Pilau with Cardamom and Ginger

Pilau with Cardamom and Ginger

    The many faces of Pilaf. A pilaf is usually made with rice that is cooked in a savory broth then a variety of vegetables, spices, dried fruits and sometimes meat added to the savory grain.  The ingredients range depending on regions and availability, and the 

Purslane

Purslane

  Yep, that’s right, purslane. If you’re not a farmer, grounds keeper, or gardener this word will probably not elicit an emotional reaction, it will merely be another possibility of omega-3-fatty-acid-packed greens for your table. If, however, you are of the variety of people who clashes 

Korean Cucumber Salad, or Oi much’im

Korean Cucumber Salad, or Oi much’im

  This salad is a great side dish with a little kick for a hot summer’s day, and another step for me to learn more about the marinated quick pickles of Korea. They also say this salad is a good substitute for kimchi if you’re needing a fix and 

Chimichurri

Chimichurri

    This is one of those recipes that I have no idea who to credit other than the many Peoples of Argentina. It’s a national condiment, used as a marinade or eaten with grilled beef or other meats for which Argentina is also well known. 

Watermelon Gazpacho

Watermelon Gazpacho

    Yep. It’s summer.  Sultry, steamy, sunny, sizzling, sweaty and sometimes stifling…if it were any more humid last week the air would have simply transformed to water and we would have been left to fend for our gill-less selves in the new ocean. In 

Creamy Crustless Quiche

Creamy Crustless Quiche

      It’s that time of year and the Willow Weavers of the annual Willow Gathering were again in town for a week and I was able to witness their beautiful creations-in-progress while feeding them throughout the classes. I am always amazed at the 

Crispy Chickpea Fritters

Crispy Chickpea Fritters

  What would we do without Deborah Madison? I don’t actually have that many cookbooks…well okay it’s a couple of shelves, but considering I’m in the food business I don’t have that many. But I do have Deborah’s cookbooks, and I do use them.   

Rhubarb Almond Cake

Rhubarb Almond Cake

  My Darling Lemon Thyme by Emma Galloway of New Zealand is one of my favorite food blogs. Emma worked as a pastry chef for a while and it really shows in her amazing creativity with gluten free desserts. This cake is based on one 

Simple Spring Salad

Simple Spring Salad

  Yesterday a friend said to me, “It seems okay that spring is a crazy busy time, there is so much beauty and life coming up all around that it makes it bearable”.  I would have to agree. Bustling is the word that comes to 

Vietnamese Crepes

Vietnamese Crepes

  Cute and colorful crepes to use as wraps or tacos, these hold together well and give great flavor to a wrap. As the heat of summer approaches these are something to keep in mind for light dinners, like tacos filled with fresh bounty from 

Pickled Radishes

Pickled Radishes

  Looking out my window at the mid-April snow drifts it seems hard to believe that within a few weeks we might be seeing local radishes here in the upper midwest. Thank goodness for hoop houses and determined farmers! We seem to be in a 

Tapioca Pilaf

Tapioca Pilaf

  Tapioca ranks right up there in the Cute and Curious Food category. People may have vague memories (good or bad) of tapioca pudding, but if you’re in the Special Diet camp you probably are quite familiar with tapioca being in the ingredient list of gluten 

Fried Cauliflower with a Curry Dip

Fried Cauliflower with a Curry Dip

  How many times have we eaten from street food carts or food trucks, utterly wowed, then spent numerous attempts to re-enact the scrumptious experience? Usually it involves frying and serving with a greasy dip, and is never quite the same as the edible encounters on the 

Hominy

Hominy

  Making hominy gets to the core of slow food cooking.  It’s a process that takes forethought and time, and though the concept is understandable the Complexities of Simplicity emerge.  Simple is not necessarily simple.   Pre-Columbian cultures began the practice of ‘nixtamalization’ in Mesoamerica.  It 

Smoked Deviled Eggs

Smoked Deviled Eggs

    The final leg of our North Woods journey was unexpected but really fun.  We headed deep into Yooper and Husky Territory of Michigan Tech University to ski the final marathon of the season: The Great Bear Chase.  We drove for hours into the Upper Peninsula 

Gluten Free Kimchi Pancakes

Gluten Free Kimchi Pancakes

  Do you need more ways to use your big batch of kimchi?  A surprisingly savory and cute appetizer?  A snack for your next road trip?  Here is an easy savory treat that makes me happy. Kimchi is the traditional Korean side dish of fermented 

Pink Gluten Free Gnocchi

Pink Gluten Free Gnocchi

  Yes, they really are this color. At least before cooking, but it’s amazing to work with a food that is such a stunning hue!  It made me happy.  This was going to be a post just in time for Valentine’s Day, but the internet access was far 

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Chocolate Chia Pudding

  The Upper Peninsula sunsets have been spectacular here in the sub-zero air.  This is the view from just outside our cabin, right next to the outhouse that I did not include in the photo—you’ve already seen numerous scenic outhouse photos over the years.  These 

Flax Muffins-Biscuit-Bread

Flax Muffins-Biscuit-Bread

  This recipe was given to me by my friend Deanna who passed it along from her doctor who I think got it from writer Susan Weed.  Deanna scribbled it on a cracker box and I’m finally getting around to making it. It’s a great 

Coconut Lime Ginger Rice (revisited)

Coconut Lime Ginger Rice (revisited)

  I came across my post from 2014 that sounded perfect for the simpler meals of post-holiday excess so we’ll give it another go around.  This little recipe was initially from Food Renegade that I made with a few adaptations.  I used canned coconut milk