I owe you an apology. This quinoa salad has been rocking my world for several months already and I am only just now getting around to sharing the delicious details with you. Shame on me! This salad is far too tasty to keep to myself.

A versatile little number, this salad is great for a light lunch all by itself, or as a dinnertime side dish, or a protein-laden yet gluten-free main course for vegans, vegetarians, and those living with celiac disease.

It’s also versatile because you can swap ingredients based on what’s in season. Sugar snap peas and chives not available in the market? That’s okay, substitute carrots and dill instead, or perhaps roasted beets and thyme, maybe even green beans and tarragon. 

The Recipe: The recipe comes from Food and Wine, one of my favorite food magazines. Yes, I still like certain print publications, especially because F&W puts out such beautiful food photography.

What Makes It Special: Roasted, lightly salted pumpkin seeds make a surprising and satisfying topping. Also special – you can make it several hours ahead of serving time. 

This track caught my eye (ear?) from the legendary German band Tangerine Dream which formed in 1967 and went on to influence musical genres as diverse as new age, ambient, Krautrock, EDM, and trance. Give a listen.

Table Tips: As you can see in the lead photo, I like to use decorated clothes pins for identifying foods on a self-serve buffet table so that guests will know what they're getting in to. Folks who are more artistic than I can jazz up the pins to match the party theme or color scheme. 

​Serve With: This quinoa salad would be great alongside grilled fish or another lean protein, or include it as part of a salad plate with sliced tomatoes and other goodies. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: This is my favorite kind of recipe – really easy and way tastier than expected. Although I’m open to new recipes, this one keeps creeping into my menus. Picnic in the park? Check. Weeknight family dinner? You bet. Vegetarian main course for a party? Oh yes, and everyone loved it! I think you will too. 

Quinoa Salad with Sugar Snap Peas and Chives
Recipe source: Food & Wine
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup minced chives

DIRECTIONS:

• In a small saucepan of boiling salted water, simmer the peas until bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute.
• Drain and spread out on a large plate to cool, then pat dry.
• Cut the peas on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces.
• In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until all of the water has evaporated and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa, then transfer to a large bowl (or sheet pan) and let cool to room temperature.
• In a bowl, combine the oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
• Add the peas to the quinoa with the pumpkin seeds, chives and dressing; stir. Season with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.
• Note: To make ahead, prepare the quinoa, sugar snap peas, and dressing up to 6 hours in advance. Keep them separate until about 1 hour before you wish to eat, then mix together and chill until ready to serve. (The vinegar in the dressing will cause the peas to lose their pretty green color after the salad is mixed together for a while. It still tastes great though!)

The Occasion: Sunday night dinner with the family. A cozy recipe, this pork tenderloin is perfect for a fall evening surrounded by the ones you love. It’s not at all difficult, but takes a little time.

Another Kind of Occasion: This dish scales up easily for a crowd, whether it’s a party, potluck, or feast of any nature. Even better, you can make everything a day ahead and reheat just before serving. 

The Recipe: For this magnificent main course I relied heavily on a great recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron and added a few touches of my own. Sweet Peas and Saffron is an excellent resource for plan-ahead meal prep – recipes, motivation, and more. Check it out!  

Little gravy drizzled over the top. The dish just screams AUTUMN. Also COMFORT FOOD and YUM. The apples are a welcome surprise mixed in among the veggies. 

Serve With: We made this to feed about 20 people, served buffet style, in collaboration with our friends and co-cooks. (That’s why the photos show such large quantities.) A crisp green salad and warm bread are all you need as go-withs, although we also served a vegetarian lasagna in case any of our diners were especially hungry or abstained from pork. 

Kitchen Tip #1: I always brine boneless cuts of meat like pork or chicken. Not too long, just enough to seal in moisture and ensure juicy, tender meat after cooking.

My recipe below includes this step, but many others do not. You can always add it yourself if you’ve got the time – even 30 minutes will help, up to 2 hours depending on the quantity of meat.

