January 28th, 2012 | Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Winter farm share = turnips, turnips, celeriac and turnips. I'd never put much thought into turnips until we joined this winter share. I'd mostly seen them in the supermarket in their huge, gray, unappetizing form. Now we get them from our farmer's root cellar, which sounded soooo romantic on that balmy day back in December when we signed up. Isn't that how the Puritans survived rugged win...
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January 1st, 2012 | Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
As you are well aware, lasagna has a few components. It's a very complicated dish, dear reader. A lot of ins, a lot of outs, a lot of what-have-yous. A lot of strands to keep in one's head. Not really. It's just a lot of layers. Pasta, tomato sauce, ricotta mixture, cheese and whatever other fillings - in this case it's reconstituted dried mushrooms and steamed, chopped spinach.
In...
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December 20th, 2011 | Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
We recently joined a terrific farm share and it is
so fun. Each week we go on a little road trip to the farm a few towns away where we get to pick our own vegetables. The variety is actually really great, despite it being December. So far there have been plenty of leeks, cabbage, greens, some fan
tastic Brussels sprouts, squash, turnips and radishes...
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August 15th, 2011 | Appetizers, Nibbles and Dips, Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 2 Comments »
We are former city-folk and this was the first blessed summer that I've had the opportunity to grow a vegetable garden since growing up in the 'burbs (I don't count the tomato plants I had on my fire escape in college). I was so eager to get started that I planted the seeds in little peat pots in early April and ...
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April 18th, 2011 | Pasta, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
So, I know I'm like two years late on the whole ramps trend, but I've never been one for following the herd (though I do love imagining the sound a tiny herd of ramps would make...
shuffle shuffle shuffle). Ramps are known as one of the very first vegetables to come out of the ground in Spring. They are just as much a harbinger of the bounteous warmer months as a clam shack reopening on a 45 degree April afternoon.
Primavera...
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November 17th, 2010 | Soup, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Minestrone used to be my favorite soup as a kid. There is something festive about its bright colors and varying textures. With harvest in full swing, we have an abundance of colorful vegetables kicking around. This soup is filled with the full spectrum. I like to throw in a red onion to complement the orange and green shades in the palette. Adding the vegetables in stages allows each to cook to its own ideal textur...
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October 27th, 2010 | Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Who doesn't love a little tiny pie? Tartlets take less time to bake than a full sized pie and, thanks to their petite size, they offer a smaller margin of error in bake time. Also, they're adorable.
Butternut squash is in season and widely available in New England this time of year. Simply roasted and served with a pat of butter is divine, but three o...
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October 20th, 2010 | Legumes and Nuts, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with ground or minced lamb. So which protein source are we herding here? Lentils. They tend to wander off, as you know. This is a great option for a vegetarian meal that doesn't include cheese. Lentils are supremely nutritious, offering a good deal of iron, fiber, protein and folate. A member of the cruciferous family, kale is practically perfect wit...
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September 15th, 2010 | Salad, Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 2 Comments »
We're having what may be the final barbecue of the year for us this weekend. After a season of potato salads and coleslaw, I was thinking a lighter side dish might be in order. Cucumbers are still going strong in our area, and so I was reminded of this Eastern European dish. Cucumber Salad is cool and refreshing and makes a great accompaniment to barbecued meats.
This is my husband's recipe. It's satisfying but...
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August 11th, 2010 | Soup, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Hot. Humid. Availability of fresh, local vegetables. Yup. Perfect conditions for gazpacho.
As you may be aware, tomatoes are best served fresh from the vine at the height of summer, because they taste like - brace yourself - tomatoes! Sweet, juicy, luscious tomatoes. Freshly picked summertime tomatoes are completely different from the crimson, grainy guys found in supermarkets. Fresh local to...
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June 17th, 2010 | Appetizers, Nibbles and Dips, Cheese, Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 2 Comments »
Farmers Market season is back. Thank goodness. This time of year, there is an abundance of greens - young kale, chard, lettuces and cabbages - all so fresh and bright, they emit the aromas of spring's sun and rain. You can taste the photosynthesis, they're that fresh.
There are plenty of wonderful things to make with greens. Salads and sautés spring to mind. This quesadilla recipe is like ba...
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May 23rd, 2010 | Salad, Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Potato salad is the obvious side for a barbecue. Sure you can buy a tub at the market, but it's really not difficult to make at home. This recipe comes out thick and creamy. Red and green onions add color and flavor, and dill mellows out the mix.
It's also a pretty fast recipe. The potatoes are peeled and cubed before simmering, so they cook in less than 7 minutes. It's also great to make in advance, as the longer ...
