I guess I thought, once I had had my second dose of COVID vaccine, plus waited the two-plus week to make sure I was safe from the infection and to be around people, but still safely masked most of the time, friends old or older than I could go out to dinner, in a restaurant. I was wrong. Nobody wanted to go out and play. I am still reading two to three books a week, … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Crepes Cake is Beyond Delicious
Nibbles
A la Carte: Chicken Adobo with Coconut Rice is ‘Good and Easy’
This was another interesting food and friend weekend. I began the week with a Milton cauliflower pizza, which lasted for two evenings. I also finished up the beef stew topped with some quinoa I’d cooked and refrigerated. I like playing with quinoa. Then I made a sheet pan dinner that also lasted for two night. This time I placed parchment paper on the sheet before I added … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Chicken Adobo with Coconut Rice is ‘Good and Easy’
A la Carte: There’s Always Something to Celebrate with Red Velvet Cake
I have not seen my son, daughter-in-law and their three grown daughters since Thanksgiving of 2019. I missed another Thanksgiving, Christmases, Greek Easters and many birthdays. But Sydney, my second oldest granddaughter, will celebrate her March 16 birthday with her nuclear family and me in Newburyport, Mass. I will bring dinner, probably Pasta Bolognese, a big salad, lots … [Read more...] about A la Carte: There’s Always Something to Celebrate with Red Velvet Cake
A la Carte: Apples for the Asking
This was another fun food week. I am, as I mentioned before, tired of my own food. With few exceptions, I am eating my own food almost every day since the end of last March. Oh, sure, some takeout, but it is expensive and not a whole lot better than what I can make at home. Okay, it can be a whole lot better than I can make at home. But BTP (before the pandemic), I … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Apples for the Asking
A la Carte: Crispy Peanut-Chile Chicken with Sweet Potatoes … to Love!
I was so thrilled with the roasted sweet potato pie I made last week, that I decided to use sweet potatoes again for a recipe I found in an almost-two-year-old magazine I was about to toss. This time the recipe called for chicken and sweet potatoes, with the addition of peanut butter and hot chiles. I had an appointment with my primary doctor in the afternoon (after I … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Crispy Peanut-Chile Chicken with Sweet Potatoes … to Love!
A la Carte: A Duo of Delicious Desserts for Dreary Days
As promised, as part of February’s Black History Month, I get a chance to make two recipes for this column. The banana pudding with vanilla wafers has been a favorite for a very long time. As a matter of fact, some years ago I went to a slumber party at Ginger Smiley’s house and we were asked to make our favorite-ever dessert. Mine was a banana pudding. (Ginger, never to be … [Read more...] about A la Carte: A Duo of Delicious Desserts for Dreary Days
A la Carte: Celebrate Black History Month by Making ‘Peace Through (Puerto Rican-Style Shepherd’s) Pie,’
Even though I was born in New York State, and went to college there, too, I have always considered myself a New England girl. My husband and I met in New York City and we lived in New Jersey for a few years, but as soon as we could, we moved to New England, first to Massachusetts and then to our home in Connecticut. I have always had a subscription to Yankee magazine and we … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Celebrate Black History Month by Making ‘Peace Through (Puerto Rican-Style Shepherd’s) Pie,’
A la Carte: Pork in a Pandemic, Roasted with Sauerkraut Gives Lots of Leftovers
The pandemic has certainly made my days and weeks disappear. Has it really been almost 11 months since our children went to school? Last January, would we have understood the phrase “remote learning”? Would we have known what the heck this thing called Zoom is? Most seasons used to involve food. April meant that first sweet radish, sliced thin on sweet buttered French … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Pork in a Pandemic, Roasted with Sauerkraut Gives Lots of Leftovers
A la Carte: Something Different for Breakfast? Try These Savory Muffins
Hopefully, by the time you read this, I will have an appointment for my first (and maybe my second) COVID vaccine, although that may not be the case. My last missive from VAMS (Vaccine Administration Management System) says, "Thank you for registering ... If you have not gotten that notice ... " How in heaven’s sake would someone know that they had not gotten that note if … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Something Different for Breakfast? Try These Savory Muffins
A la Carte: Baby, It’s Cold Outside … so it Must be Time for Soup!
It has been pretty cold outside and, for that matter, inside my condo. I keep my thermostat at 60 degrees, until friends are coming for dinner (which doesn’t happen these days because of the pandemic) or coming to watch the UConn women play basketball (my neighbors don’t have SNY network). When they visit, I turn the heat to 65. They wear their puffy jackets and I offer … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Baby, It’s Cold Outside … so it Must be Time for Soup!
A la Carte: Lee Shares a New, Fun, Easy and ‘Craggy’ Recipe for Scones
It was a bit of a sad holiday season. I shared Thanksgiving with my neighbors. They are the only people who have been invited into my condo during the pandemic, other than my daughter, the physical therapist, visiting nurses or a few minutes from friends. I lit the candles on my menorah each of the holiday’s eight days and Sue and Bob and I decided not to spend Christmas dinner … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Lee Shares a New, Fun, Easy and ‘Craggy’ Recipe for Scones
A la Carte: Lee’s Last Recipe for 2020, Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
I have a good kitchen in my condo although not as nice as the one I had in Old Lyme, where my husband knocked down walls between two rooms, then got rid of a hallway. When he was done, and with help from a carpenter neighbor, that kitchen was 24 ft. by 17 ft., the center island could hold 10 people, my 42-inch gas stove had six burners and there was a separate pantry that held … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Lee’s Last Recipe for 2020, Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
A la Carte: All About Apricots … in a Pie … for Christmas
With Christmas just around the corner, we are probably looking toward another different holiday. In my heart of heart, I believe that our next festive holiday, if not Easter, will be Memorial Day weekend with backyard barbecues and parades with marching bands. I really do believe this. In the meantime, many of us have been cooking and baking for Christmas. Perhaps dinner … [Read more...] about A la Carte: All About Apricots … in a Pie … for Christmas
A la Carte: Happy Hanukkah! Enjoy Latkes with Lee
It could be old age, or COVID, or rehabilitation with my new hip or nothing at all. But it feels as if my wonderful daughter was here for two days instead of two weeks. In any case, my new hip is perfect. My hip has given me a new lease on life. I was on my walker for a few days, onto my cane the next week and driving on the third. Thanksgiving was as perfect as that … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Happy Hanukkah! Enjoy Latkes with Lee
A la Carte: Welcome December With a Wonderful Winter Entrée
Many decades ago, we spent a New Jersey weekend with my husband’s friend, a radiologist. I call him my husband’s friend because, once my husband died, I exited that friendship because I basically detested him. In any case, this man talked about his radiologic partner and noted that he couldn’t stand the partner’s wife. Always curious, I asked what his wife was like. “A … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Welcome December With a Wonderful Winter Entrée