Ham and Bean Soup

What is one thing you can make with leftover ham, besides ham sandwiches or a breakfast casserole? Soup – which is perfect during the cold month of January in Michigan. I often use a honey-baked ham leftover from a holiday where the ham bone is an ingredient as well as the ham. But there is … Continue reading

Chile Crisp and Honey Roasted Salmon

A recipe worthy of a celebration with ingredients such as chile crisp (a favorite condiment at the moment) and a special savory honey from Dr. Jane Goodall’s collection of Woodland Honeys. In memory of this famous icon the world recently lost, it’s a privilege to share one of these special honeys sourced directly from the … Continue reading

Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Butter

It’s been said from sources such as New York Times Cooking and Food52, that this recipe might be Marcella’s most famous and one of her easiest. First I began to receive email recipes for this tomato sauce which were basically the same as Marcella’s. Then I recently bought a new cookbook, Six Seasons of Pasta … Continue reading

Peanut Butter Noodles for One

During busy times of the year in the kitchen I am always looking for simple recipes that make me feel satisfied while I am busy making sweets and other dishes to serve over the holidays. When I saw this pasta dish I knew this could be added to the list. Peanut butter +pasta are always … Continue reading

Dumpling and Smashed Cucumber Salad with Peanut Sauce

Recently, I have been drawn to two Hetty Lui McKinnon’s dumpling salads. This is the second one I chose to make as it is perfect for a light summer meal with little cooking – the peanut sauce is made with hot water. You might remember my smashed cucumber salad with a sweet sour sauce. Anyways, … Continue reading

Dumpling Tomato Salad with Chile Crisp Vinaigrette

Chile crisp in a vinaigrette really defines this tomato salad. Fresh, ripe tomatoes touched with basil and garlic, pre-made dumplings and finishing with store-bought crispy dried shallots. This salad is hearty yet light and requires little cooking. Of course you can make your own dumplings and crispy shallots especially if you make them ahead of … Continue reading

Roasted Dill Salmon

One method of cooking salmon is to roast it in the oven, flavored with some very aromatic seasonings. This salmon dish comes from Naz Deravian’s cookbook “Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories” (2018). I love this cookbook as she has lots of stories to tell beginning when she was 8 and her family … Continue reading

Shrimp Scampi with Orzo

I eat a fair amount of rice because I love stir fries, Asian dishes and recipes that use rice as a base or side. It was nice to make orzo (oval-shaped pasta) instead as it provided a tasty base for some juicy marinated shrimp. New York Times Cooking once again provided a delicious shrimp recipe … Continue reading