Pasta Pagoda

Looking for an affordable summer filler for the family table? Pasta can take on many forms, but twisty, curly pasta always seems to keep the kids focused on meals around our picnic table. The Cookery likes gluten free Ancient Harvest Quinoa Garden Pagodas, but any pasta will do. Here’s our take on Pasta Pagoda: Cook […]

Fattoush – toasted and tossed

Add this salad to your vegetable repertoire. My fattoush variation is as simple as shop, chop and serve. Provided you skip the baking and buy the bread required for this recipe, fattoush requires painless preparation. If you’re in Austin, drop by Phoenicia for Lebanese bread. Fattoush 2 pieces flat bread (Lebanese bread or pita) 2 […]

Fattoush

I’m rounding up the ingredients to prepare fattoush and hoping to find just the right produce to toss into this beautiful salad. Fattoush is light and colorful with the perfect crunch to stand alone as a meal.

New Year’s fiber fix: hummus

Hummus Who’s coming to dinner? This hummus recipe satisfies every generation. 1 cup cooked chickpeas 3 cloves garlic, crushed juice of 1/2 lemon 2 tablespoons tahina (sesame) 1/2 teaspoon salt olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped paprika Reserve 1/4 cup of liquid from boiled chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Mix crushed garlic, lemon juice, tahina and […]

Separation anxiety?

With canned chickpeas, your beans are ready to rinse. If you prefer to prepare dried beans for hummus, separate the chickpeas from their skins during the preparation process.  No worries. After an overnight water soak, bring chickpeas to a full boil in the water in which they’ve soaked, stirring occasionally, for two to three hours, until […]

He knows if you’ve been bad or good

. . . with a few cookies here, some chocolates there. This kid friendly fruit salad (prepared by the kids in this kitchen) makes any holiday meal look good.  We’ll ration the figgy pudding and double up on fresh fruit the rest of this season.

Get personal . . . with your own cookbook

TasteBook has unveiled a hard copy cookbook that gets very personal. It enables you to personalize a collection of recipes in a cookbook, enhanced far beyond many of the “photo memory” books on the market the past few years. Who doesn’t appreciate the convenience of borrowing recipes and ideas from food sites and blogs?  Electronic copies free up […]

Chicken Cumin . . . just add garlic

Prep and enjoy this chicken dish in under 20 minutes. With garlic and olive oil on hand, you’re nearly done. 4 boneless breasts of chicken, rinsed and cut in strips 3 cloves garlic, diced 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin salt and pepper 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped Coat bottom of large pan with […]

Covert operations: tortilla dip layers revealed

Layered dip fits in comfortably at casual parties. We shared this variation Friday evening at the Pumpkin Potluck Party. Layered Tortilla Dip Here’s what you’ll need: 12-16 ounces refried beans 1 cup diced tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 avocado, diced 1 sweet red pepper, chopped 3 scallions, finely chopped 16 ounces light sour cream […]

Bookmark the Foodie BlogRoll

The Foodie BlogRoll continues to roll with inspiration and energy.  With a small bow to The Leftover Queen and The Foodie Blogroll, here’s a note of appreciation for this diverse collection of food blogs. Check out the site’s 5 Random Blogs. If you’re looking for ideas, answers, menus and more, this well of foodie resources serves it up on […]