I had a moment on Monday morning where I was stricken with the realization that Halloween is this week. Even though I don't have any party commitments this weekend and my neighborhood isn't exactly trick-or-treat friendly, I still wanted to get into the spirit. After cruising through Martha's database of perfect spooky treats, my eyes fell on this unassuming cookie. Pumpkin flavored? It's not Halloween without pumpkins. Brown butter? That's trendy now. Makes a large batch? More to share with others. Small and fluffy? All the better to have a handful of them and not feel as guilty! It was certainly the type of dessert I was looking for, but I didn't realize just how yummy these cookies would be. They're good even without the icing (which I quickly realized after several of them disappeared from the cooling rack mere minutes after coming out of the oven).
Comfort
foods evoke different images with different people. Sometimes it’s a dish from
childhood. Sometimes it’s a food that’s creamy, rich, and filling. For me, it’s
anything from Southern France or Italy – fresh pasta dishes, crepes, croissants
with butter, slow-cooked meats, seasonal vegetables cooked in herbs and olive
oil. These are dishes that make me feel warm and comfortable. One of my
favorite recipes that fits this mold is Chicken Provençal. Not only is it quick
to prepare and incredibly delicious, but the smells of roasting chicken,
vegetables, and an herb mix that includes lavender, fennel, basil, and thyme,
your home will smell as if you’ve been transported straight to the
Mediterranean.
A few months ago a coworker asked me a question that stopped me dead in my tracks. What is your favorite dessert flavor? Most people respond instantly to this question (I've asked it enough times in casual conversation to know), but I had no idea what the answer was. It was like asking me to choose between my children cats, I love them both! But there is one flavor that makes me melt a bit more than the rest... mocha. This amazing combination of chocolate and coffee is my favorite dessert flavor. So, as you can imagine, when I came across today's recipe, it was fast-tracked onto my weekend dessert schedule. If you share a similar love for this combination, you need to go make these immediately.
One side-effect of living in apartment where grills aren't allowed is that I'm always on the lookout for protein recipes that can impart as much flavor on the stove or in the oven as they can on the grill. One method I learned a few years ago was cedar plank cooking, which to my delight, isn't just for grills. Today we'll be working with salmon - a poster child for food that is healthy, uncomplicated, and full of flavor. This recipe uses a sweet and savory glaze to complement the fish in addition to cooking the fish directly on a cedar plank for a smoky finish.
Let’s begin with fall, my favorite time of the year. I love everything about it: the weather, the produce, the holidays… apple season is always the herald of all things fall. It begins with a trip up to the north Georgia mountains with my loved ones to one of the U-Pick apple orchards. Afterwards, I spend the next couple of weeks trying to make every single apple dish that has been floating around in my head over the summer.
