Almost every Friday evening, I share an early dinner with friends from Groton and Noank at Sneekers. As I have mentioned before, the food is really good and the prices are easy on the wallet. The two owners, Annie and Rhonda, have been friends for years and they opened Sneekers over 30 years ago. They and our favorite waitress, Kelsey, take good care of us and all of their … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Looking for an Incredible Dessert? Look No Further Than ‘Banana Split Cake’
Nibbles
A la Carte: Bake the Best Big, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!
A few days after I made banana bread (about six overripe bananas I had, to which I added five overripe ones from Noank friends), I decided it was time to make cookies. (By the way, all four of the banana breads left my homes to friends’ kitchens, because I didn’t want to eat them.) Alter all, I had already thawed two pounds of unsalted butter and, while looking for the … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Bake the Best Big, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!
A la Carte Goes Colorful with Crispy Cod with Chorizo, White Beans and Cherry Tomatoes
Back in January, I was invited to a dinner party. The food was incredible, beginning with an appetizer of a seared sea scallop, topped with shredded duck and enveloped with a sunny yellow hollandaise and an arugula in subtle vinaigrette. As an “intermission,” there was glorious white lasagna which melted in our mouths. The entrée was beef and carrots in Borolo, silken mashed … [Read more...] about A la Carte Goes Colorful with Crispy Cod with Chorizo, White Beans and Cherry Tomatoes
A la Carte: St. Paddy’s Day Recipes for Any Day
Remembering St. Patrick’s Day is easy since my second oldest grandchild was born in Massachusetts on the day before St. Patrick’s Day. When we heard that Sydney had peeked into this world early that morning of March 16, we drove as quickly as we could, legally, and were at the hospital, without breakfast, in less than two hours. I had grabbed a few clementines and I peeled … [Read more...] about A la Carte: St. Paddy’s Day Recipes for Any Day
A la Carte: Dive Into Dips on New Year’s Eve
If New Year’s Eve plays out as planned, I will either be at home alone or with friends, or with other friends at their houses. I will have spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family in Massachusetts. Often I fly off to California the that day or the day after, but because my LA daughter and her husband will be in Arizona for two or three days, and because I have to … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Dive Into Dips on New Year’s Eve
A la Carte: Mushrooms by the Million? Sounds Like Soup!
I am such a spoiled princess, even if I don’t have anyone around to spoil me. Because the temperature is dipping into the 40s at night, I opened two windows in the living room and one in the bedroom. Since I had turned on the central air in late May and hadn’t yet turned it off on the first of October, I thought I would go into this slowly. (Actually, I am not a spoiled … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Mushrooms by the Million? Sounds Like Soup!
A La Carte: Perfect Pork Chops with a Mustard Twist
Last week I bought a new grill cover for my Weber. I was a bit unhappy, since I have only had the grill for just over two years and the cover I bought with the expensive grill, is falling apart. I’m not sure I should he surprised, but I am getting to that age where I expect quality should last a while. At least I don’t start sentences by saying “When I was younger,” This, … [Read more...] about A La Carte: Perfect Pork Chops with a Mustard Twist
A La Carte: Apricots and Almonds Make Great Galette!
My mother always wanted to live in San Diego, but as far as she got was Troy, NY. She was born in the beginning of the 20th century, died in the beginning of the 21st century and was buried in an ecumenical cemetery not more than 20 blocks or so from where she lived her whole life. San Diego, she said, correctly, had the perfect climate: fairly sunny, warm in the daytime … [Read more...] about A La Carte: Apricots and Almonds Make Great Galette!
A la Carte: When it’s Humid and Hot, Salmorejo Hits the Spot
Yes, it has been humid and hot, hot, hot. Usually at this point in late summer, I am sort of done with the beach. Last Saturday I went out to dinner with friends and to see a movie (“Wind River” is terrific. Don’t miss it.). Because we had decided to go to see the movie in Mystic, although it is not our favorite destination cinema hall (don’t like the recliners that don’t … [Read more...] about A la Carte: When it’s Humid and Hot, Salmorejo Hits the Spot
A La Carte: You Can’t Beat Beets!
Not everyone likes beets. This is hard for me to understand. What’s not to like with beets. My mother didn’t like vegetables. I found this later in life, when I asked my mother why we I didn’t have vegetables, canned or fresh, except for sweet corn and tomatoes in the summer and canned green beans and canned peas in the fall, winter and spring. Simple, she explained. She didn’t … [Read more...] about A La Carte: You Can’t Beat Beets!
A La Carte: Corn Chowder with Lobster Makes Perfect Ending to Beach Day
There are beach days and there are beach days. I am not sure there has ever been a summer that didn’t include a salt-water vacation. As a baby, toddler and teenager, there was Belmar, N.J. I had Angrist and Kasdan cousins who lived there full-time, although the two Angrist brothers worked in New York City, one as a librarian at CCNY and the other a pathologist at Albert … [Read more...] about A La Carte: Corn Chowder with Lobster Makes Perfect Ending to Beach Day
A la Carte: Craving a Crunch? Enjoy These Cashew Butterscotch Bars
It has been a while since we had a one-two-almost-three punch snowstorm. On the Wednesday before the storm, I had a meeting at 6 p.m. and then another at 6:30 (I was about 15 minutes late for the second one). In the first, my condo board meeting, we talked about the fact that snow was on its way. We tried to figure out whether it was really going to be a tough one, or not. I … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Craving a Crunch? Enjoy These Cashew Butterscotch Bars
A la Carte: Welcome the New Year with Oyster Stew
Just once were we far away from home on New Year’s Eve. It was at Key West and it was wild. We ate dinner at a restaurant. I don’t remember much of the dinner (it wasn’t the champagne, honestly, it wasn’t.) But it was the first time I’d tried creamy crème brulée. Remember, it was the early 70s, iceberg lettuce was the only lettuce in a supermarket and I’d never tasted … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Welcome the New Year with Oyster Stew
A la Carte: Pot Roast is Perfect Between the Holidays
It has been a busy holiday season, beginning at Thanksgiving. I will light my candles on my menorah beginning Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, the first time I can remember Hanukkah beginning on Christmas Eve. (In the Jewish calendar, which sometimes has an extra month, Hanukkah can arrive from November through most of December and is an eight-day holiday. I do not remember my parents … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Pot Roast is Perfect Between the Holidays
Nibbles: Turn Turkey Leftovers Into Turkey Chilli
You may be reading this column the day before Thanksgiving. If you are serving a feast for four or eight or maybe up to 20, just peruse this column. You have enough to do without reading this, but the recipe below may help you with turkey leftovers. (There is no clear segue here, but if you are hosting and see yourself in the weeds, e-mail me ([email protected]) and we will … [Read more...] about Nibbles: Turn Turkey Leftovers Into Turkey Chilli