Poached pears are sophisticated, decadent and very do-able. With only 3 ingredients including the fruit, these pears will stun your guests. The color of wine jelly poached pears are extraordinary and the taste sublime. Poaching pears is not hard, but requires a little bit of attention to make them perfectly. I occasionally baste the pears …
Chocolate Nut Pie
This pie will rock your world! It is remarkably easy to make, not too sweet, and allergy friendly (with the HUGE exception of tree nut allergies). It is also dairy free, can be gluten free, and suitable for a vegan palate. So how did this wonder-pie come about?? I occasionally get emails with a recipe …
Potlicker Glazed Ham
ThePotlicker’s Easter Ham Here is one more yummy use for Potlicker Beer Jelly. I used the Hefeweizen with Orange Zest flavor because I was sure that the citrus notes would pair well with clove. If you live outside of Vermont and my beer jelly is sadly not yet available, substitute apple jelly. The jelly makes …
Pineapple & Pecan Dressing
Pineapple stuffing was an important part of Easter dinner during my youth. Served along side the classic honey baked ham and green bean casserole, it was all part of the tradition. As a kid, one of my jobs was to help make the stuffing (which I now know is actually dressing because it is not …
Sunchokes
Sunchokes or Jerusalem artichokes are a particularly fantastic nuisance to have around. In the late summer, sunchokes may easily be mistaken for an average sunflower. Wait until cold weather (spring or fall), however, and they are a plentiful food crop. This time of year, dig into the cool ground and you will find loads of …
Tip: How to test meat for doneness without cutting into it
This technique was taught to me by my momma. Make a fist. Your hand should be comfortable, not tightly squeezed. Press on the fleshy part between your thumb and pointer finger. There should be plenty of give. This represents what rare meat feels like if you poke it with your finger. By squeezing a little …
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Turkey Mushroom Burgers
I often sneak ground turkey into meals hoping that Tall Dark and Handsome won’t notice. I do it in the name of love and health. Unfortunately those good intentions are often sabotaged by cheese and bacon. While I can easily slip ground turkey into chili and spaghetti, he has been reluctant to buy into the …
Garlic-Orange Soy Marinade
The weather has been so warm here in New England that I could almost be fooled into thinking it was summer. Around here, March would normally be considered “mud season.” Mud season is late winter or early spring when the snow melts. The ground is still mostly frozen so snow melt can not be absorbed …
Root Vegetable Ragu
My mom is always an inspiration in my cooking. Days when I miss my family, I make things that remind me of home. Growing up my mother made something she called student's ragu. It is a layered and simmered dish all done in mom’s electric skillet. Mom’s ragu has potatoes, onions, ground beef and the …
Cheese Ball, an Up-Cycled Food!
I am a cheese hound. One time Tall Dark and Handsome inventoried the refrigerator and found 13 varieties! I insisted that the cream cheese and cottage cheese didn’t count, but he argued otherwise (typical lawyer type). Living in the land of cheese and maple, how can a girl help herself? Vermont has the most amazing cheeses …
Nancy Warner 