Gingered vegetable soup with fresh ginger root, potatoes, zucchini, corn, and tomato sauce. Oil-free, vegan, and full of warming flavor from a water-sauteed base.
Shrimp de Jonghe, a classic Chicago dish of parboiled shrimp baked under a buttery herb and sherry bread crumb crust with tarragon, chervil, and garlic. Bubbly and golden.
Broccoli spears with a homemade Swiss cheese sauce made in the microwave. A quick two-serving vegetable side dish with a creamy, melty cheese topping in 30 minutes.
Fresh oranges drizzled with a quick maple caramel sauce made from brown sugar, maple syrup, and lemon juice. A light, elegant fruit dessert ready in minutes.
Double-crusted spinach and mozzarella pie in a homemade yeast dough, filled with garlicky greens, black olives, and sweet raisins. Southern Italian comfort baked rustic.
Chili cilantro dressing with green chilies, fresh cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and honey. A bright, spicy blender dressing ready in 10 minutes for salads, tacos, or grain bowls.
Rich yeast bread loaded with chunks of semi-sweet chocolate and walnut pieces, made with butter, eggs, and a simple batter method. No kneading required. Makes two loaves.
Cinnamon chocolate sheet cake with a boiled cocoa-margarine base, buttermilk batter, and chocolate cream cheese frosting. A Texas-style sheet cake with warm cinnamon spice throughout.
Chocolate sour cream cake built on melted unsweetened chocolate, brown sugar, and a finishing splash of boiling water that blooms the cocoa into deep, fudgy darkness. Tender, moist, old-school layer cake at its honest best.
Mint-chocolate brownies with a fudgy crumb and cool peppermint punch, built from melted mint morsels stirred straight into the batter. Easy one-bowl dessert for the holidays or any day.
Mocha nut rounds are slice-and-bake icebox cookies flavored with instant coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Edges dipped in milk chocolate, then rolled in chopped pistachios for a striking holiday cookie tray finish.
Wild rice with mushrooms, crispy bacon, thyme, and green onions. A nutty, earthy side dish simmered in chicken bouillon and finished with fresh parsley.
Two-layer raspberry cheese pie with a baked cream cheese filling and a cool raspberry-whipped cream topping. A make-ahead showstopper dessert for special occasions.
Armenian lavosh flatbread with a simple yeast dough rolled thin, topped with sesame or poppy seeds, and baked crisp. Ancient cracker bread, perfect for cheese boards and dips.
Armenian lavosh flatbread with a simple yeast dough rolled thin, topped with sesame or poppy seeds, and baked crisp. Ancient cracker bread, perfect for cheese boards and dips.
Red, white, and blue berry pie with layered blueberries, cream cheese mousse, and raspberries in a gelatin-set filling. A no-bake patriotic dessert for the Fourth of July.