Though not a beef burger fan, I do love the idea of burgers, especially during summertime when you can sit outside, crack open a watermelon, pour some sweet tea and enjoy the sunshine. As such, I need non-beef burgers in my repetoire, and I prefer that they not look like pancakes or pucks, sad seconds to the juicy beef patties sharing grill space. I love real veggie burgers but chicken and/or turkey make the best substitutes for the "real" deal. This recipe is inspired by a southwestern turkey burger recipe I once had (white meat and chili) and by a delicious Aleppo-yogurt chicken kebab recipe I found on epicurious (chicken, Aleppo, yogurt). It's lighter than air, super moist and completely satisfying.
I made this salad up one night during a bout of inspiration and was incredibly pleased. It is refreshing, zingy and just lovely all around.
Somewhere between a sauce and a dressing, this yogurt-tahini blend is spiced with lemon, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and sumac and is absolutely wonderful. It'd make a great dressing for steamed potatoes or a dip for veggies or a sauce for roasted root veggies...
Read MoreWow! Brown butter mushrooms, lots of fresh marjoram, shallots, brown rice and goat cheese make for a fabulously hearty and fairly healthy dinner. Yum!
Read MoreWhen fall approaches, the canner in me starts to envision hearty sweet-savory compotes rather than summer fruit jams. This compote just screams out to be enjoyed with grilled or roasted meat on a cool evening, atop hot polenta and taleggio and would also be absolutely wonderful on your Thanksgiving table. The concord grape base nicely supports the addition of rosemary, garlic, black grapes and brown sugared-pine nuts and the flavors interplay in a truly sublime way.
Read MoreThis is an homage to my love of smoked pimentón and the ways in which Spaniards do right by potatoes!
Read MoreIn Italy, we ordered an appetizer of small rolls of bread (hot! salty! slicked in olive oil!) served with prosciutto and melted stracchino, in Italian cheese that is wonderful. Though I don't like ham and often dislike cured hams like prosciutto, too, this dish was incredible. Here's my version. Fabulous!
Read MoreThis pasta dish was inspired by a meal I devoured in Florence, Italy. I don't actually recall what was in the ravioli there, but the creamy sauce flecked with speck (an Italian bacon) was out of this world. This is my homage to that.
Read MoreThis is such a simple yet sophisticated and über-flavorful meal. Use best-quality filets, preferably from grass-fed happy cows.
Read MoreDo you love seafood bisques but find yourself wishing for something lighter on occasion? This cream-free bisque is a beautiful marriage of shrimp, brandy and aromatics and uses cooked rice in place of the cream. You'd never know!
Read MoreThis recipe was inspired by my mother's Jezebel Sauce, a Southern hors d'oeuvres of pineapple preserves, apple jelly, horseradish and dried mustard (served over cream cheese), these preserves also combine the sweet and spicy.
Read MoreThis is a simple plum jam, lightly spiced with orange, allspice and cinnamon. It’s a wonderful way to preserve the summery taste of plums but also helps usher in fall with its warm, inviting aromas.
Read MoreIncorporating candied ginger and the fresh peaches of summer, this is a fantastic summer variation on our favorite whole grain muffin recipe!
Read MoreThis is the best recipe I've found for recreating the wonderful Louisiana staple! I found this online but cannot for the life of me remember where. I've made only a few minor tweaks. Extras freeze well! Keep in mind that your dried beans will need to soak overnight and that once the dish is fully cooked, it's great to let it sit in the fridge overnight as the flavors will come together more fully.
Read MoreThis is a delicious variation on traditional basil pesto and is a great way to use up a lot of sage!
Read MoreI do believe I could eat spaghetti alle vongole every day. It is simple Italian food at its very best. This dish is perfect!
Read MoreThis combination of fresh figs, caramelized onions and blue cheese is absolutely scrumptious, a perfect blend of sweet, salty and savory.
Read MoreHomemade ice cream is so fabulous, and with a great foundation, the flavor possibilities are endless. My sons asked me recently what my favorite candy was, and I replied that the older I get, the less I actually enjoy candy. I'd much rather have chocolate or some sort of baked good, but when pressed to consider a candy bar I'd eat if I had to, I thought of the Almond Joy. Coconut, chocolate and almonds- what's not to love?! Inspired by this conversation, I made this ice cream which is like a homemade, subtle Almond Joy with a twist: a dash of cardamom. Divine!
Read MoreSince discovering the ease of making (and enjoying) fresh ricotta last year, I've been an ardent fan and rather obsessive maker of it. Most weeks, there's a fresh batch in my fridge, and one of my favorite ways to enjoy it is with lightly-spiced poached figs and their syrup. I also really enjoy using the whey which is great and useful in so many ways. This ice cream combines the use of whey with my favorite fig-ricotta snack.
Read MoreA wonderful twist on the standard strawberry-rhubarb jam, this instead draws upon the bright tartness of plums and the floral spiciness of star anise to compliment the rhubarb!
Read Moremusings from a stay-at-home, cooking-obsessed mom
Subscribe by email:
Or, you may also
subscribe by RSS:
Contact Emily by email:
I cannot adequately describe my love for this tart nor am I willing to tell you how many I make and eat during plum season. Suffice it to say that this is a truly outstanding, scrumptious, perfect, should-be-your summer dessert!