Kitchen Tip #2: Since they do best with different cooking times, I prefer to roast the meat separately from the vegetables, bringing them together only for the final warm-up.

​And if you want to get really picky, I would break it down even further, using multiple sheet pans to group similar veggies together. ​

This totally defeats the purpose of a One-Pan-Meal, as the original recipe promotes. I get it, I’ve just added extra steps, more pans to wash, and at least 30 minutes to the timetable. Not usually what you’re looking for in a recipe.

But roasting the components separately provides the flexibility to cook the meat and each batch of veggies to the best possible degree of doneness. They can all go into the oven at once, but stir the pans’ contents every 15 minutes or so and remove them as the veggies become tender and golden brown. The apples need the least amount of oven time, carrots and parsnips next, and finally the onions and potatoes. Always use a meat thermometer to determine when the pork tenderloin is done. Aim for 145-150 degrees F. 

I made this dish a day ahead, cooking everything in advance, storing the components separately, then combining everything for a final heat-up in the oven at 300 degrees F for approx. 20 minutes. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: Really good! Our dinner guests were very happy with this meal, especially enjoying apple flavors in the sauce and mixed in with the roasted vegetables. This is the kind of meal that says Welcome Home to a family member, or We're Glad You're Here to close friends. Have a bite and you'll be saying Mm-mm good, right back!

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Vegetables, and Sage
Recipe source: Sweet Peas and Saffron, lightly adapted by Ann Johnson @ Entertain The Possibilities
 
INGREDIENTS:
Meat

• 1 to 1 ½ pounds pork tenderloin

Brine

• ¼ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 quarts cold water

Rub

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze/Sauce

• 2 tablespoons applesauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Roasted Vegetables

• 3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 8 baby potatoes, quartered
• 8 fresh sage leaves, chopped (roughly one tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons white wine

DIRECTIONS:

• Brine the meat: Combine salt, sugar, and water in a large bowl or pitcher. Whisk hard until the salt and sugar are dissolved. (Note: Many brine recipes call for cooking the brine and then cooling it before use but this technique works just as well [and is quicker], just be sure the particulates are dissolved.
• Trim the tenderloins of excess fat and remove any silverskin. Then place the meat in a bowl or roasting pan. Pour the brine over, cover, and chill for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
• When ready, remove the meat from the brine, rinse, pat dry, and set aside.
• Mix the rub by combining all dry ingredients listed in the Rub section above. Set it aside.
• Mix up the glaze/sauce by combining all Sauce ingredients listed above and set aside.
• Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
• Place the pork tenderloin into a roasting pan or sheet pan, brush on the olive oil, then sprinkle on the rub. Roast the pork for about 15 minutes.
• Spread several tablespoons of sauce onto the pork, turn the tenderloin over, and continue roasting until the temperature reaches 145-150 degrees, approximately 10 more minutes. When done, let the pork rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. If you are making the dish in advance, cool the pork then wrap the unsliced tenderloins in aluminum foil and chill overnight.
• For the vegetables: Combine the sage, vinegar, olive oil, wine, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the seasonings and oil that you just combined.  Arrange the vegetables and applies on sheet pans – either all together or separating similar types of vegetables together. (Carrots and parsnips together; potatoes and onions together; apples by themselves, because they will take less time to cook.)
• Roast the vegetables for about 15 minutes, then stir the veggies and roast again for 10-15 minutes. Remove the veggies as they are done – nice and tender, golden brown. Potatoes will probably take the longest.
• Cool the vegetables and apples once roasted. Combine them all into containers to store and chill overnight.
• When it is time to serve the meal, combine the vegetables, apples, and pork together in a roasting dish. Spread a little sauce over the pork and vegetables. Warm in a low oven (about 300 degrees F.) for about 15-20 minutes until heated through. Serve with remaining sauce. 

Yes. It’s been a while. It’s been a week. It’s been far too long since we’ve taken an afternoon break to celebrate … the DANCE.

Now we are here. Let’s do this thing.

Hit the Play arrow on this boss playlist and turn up the volume – way up.