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May 2nd, 2010 | Regional Cuisine, Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Fiddleheads, a type of fern harvested before the plant has a chance to unfurl, are as much a harbinger of spring in New England - and as fleeting - as a migratory bird passing through. They come up in the middle of spring, around the end of April and into May, when the soil has thawed and early vegetation makes its presence known.
The flavor is fresh and grassy, and offers a good contrast...
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April 21st, 2010 | Pasta, Vegetarian | 2 Comments »
I decided this morning that today was as good a day as any to reorganize our cabinets. I like to collect glass jars to use for storage, rather using than plastic containers that seep BPAs and chemical flavors into foods. It's also a good way to reuse perfectly good glass jars and keep them from becoming the stuff of landfills. So, I went though and put any unsealed items into jars. It looks pretty spiffy now a...
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April 18th, 2010 | Breakfast and Brunch, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 2 Comments »
Strata is a savory bread pudding, made with eggs, milk and cheese. It also makes good use of yesterday's baguette or any other thick-crusted bread that's past its prime.
The important thing is to use a good strong bread and not wimpy sandwich bread, which will turn to goo when combined with liquid. Bread with a hard crust results in a pleasant, varied texture of soft custard, combined with toothsome morsels.
Gr...
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April 4th, 2010 | Appetizers, Nibbles and Dips, Cheese, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
I know, I know, I know. Sun-dried tomatoes are a un peu 1992, but I guess I'm a child of the 90's. For years I really didn't care for sun-dried tomatoes, so I missed out on it the first time around. They say your taste can change over time and in this case it certainly has. It's hard to imagine not liking them now.
Goat cheese has a lovely tang and provides the perfect foil for the sweet s...
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March 25th, 2010 | Breakfast and Brunch, Cheese, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Quiche is the every-meal. The any-time-of-day item that tends to show up in odd places. Brunch buffets, bridal showers, cafeterias, airport lunch counters. And in many cases, it's not particularly great. I think the problem is that too often, especially in institutional settings, quiche is served pre-plated and cold, which is just a smack in the face to what is, or can be a really good thing....
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March 15th, 2010 | Regional Cuisine, Seafood, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
This was the final week of our fish share until the next season which starts in the spring. We got a lovely cod. Fresh cod is so delicate, it deserves to not have its flavor masked by other things. In this case, lemon adds a bit of zing and fresh rosemary lends its mellow flavor without taking over the dish.
While we're on the topic of fresh herbs vs. dried, I find fresh rosemary to be far le...
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March 3rd, 2010 | Cheese, Pasta, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Making lasagna is like planning a wedding. There are thousands of varying traditions and just as many ways to go about it. Some say location and food are most important, others say music and color scheme. In the end, you just need to decide what's most important to you.
Some prefer their lasagna with lots of veggies, others like it with beef. I like lasagna to be r...
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February 21st, 2010 | Salad, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
As you know, avocados and mangoes are not native to New England, so this post kind of flies in the face of my whole local theme, but oh well. It's winter in New England. Fruit must come from somewhere and mangoes and avocados are among my favorites.
I devised this salad a few years ago when I was on a bit of a pine nut kick. I've since decided to cool it on the pine nuts until more informa...
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February 13th, 2010 | Desserts, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Teacakes. Is it not the most adorable word? It conjures images of flowery tablecloths, delicate china and smiling aunties.
Tarragon is a social chameleon. The Gatsby of herbs. It gets along just as well in sweet dishes as it does with its more common savory partners. This recipe demonstrates the former. Lemony, sweet and dense, Lemon Tarragon Teacake is the perfect showca...
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February 6th, 2010 | Appetizers, Nibbles and Dips, Cheese, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 7 Comments »
One of my favorite things to do for dinner is to make a few types of appetizers. It's especially fun if you plan on having friends over to watch a movie or sporting event (a-hem) on television. My favorite appetizers tend to be flaky, savory treats. Dips and things are great, but there's something decadent about having something that tastes like it came from a pastry shop.
These fit the bill nicely. Only a few ingredients ...
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February 4th, 2010 | Breakfast and Brunch, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
I really miss the farmers markets. During the summer months we keep the kitchen stocked with fresh local vegetables and fruits - especially berries. This time of year though, the only fresh berries around are very tart, bathed in pesticides and have traveled thousands of miles.
Rather than going that route, I like to either freeze a few pints in the summer when they are ...
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February 2nd, 2010 | Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
I've said it before and I'll say it again - Brussels Sprouts get a bad rap. But it's unfair to judge them. It's not their fault they get steamed sometimes. Doesn't everyone?
The little fellas can be as bitter as they are sweet, and steaming brings out the bitterness. Pan-frying has the opposite effect - the sprouts form a crisp, flaky exterior, with creamy, smooth inner layers. An...
