Published on
Image description
​I bake a batch, sometimes two, of cookies every week. My husband’s tolerance for sugar and chocolate has changed over the past few years. He now finds Toll House Chocolate Chips too sweet for his taste. So last week, I made him Amy’s Oh So Very Best Cookies which are oatmeal cookies minus the chocolate chips in the recipe.
Published on
Image description
​Last Friday The New York Times posted a recipe in their “Here to Help” column for "Quick Jambalaya." Whether you’re celebrating Mardi Gras or getting ready for Lent, this recipe by Vallery Lomas is a recipe you’ll want to keep handy when you’re short on time. You can use leftover rice or prepare your own rice infused with vegetable stock and Creole seasoning. Quick Jambalaya has a nice kick of heat, but you can always enhance hot sauce. I’ll bet you can swap out the andouille (or chorizo) sausage for shrimp.
Published on
Image description
​For Valentine’s Day I prepared a heart healthy meal for my husband and I. From the January 2022 issue of “Charleston Magazine,” there was a delicious recipe for Warm Lentil, Roasted Carrot & Herb Salad from chef Cynthia Groseclose. Ms. Groseclose is a plant-based chef and owner of Plant Pâstissiére in Charleston, SC.
Published on
Image description
The Sunday New York Times of February 20, 2022 included the supplement “Brilliant Baking.” After leafing through it, I found some marvelous recipes that I wanted to try. The first of these was Chewy Earl Grey Sugar Cookies by Yossy Arefi. Ms. Arefi is a contributor to The New York Times Cooking section. She is also photographer and baker with a website called Apt. 2B Baking Co. As luck would have it I happened to have some loose Earl Grey tea in the house. This recipe came at the perfect time as I need a small hostess gift to bring to a friend’s house for dinner.
Published on
​Recently, I was in a very veggie mood. My husband and I both came across a wonderful soup recipe in “Charleston Magazine” (January 2022) for Broccoli and Arugula Soup. This vegetarian soup was so easy to make and despite the fact there was no cream in the recipe, it was a rich and creamy soup.
 
For the recipe you’ll need extra virgin olive oil, one sweet onion, fresh garlic, broccoli florets, sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, vegetable stock, arugula leaves and a lemon.
 
The onions are diced and the garlic minced as they are set in a large pot with olive oil to cook until translucent. The florets are added and seasoned with salt and pepper. The broccoli is cooked until bright green and then the vegetable stock is added. The mixture is brought to a boil and then reduced to a simmer until the broccoli is tender. 
Published on
​Although I am not of Irish decent, I do have special recipes that are perfect to be enjoyed during the month of March. I’ve have made these recipes many times and never tire of them.
 
The first is Irish Soda bread, a recipe that I shared with my readers last year. The recipe uses pantry staples, plus the addition of seedless raisins, caraway seeds and buttermilk. Another recipe that I enjoy making is from America’s Test Kitchen and their version of British-Style Currant Scones. This recipe, too, uses pantry staples, the only thing you need to source are currants.  However, I’m sure if all you had were raisins, they would be an adequate substitute. 
Published on
Does the prospect of dining out for Valentine’s Day sound unappealing? Do you prefer to make dinner or a special dessert at home? I have some ideas for you.​

Starting with breakfast, I recommend red velvet pancakes; I’m craving these right now. This recipe appeared in Southern Living Magazine’s issue of December 2012. The pancakes are delectable, right down to the cream cheese butter that accompanies them. If you want to make them this weekend, I suggest you purchase your cream cheese as soon as possible. My local Wegmans did not have any this past Sunday. Also in lieu of red food coloring, I use Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion made by LorAnn Oils. This item is available at Michael Stores or Shore Cake Supply. I suggest calling before going to make sure it’s in stock. You can also purchase the oil from Amazon. You’ll also need all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs, granulated sugar and the red liquid food coloring or the LorAnn oil.
Published on
Image description
Last week my local ShopRite had USA wild caught, never frozen shrimp on sale. Despite the fact sale meant $12.99/lb., I splurged and purchased some for dinner. I recently found a wonderful one pan meal on the NYT Cooking app for Shrimp in Purgatory. This recipe by Sarah Digregorio is a riff on the southern Italian dish, Eggs in Purgatory where eggs are poached in a spicy tomato sauce that you can sop up with crusty Italian bread, my preference, or serve over pasta or polenta. ​
Published on
​Last weekend I offered to make my husband a Dutch Baby pancake for breakfast. He doesn’t like to eat anything heavy for breakfast, but I knew he would like this. Initially, he dismissed my offer, as he didn’t really know what it was. However, after I described it to him, he decided to give it a try.
 
The Dutch Baby originated at a Seattle Café called “Manca’s” by the owner Victor Manca during the early 1900’s to mid-50’s.  It’s said, that Mr. Manca’s daughter could not pronounce “Deutch” (means German) and instead said Dutch. The café served three small German pancakes, but when the regular size was created it was renamed “Big Dutch Baby.” This pancake is an American take on the German dish Apfelpfannukuchen or German apple pancake.
Published on
Our neighbor, Jeff, just retired and my husband wanted to have he and his wife over for dinner. This couple has been our neighbor for more than 30 years. What was on the menu you ask? For hors d’oeuvres I made my late cousin’s stuffed mushrooms, crab spread from Mr. Shrimp (Belmar) and Alexian’s Pâté’s Wild Forest Mushroom Pâté served with cornichons. A Stilton and Pear salad was our first course. For dinner,  Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew, a recipe from the New York Times, served atop garlic mashed potatoes along with popovers. Dessert was the Financiers that I recently blogged about.


​meet donna

A former teacher, shop-a-holic, empty-nester redefining quick, family approved dinners.

​If you have questions or comments, click on the envelope icon above to contact me directly. 

Archives