Get yourself up and then get on down – TGIF!
​
Boss tunes from Earth Wind & Fire + Purple Disco Machine + The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - click the names to visit their websites.

The Occasion: Sunday dinner with the family, or any special occasion meal with a groaning board of soul food favorites.

I am not from the South and have no claim to this culinary heritage, but man oh man, I surely do love my collard greens! Sharp bitter greens mellowed by hours on the stovetop, the tangy vinegary pot likker, and the rich feel-good flavor of smoked turkey or a ham hock in the mix. Yes ma'am, that's good stuff.

The Recipe: After you’ve made greens once or twice you really don’t need a recipe, and if you learned at the elbow of the family matriarch that’s the only recipe you’re ever going to want. But I found this one from Divas Can Cook to be an excellent starting point for greens-newbies and a reminder for those who have strayed from their stove tops for a while. 

Serve With: Southern classics like fried chicken, barbecue, meat loaf, fried catfish, mac and cheese. Cornbread. Personally, I say serve it with a straw to suck up all that delicious cooking liquid left in the pot. That’s where the magic lives. 

Soul Food Collard Greens
Recipe source: Divas Can Cook
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large smoked turkey leg (fully cooked)
• 32 ounces collard greens, thoroughly washed and cut into strips
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Hot sauce, to taste

 
DIRECTIONS:

• In a large deep skillet or pot, heat olive oil on medium heat.
• Add in onions and cook until tender.
• Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.
• Add chicken broth, red pepper flakes and smoked turkey.
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
• Cover and boil lightly for about 20-30 minutes.
• Remove turkey leg and let cool.
• Remove meat from bone and cut into bite-size pieces.
• Return meat back to the pot.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add collard greens to pot, pushing them down if needed.
• When greens begin to wilt down, cover and simmer over very low heat for up to 60 minutes or until your desired texture is reached, stirring occasionally.
• Add salt and pepper if desired.
• Plate the greens and pour on a few drops of hot sauce.
• Serve hot.

The Occasion: Back to school – either literally if you have school-age kids, or figuratively if you’re an office worker for whom Summer Fridays are no longer a thing.

During a big routine change it is nice to find a sweet treat in your brown bag lunch every once in a while. These tasty Molasses Spice Cookies will do the trick.

What Makes This Special: In addition to the awesome flavor, you can freeze the cookie dough nuggets and bake off only what you need each time. 2-3 cookies, or a whole bunch, it’s up to you.

Serve With: Cuppa tea. Glass of milk. Sip of tawny port? Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: These are not sexy show-off cookies. They will never win a competition. But man oh man are they good. And familiar. Comfort food in the very best possible way. This is a great cookie to have in your recipe repertoire. 

Molasses Spice Cookies
Recipe source: Once A Month Meals
Yield: Approx. 3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• ¾ cup softened Butter
• 1 cup Sugar (this is the first portion of sugar out of 2 total for this recipe)
• 1 individual Egg
• ¼ cup Molasses
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
• ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves
• ¼ cup Sugar (2nd portion of sugar out of 2 total)

DIRECTIONS:

• Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer in a large bowl) cream the butter and 1 cup of sugar.
• Add egg and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add molasses, mix well. Scrape down the sides.
• Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices in another bowl. Add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Chill dough for at least 6 hours.
• Shape the dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place ¼ cup of sugar in a medium bowl. Roll the dough balls in sugar so they’re thoroughly covered. Place two inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown.
• Allow cookies to cool for two minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

The Fish for Dinner feature chronicles my education in the ways of fish-cookery. I grew up avoiding fish other than sticks and was well into adulthood before adding the real deal into my diet, usually at a restaurant. The impetus to cook more fish at home comes from joining a sustainable fish program through Hooked on Fish. I’ll tell you what we made and how we liked it, plus occasionally a few tips and tunes too.

The Occasion: A nicer than usual home-cooked dinner with the spouse. Sometimes you want to do it up right, make a special occasion for your nearest and dearest. When you’ve got the luxury of time, putting in a little extra effort for the ones you love best is well worth it.

