How to Poach Salmon in the Slow Cooker

I recently discovered yet another use for my slow cooker: slow-poaching fish like salmon. This method actually doesn’t take that much longer than poaching fish on the stovetop. But it has several advantages over the stovetop method.
For one thing, you don’t have to pay too much attention to the fish while it’s cooking. You just [...]

Homemade Pizza Is Easy — Really

Dear Mark Bittman, I have to apologize for having doubted you and not believing that it really is as easy as you say it is to make your own pizza dough. For a long time I have resisted because I believed that making all doughs is difficult. But I finally broke down and tried your [...]

Fresh-from-the-Garden Minestrone

This minestrone recipe is designed to take advantage of whatever is growing fresh in your garden right now. While you may want to stick to the combination of root vegetable, squash, beans and greens, substitutions can and should be made depending on what’s available. What makes this soup really tasty is the “garnish” of bacon, [...]

Green Beans with Bacon and Sage

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This is a super-simple side that is also delicious. Try it alongside any Italian-style dish. I enjoyed it with mushroom-stuffed ravioli in a simple tomato sauce. To be really authentic, you could substitute pancetta for the bacon, of course, but sometimes we must make do with what we have on hand. Still, as [...]

How to Make Croquettes

I have been making croquettes — or little fried cakes — for a long time now. They are always popular, and for me they are comfort food. I usually make them with mashed potatoes or beans. It didn’t occur to me that I could use another vegetable until I found Mark Bittman’s recipe for spinach [...]

Mashing Vegetables Beyond Potatoes

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Lately, I have been experimenting with mashing a wider range of vegetables than the standard potato. And why not? The baby loves mashes, even when he’s turning his nose up at vegetables in general. For adults, they are comfort food. Everyone’s happy.
What is the difference between a mash and a puree? Generally, purees [...]

Tabbouleh, a Required Recipe

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Everybody needs a recipe for tabbouleh, the Middle Eastern bulgur and parsley salad that is part of any good mezze. (Bulgur: tiny, parboiled wheat that usually only needs to be soaked in hot water for a few minutes to prepare. Mezze: a spread of small dishes or appetizers that is a lot of [...]

Corn Fritters for Breakfast or Anytime

When I was growing up, corn fritters were one of my favorite comfort foods. They were like miniature pancakes, but we usually ate them as a side dish to a regular meal, so it was like getting an extra treat. Now I prefer to make corn fritters for brunch with sweet toppings like a little [...]

Baked Beans for President’s Day

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I don’t make baked beans too much. To tell the truth, it’s not one of my favorite dishes. But a lot of people love them, especially on patriotic holidays, like President’s Day, and I always think something is much better homemade than out of a can. Here is a fairly simple, vegetarian baked [...]

Spinach Dip: A Great Anytime Recipe

Who doesn’t love spinach dip? It’s healthy (sort of), always in season and a crowd pleaser. Plus, it’s dead easy to make and the ingredients are already likely to be in your fridge, so it’s a perfect appetizer for unexpected guests.
Here is my basic recipe for spinach dip. Feel free to play around with the [...]