Posts in Autumn
Black Bean Paw Paw Salad

In our neck of the woods we can get a little taste of tropical flavor with the miraculous Paw paw. These strange looking fruits, native to the eastern United States, grow on trees and are the largest edible fruit indigenous to this area. Not only do they survive, but they thrive without much care, growing just as well in the shade as the sun

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Free Cookies

I have a lot of experience making cookies, but not so much experience with political activism. My safe estimate is over 100, 000 cookies baked, and probably 30ish rallies and protests.

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Stand-Up Dinner with Pickled Collards

I’d like to make the case for Stand-Up Dinner. Not all the time, or even very often, but every once in a while it makes sense to eat while standing. Cider making evenings are just such an occasion in our household.

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Disappearing Deviled Eggs Dilemma

I have done an informal survey asking folks what disappears first off the buffet table. It is always the deviled eggs. Spanakopita triangles come in close second. It seems the most labor intensive, time consuming dishes disappear the fastest. 

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Curried Spinach and Chickpea Stew

This stew is hearty yet manages to feel light at the same time. It is chock full of veggies, but it doesn't take lots of time to prepare. I like to serve it with our french bread brushed with a little garlic butter and an arugula apple salad for a fantastic fall supper.

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Pumpkin Chili 

Pumpkin in my chili was inspired by Jeff Armstrong, a long-time baker and friend at West End. He kept telling me that his family put pumpkin in their vegetarian chili. I thought it sounded strange at first, but the more I imagined what the flavors and textures would be like together the more I wanted to try it. It is delicious!

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Dad's Cheesecake

I grew up going to parties and potlucks, and my dad would often bring this incredibly good cheesecake. Everyone always oohed and aahed over how good it was and asked for the recipe. Then he would laboriously write the recipe on an index card for them. He kept it pretty simple and straightforward with this classic sour cream topping.

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Super Easy Granola

I've been making one variation or another of this granola since I was in college. I lived in a co-op house with a bunch of hippies and we ate a lot of granola. My friend Wayne said it was so addictive that he had to swear off the stuff.

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Greek Feta Vegetable Salad

It’s nice when a vegetable salad can be prepared ahead of time. This one actually gets better when it marinates for several hours. It complements just about any Mediterranean main dish. Serve alongside roasted chicken, eggplant parmesan, pasta, or make it the centerpiece of a platter with hummus and pita chips.

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