In college, my roommates and I used to hard boil eggs by a placing eggs in boiling water and coming back for them 25 minutes later. They eggs were always over cooked with grayish yolks. Thankfully those days are long gone and I’ve graduated to a method for perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs that produce beautiful…
QUICK PICKLES
Pickles are an easy way to turn seasonal produce into a near effortless appetizer. While you can use almost any vegetable, I like pickling hearty cauliflower and carrots for the fall. I use a combination of white and cheddar cauliflower florets and add red onion for some extra flavor. Simply cover the raw vegetables in…
PEAR AND SWISS CROSTINI
With the juicy pear, sweet maple syrup and earthy thyme, these bites taste like autumn. Apples could easily replace the pears in this recipe, but I love the texture of pears combined with the cheese and crisp crostini. I also find pears don’t seem to oxidize as quickly as sliced apples. You can prepare the Simple…
SPARKLING PEAR COCKTAILS
There’s no need to splurge on Champagne for these festive fall drinks. Cava or Crémant de Bourgogne are inexpensive sparkling options, and this cocktail is also beautiful served with sparkling rosé. Great for a group, load a drink tray with glasses and serve a batch of these bubblers at your next soirée. Sparkling Pear Cocktails…
CARAMELIZED ONION AND OLIVE TARTLETS
A bite size-twist on the classic French Provençal Pissaladière, these tartlets save you plenty of time in the kitchen by using frozen puff pastry sheets. I love the flavor of red onion for this recipe, which sweetens as you cook it. Before a big dinner I find it’s best to limit the number of appetizers….
AUTUMN FONDUE PARTY
Don’t be intimidated to throw a fondue gathering because you don’t have the right equipment. Fondue kits are one of those fancy box sets sitting in your basement (or apartment cabinet) that never get used. Save yourself the trouble and space and use the practical items you already have in your kitchen. Make fondue in…
HARVEST SOUP AND SALAD EVENING
As summer leaves us and the weather turns, I find my small family spending more time at our home in New York. No more weekend escapes from the hot city weather or vacations on Lake Michigan. Fewer weekend activities and places to go. One of the things I love about autumn is always I fall…
CHEESE STRAWS
Puff pastry is one of those magical, almost unicorn-like ingredients. It’s so easy to use and can quickly produce French patisserie-worthy treats in your own kitchen. I find it best to thaw the pastry overnight in the refrigerator, but if you are short on time thaw it on your kitchen counter for about 30 to…
FENNEL, PEAR AND CANDIED PECAN SALAD
Here is a crisp autumn salad, perfect for a chilly night. During the cooler months you can almost always find fennel and pears at any grocery store, making this salad a quick first course or side dish option even during the dead of winter. I love the deep, rusty color of red d’anjou pears but…
CRATE COOKING: AUTUMN APPETIZERS
For autumn I have created a crate of cool weather ingredients for a collection of easy appetizers, including three new Basic Recipes, Simple Crostini, Candied Maple Pecans and an Autumn Appetizer Board. After a quick trip to the produce section, keep your kitchen stocked with these basic ingredients and you’ll be ready to host a…