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January 21st, 2010 | Cheese, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
There's something wonderful about the way broccoli and feta go together. Feta's brininess brings out a sweetness in the broccoli that otherwise might go undetected, and the textures work well together too.
This dish is really easy to make, but seems decadent and complicated because of the filo. It's also a good dish to make if you've opened a package of filo dough and have a few sheets left over...
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January 14th, 2010 | Breakfast and Brunch, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
I've always said that brunch is the most important meal of the week. While I am a big fan of eggs (Total understatement. I'm egg's no.1 fan. Egg has stopped answering my phone calls. Legal action has been taken. It's gotten messy.) and could probably go for a nice scramble any morning, I'm also woefully aware that one egg contains 60 - 80% of the recommended daily maximum intake of cholesterol, so just think of how two...
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January 6th, 2010 | Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
I noticed the other day that the past few posts have been looking a little on the off-white to brown side of the food spectrum.
In my own defense, it's winter here. Fresh veggies are not as easy to come by unless you don't mind bringing them in from warmer climes. Which I kind of do. However, you need to get at least five servings of vegetables per day - not just seasonal root veggies.
...
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December 27th, 2009 | Appetizers, Nibbles and Dips, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
These are great little party nibbles and they're really easy to make too, which is good because they tend to go fast. The shiitake mushrooms bring a good bit of mushroom flavor and the white mushrooms carry the rest - very civilized of them. As they bake, the pastry rises around the mushrooms, forming a shallow cup. The mascarpone acts as an adhesive as it melts, leaving behind the rich flavor of cream.
I norm...
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December 23rd, 2009 | Breakfast and Brunch, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 6 Comments »
I started making this last Spring. We had quite a lot of oatmeal in the house and with the weather getting warmer, we were eating hot oatmeal less frequently. I decided to make it into a cold cereal that could be enjoyed in warmer weather. We really liked it, so I made another batch, bagged it up and gave it to our friends, who also enjoyed i...
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December 16th, 2009 | Pasta, Sauces, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 2 Comments »
Vegetable Garden Pasta gets its name from the raw veggies that star in the dish. The pasta sauce takes less than 20 minutes so that the tomatoes and carrots retain their vitamins and minerals. A quick, covered simmer allows the vegetables to soften in a shorter amount of time than tomato sauce recipes that stew uncovered for several hours. Give the sauce a quick mash, to ge...
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November 17th, 2009 | Regional Cuisine, Soup, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 2 Comments »
This dish is inspired by the Three Sisters, a term referring to the farming practice of companion planting, which was employed by the Native Americans of the Northeastern United States to grow maize, beans and squash. The three plants were grown in a mound in order to allow for optimal nutrient distribution to the plants and soil - the bean plant produces nitrogen in the soil which th...
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October 28th, 2009 | Desserts, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 6 Comments »
Shortbread is a minimalist. Containing only three ingredients: butter, flour and sugar, simple is what shortbread is all about. In fact, Simple
would be Shortbread's middle name, if it wasn't mononymous already. That's how minimalist shortbread is.
I made these the other day for a friend who avoids butter. Instead, I used Earth Balance, and they came out great. The final product had a nice buttery flavor and a rich texture.
Dairy-Free Sho...
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October 28th, 2009 | Cheese, Side Dishes and Vegetables, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 2 Comments »
Beets and Brussels sprouts are so nutritious, but they each have a bad reputation, especially among those who don't care for vegetables. My theory on folks who say they don't like vegetables is that they were probably served plates of boiled, flavorless, or worse, canned veggies as a kid. For those who say nay to veggies, I recommend giving them one more try by adding a flavorful cheese or bacon and cooking in butter ra...
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October 26th, 2009 | Cheese, Pasta, Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | No Comments »
Mac and cheese is traditionally made using a combination of Cheddar and American Cheese, which, while I'm on that topic, I'd like to just put this out there,
is not actually cheese.
I'm sure you already figured those little individually wrapped squares from the pre-sliced cold cut section of the supermarket were not lovingly stacked on shelves in a mountain cave and aged ...
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October 21st, 2009 | Vegetarian, Yankee Cook Recipes | 1 Comment »
I've been thinking of making something out of the tofu we have in the fridge, a can of coconut milk in the cupboard and a yellow chili from last week's farmers market. So I stopped by our local natural ...
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Winter farm share = turnips, turnips, celeriac and turnips. I'd never put much thought into turnips until we joined this winter share. I'd mostly seen them in the supermarket in their huge, gray, unappetizing form. Now we get them from our farmer's root cellar, which sounded soooo romantic on that balmy day back in December when we signed up. Isn't that how the Puritans survived rugged win...