The Recipe: I went trolling the internet for yummy-sounding recipes that stood out from the rest. So many fish recipes are wonderfully simple and straightforward – that’s usually what I’m after, but this time I wanted to hone in on stand-out flavors and textures. This recipe from Hawaiian chef and cookbook author Beverly Gannon, featured on the Food Network site, fit the bill. 

Serve With: A tossed salad or a simply prepared vegetable like green beans. The fish dish itself is a little fancy, so keep the rest clean and simple. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: The original recipe called for macadamia nuts but I had cashews. Both taste rich with creamy textures and are easily interchangeable here. I used a bit less butter in the sauce than was called for, and it was still wonderfully rich. The fish took longer to cook than expected, probably because we started with such a beautiful thick piece of wahoo (or do you say ono? Oh no, same thing) from our pals at Hooked on Fish. This was a very tasty meal enjoyed with a very special person. Will make again!

Cashew-Crusted Wahoo with Mango-Lime Butter Sauce
Recipe only slightly adapted from: Beverly Gannon's The Hali'imaile General Store Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 2000) via Food Network

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen mango
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup milk, half and half, or heavy cream
• 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup cashews or macadamia nuts, whole or pieces
• 2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil or a mix of fresh herbs (I used oregano, basil, parsley, and thyme)
• 1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons (or more, to taste) Sriracha (Thai garlic-chile paste)
• 6 (6-ounce) ono or wahoo fillets
• Canola oil, for sauteing

 
DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Prepare the mango-lime butter: In a saucepan, combine the mango, wine, sugar, ginger, and lime juice and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, until thick and syrupy.
• Add the milk or cream, mix well, and remove from the heat.
• Pour into a blender and blend until smooth.
• Return to the saucepan and simmer over low heat for 8 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly.
• Add the butter, a piece at a time, and stir until incorporated before adding the next piece. Be careful not to boil the sauce, or it will separate. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Prepare the coating for the fish: Place the nuts, panko, and herbs in a food processor and process until fine.
• Spread on a plate.
• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and chile paste and mix well.
• Lightly season the fish with salt and pepper.
• Evenly spread a light coat of the chile mayonnaise on one side of each fish fillet. Coat the same side evenly with the coating.
• NOTE: We opted to coat 3 sides of each fillet with the tasty topping. The 4th side (with skin) remained un-crusted.
• Cook the fish: In an ovenproof sauté pan or skillet, pour in just enough oil to coat the bottom and heat over medium heat. (Be careful not to heat the pan too hot or the nuts will burn.) Add the fish, crust side down, and sauté for 3 minutes, until golden brown.
• Turn the fish and then place the pan in the oven for 5 minutes, until cooked through and firm to the touch. (Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish fillets; mine took closer to 10 minutes to cook through.)
• Place the fillets on warmed individual places. Serve with the mango-lime butter sauce.

This delicious Sake To Me cocktail featuring sake and cranberry juice was unveiled in one of our Foodie Group dinner party posts. You know, the one with the Underwater theme and the so-good sous-vide style duck and veggies?

But this concoction is too good to be an also-ran. Let’s shine a light on this smooth sipper, perfect for a little weekend libation. It’s refreshing, it’s summery (but not exclusively so – this drink will serve you well all the way through autumn), and it goes down easy. 

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Sake To Me Cocktail
Recipe source: Ilise Goldberg
Makes one cocktail

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ounces Sake
• 1 ounce Kurant Vodka
• ½ ounce Cointreau
• 2 ounces Cranberry juice
• ¼ ounce Fresh Lime juice
• 2 dashes Orange bitters
• 3 strips of orange zest
• 3 strips of lime zest

DIRECTIONS:

• In a high ball or Collins glass, zest two strips each of the orange and lime. 
• In a cocktail shaker, mix all liquid ingredients with ice until chilled. 
• Add fresh ice to the cocktail glass and pour the drink into the glass.
• Garnish with one additional strip each of orange and lime zest.