08 March 2015

Black Bean Salad with Shrimp and Pickled Onions



This is an extremely fast and easy salad that is put together in the half hour it takes for the pickling brine to do its magic on the purple onions. While the pickled onions absorb the spices and tang, the black beans are drained and rinsed. Limes are juiced. The cheese and cilantro are prepped, some garlic is thinly sliced, and the shrimp are peeled and de-veined. Two minutes before you want to sit down to dine, do a fast pan sear of the shrimp in olive oil and slivered garlic, toss everything together and serve the pickled onions on the side. Delish!

I apologize for the picture quality ... eating at nine o'clock at night makes for poor available light when photographing. I had to quickly capture the salad plate before Kate, my oldest sprout and I fell on the salad like wolves! We'd spent the day at an art museum and came home late to sip wine and throw together a quick, healthy supper. I'd been telling her about a new cook book that was all about different salads, so we stopped to pick up the ingredients for this one.

05 March 2015

Apricot or Prune and Pine Nut Jam in Hamentaschen



My friend, Amy came for a snowshoe outing and lunch the other day. As we were sitting over our soup and sandwiches, she was saying that Purim is here! Purim is a Jewish holiday that involves remembering Esther's success in defeating the evil Hamen's plot to crush the Jewish population in Persia of the 4th century BCE (nutshell story - for more info on Purim, do a Google search or read the Book of Esther in the Old Testament). Modern day Purim celebrations include games, tricks, costumes, and special foods that symbolize the Purim story and characters involved. Amy said that hamentaschen are a traditional treat prepared ... and they sounded tasty ...

04 March 2015

Smothered Pork Chops with Mustard and Thyme Butter

Normally, at this time of year, I'm perking up and looking for the first asparagus at the market and poking around the edge of the grey cottage's foundation for the first crocus spears, hoping for their happy golden and purple splashes of color against the brown of earth and crust of melting snowy patches. Ahem ... someone please give a whisper in Mother Nature's ear! It's snowing ... again. The joke is old, Mother dear.

Instead of flinging open windows to bring in a Spring-ish breeze, I'm poking more logs on the fire and contemplating what bit of warm Winter-ish comfort food I can concoct for dinner that will use the oven. Diana Henry's Mustard and Thyme Pork Chop Bake sounds good ... and the smells are fantastic.



27 February 2015

Apricot and Ginger Scones



Let's just say that I got my daily dose of fat and sugar all at one time today. Afternoon tea was pretty darn decadent! You can't go wrong with light fluffy scones, real butter, and apricot preserves. A pot of Lady Grey tea rounded out things nicely.  Honestly, just looking at this photo makes me want to open my trap for a big bite!

24 February 2015

Tarte Nougat-Pommes

Oh! The pictures I have for this post! There was something about the slightly sweet and lemony apples and the slippery, sugary almond nougat that made me grab my camera and really document this incredible tart ... and it all started here ...



23 February 2015

IHCC Potluck - Building a Healthier Meatball

It's been an age since I've participated with the bloggers that belong to the I Heart Cooking Club. I don't really know why, as I've certainly been cooking along with the Diana Henry theme plus getting a few recipes in by Yotam Ottolenghi, Nigel Slater, and Giada de Laurentiis. In fact, yesterday, the kids came home for an easy Sunday supper of spaghetti and meatballs that came straight from Giada's webpage.




20 February 2015

Banana Walnut and Chocolate Chip Muffins



This winter is shaping up to be a real marathon affair. This morning, I knew we'd need  some sweet starts to the mornings this weekend, as there will be MORE SHOVELLING to do. New England is bracing for one more significant snowfall and I am whining already! And just as I whined my way through making these muffins, the mail arrived and I had two small parcels to cheer me up - a postcard written by Sprout Kate regarding a cheery breakfast at the Neue Galerie's cafe and posted on on a lovely painting/card by Egon Schiele and a parcel that contained a book by Tasha Tudor called The Springs of Joy from my dear friend, Diane! No more whining ...just cheerful thoughts of loved ones that cared enough to pass the joy on ...

06 February 2015

Virtual Supper Club - Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints



This month, the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club honors Oscar-nominated films and this girl has gone straight for the Chocolat ! Or is that chocolate? Well, a bit of both, I suppose!