This is a Minnesota spin on this trendy vegetable. Fresh Brussels sprouts make a fine salad, and this is one of my favorites. Akin to coleslaw, Brussels sprouts are hearty like cabbage yet more tender, with a slightly larger depth of flavor. Brussels sprouts salad is easily assembled and elevates a simple lunch to a new level. It also holds up well as a signature salad for a holiday meal.
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It’s springtime, and for me that means asparagus. I always enjoy finding new and exciting ways to eat asparagus, but sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. This is one of those recipes. This roasted Asparagus Tart with Fontina and Lemon pairs asparagus with soft and tangy fontina cheese and frames it up in a flakey and crispy puff pastry crust. It is sophisticated, light, crispy and flavorful, and is a great way to take this oft-maligned vegetable to new heights.
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This recipe features sauteed wild mushrooms with onion and parsley served over garlic-rubbed crostini. Simple ingredients, only minutes to prepare, and full of flavor, this recipe is a great way to showcase almost any type of wild mushroom.
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Grilled Vegetable Tostadas start with grilled seasoned vegetables served on fried tortillas and topped with tomato salsa, fresh guacamole, and a drizzle of hot sauce. It is a delicious summer meal. With the proliferation of vegetables in the summer, grilling is a great way to bring out their best. The combination of vegetables, salsas, and crunchy tortillas is a fulfilling meatless way to enjoy the bounties of a summer garden or farmers market!
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Sometimes quiche is the perfect supper. It is almost always the perfect lunch, and better yet the perfect brunch. Asparagus and Tomato Quiche is an answer for any meal. Serve it with a lemony salad and you have yourself an elegant and satisfying meal. Add a glass of wine and now you are just plain classy.
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The first time I had this version of Napa Cabbage Salad was when a friend brought it to a family party years ago. It was a highlight of the potluck buffet. I have since reverse-engineered my own version of this Asian inspired salad. Napa Cabbage Salad with Ginger Dressing and Chow Mein noodles is now a regular feature in my house, and the perfect salad for parties, holiday buffets, or even just as a light meal served with Sausage or Pepperoni Bread or a pot of soup.
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Christmas Stollen is a German holiday sweet bread made with eggs, milk, and butter. It is studded with nuts and candied fruit and then wonderfully coated with powdered sugar. Often it is filled and baked with a rope of marzipan in the center. This is the traditional Christmas bread whose shape is said to represent the swaddled Christ child.
I make a slightly lighter version of Christmas Stollen with a Midwestern twist that is seriously just as awesome as the traditional German Stollen but not quite as dense. I find commercial candied fruits to be way too sweet for my taste. I swap out the standard candied fruits and raisins and use a more regional blend of dried fruits and nuts such as cherries, locally produced cranberries and currents.
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Cranberry Relish is a great alternative to the standard cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. This recipe combines chopped fresh cranberries with oranges, apples, celery, crushed pineapple, and pecans with cherry gelatin to make a refreshing holiday side dish. The combination of the tart cranberries, sweet orange and pineapple, the crunch of the apple, the celery and the pecans, and the aromatic hint of orange peel is what makes this dish so satisfying. It pairs nicely with the Thanksgiving turkey but makes a great accompaniment to any holiday meal. My mom introduced Cranberry Relish to our Thanksgiving table years ago, and it has been a family favorite ever since.
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Making guacamole is really quite simple, and not at all out of reach. It’s just a matter of picking the right ingredients and seasonings,. There are really 4 key things you need in order to make really good guacamole:
The other ingredients you add to this are what punch up the flavor and make it great. But rest assured, you can absolutely make a perfectly good guacamole as long as you are not missing any of the key ingredients above.
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Crispy hash browns topped with sautéed vegetables and melted cheddar cheese—simply brilliant. This recipe is inspired by Keys Café and Bakery in Minneapolis. A family run business originating in St. Paul, Keys has been a fixture in the Twin Cities since the 70’s. They have since expanded out to a number of locations around the metro. When I worked just a half block from the Keys in downtown Minneapolis, I would order the #9 Potatoes Etc. for an occasional. A meal in itself, this is a hearty and satisfying favorite for either breakfast or lunch. I’ve created a simple version of this that is also great for a quick one pan weeknight supper.
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I learned how to make pierogis from Magda, our au pair from Poland. The dough is soft, tender, and not at all sticky, so you need no flour when rolling out the dough. This is important, because adding flour as you roll makes the dough tough. Virtually any type of filling works with pierogi, from savory to sweet. We love these recipes for potato and cheese, sauerkraut, and mushroom and cabbage.
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A harbinger of spring, asparagus is often found growing wild along country roadsides. The first signs of asparagus pushing through the earth bring forth the fresh taste of springtime. This dish is a classic from days gone by when we would cut these first signs of spring from roadside patches or a backyard garden. Roasted and served with a soft béchamel or white sauce on crusty bread this makes a tasty lunch, or a quick and nourishing yet simple supper. SO satisfying!
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