am chock full of ideas for the next few dinners, desserts, and snacks - all incorporating pumpkin mash, pumpkin cubes, and/or pumpkin seeds. Of course, I'm NOT going to overload poor SB day after day with pumpkin dishes, but we'll certainly get our fill in the next few weeks.

because only a masochist with a machete chops, stews, and mashes their own pumpkin

Tonight, I'm in the mood for pasta, so I'm making these little stuffed shells that have a pumpkin/ricotta cheese /herb filling. I halved the recipe so that we don't have them sitting in the fridge for more than a day. That way, I can make more pumpkin-y things and not have SB crabbing at me. The recipe reflects enough stuffing for twelve shells - dinner and a lunch of leftovers. Perfect for two people...

lined pasta in a lined bowl

Zucchini Tart ... Easy as Pie!

Two zucchini recipes within a week? Well, it IS that time of the summer! Every time I think I have the zucchini mound on the countertop wittled down, another batch comes through the back door ... and it is SO shiny and smooth and fresh that I just have to do something else with it! So yesterday, I made two zucchini tarts and shucked some corn to have a nice Meatless Monday supper.

This is an easy tart to make, but there are a few different steps (read- more dirty bowls). It's light and less 'quiche-y' than other vegetable/egg tarts. Look at the recipe and you'll see what I mean. My friend Gundel shared this recipe with me when she visited us from Germany. Her method of wringing the moisture from the grated zucchini saves the tart from being soggy. The addition of the crumble topping is brilliant, too. It adds just the right amount of crunch with just a hint of Parmesan tang atop the more subtle salty Feta in the filling below. A good use of zucchini!

Fettuccine and Peas in Curried Cream Sauce

No apologies ... this is such a warm, spicy, gooey, creamy, rich pasta fix that it should probably be against the law. To boot, this batch is made with the freshest of garden peas that are like little sweet bullets of flavour. This is what we knoshed for dinner last evening... this and glasses of crisp Sauvignon Blanc. My goodness, it just doesn't get any better. But wait ... as I was cleaning up and pouring a second glass of wine, Silent Bob hollered, "Rainbow alert!"

Country Cheese Soup ... and Pumpernickel Croutons

I'm no saint, that's for sure ... so when I tell you that I have been making soup for some church neighbors as my Lenten offering, please know that SB and I have also profited from this small show of largesse. We have soup and bread for supper - the same soup that I pack up and deliver to my friends. Okay? That said, it IS very satisfying to have a huge pot of good soup on the stove and to know that you have made plenty to share.

Meatless Monday - Vegetarian Stroganoff on a Bed of Kashi

Resolution #1 - I intend to eat, drink, and be merry with the people I love ! ! !

I posted that statement on my personal Facebook page on New Years Day as a broadside against the flurry of diet-related posts, advertisements in sidebars, MSN articles on my homepage, and blather on the TV and radio. Now, I know I may alienate some folk out there, but I just have to say that if we would all just be a bit more moderate about what we put in our mouths, we'd all be a bit better off. Oh, and yes! You do have to move your butt on occasion and break a sweat doing SOMETHING during the day - at the gym, around the house, out in the yard, moving around the city, wherever and doing whatever!

Zwiebelkuchen und Riesling!

This time of year is called Goldener Oktober in Germany. It's a time when the first snap in the night air turns all the grape leaves a gorgeous golden and every hillside is painted shades of green, yellow and gold, as the vineyards give up their grapes for the Fall press and the vines drop their golden leaves. It's a beautiful and fun time to be in the Pfaltz or along the Mosel or Rhine Rivers because every little village has a vintner who is putting out his wares for tasting. Places like Bad Durkheim have huge wine festivals from the end of September right into October ... it's your chance to taste all the wares and buy up new wines. Oftentimes, there will be small snacks to knosh at wine tastings - Wursts and Zwiebelkuchen are the most common treats to be had. Zwiebelkuchen  is a yeast-based doughy bread -like cake topped with onions and speck (salty ham cubes)  that have been tossed with eggs, cream fraiche, white pepper and either cumin or nutmeg. This kuchen is baked at a high temperature until it is golden and crunchy crusted and then served just warm with a chilled glass of Riesling. So delicious!

A Nod to Rabelais ... and Yeast

Rabelais, one of France's original 'eat, drink, and be merry' guys knew what he was talking about when it came to wine, bread, and partying. He once wrote, 'There is nothing better than warm fouace with grapes and a fresh rose or mellow Vouvray.'  ... or so says Judith Ryan Hendricks in her book, The Baker's Apprentice. The novel was the inspiration for baking this bread today. I have been wanting to make some bread and the recipe Hendrick's shares in her novel, looked like the best for a simple rustic loaf.

More Summer Pasta ... 'Dilly Mac'

Last evening's dinner fare tasted great, but did not make it aesthetically. Tonight's easy meal is a return to a safe, 'tried-and- true' summer salad. This dill macaroni salad goes from picnic to grillfest BBQ to luncheon plate with ease. Let's face it. Macaroni salad is a staple of summer; it's right up there with watermelon, hotdogs, and zucchini!

This dilly mac salad is always a guest in our house at this time of year because Silent Bob always plants WAY TOO MANY cucumber plants! I always plant a big patch of dill. There are always those staples - celery, onions, eggs, and macaroni in the house. Grab a jar of mayonnaise and some salt and pepper and that's all there is to it!  It's simplicity is its beauty.

Summer Pasta ... Albeit Veggies Are the Stars

Tonight I am craving crusty bread dripping with olive oil and black pepper, a big bowl of pasta in a creamy white vegetable sauce, a glass of good Pinot Grigio, and a salad to round things out ... I'm wishing I could be walking down Hanover Street in Boston's North End smelling the wonderful smells coming from the various Italian trattorie and listening to the neighborhood chatter. I'm wishing to linger over capuccino and a small piece of tiramisu. And finally ... a small snifter of Strega.

 I might as well wish for the moon ... the North End is NOT in the budget this month.

So what's a girl to do? Make my own Italian food fest ... so, here we go! I have some beautiful green beans from the garden, a jar of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, some lovely pinenuts to toast, some fresh basil,  fresh white mushrooms,  butter and cream to round out this sauce. I've got fettucine nests to boil al dente.  Hell, I even have a decent bottle of Pinot Grigio and some fresh rustica bread! This evening may just turn out fine!  The tiramisu and capuccino are still haunting me, but I'll get over it. As for the Strega ... no one in New Hampshire seems to know about it.