#FRD2014 – part trois – chinese chicken salad

I have been making this salad for, well, decades (!), A number of years ago, I was fortunate enough to spend several Julys on Coronado Island. One of the very fun things to do was to listen to the San Diego Pops and watch fireworks. At the venue, you could bring a picnic dinner and … Continue reading #FRD2014 – part trois – chinese chicken salad

ffwd – leeks vinaigrette with mimosa

This dish was simply fabulous! In early spring, when asparagus first starts arriving at the market, I make something similar. I can make a meal of that (well, maybe with a crust of bread).This recipe is a similar one - perfectly cooked leeks with a vinaigrette of sherry vinegar and walnut oil (along with a … Continue reading ffwd – leeks vinaigrette with mimosa

ffwd – green-as-spring veal stew

One of my very favorite things to do in cooking, is to use ingredients from the garden - stepping outside to pick what I need in the moment. In AZ, that mainly means herbs, so it was fun to be able to use what's on hand for this recipe - at least in large part. The … Continue reading ffwd – green-as-spring veal stew

ffwd – baby bok choy, sugar snaps, and garlic en papillote

I've been wanting to make this recipe since I opened up Around My French Table for the first time. Just reading the title, I see everything I like. So it was fun to have this finally appear in the recipe line-up. What I really never thought about was the flavor combination of the seasonings: mint and orange. … Continue reading ffwd – baby bok choy, sugar snaps, and garlic en papillote

Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto

This recipe just screams SPRING to me! With it's fresh lemon and spinach flavors, it's one of the things I love to make this time of year. And it couldn't be more simple. I usually make a big batch of this because I use it for more than just pasta, but over vegetables, as a … Continue reading Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto

ffwd – quiche maraichère

Typically, I follow the FFWD recipes quite closely. Sometimes with a bit of a minor twist, but often, I want to see what was so inspiring about the original. Lately, I've noticed a lot of recipes relying on carrots, celery and something from the onion family... and we'd just done that with our vegetable-barley soup from a … Continue reading ffwd – quiche maraichère

ffwd – vegetable barley soup with the taste of little india

To me, the best thing about this soup was the spice mixture. I forget about some of the Indian spice combinations, so it was really fun to break out the garam masala for this. It smelled heavenly, and it's a wonderful combination of sweet and warm spices. Along with the fresh ginger, it added wonderful … Continue reading ffwd – vegetable barley soup with the taste of little india

ffwd – garbure from the supermarket

For our French Friday challenges, I really do try not to research what any other participants have found - I'm always hoping that I can make it, decide for myself... and then have my mind completely changed by all of the fabulous cooks in our group. I have to admit that I did see a few comments … Continue reading ffwd – garbure from the supermarket

ffwd – christine’s party soups – the broccoli version

This is a trio of soups that are all made similarly. Vegetables, cooked with a little stock or bouillon, and then pureed. The three suggestions are: asparagus, broccoli and red bell pepper. Dorie also suggests topping the soups with a seasoned whipped cream. They can be served hot or cold. I've made the asparagus one … Continue reading ffwd – christine’s party soups – the broccoli version

ffwd – recipe swap onion “carbonara”

I first learned how to make spaghetti carbonara the summer I worked at an Italian restaurant, and got engaged. The restaurant and husband are both long-gone, but it was a delicious time and a delicious dish. Dorie's remake of the recipe sounded like a lot of fun with its substitution of steamed onions for the … Continue reading ffwd – recipe swap onion “carbonara”